Category: Programme news

Following the Russian military aggression on Ukraine and in line with the decision of the European Council to suspend cooperation with Russia and Belarus, on Tuesday 22 March 2022 a meeting was held in Brussels to explore ways to continue the implementation of concerned ENI CBC programmes. As a result, it was understood that the EU beneficiaries can carry on the project operations, whereas the activities and financial flows on the Russian and Belarusian side have to be suspended. Project partners will be contacted individually for more detailed information within few weeks.

The European Commission has suspended the Financing Agreements between the EC and the Russian Federation concerning the European Neighbourhood Instrument cross-border cooperation programmes (ENI CBC). This means, among other things, that no further payments of programme funds to Russia will be made. This concerns payments from the Managing Authorities and money transfers from the Lead Partners in Finland.

On March 22^nd, the Managing Authorities of the programmes with Russia and Belarus will have a meeting with the European Commission about the practical consequences of the suspension.    

After the meeting, the Managing Authority expects to be able to inform you about the schedules and eligibility of costs as well as about practicalities concerning the next steps with the implementation of projects and payments. The European Commission is searching for solutions to properly conclude planned activities on the EU side.

The Managing Authority wants you to note that for the moment, the projects should not plan or carry out any major activities, like large events or investments, before clear guidance for proceeding can be provided. Also, projects should not apply for changes in the projects, because the MA is not able to proceed with change requests in this unclear situation.   

In addition, the Managing Authority wants to underline that a prerequisite for any payments is, as until now, that costs and activities are reported (note that the EC decisions may affect the eligibility of costs). Please note also that the MA continues checking the reported and audited costs of Russian partners and keeps record of the unpaid amounts, even though the payments cannot be made for the moment.

The European Commission has suspended the Financing Agreements between the EC and the Russian Federation concerning the European Neighbourhood Instrument cross-border cooperation programmes (ENI CBC). This means, among other things, that no further payments of programme funds to Russia will be made. This concerns payments from the Managing Authorities and money transfers from the Lead Partners in Finland.

On March 22^nd, the Managing Authorities of the programmes with Russia and Belarus will have a meeting with the European Commission about the practical consequences of the suspension.    

After the meeting, the Managing Authority expects to be able to inform you about the schedules and eligibility of costs as well as about practicalities concerning the next steps with the implementation of projects and payments. The European Commission is searching for solutions to properly conclude planned activities on the EU side.

The Managing Authority wants you to note that for the moment, the projects should not plan or carry out any major activities, like large events or investments, before clear guidance for proceeding can be provided. Also, projects should not apply for changes in the projects, because the MA is not able to proceed with change requests in this unclear situation.   

In addition, the Managing Authority wants to underline that a prerequisite for any payments is, as until now, that costs and activities are reported (note that the EC decisions may affect the eligibility of costs). Please note also that the MA continues checking the reported and audited costs of Russian partners and keeps record of the unpaid amounts, even though the payments cannot be made for the moment.

European Commission has published news of suspending CBC programmes with Russia and Belarus. We will give more information to project partners as soon as possible. The European Commission announcement can be found here.

European Commission has published news of suspending CBC programmes with Russia and Belarus. We will give more information to project partners as soon as possible. The European Commission announcement can be found here.

Current political situation has an impact to the implementation of CBC programmes even if the programmes are not directly under the sanctions set up by the European Council. European Commission recommends to suspend payments (advances or reimbursement) concerning the Russian partners, and the bans set to the Russian banking sector already largely prevent proceeding with payments.

We wait for further EU decisions concerning the programmes implemented with Russia. We shall keep you informed about the developments and will provide you guidance as soon as we have more information to share.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your project coordinator in the Managing Authority.

Current political situation has an impact to the implementation of CBC programmes even if the programmes are not directly under the sanctions set up by the European Council. European Commission recommends to suspend payments (advances or reimbursement) concerning the Russian partners, and the bans set to the Russian banking sector already largely prevent proceeding with payments.

We wait for further EU decisions concerning the programmes implemented with Russia. We shall keep you informed about the developments and will provide you guidance as soon as we have more information to share.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your project coordinator in the Managing Authority.

Eighth meeting of the Programming Committee (PC) of the South-East Finland – Russia 2021-2027 Programme was organised on-line on 21 February 2022. 

The latest information regarding preparation of the regulative and legal processes, the Financing Agreement and financial allocations to the 2021-2027 Programme, including national financing, was presented to the PC members at the meeting. Among the main discussion topics was the content of the draft Programme Document, appropriate mechanisms to implement Partnership principle in the future programme, and the list of Large infrastructure projects proposals to be submitted as a supporting document along with the Programme Document. 

The final Programme document drafts are expected to be submitted for the national approvals in Finland and in Russia in April-May. This is an important milestone of the new Programme.

The Committee will meet again at the end of April 2022 to finalize the programming. The materials supporting the process of the South-East Finland – Russia 2021-2027 Programme  preparation are available at Programming material.

The Managing Authorities of the Karelia, Kolarctic and South-East Finland – Russia CBC programmes are procuring an evaluation of five border crossing point development projects implemented by the programmes. The performance of the evaluation shall be based on the service contract between the Managing Authorities and the winner of this tendering.

The procurement of the service shall be implemented based on tendering open until 25.2.2022.

In addition to the website of each of the Programmes, the tender announcement is published at Hilma (public procurement).

All the tendering documents can be found here.

Hanna Kailasto
Director of Strategy, Media and Communications Unit
Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, Southeast Finland

From expert to vantage point over cross-border cooperation

Hanna Kailasto has extensive work experience both in the public and private sectors, and where the strategic approaches are relevant. Last five years her responsibilities have been connected in supervising strategical management and communications unit in the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, Southeast Finland (ELY-Centre). The experience and ability she can utilize in her current position has been built over the years as an expert in the Association of Finnish Technical Traders, Wholesale Business Service and the Road Administration of South-East Finland District. During 2012-2014, on-site on her official position in the ELY-Centre Kailasto worked as a specialist and development manager in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, where she was responsible for tasks related to the Northern Growth Zone and the development of a new transport policy in co-operation with the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and the regions. 

Close involvement in the preparation of the AVI – ELY -strategy has built her expertise in strategical work and familiarized her with the activities of the ministries guiding the ELY-Centre. “I have been pleased to continue this work for the past year as chair of the Climate Group of Strategy Managers”, notes Hanna Kailasto, Director of Strategy, Media and Communications Unit from ELY-Centre, with great interest and broad experience on different operations having impacts on climate change. As of 2004, her work has also touched upon the cooperation between Russian Federation and Finland, and the versatile networks and memberships have provided her with excellent opportunities to take part. 

”Getting to know each other is very important basis for good cooperation. It opens up a whole new level of dialog and increases understanding. It is very important to get to know each other’s culture, because through it the effectiveness and efficiency of cooperation can be improved”, highlights Hanna Kailasto acting currently as the member of the CBC 2014-2020 Joint Monitoring Committee and 2021-2027 Programming Committee for the South-East Finland – Russia Programme.  

The ELY-Centre participates actively in cross-border cooperation

SEVIRA (Project website) and Cycling (Project website) projects are good examples of the Finnish-Russian cross-border cooperation, and ELY-Centre as a partner, has been able to support their implementation. In addition, the organisation having a vital role as the regional governmental official in environment, traffic planning and development operations, is partner in some Large Infrastructure Projects funded by the Programme. Cycling event across the Finnish-Russian border was a memorable experience of cross-border cooperation for the participants. The projects also make a great contribution to sustainable development and help to promote information of the climate change. These are objectives that should also be included in the projects of the next programming period. 

ELY-Centre, as an active organisation, considers the overall effectiveness of the Programme very high and highlights its promotion now and in the future by all means. Also, from the Finnish perspective, the long-term relations and cooperation with Russia are important and political challenges should be kept away from the crass root and local activities, which benefits to the wellbeing of people. “The means to increase the dialog and finding consistent tools, such as the initiative of the Advisory Group proposed for the future South-East Finland – Russia programme, are more than welcomed”, comments Hanna Kailasto and considers the stakeholders’ cooperation very important in bringing the projects’ results to life even after they have ended. Versatile and multi-channel communication is the key element and the personal contacts of key personnel with various parties are also very important. “Hopefully, the covid pandemic shall calm down and face-to-face meetings could take place again, so that issues related to the transition period between two programmes could be addressed properly”, wishes Hanna Kailasto, with the rest of us in the Programme administration. 

Pawing way towards 2021-2027 period by learning from the best practices

It is very important to analyze what has been learned from the collaboration, and to consider, what are the key new issues and how they can be addressed. While there exist many similarities in different programmes, benchmarking as a tool to find the best practices can be very beneficial. In this sense, it is good that the collaboration between the programmes is well recognized and implemented already in many ways. This gives a solid ground for the future. 

Hanna Kailasto wishes to send her regards and heartfelt thanks to both Finnish and Russian partners, and the European Commission representatives for their fruitful cooperation. “And also, many thanks to the representatives of the Managing Authority and its Branch Office for the excellent and long-lasting promotion of cross-border cooperation”. 

Editor: Sari Loisa