Operating Structures (OS) in Beneficiary Countries

Croatia	Montenegro
Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRDFWM) - line ministry responsible for the management and implementation of the Component II of IPA	Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration - institution responsible for coordination of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 2007-2013)

The OS of each country cooperate closely in the programming and implementation of the cross-border programme establishing common coordination mechanisms. The OSs are responsible for the implementation of the programme in their respective countries.

Contact:
Andreja Petković, Advisor,
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Milena Ulić, Advisor
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You are most welcome to send any suggestions or comments regarding work of JTS and Antenna staff to the contacts mentioned above.

Croatia

The IPA–Component II Coordinator (within the meaning of Art. 22.2.b of the IPA Implementing Regulation) is the State Secretary in the Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRDFWM).
The Operating Structure in Croatia consists of the line ministry responsible for the management and implementation of the Component II of IPA: the Ministry of Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management (MRDFWM) which is an coordinating body and Agency for Regional development which is an Implementing and Contracting body. The Operating Structure is accredited in November 2008 at the latest in line with IPA Implementing Regulation (Art. 76 & 139).

Montenegro

The National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC) in Montenegro is the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration.

The IPA–Component II Coordinator is the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

The Operating Structure in Montenegro is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (which is the institution responsible for coordination of both Component I and II of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 2007-2013) which are available to Montenegro as a potential candidate country).

The Operating Structures are inter alia responsible for:
•    jointly preparing the cross-border programme in accordance with Art. 91 of the IPA Implementing Regulation;
•    jointly preparing programme amendments to be discussed in the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC);
•    participating in the Joint Monitoring Committee and guiding the work of the JMC in programme monitoring
•    nominating the representatives of the Joint Steering Committee to be appointed by the JMC
•    setting up the Joint Technical Secretariat;
•    preparing and implementing the strategic decisions of the JMC;
•    reporting to the NIPAC/ IPA–Component II Co–ordinator on all aspects concerning the implementation of the programme;
•    establishing a system, assisted by the JTS, for gathering reliable information on the programme’s implementation and providing data to the JMC, NIPAC/ IPA–Component II Co–ordinator or the European Commission;
•    ensuring the quality of the implementation of the cross-border programmes together with the JMC;
•    sending to the Commission and NIPAC the annual report and the final report on the implementation of the cross-border programme after examination and approval by the JMC;
•    ensuring reporting of irregularities;
•    guiding the work of the Joint Technical Secretariat;
•    promoting information and publicity-actions;

In Croatia, where the programme is implemented under decentralised management, the Operating Structure also in charge of:
•    contracting the projects selected by the Joint Monitoring Committee;
•    payments accounting and financial reporting aspects of the procurement of services, supplies, works and grants for the Croatian part of the Cross-border programme;
•    ensuring that the operations are implemented according to the relevant public procurement provisions;
•    ensuring that the final beneficiaries and other bodies involved in the implementation of operations maintain either a separate accounting system or an adequate accounting code for all transactions relating to the operation without prejudice to national accounting rules;
•    ensuring the retention of all documents required to ensure an adequate audit trail;
•    ensuring that the National Fund and National Authorising Officer receive all necessary information on the approved expenditure and the applied procedures;
•    carrying out verifications to ensure that the expenditure declared has actually been incurred in accordance with applicable rules, the products or services have been delivered in accordance with the approval decision, and the payment requests by the final beneficiary are correct.

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