Cross Border Cooperation Mechanism in the Field of Social Assistance at multi-regional level Romania-Bulgaria - ROBG-150
What is the purpose?
To increase the cooperation capacity and the efficiency of the Romanian National Agency for Payments and Social Inspection (ANPIS), through its cross border decentralised bodies, and of the Bulgarian Agency for Social Assistance in the field of social policy, in a CBC context.
What is the budget?
671.561,63 euro, from which 570.827,37 euro FEDR
Who implements the project?
Lead beneficiary (LB): County Agency for Payments and Social Inspection Constanta (Romania)
Beneficiary 2 (B2): Agency for social assistance /ASA/ (Bulgaria)
Beneficiary 3 (B3): County Agency for Payments and Social Inspection Dolj (Romania)
Beneficiary 4 (B4): County Agency for Payments and Social Inspection Teleorman (Romania)
What is the implementation period?
Start date: 2017-09-23
End Date: 2019-11-22
Period: 27 months
Where it is implemented?
Mehedinti, Dolj, Olt, Teleorman, Giurgiu, Calarasi, Constanta, Romania
Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, Silistra, Dobrich, Bulgaria
What will happen?
- Comparative study Romania-Bulgaria regarding the regulatory framework and working methodologies and procedures in the areas of social benefits and social inspection;
- Needs analysis regarding the areas for improvement in the fields of social benefit management and social inspection, via a series of 18 focus groups;
- Developing by CBC 2 public policies, one for each country, regarding the areas of benefits management and social inspection that will valorize the best practices identified in the two countries;
- Organizing a series of 6 workshops, 3 on social benefits management and 3 on social inspection, taking place in Vratsa, Ruse and Craiova, with a total of 23 specialists of partners, from the two areas of competence;
- Capacity building for the border area deconcentrated bodies of the two public institutions in the areas of social benefits management and social inspection, based on the new policy developed in cooperation;
- 7 training sessions organized in Romania by partners for neighboring AJPISs (3 by AJPIS Dj, 2 by AJPIS Tr and 2 by AJPIS Ct) and 28 trainings in Bulgaria at regional (8 courses) and local level (20 courses);
- Capacity building for staff of mayor's offices and NGOs from border area regarding the new policy developed in cooperation;
- Organizing two types of trainings for (1) staff of Mayor’s Offices from the Romanian 7 border area counties and (2) management staff of NGOs from both same 7 border area counties, as from the 8 border districts of Bulgaria;
- Development and implementation of an online information exchange tool between the partner public institutions;
- Information and publicity: 7000 leaflets; 7000 pens; 1800 calendars; 2100 folders; 1400 posters; 2100 bloc notes; project website (ro/bg/en), facebook account organizing 4 conferences in Romania and Bulgaria;
What will be the results (what is the contribution to the program)?
Programme outputs:
5 supported cross border mechanism to enhance cooperation capacity: 1 comparative study; 2 public policies developed in cooperation; 1 inter-institutional agreement; 1 exchange information tool;
Programme results: increased level of co-ordination of the public institutions in the eligible area.
Status
The project implementation was finalized on 22.11.2019 and the final implementation report was not submitted yet.
In terms of physical progress, the following results were achieved:
- The project beneficiaries concluded the contracts for acquisition of the equipment necessary for the project implementation teams and all the equipment were delivered. Also, the contracts for elaboration of the promotional materials were concluded and the promotional materials were delivered;
- One press conference for launching of the project was held in Constanta;
- The project website was elaborated and is available at http://ajpisconstanta-interreg.ro in Romanian, Bulgarian and English;
- The experts of all beneficiaries elaborated the - Comparative study Romania-Bulgaria regarding the regulatory framework and working methodologies and procedures in the areas of social benefits and social inspection;
- 9 focus groups: 3 with staff of AJPIS, 3 with staff of town halls and 3 with management staff of NGOs were held. During the focus groups were identified the needs that will form the basis of the elaboration of the public policy proposals.