The EC and the Delegations intend to conduct consultations on the programing of the national IPA CSFs, through consultation meetings in each WBT country, and possibly via written contributions. DG ENLARG has set an internal deadline of 19th May for the Delegations to send first ideas on IPA CSF funding for 2014-2015 and it is expected that, based on this, consultations are to take place end May/early June.
In some countries such as Albania, Montenegro, initial consultation already took place, so a second round can be expected also. The consultations should include planning of national and regional assistance. The main reasons stated behind the short timeline is that the IPA II regulations as the basis for programming have been approved very late (April 2014) and the plans need to be finalized before summer so that the IPA CSF funds could be approved in autumn allowing for it to be spent from early 2015. There is no clarity yet in terms of how the management of the funds is to take place (decentralized via Government or deconcentrated via Delegations, or both), but it is somewhat clear that specific money for CSDev will be available under Good governance sectors in IPA national (at least 2% expected) as well as funding for civil society involvement/activities per specific sectors (environment, economic development etc.).
Useful related information can be found in the IPA CSF 2007-2011 Infograph and the IPA CSF 2007-2013 Factsheet, providing information on the updated state of use of IPA CSF in the countries (based on contracts awarded till 31st December 2013).
