The training course on IPA CBC Management Structures and Implementation Procedures took place on January 17^th and 18^th 2008 in Tirana. 31 representatives from various line ministries and central agencies in Albania participated in this training.

Objectives:

The main objectives of the course were described before the course as:

1. Understanding what institutional framework needs to be established in order to manage the cross-border programme:

• What steps need to be taken before the cross-border programme can be implemented?
• Who is responsible for what in different steps?
• Role of various documents in the process

2. Know and understand how the different steps of the cross-border programme Grant Scheme work– i.e. Call for Proposals (CfP), evaluation, pre-financing, etc. With special focus on:

• Who is responsible for what?
• The role of the various documents in CfP

3. Know where to find relevant information in relation to the implementation of the cross-border programme Grant Scheme, e.g.

• Cross-border programme
• IPA Implementing Regulations
• PRAG
• Annexes to PRAG.

Outline:

The course was divided according to two main strands:

a) Which institutional framework is to be established in order to implement the cross-border programmes (this part was mainly based on IPA Implementing Regulations);

b) Different steps in the implementation of the cross-border programmes (this part was mainly based on PRAG and PRAG annexes but also on the previous experiences of the trainees in implementing Neighbourhood Programmes).

Important elements of the methodology of the training are the following:

• Interactive approach: Combination of theoretical sessions with practical work/learning exercise. Due to the relatively short duration of the training (two days), most of the topics were presented in plenary sessions (presentations followed by discussions and/or “buzzing” sessions).
• Group exercises: two different approaches were followed with regards to group work exercise:

(i) Small groups exercise – discussions in small groups the topics related to: role of the actors in preparing/implementing a cross-border programme,

(ii) Big group exercise- discussions of all in one group of topics related to: steps in launching a CfP, steps of the projects evaluation, and evaluation of a concept note.

(iii) Recap on day 2 (each participant tries to answer to a question related to a topic/issue that was dealt with on the first day.

Conclusions and Lessons Learned:

The representatives from the national institutions (line ministries and central agencies) showed a great interest for this training. The representative from the Delegation of the European Commission, Task manager in the JTS of Italy-Adriatic programme, as well as a number of the CBIB experts participated the training, and that was a base for good discussions and exchange of knowledge and experience under previous EU instruments.