Overview

Latest update: 2016.01.07

About the Programme in brief

Programme has been adopted by the European Commission on 20 December 2007.

Launching conference was held in Druskininkai, Lithuania, on 9 April 2008.

Closing conference was held in Augustów, Poland, on 27 November 2014.

During the Programme implementation time were announced:

6 open calls for proposals;
1 call for strategic project ideas;
2 stages of the Small Project Fund (SPF).

In total 440 applications received:

191 open call projects applications;
241 small projects applications;
2 strategic projects applications;
6 applications for the SPF management.

In total 200 projects implemented:

62 open call projects;
2 strategic projects;
6 SPF umbrella projects;
130 small projects.

Out of 62 open call projects 42 were infrastructure projects.

The biggest amount of ERDF allocated for the open call project €3.66 mil.

The smallest amount of ERDF allocated for the open call project €102.5 thousands.

The average amount of ERDF allocated for the open call project €1.1 mil.

The biggest amount of ERDF allocated for the small project €99.8 thousands.

The smallest amount of ERDF allocated for the small project €7 thousands.

Within the projects:

818 events organised with more than 97 thousands participants;
154 public infrastructure objects reconstructed out of them 40 cultural, historical, tourism objects;
44,9 km of roads in the borderline area reconstructed or build.

Indicators reached by projects implemented under the CBC Programme Lithuania – Poland (completed projects as of 2014-06-30) Download pdf

Strategic goal & main objectives

The overall strategic goal of the Programme is to foster the sustainable development of the border region through enhanced economic, social and territorial cohesion of the areas on both sides of the border.

The aforementioned overall strategic goal will be achieved by drawing together the people from both sides of the border through a range of economic, social and environmental activities, which shall be aimed at the following two specific objectives of this Programme:

to establish a region geared to the needs of competing in a global economy. Economic growth is a clear prerequisite for enhanced economic and social cohesion in the cross-border region targeted by the programme. Hence this objective emphasises the need to increase the competitiveness of the border regions and improve access to markets across the border.
to achieve sustainable development of a region which is forward looking and attractive in terms of its quality of life, social equity, environment and its communication links. A long-term sustainable economic growth is unlikely without enhanced social and territorial cohesion of the cross-border region, which could be achieved by a progressive integration of local, social and environmental development aspects. Hence this objective emphasises the need eliminate the physical obstacles to cross-border cooperation, strengthen the cross-border social cohesion, cultural identity and environmental quality of the border regions.

Priorities

The Programme shall finance projects which contribute to the following 2 priority areas and more specific sub-priorities:

Priority 1. Competitiveness and productivity growth of the cross-border region

Modernisation of small-scale economic infrastructure
Promotion of business environment
Development of sustainable cross-border tourism and preservation of cultural/historical heritage

Priority 2. Cross-border cohesion and enhanced overall quality of the cross-border area

Development of new and strengthening of existing co-operation and social and cultural networks
Improvement of living environment

Each operation has to be designed to implement the objectives of only one of the sub-priorities.

Programme area

The Programme covers Lithuanian-Polish border regions together with areas adjacent to the border regions.

On the Lithuanian side 2 counties and 3 adjacent areas shall be eligible under the the Programme:

Marijampolė County (municipalities of Marijampolė, Kalvarija, Kazlų Rūda, Vilkaviškis district and Šakiai district);
Alytus County (municipalities of Alytus district, Lazdijai district, Varėna district, Alytus town and Druskininkai)
Tauragė County as an adjacent area (municipalities of Tauragė district, Šilalė district, Jurbarkas district and Pagėgiai)
Kaunas County as an adjacent area (municipalities of Kaunas city, Kaunas district, Kaišiadorys district, Prienai district, Jonava district, Kėdainiai district, Raseiniai district and Birštonas);
Vilnius County as an adjacent area (municipalities of Šalčininkai district, Širvintos district, Švenčionys district, Trakai district, Ukmergė district, Vilnius district and Elektrėnai). Please note that Vilnius city municipality is not included in the programme area.

The regions eligible for the participation in the Programme on the Polish side are the following regions:

Białostocko-Suwalski Subregion (powiats augustowski, białostocki, bielski, hajnowski, moniecki, sejneński, siemiatycki, sokólski, suwalski and cities Białystok and Suwałki);
Ełcki Subregion (powiats ełcki, giżycki, gołdapski, olecki, piski and węgorzewski);
Łomżyński Subregion as an adjacent area (powiats grajewski, kolneński, łomżyński, wysokomazowiecki, zambrowski and city of Łomża);
Olsztyński Subregion as an adjacent area (powiats bartoszycki, kętrzyński, lidzbarski, mrągowski, nidzicki, olsztyński, szczycieński and city of Olsztyn).

Eligible partners

The projects to be financed by the Programme shall be implemented by at least two and not more than 8 Project Partners representing the Programme area in both participating countries. The origin of partner shall be determined by the official address of registration of the partner on the national or regional registry.

The partners to be eligible for the projects to be financed by the Programme shall be the following bodies:

national (governmental), regional and local authorities
‘bodies governed by public law’ as defined in Article 1(9) of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts (OJ L 134, 30.04.2004, p. 114). This means any body
1. established under public or private law for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character;
2. having legal personality; and
3. financed, for the most part, by the State, regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law; or subject to management supervision by those bodies; or having an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law.
associations formed by one or several regional or local authorities
associations formed by one or several bodies governed by public law as defined under b).

For infrastructure projects the Lithuanian Lead partners shall be only institutions falling under a) or b) categories.

Programme management

The Management of the Programme follows the provisions set out for the management of the European Territorial Cooperation Objective Programme in accordance with the General Regulation. Management structure of the Programme consists of the following bodies:

Joint Monitoring and Steering Committee (JMSC)
Managing Authority (MA)
Certifying Authority

– the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania. This authority is responsible of certifying the use of Programme funds in line with the provisions of the EC regulations (The National Fund Department), receive the payments made by the Commission and make the payments to the Lead Beneficiary (The State Treasury Department).

Audit Authority

- the Internal Audit Division of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania. Audit Authority is responsible for system audit of the Programme and sample audits of the projects implemented and submitting to the EC a closure declaration.