The European Funds Unit of the Ministry of Interior handles European funds for the implementation of projects falling within the competence of the Ministry of Interior.
The European Funds Unit has been appointed as the Managing Authority for the Home Affairs Funds 2021-2027. As to the Structural Funds – Regional Development Fund, the European Funds Unit's competences are those of the Intermediary. As to the Rural Development Programme, the European Funds Unit acts as Successful Tenderer.
Duties of the European Funds Unit - Home Affairs Funds
The European Funds Unit was appointed as the Responsible Authority for the Management of Funds for the Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows during the Programming Period of 2007-2013, as the Responsible Authority for the Home Affairs Funds 2014-2020 and continues to perform the duties of Managing Authority for the actual Programming Period 2021-2027 for the Home Affairs Funds.
Responsible Authority - Basic duties
The European Funds Unit, under the provisions of the relevant EU Regulations, has the main responsibility for the management of the Home Affairs Funds.
Its duties as Managing Authority provided for by Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1042/2014 and the Management and Control System of the Republic of Cyprus, stating the rules for the administrative and financial management of the projects co-funded by the Funds, are as follows:
1. Consults partners in accordance with article 12 paragraph 1 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
2. Ensures the proper functioning of the Monitoring Committees referred to in article 12 (4) of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
3. Submits to the Commission proposals for the Cyprus Programme referred to in article 14 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 and for any subsequent reviews thereof using SFC2014.
4. Sets up eligibility rules for projects and budgets of projects for all activities, ensuring equal treatment and avoiding any conflict of interest, according to the principles of the sound financial management.
5. Organises and advertises Calls for Tenders and Calls of Proposals and organises and advertises the selection and award of projects for co-financing under the Programme, according to the objectives of the specific regulations referred to in article 2 (a) of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 and with the criteria set out by article 9 of Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1042/2014.
6. Ensures the existence of the necessary data collection systems for submitting common and specific indexes of the Programmes to the Commission, along with other data on the implementation of the Programme and the projects.
7. Receives payments from the Commission and makes payments to the beneficiaries.
8. Ensures consistency and complementarity between co-financing under the specific regulations and other relevant national and Community financial instruments.
9. Monitors the projects and checks that the expenditure declared for actions has actually been incurred and complies with Community and national rules.
10. Ensures that there is a system for recording and storing in computerised form accounting records of each action under the annual programmes and that the data on implementation necessary for financial management, monitoring, control and evaluation are collected.
11. Subject to the national accounting rules, it ensures that the Beneficiaries and other bodies involved in the implementation of actions co-financed by the Funds maintain either a separate accounting system or an adequate accounting code for all transactions relating to the action without prejudice to national accounting rules.
12. Ensures that the evaluations of the Programmes referred to in Articles 56 and 57 paragraph 1 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014 are carried out within the time limits.
13. Ensures that independent valuers receive, for evaluation purposes, all necessary information on the management of the Programme.
14. Sets up procedures to ensure that all documents regarding expenditure and audits required to ensure an adequate audit trail are held in accordance with the requirements referred to in Article 27 paragraph 5 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
15. Ensures that the audit authority receives for the purposes of carrying out the audits defined in Article 29 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014, all necessary information on the management procedures operated and the expenditures financed under the specific regulations.
16. Draws up and submits to the Commission, through SFC2014, the implementation reports referred to in Article 54 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014, as well as the evaluation reports referred to in Article 57 (1) of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
17. Draws up and submits to the Commission through SFC2014, the payment application in accordance with Article 44 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
18. Carries out information and advisory activities and disseminates results of supported actions, in accordance with Article 53 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
19. Carries out administrative and on-site checks in accordance with Article 27 of Regulation (EU) No 514/2014.
20. Cooperates with the Commission and the Managing Authorities in the other Member States.
21. Responds to the conclusions of the audit authority either by taking them into consideration or where the conclusions of the audit authority are not acceptable, by giving detailed reasoning.
Responsibilities of the EFU in regards to the European Regional Development Fund
The EFU has been designated as an Intermediate Body, by the Managing Authority (Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development), for the Operational Programme «Competitiveness and Sustainable Development 2014-2020» which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, during the Programming Period 2014-2020, and will continue to execute its duties as an Intermediate Body throughout the Programming Period 2021-2027.
Its basic duties as an Intermediate Body are summed up below:
1. Evaluation and approval of projects to be inducted into the Operational Programme according to the guidelines of the Managing Authority.
2. Transfer of funds to the Beneficiaries according to the guidelines of the Managing Authority.
3. Conduct: a) administrative checks in order to verify Beneficiary payment claims, b) random (sampling) on the spot verifications of projects, c) preparation of a general beneficiary payment claim, for payments incurred, for the Managing Authority
4. Systematically monitor the effective implementation of projects, with an emphasis on the timely absorption of funds, as well as the recording, based on the guidelines of the Managing Authority, of analytical elements of monitoring and data/indicators for the implementation of the projects, in the Integrated Information System.
5. Responsible for submitting payment predictions in regards to the projects implemented under its jurisdiction.
6. Implement information and publicity measures on a wider scale
7. Provide support to Beneficiaries in implementing information and publicity actions at the level of their projects.
8. Submit, to the Managing Authority, all necessary information and data for the preparation of Annual Reports and the Final Implementation Report, for the projects under its jurisdiction.
9. Submit, to the Managing Authority, all necessary information and data for the annual meeting with the European Committee and the implementation of all its justified recommendations, according to the guidelines of the Managing Authority.
10. Submit all irregularities traced, to the Certifying Authority, as well as to inform the Managing Authority.
Responsibilities of the EFU in regards to the Rural Development Programme
The EFU has been designated as an Implementation Unit of the Managing Authority (Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment) and as a contractor of the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organisation, for Measure 7 «Basic Services and Village Renewal in Rural Areas», of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
The competent authority for the execution of payments and the allocation of grants to the Beneficiaries is the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organisation (CAPO). Internal checks, in regards to the correct application of the Measure, may be conducted by CAPO, while the General Auditor of the Republic may also conduct checks on a yearly basis.
The EFU will continue to execute its duties as an Implementation Unit for the new Measure which will be included in the Rural Development Programme 2021-2027.
Brief description of EFU’s duties as an implementation Unit for Measure 7:
1. Disseminating information towards all interested parties in all matters related to the Measure.
2. Preparing and distributing the necessary material/documentation.
3. Receiving and classifying submitted proposals, checking the participation requirements and the necessary supportive documentation. Full administrative support of the Measure.
4. Evaluating proposals, selection of projects and induction of projects into the Measure.
5. Monitoring the procedures for the implementation and completion of projects until the final payment towards the Beneficiaries.
6. Conducting on the spot technical checks, as well as accounting and administrative on the spot desk checks.
7. Monitoring the operation of the co-funded projects for a period of 5 years after the approval of the last payments towards the Beneficiaries.
8. Submitting data to the Managing Authority of the Rural Development Programme, for the purpose of preparing the Annual Report in regards to the implementation of the Measure.
9. Submitting payment requests, on behalf of the beneficiaries, to CAPO, and submitting annual written reports regarding the implementation progress of Measure 7 and the relevant checks conducted.