The document summarizes a half-day workshop held in Karlovac, Croatia to inform participants on how to apply for European Union structural and investment funds available for regional development from 2014 to 2020. Over 100 people from public administration, civil society and the private sector attended the workshop co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme and Croatia's Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds. The goal is to improve economic and social prospects in less-developed counties by strengthening capacity to utilize EU funds and stimulating quality project proposals.

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14 Jan 2014
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Karlovac, 14th January 2014 – A half­day informational workshop designed to stimulate
high­quality proposals for European Union (EU) structural and investment funds from
Croatia’s less­developed counties was held on 14 January 2014 in Karlovac at the premises
of the County Chamber of Commerce. Nearly 100 participants from the public administration,
civil society and the private sector were briefed on how to take advantage of the EU funding
that is available for regional development during the 2014­2020 programming period. The
workshop was co­organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the
Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, with support from the Croatian Chamber of
Commerce. It is part of a larger project designed to improve social and economic prospects
in Karlovac, Lika­Senj and Sisak­Moslavina Counties through the use of EU funds.
“Our goal is to strengthen capacity for usage of EU funds on all levels, with special focus on
the local level,” said Venko Ćurlin, Assistant Minister of Regional Development and EU
Funds. “We see the project with UNDP as a way in which the state can assist the least
developed local government units, primarily in the Areas of Special State Concern, which
show a great need for development projects. As a result of this project, we expect more
intensive preparations and an increased number of EU financed projects in these areas.”
“At UNDP, we share the Ministry’s opinion that future investments in underdeveloped areas
will greatly depend on projects co­financed by EU funds,” noted Vitalie Vremis, UNDP
Deputy Resident Representative in Croatia. “However, to use these funds efficiently, it is
necessary to develop high­quality projects that will have a positive effect on growth and
employment. The only way to do this is to open a constructive dialogue between local
government representatives and the population living and working in less­developed areas.”
The Karlovac workshop is one of a series that UNDP is implementing in partnership with the
Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds as part of the project:
The three workshops held so far, in Karlovac, Sisak and Gospić, have gathered more than
one hundred participants from a range of sectors who are interested in promoting the use of
EU funds in their areas.
Karlovac information workshop aims to stimulate good project proposals
“Preparing the
ground for EU funds: Creating a pipeline of project ideas for Croatia’s less developed areas.“
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2. Participants are keen to learn about the role of local and regional government in planning and
implementing EU­funded projects. Municipalities, towns and counties need to understand the
needs of the local population and economy in order to plan and budget for appropriate
projects. To secure EU funding, projects need to be high on the list of local priorities, and
also be reflected in local governments’ human and financial resources. So a broad and
inclusive process of consultation is crucial to the formulation of good project ideas.
The UNDP project is expected to yield at least 51 project concepts by the end of October
2014. The informational workshops will be followed by project clinics and intensive
consultations to translate good ideas into credible concepts with strong justifications. The
project is also aimed at building local capacity so that in the future projects that can qualify
for EU funding can be conceived and formulated at the local level without outside
assistance.
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