Developing an action plan

Published on 11.09.2015
Description

Design, set-up, implementation and winding-up of financial instruments.

To ensure a comprehensive and efficient process, managing authorities and other stakeholders may refer to the action plan described in this short reference note, which structures the life cycle of financial instruments along four logical phases.

  1. Design: The ex‑ante assessment, the selection of bodies implementing financial instruments, culminating with the signature of funding agreements.
  2. Set‑up: The creation of a sound governance and management structure, including the reporting and accounting system.
  3. Implementation: Final recipients are informed, selected and funds disbursed. Repayments are reused
  4. Winding‑up: Repayment of resources on closure of financial instruments.

Each phase is crucial for the success of the following one, since:

  • Good design helps define the choice of financial instruments and the implementation arrangements. The investment strategy and relationship with other stakeholders determines the set‑up.
  • Sound set‑up safeguards and accelerates implementation, which avoids delays in disbursement to final recipients.
  • These three phases precede the winding‑up which is usually defined in the design and/or set‑up phase.

This short reference guide is structured in four sections dedicated to each phase of the action plan (design, set‑up, implementation and winding‑up). Each section (phase) is framed by the main activities that, according to EU regulations, are needed. Section five provides links to additional resources for each phase of the action plan available on the fi‑compass website. 

Country
All EU Member States
Source
fi-compass
Responsibility
EIB
Thematic Objective
strengthening research, technological development and innovation
enhancing access to, and use and quality of, ICT
enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs, of the agricultural sector (for the EAFRD) and of the fishery and aquaculture sector (for the EMFF)
supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors
promoting climate change adaptation, risk prevention and management
preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency
promoting sustainable transport and removing bottlenecks in key network infrastructures
promoting sustainable and quality employment and supporting labour mobility
promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination
investing in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning
enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration