The meeting of the associations that are the representatives ofthe Green Forum, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU), the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MINGOR), and the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia (UZUVRH) was organized on October 27, 2023. The focus of the meeting was the topic of co-financing projects of environmental and nature protection and energy efficiency implemented by associations, which we have been advocating for ten years.
The meeting is the result of numerous letters and inquiries from the Green Forum, complaints from member associations addressed primarily to the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, but also to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MINGOR) and the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Council for Civil Society Development, the Interdepartmental Commission for Coordinating the Policy for Financing NGO Projects and Programmes from the Croatian State Budget, the Parliamentary Committee for Environmental Protection and the Ombudsman.
Three main topics were discussed at the meeting:
- challenges related to the financing of associations by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) and proposals for improvement through the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in sectoral analyses
- issues of conditions and topics covered by public tenders for financing projects in environmental and nature protection announced by the Fund
- issues related to FZOEU tenders for co-financing projects from the LIFE programme and implementation of contracts for it
Challenges related to the financing of associations by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU)
Challenges related to the financing of associations by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund (FZOEU) and proposals for improvement through the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in sectoral analyses were presented. Sectoral analyses are a tool through which competent authorities can assess the financing needs of civil society organizations in different sectors. The sectoral analysis for environmental protection and sustainable development is carried out by the FZOEU. However, in order for these analyses to be successful, it is necessary to ensure the active participation of civil society organizations in their development, which has not been the case for the environmental and nature protection sector so far.
Regulation of public tenders for financing projects in environmental and nature protection announced by the Fund
The Green Forum sought to align the tenders with the Regulation on the criteria, standards, and procedures of financing and contracting programs and projects of public interest performed by civil associations (OG 26/15, 37/21); finding models for faster decision-making and in particular contracting projects; an increase in the percentage of co-financing participation, which currently amounts to 40% to 80% and the percentage depends on the area in which the headquarters of the association is located; increase in minimum and maximum funds per project; increase in the amount of wages to min. 50%, ensuring the recognition of indirect costs of projects; finding an advance payment model; improvement of the project application form and harmonization of the reporting form, and the introduction of electronic application to the tender in accordance with the needs of environmental liability insurance.
Co-financing of projects from the LIFE programme
It has been proposed that the association applies for the national co-financing of LIFE projects when the project is already approved for financing from the EU, and on the principle of a tender for co-financing of EU projects implemented by UZUVRH. Also, the proposal is to follow the lead of UZUVRH when implementing approved contracts for co-financing. This also applies to the re-establishment of a system where each partner who wants national co-financing from the LIFE project Fund, seeks co-financing and signs a contract with the Fund. This would move the responsibility to each partner separately. Furthermore, it applies to ensuring the recognition of indirect costs on the principle of the EU project and submission of digital documentation when reporting. It was pointed out how important it is for the FZOEU to find a way to deposit funds in advance because it directly contributes to pre-financing and inter-financing and consequently the sustainability of associations.
At the meeting, it was agreed that the changes will start already in the tenders for 2024 and UZUVRH has provided support to the entire process as well as to the requests of the associations. Therefore, in the coming period, we expect more intensive cooperation with all competent authorities in order to ensure quality support to environmental civil society organizations in accordance with the provisions of the Aarhus Convention.
The official notes from the meetings can be found on the link as well as the full proposals of the Green Forum.