EU Funds - Financial Programming 2021-2027: Opportunities for banks in supporting their smes clients

Corpul profesoral

 

Facilitator: George Turtoi - Presenter / Trainer – EU Funds Expert, Director – The Agency for Rural Investments Financing

George has over 15 years of experience in the field of EU funding programs – within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development or within its various subordinating institutions -, in managerial positions: head of dept., general manager, State Secretary etc., being responsible with the implementation of the EU funds in agriculture, rural development, fishery and maritime affairs.

Currently, he is the Director of the Dept. for Financing Rural SMEs for Non-Agriculture Investments in the National Program for Rural Development at The Agency for Rural Investments Financing, ARIF (AFIR – Agentia pentru Finantarea Investitiilor Rurale). George is often invited as speaker at relevant conferences and events on accessing, implementing and monitoring EU funding programs and he is also giving lecturers and seminars on these topics.

Facilitator: Cristina Belba - Presenter / Trainer – EU Funds Expert

Cristina has over 18 years of experience in the EU funded projects, having held various positions in companies and public authorities, being responsible with the development and implementation of the EU projects.

Currently, she is expert in an EU technical assistance project for the Romanian Authority for Digitalization, RAD (ADR – Autoritatea pentru Digitalizarea Romaniei), having the role to support public institutions in defining project ideas, drafting the funding and implementation applications for Operational Competitiveness Program 2014 – 2020, Axis 2 – Information Technology and Communication. Throughout her career, Cristina has been giving presentations and semninars for various national and international organizations.

Since Romania’s accession to the EU, two cycles of financial programming have been completing, respectively: 2007 – 2013 and 2014 – 2020. Currently, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, through a wide consultation with the reprezentatives of the public administration, the business sector and the civil society, is in process of finalizing the negociations for the period 2021 – 2027. Also, at the Ministry of Agriculture, the documents (files) of the measures that will benefit from the transition facility in 2021, as well as, the National Strategic Plan are being elaborated.

At the same time, in the current epidemiologic context, in May 2020, the European Commission proposed the Next Generation EU instrument as part of a large-scale package aimed at reducing the socio-economic impact of the pandemic. Under this instrument, the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism will play the most important role, with a budget over 80 billion EUR to be distributed in the form of grants and loans.

The course will introduce the various funds that Romania will benefit from in the next period and will also present: the Recovery and Resileince Mechanism, Policy Objectives, Operational Programs and the National Strategic Plan, the funds management architecture, as well as, the main financing lines for SMEs.

By attending this course, the participants will become familiar with the specific terminology, will be able to identify the areas of financing opportunities for SMEs and will be ready to deepen and successfully handle the Operational Programs, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR – Planul National de Relansare si Rezilienta a Romaniei) and the Applicant’s Guides.

During the course, in addition to the above topics, the expenses reimbursement mechanism will be presented, based on the current programming period, taking into account that the basic principles are generally valid and applicable.
The lecturers are practitioners and experts in the field of accessing and financing through EU funds.

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism
• Understanding the context of the 2021-2027 EU financial programming
• Knowing the Policy Objectives of the Operational Programs and the National Strategic Plan
• Identifying opportunities for banks in supporting their SMEs clients
• Projects analysis and co-financing by banks
• Understanding the expenses reimbursement mechanism

CONTENT

• 2021-2027 Financial Programming Framework: types of funds available/allocated and Policy Objectives

Part I

• The Recovery and Resilience Mechanism
• Operational Programs: financial allocation, intervention lines for SMEs, institutional architecture of the program management
• From the project idea to the submission of the funding application
• Estimating the budget and ensuring the co-financing
• Projects’ analysis and evaluation for granting non-refundable financing
• The expenses reimbursement mechanism
• Project implementation and results monitoring

Part II

• Financing SMEs in rural areas starting 2021: the Transition Facility and the National Strategic Plan 2021-2027
• Project elaboration and the submission of the funding application
• How banks ensure the co-financing, SMEs loans guaranteing
• Projects’ analysis and evaluation for granting non-refundable financing
• Project implementation and the expenses reimbursement mechanism
• Results monitoring

Target Audience: From Banks: Relationship Managers for SMEs; Financial Analysis; Lending; Risk Management; Audit and Internal Control specialists and managers; EU projects managers and administrators; etc.The course is also of interest for SMEs reprezentatives, consultants, advisors and any professional or entrepreneur interested in accessing EU funds.

Number Of Participants: limited to maximum 12

The webinars will be highly interactive, based on discussions and case studies.                     

Duration:  8 hours (net) – 2 sessions of 4 hrs. each                                              
Language: Romanian (or English at request)

The webinar will be delivered using Online Platform, allowing the virtual participation, both from home and from work, with no risks associated, using just a browser. After the registration to the course, one day before the online sessions took place, the participants will receive a link to access the virtual classroom.

A certificate of attendance will be issued by the e-learning platform, after the course.