Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       To inform elected members of the current stakeholder engagement on PEACE Plus Programme 2021 -2027 being undertaken by The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and seek approval of the council response to the stakeholder survey. A stakeholder survey forms part of the programme engagement exercise running from the 10 December 2019 and has been extended until 17:00 on 28 February 2020. As part of wider engagement SEUPB held stakeholder engagement events including two in Belfast City Hall on 5 February 2020.Council Officers attended both events.

 

1.2       Peace Plus is a new cross-border programme that will contribute to a more prosperous and stable society in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland. It will succeed both of the current 2014 -2020 PEACEIV and INTERREG VA Programmes. This new programme represents an exciting opportunity to continue to fund peace building interventions alongside activities which help to make the region a more prosperous, healthier place to live through funding of areas of mutual interest on a cross border basis. Input is welcome from persons or organisations regardless of whether you have been involved in the current or previous PEACE or INTERREG Programmes, or whether this is your first encounter with an SEUPB managed programme.

     

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked

 

·        To note the stakeholder engagement currently being undertaken by SEUPB full details of which are outlined in their stakeholder information document at Appendix 1 and approve the Council draft response to the stakeholder survey attached at Appendix 2 of this report.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       SEUPB is one of the six – cross border Bodies set up under the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland establishing implementing bodies signed on 8 March 1999 (the British- Irish Agreement of 8 March 1999). SEUPB are responsible for the implementation of the EU’s PEACE IV (€270m) and INTERREG VA (€ 283m) Programmes. They also have a sign posting role to promote involvement in the INTERREG VB Transnational and INTERREG VC Interregional Programmes. 

 

3.2       SEUPB have provided a supporting information document to help completing the stakeholder survey which is composed of five sections attached at Appendix A of this report. In summary  the draft policy objectives for the 2021-2027 funding period are outlined within as follows;

 

3.3       Policy Objective 1 A SMARTER EUROPE by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation. This Policy Objective focuses on boosting the innovation capacity of the region, the uptake of advanced technology, the growth and competitiveness of the SME sector, and improving digital services.

 

3.4       Policy Objective 2 A GREENER, LOWER CARBON EUROPE, by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate adaptation, and risk prevention and management.

 

            Actions could include:

 

·        measures to improve energy efficiency,

·        additional renewable energy production capacity,

·        smart grids for improved energy management,

·        improved disaster monitoring, warning or response systems,

·        improved water and waste treatment,

·        measures to improve biodiversity.

 

3.5       Policy Objective 3 A MORE CONNECTED EUROPE by enhancing mobility and regional ICT connectivity. This Policy Objective focuses on improving transport and ICT infrastructure in the region.

 

3.6       Policy Objective 4 A MORE SOCIAL EUROPE implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights in the region. This Policy Objective focuses on improving employment opportunities; increasing access to quality education; reducing marginalisation through improved housing and services; and increasing access to quality health care. Actions on community and social cohesion would also be supported under this Policy Objective. All of the PEACE activities within PEACE PLUS must be within this objective.

 

3.7       Policy Objective 5 A EUROPE CLOSER TO ITS CITIZENS by fostering the sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural and coastal areas, and local initiatives in the region. These initiatives can focus on tourism, cultural heritage, community facilities, and security in urban areas.

 

            Cooperation Programme Document

 

            Input from the engagement activities, together with other research and reports, will form the basis of the draft Cooperation Programme document.  A further statutory public consultation is likely to be held in the Autumn of 2020.

 

3.8       Key Issues

 

            Current programmes and future available funding

 

            Belfast City Council has effectively delivered previous PEACE and INTERREG programmes and currently has successfully through the work of staff and partners mobilised projects under current PEACE IV programme and INTERREG programmes. Current activities include a joint application as an associate partner in an EU INTERREG Faster project to bring 73 new electric vehicle rapid chargers to 3 regions if successful.

 

3.9       In the current 2014-2020 period, the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) manages two cross-border cooperation programmes: the PEACE IV programme (total budget: €270 million) in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland (including Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo); and the INTERREG VA programme (total budget: €283 million) which includes the same area plus the west of Scotland3. The SEUPB has commenced the preparation of a single successor programme for the period 2021 to 2027. This new programme will be called the PEACE PLUS

           

            Programme. It is anticipated that the new programme will have the approximate value of more than the current two programmes combined at approximately €650 million.

 

3.10      Programme design and eligible area

            PEACE PLUS is a new cross-border programme that will contribute to a more prosperous and stable society in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland. The programme will achieve this by funding peace and reconciliation activities, and by funding activities that contribute to North/South cross-border economic and territorial development of the region. The combination of the PEACE and INTERREG type activities in a single programme is reflected in the name of the programme where ‘PLUS’ represents the inclusion of wider economic, social and environmental activities.

 

3.11      The area that the PEACE PLUS Programme funding has been made available for includes Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. PEACE and INTERREG activities do currently, and can in the future, involve partners and activity outside the programme area, as long as they are making a contribution to the objectives of the programme and benefit citizens within the programme area.

 

3.12      Administrative and delivery arrangements

 

            The SEUPB will continue to act as a Managing Authority, operating under the scrutiny of a Programme Monitoring Committee consisting of EU, Member State, Sponsor Department, cross-border and other relevant stakeholders. However, certain changes to current delivery arrangements are foreseen in the draft regulation.

 

3.13      Single Jurisdiction Partnerships

            Both PEACE IV and INTERREG VA are cross-border EU funding programmes designed to forge peace and reconciliation and foster economic development across the region.

 

3.14      Within PEACE programmes there has always been a specific derogation given to fund projects in a single jurisdiction (although cross-border partnerships are encouraged and much of the PEACE IV programme is implemented on a cross-border basis). Under INTERREG programmes, partnerships must involve organisations from both jurisdictions, with projects co-designed and delivered on a cross-border basis.

 

 

3.15      Financial & Resource Implications

 

            Belfast City Council under the current PEACE IV programme received a funding award as follows;

 

 

            Children and Young People: £3,063,471.23

            Building Positive Relations:  £6,338,955.80

            Shared Space and Services:  £5,172,449.12

 

            Total Funding Award:             £14,574,876.15

 

            For projects currently funded under PEACE IV and INTERREG VA, projects are commonly funded up to 100% of project costs. However, there are also many projects that include a contribution from the partners were they are capable of doing so.

 

            In the PEACE PLUS programme the SEUPB will continue to explore arrangements where partners contribute some or all of their match-funding if they are in a position to do so.

 

3.16      Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

            There are no equality or good relations or rural needs assessment implications at this point associated with this report.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.