SEUPB JC 20 June 2001

1. The fourth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in the Special EU Programmes Sector was held in Dublin on Wednesday 20 June 2001. The Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, represented the Irish Government and chaired the meeting. The Northern Ireland Executive was represented by Mr Mark Durkan, MLA, Minister of Finance and Personnel, and Mr Dermot Nesbitt, MLA, Junior Minister in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

2. The Chief Executive of the SEUPB, Mr John McKinney, gave an overview of developments since the last meeting of the Council on 9 April 2001. This progress report covered a range of topics including the selection process of the Intermediary Funding Bodies and Local Strategy Partnerships under the PEACE II Programme, the current position on Gap Funding and accommodation issues for the Body. The Council welcomed the progress reported by Mr McKinney on these issues. The Council underlined again the importance of the role of the Body and the various EU Programmes coming under its remit in contributing to the development of peace and reconciliation and maximising social and economic benefits on the island and, particularly, the border areas.

3. The Council also noted that between 1995 and the end of the current round of European Structural Funds in 2006, the European Union will have contributed some €1.3 billion to fund North South Programmes in support of the peace process. The Council underlined the important role the EU continues to play in support for the peace process.

4. The Structural Funds Plan for Northern Ireland and the National Development Plan for the South, 2000-2006, contained a Chapter of agreed text, North and South, common to both Plans. This "Common Chapter" set out a strategic framework for building on and developing North/South and wider co-operation across a broad range of sectors and activities, in the context of these Plans.

5. Under the Belfast Agreement, North/South co-operation was placed on a new basis with the establishment of the North/South Ministerial Council and the new institutional frameworks and context outlined in Strand Two of the Agreement. In this context, the NSMC, therefore, provides a strategic focus for taking forward implementation of the Common Chapter. Moreover, the SEUPB has been given a statutory mandate to monitor and promote implementation of the Common Chapter, under the direction of the NSMC.

6. The Council welcomed as timely a report by the two Departments of Finance on progress to date in taking forward the co-operative actions outlined in the Common Chapter. This report indicated that while commitment to implementation of the Common Chapter had been clearly stated, there was a need for greater clarity on a number of issues involved. In order to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the Common Chapter in terms of delivering practical benefits North and South and to set out more clearly the policy and administrative framework within which the SEUPB will perform its important role in monitoring and promoting implementation of the document, the report pointed to the need for a clearly defined action plan to address the issues involved. Accordingly, the report recommended the establishment of a Working Group, chaired by the two Departments of Finance, to review the issues identified and to bring forward proposals for action to the next NSMC sectoral meeting in this format. The Council agreed this recommendation.

7. The Council was advised that the Programme Monitoring Committee had agreed the Programme Complement at its meeting on 15 June 2001. This completes the final stage of development of the PEACE II Programme. The Complement, which was prepared by the SEUPB as Managing Authority for the Programme, contains detailed information on how the funds allocated will be spent. The Council endorsed the approval of the Programme Complement and recommended that it be sent to the European Commission for information as required by Structural Funds Regulation.

8. The Council also noted, with satisfaction, the progress to date on the implementation of the PEACE II Programme. The Programme Complement apart, there are a number of associated stages which must be completed to enable full implementation of the Programme. These include the appointment of Intermediary Funding Bodies to deliver elements of the Programme and the Development of the Local Strategy Partnerships in Northern Ireland.

9. The Council received a further overview on the progress, to date, on spend and closure of the current PEACE I and INTERREG II Programmes. (Under EU Regulations all funding under both programmes is required to be fully expended by 31 December 2001.) The Council noted the spend to date and requested that the SEUPB provide a further progress report on implementation of both Programmes at the next NSMC meeting in this Sector. In addition it was agreed that the SEUPB will provide monthly reports to the two Finance Departments on the closure of the Programmes.

10. An update on progress made on negotiations between the two Finance Departments, the SEUPB and the European Commission on INTERREG III was given to the NSMC. The European Commission's comments on the draft INTERREG IIIA Programme were forwarded to the Northern Ireland and Southern authorities in May and the first formal negotiation meeting between the European Commission, the two Finance Departments and the SEUPB took place in Brussels on 1 June 2001.

11. It is now planned to submit a revised Programme to the European Commission by mid August and it is expected that negotiations on this programme will be completed in the early Autumn.

12. The Council was also provided with an update on the staffing and recruitment position for the Implementation Body. In parallel with a full structural analysis and job evaluation exercise, the SEUPB is currently engaged in the process of recruiting for nine posts. In addition the Council approved the recruitment of a further 19 posts. These posts are located in the Body's offices in Belfast, Monaghan and Omagh.

13. The Council agreed that its next meeting in this sectoral format will take place in Northern Ireland in October 2001.

Joint Secretariat

20 June 2001