Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 16th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview VII. Working Group on Public Sector Transparency Author(s) Claudia Ionescu Bucharest - Ilfov Regional Development Agency Bucharest Romania Title Improving transparency in EU funding projects through European Cohesion Policy File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract Many of the regions of the European Union are endowed with big potential for sustainable economic growth and job creation. It includes a mix of territorially organized tangible and other resources such as social capital, institutional settings, community development and local entrepreneurship capacities. Mobilization of diverse territorial potentials requires a new understanding of territorial authority and cooperation with the private sector. The territorial influence of European Union Cohesion Policy and other policies must be recognized at all levels. Partnership remains a core principle for management, monitoring and evaluation of the Funds and can add much value, particularly where the roles and responsibilities of the participants are clearly delineated. The Commission recommended that partnership be strengthened since it contributes to the success of programmes by giving them greater legitimacy, by making it easier to coordinate them and by increasing their effectiveness as well as transparency. While there is broad consensus that partnership adds value to the effectiveness and impact of the Structural Funds, it may also introduce new layers of complexity into the process of designing and delivering policies, which can slow down decision making. There is, therefore, a trade-off between the additional complexity resulting from partnership and the improvements in design and implementation, which it can bring. 366 In Romania took place an ample partnership process for the development of the programming documents for the period 2007-2013, respectively the seven operational programmes (regional development, transport, environment, competitiveness, territorial cooperation, strengthening the administrative capacity and technical assistance). Taking into consideration that the Regional Operational Programme has been elaborated for solving the regional development problems, numerous consultative meetings with the regional partners took place so as to obtain a consensus in the fields of intervention that will be financed. Furthermore, at the regional level, due to the permanent exchange of information, a process for creation of communication and information networks has been developed between the partners involved. The next stage of the Regional Operational Programme, respectively the implementation one, will determine the created network to react through an active involvement in this process. Looking forward ( as programme period 2007-2013) and taking into consideration (2000-2006) that I experienced more than 8 years in EU funding through the BIRDA, in this paper I am going to present what we done and what we should do in terms of reducing corruption. So, my research is focus on BI RDA actions and there impact on the field on the Bucharest Ilfov Region. I am going to use two main factors: peoples and systems having in background the historic, cultural, economic and institutional framework. Taking into consideration my academic and practical perspective in the end of the paper I am going to deliver some recommendations to increase the transparency at the BI RDA level and at the regional level.
