Since management capacity at project implementation level (beneficiaries) still remains unsatisfactory to date, despite many years of structural funds interventions, the MOU has deployed Expert Teams (in-house “flying” experts) to facilitate beneficiaries by providing systematic consulting and technical support locally.
Furthermore, for the programming period 2014-2020 the MOU cooperates with the National Coordination Authority and the Managing Authorities of the Regional Operational Programmes in order to effectively plan structured actions in support of potential beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the general plan for the acceleration of NSRF agreed upon with the European Commission, the following areas have become the focus of MOU’s intervention receiving maximum support:
- Waste Management: Expert teams assist beneficiaries at all preparation stages of projects in order to achieve the goal of speedy implementation of liquid and solid waste management installations financed under the NSRF and the consequent elimination of 395 illegal landfills.
- ESF Projects:An MOU expert team assists the Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) in the management, monitoring and implementation of actions and programmes co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) aiming at the development of human resources. OAED is by far the largest body in Greece implementing social policy measures and the single largest beneficiary and intermediate body of ESF funds.
Furthermore, the MOU supports Beneficiaries for the implementation of actions such as Local Employment Initiatives, the Integrated Urban Development Interventions and Social Support Actions (Help at Home, Socio-medical centers for Roma etc.).
It also supports regions in the preparation of Business Plans for the social inclusion of Roma and Operational Plans to Combat Poverty.
- Actions for Refugees: Since July 2015 the MOU supported the activation of the responsible management and control authorities for the Multiannual Financial Programmes of the European Fund for Asylum, Migration & Integration and the Internal Security Fund.
- MOU Task Forces provide ad hoc advisory, managerial and “on the spot” technical support mainly for beneficiaries in mountainous, remote and island areas, as well as:
--Regions and Municipalities
--Ministries / Secretaries General
--National Contact Point of the European Economic Area
--Other beneficiaries, (Centre for Development of Educational Policy, Maritime Labour Employment Office, etc.)
The purpose is to improve the managerial and Technical capacity of beneficiaries in order to successfully prepare and properly implement their projects co-financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds, also enabling them to continue independently and effectively with the implementation of their projects into the future.
The MOU operations regarding support of beneficiaries are co-financed by the European Union.