Structural and cohesion funds/ESIF

Implementing Structural Funds Programmes 2021-2027: The New Amending Regulations, Programme Progress, Good Practice

The new Amending Regulations for Structural and Cohesion Funds will give Member States more time to complete their 2025 Mid-Term Review process.  This course will examine the 2021-2027 regulations in detail. We will refer to a selection of new programmes as well as reporting and other templates. We will also see how Cohesion Policy programmes are being coordinated with the RRF and other EU instruments.

About this course

The new Amending Regulations for Structural and Cohesion Funds will give Member States more time to complete their 2025 Mid-Term Review process. They will also give programmes increased flexibilities to help ensure that all Funds are absorbed. A series of critical new investment categories (under new specific objectives) can be added to Programmes – designed to reflect the urgent new priorities of the EU. These include defence production and infrastructure, energy networks, affordable housing, security of water supplies, and upskilling and reskilling related to these key areas and other strategic technologies.

Around 400 Structural and Cohesion Fund programmes (as well as JTF programmes) will be affected by the changes. All programmes will have to complete their mid-term review process soon after the new Regulation is adopted, and well before the end of 2025 – so that Programme Amendments can be made and changes implemented.

Do you know what the 2021-2027 programmes look like – before the new amendments – and how they have been progressing? After delays to the start of programmes caused by COVID, what have the most common challenges been? Do you know all you need to know about the mainstream Structural Funds Regulations 2021-2027, and what impact the STEP regulation had on programmes?

This course will address these questions and examine the 2021-2027 regulations in detail. We will refer to a selection of new programmes as well as reporting and other templates. We will also see how Cohesion Policy programmes are being coordinated with the RRF and other EU instruments.

 

We will discuss:

  • What were the key choices made by Member States for the 2021-2027 programmes? Are priorities, financial planning and financial management changing as a result of the mid-term review?
  • How have the STEP and Amending Regulations modified programmes?
  • Where have programmes been simplified most? And how are simplified cost options being developed and used?
  • How does the 2021-2027 Performance framework work and how do we measure progress and success? How is real-time reporting working?
  • How are programmes improving the selection of operations? How do you “ensure that selected operations present the best relationship between the amount of support, the activities undertaken and the achievement of objectives”? (Article 73, CPR)

You will be guided by Marco Lopriore and Robin Smail, experienced Structural Funds experts who have worked in Brussels and across the EU, gathering numerous case studies and examples of good practices. You will also hear from a senior official from an ETC programme, as well as from the European Commission, and have the opportunity to exchange experience and put new ideas into practice.

The course includes workshops and exercises and provides ample time for Question and Answer sessions and discussions.

This course is aimed principally at:

  • Practitioners from Member State national, regional and local authorities working with ESI Funds
  • The full range of economic and social partners working with the Funds – including universities, NGOs, employers’ associations, consultants.

Project number: 2530210

Hybrid course
Experience our course in a way that suits you best! This hybrid course offers the flexibility to join in-person or online through a live stream. In the registration form, you will have the opportunity to select your preferred option.

Face to Face venue
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)
O.L. Vrouweplein 22
6211 HE, Maastricht
The Netherlands

Programme Organiser
Ms Rafaella Giussani
Tel: +31 43 32 96 372
r.giussani@eipa.eu

Fee
The fee includes documentation, refreshments, lunches, and a reception. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Discounts
EIPA member fee
EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.

Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

Early bird discount
The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.

Loyalty coupon
As a token of appreciation we offer all our participants a loyalty coupon for one of our future courses. The offer can be shared with colleagues and relevant networks. The coupon will expire one year after its release. This discount is not cumulative with other discounts, except for the EIPA member fee.

Meals
Dietary preferences can be indicated on the registration form.

Hotel reservations
EIPA has special price arrangements with a number of hotels. The hotels are within walking distance from EIPA. If you wish to take advantage of this option, please click on the hotel name to book directly using the link. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel upon checking out.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed online registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.

Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged €150 for cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants. EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 2 weeks before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, accommodation, etc.).

A few days before the start of the course you will receive the log-in details for accessing the course materials. You can log in here.

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Our experts

robin smail new photo 2024
Project leader

Robin Smail

Robin Smail Training & Consultancy

Programme

09.00Opening of the conference, learning objectives and agenda; Tour de Table
Marco Lopriore, Senior Expert, EIPA Maastricht
09.15Cohesion Policy 2021-2027: policy context and highlights

  • The legal framework of CPR, ERDF/CF, ESF+, JTF and the extended April 2025 STEP Regulation
  • Strategic focus, DNSH, strategic procurement and simplification
  • Overview of choices made by MS in 2021-2027
  • The main EC proposal for post-2028

Marco Lopriore

10.00Tour de Table & Discussion: Your programmes; your challenges; lessons from previous Programmes
10.30Coffee break
11.00Programmes and the Regulations: programme structure and programme management

  • Programme structure and priorities, Specific Objectives and new SOs, financial allocations
  • Enabling conditions, concentration, programme instruments, flexibilities
  • Intervention categories, climate targets, new rules
  • Programme progress: plans, selecting projects, spend

Robin Smail, Visiting Expert EIPA, Consultant, UK/IE (and former Detached National Expert, EC)

11.50ERDF Programme Euregio Meuse-Rijn: Good practices

  • STIIP programme for SME innovation
  • Mid Term Review and new defence priority

Nermin Dizdarevic, Head of Managing Authority, Interreg Euregio Meuse-Rhine

12.30Workshop – Discussion: Determining financial allocations, new EU priorities
Robin Smail
13.00Lunch
14.30Workshop: Project selection criteria and the key questions
Robin Smail
15.00Programme finance & financial management

  • Programme Finance, financial planning, the mid-term review and programme amendments
  • Automatic decommitment, co-finance rates, pre-financing, payment applications
  • The accounting year, calculation of the annual balance
  • Transmission of financial information – template
  • Financial Control; Management Verifications; Audit changes
  • Programme closure

Robin Smail

16.00Coffee break
16.30Simplification for financial management: using Simplified Cost Options

  • Legal provisions 2021-2027 and EU level SCO
  • Guidance to choose between simplified cost options
  • Key issues in using SCO and improving the result-orientation of programmes
  • Review of SCO and good practices in MS and in EU direct programmes

Marco Lopriore

17.05Workshop: SCO exercises

  • How to work with flat rates
  • How to work with standard scales of unit cost and the 1720 rule

Marco Lopriore

17.45Workshop: SCO exercises – feedback
Marco Lopriore
18.10Close of Day 1
18.15Reception
09.00The Monitoring and Reporting Framework, 2021-2027

  • Monitoring – real time reporting – financial progress & indicators
  • The performance framework, programme examples
  • The mid-term review
  • The reporting template

Robin Smail

09.45Workshop: Common and programme-specific indicators
Robin Smail
10.30Coffee Break
11.00Progress in 2021-2027 and the mid-term review

  • The mid-term review and the evolving EU strategic priorities
  • Targeting competitiveness, defence and security, housing, water resilience, eastern borders, energy transition
  • Reprogramming deadlines
  • Q&A

Iulia-Mirela Serban, Head of Unit, Coordination of Programmes, DG REGIO, European Commission, Brussels (TBC)

11.50Updates on eligibility of expenditure

  • April 2025 Changes to ERDF, large companies
  • Key changes in 2021-2027 CPR, ESF+, ERDF and CF
  • Highlight on timing, direct staff costs, VAT
  • Durability and relocation, location, and visibility

Marco Lopriore

12.30Exercises: Eligibility of expenditure
Marco Lopriore
13.15Lunch
14.35Workshop and discussion: Determining the best evaluation questions
Robin Smail
15.00The Evaluation Framework, 2021-2027

  • The new evaluation requirements in the context of the Evaluation Cycle
  • The Evaluation Plan
  • Evaluation questions, evaluation criteria, measuring impact

Robin Smail

15.30Short coffee break
15.45Lessons Learned from RRF for the current and future Cohesion programmes

  • National RRF and the performance-orientation
  • Synergies and complementarities between EU funds and programmes

Marco Lopriore

16.10Course evaluation and feedback
16.15End of course

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Implementing Structural Funds Programmes 2021-2027: The New Amending Regulations, Programme Progress, Good Practice

12 Nov 2025 - 13 Nov 2025
Maastricht (NL) & Online
Register before: 28 Oct 2025

Simultaneous interpretation can be offered. Contact the programme organizer for more information and conditions.

 1.170 per attendee
 990 for EIPA members
Early bird register before: 17 Sep 2025

Discount policy

EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.

Who are the supporting countries?

Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

Early bird discount

For a limited number of training courses, EIPA offers an early bird discount.

For more information please contact us.

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Register before: 28 Oct 2025