EU Programmes
Contact NWRA
Northern & Western Regional Assembly
Dillon House, Ballaghaderreen
Co. Roscommon
F45 WY26
Ireland
+353 (0) 94 986 2970
The NWRA holds the Contact Point in Ireland for:
What are European Territorial Cooperation Programmes?
European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), better known as INTERREG Programmes are financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). INTERREG is the EU instrument to support cooperation across regions and countries with the aim of developing joint and shared solutions.
EU Programmes run in seven-year cycles, the current programme period (2021 – 2027) is the sixth period of INTERREG. With a budget of nearly EUR 10 billion, around 100 INTERREG programmes operate across borders, both within and outside the EU, contributing to the implementation of the EU’s main cohesion policy priorities.
The overarching objective of INTERREG is to promote a harmonious economic, social and territorial development of the Union as a whole. INTERREG is designed to build networks of like-minded partners allowing regions to share their successes and experience with other territories and build new solutions to common challenges.
How are NWRA involved?
The Assembly have been actively involved in managing INTERREG Territorial Co-Operation Programmes in Ireland since 2000. Assembly Director, Denis Kelly and EU Programme Liaison Officer Dr Travis O Doherty represent the region at a strategic level on a number of INTERREG Programme Monitoring Committees.
Contact Point
The Contact Point works at a grass roots level and in close connection with potential project partners, providing personalised support to project applicants from Ireland through:
- Building EU funding capacity in the region
- Networking and disseminating information on EU programmes
- Guidance on choosing programme priority and types of action
- Advice on administrative procedures and contractual issues
- Offering expertise, support and assistance throughout the application process
- Providing guidance on program rules and eligibility criteria
- Assistance with international partner finding
- Promote programme events and training
- Supporting programme monitoring committees
- Assisting the Joint Secretariat in programme management
- Providing an Irish delegation response to the programme monitoring committee written consultations
Download EU Programme Manuals
First Level Control (FLC) responsibilities
Controllers are responsible for checking that main project expenditure is eligible according to the Interreg Eligibility Rules, European regulations, and national legislation.
The Northern & Western Regional Assembly are First Level Controllers for the following Interreg Programmes and regions:
- Interreg Atlantic Area — Ireland
- Interreg Europe — Northern & Western Region
- Interreg Northern Periphery & Arctic — Northern & Western Region
What should a first level controller do?
The first level controllers’ task is to verify that the expenditure reported by the partners in each progress report fulfils the following conditions:
- the costs are eligible, incurred and paid.
- the programme’s conditions, the approved application form (AF) and the subsidy contract have been observed and followed.
- the invoices and payments are correctly recorded and sufficiently supported by evidence.
- the related activities, sub-contracted supplies and services are in progress or have been delivered or carried out.
- community rules have been respected, especially regarding information and publicity, public procurement, equal opportunities and protection of the environment. The first level controller should be able to establish a full audit trail of the expenditure claimed by the project partner.
Timing a first level control
To ensure timely submission, controls at project partner and lead partner levels must be scheduled carefully in relation to the submission deadlines. It is up to the partnership to decide on those deadlines considering the availabilities of the controllers. In this context, it is important to keep in mind that:
- expenditure must be reported regularly (on a 6-month basis),
- the project lead partner’s controller can only carry out the control after receipt of all the documents from the partners.
- some project partner’s controllers have fixed time limits for carrying out the control, which must be respected when the documentation is submitted (and which limits the time for potential clarifications).
- the lead partner can only submit the progress report after receiving and having checked the control documents from the partners reporting expenditure.
Further enquiries
FLC Team
Northern and Western Regional Assembly
The Square
Ballaghaderreen
Co Roscommon
Ireland
F45 W674
Further information
The National Contact Point, EU Programme Liaison Officer Dr Travis O Doherty can be contacted at ei.ar1732170067wn@yt1732170067rehod1732170067ot1732170067