Brussels-Capital ERDF OP s Answer to refugees and migrants crisis 23 NOVEMBRE 2015 1
General (institutional) context Brussels-Capital is one of the three Regions in BE Brussels-Capital Region territory is a NUTS-1 more developped region Brussels-Capital Government is the MA of the Brussels- Capital Region ERDF Operational Progr. (appr. in dec.-14) OP Brussels-Capital ERDF 2014-2020 is supported by 94,67 Millions EUR (+different public national counterpart) As a consequence of the concentration principle, the TO 6 and 9 in the initial OP were initially limited to a total of 19%. 2
Migration challenge context in Brussels Geographic distribution of refugees : 4,213 official reception places in 2015, + 10% in 2015, + persons residing without authorisation and asylum seekers. Asylum seekers: remain close to the seat of the Immigration Office (sometimes for weeks during peak periods): E.g: 4,053 new demands (765 unaccompanied minor aliens) in nov- 2015. Close to the Immigration Office, a real asylum seekers camp has been organized in the autumn 2015, experience which has contributed to aware about the sanitary conditions of these people (consequences of travelling, war traumatisms and/or deprived medical systems). 3
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Migration challenge: demand of EU Commission Sep-/Oct-2015 demand of DG Regio about the Use of ERDF in the context of current crisis. The wish of European Authorities was to mobilize (in urgency) European credits and funds to answer to the migration challenges in short, medium and long term. The possibility to modify the OP is explicitly announced, to answer to this exceptional context. 5
Brussels answer to the demand Nov-2015: proposal from the Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region: a sanitary project, supported by the TO9 (IP 9a). Feb-2016: Agreement of the Commissioner about the concept and implementation by the MA of the administrative solution. 6
Brussels answer to the demand: necessity Integrate an healthcare issue in the strategy; Revision of the general social centre of global health project to develop an unconditional access to health care, with a specific support to give access to the care to the migrants/refugees. 7
Revision of the OP: Strategy The contextual part of the OP (developed between Feb-2013 and Dec-2014) did not put in evidence this thematic whereas any strategy supported by the ERDF should be explained by the context. The Strategy for the operational programme's contribution to the Union strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and to the achievement of economic, social and territorial cohesion has, so, to be adapted to put in evidence the migrants/health issue. 8
Revision of the OP: Priority Axes After three economic axes (TO1, 3, 4 and 6), the original Axis 4 was a more social one (TO9) but limited to 3 SO: 3.1. Childcare places in deprived neighbourhoods, 3.2. Cultural offer and infrastructures in deprived neighbourhoods, 3.3. Inhabitants participation in deprived neighbourhoods. The modification has developed a new SO: 3.4. Development of a sanitary and social offer dedicated to the weakened populations (of which the refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented or without administrative status people) This new SO has generated practical consequences on the OP. 9
New SO consequences Budget: with 19% of budget out of the concentration principle, the OP was not supposed to register a big transfer (especially with a very high rate of selection). An additional budget has been transferred from TO1 to TO9 ( 20% out of conc.). To avoid a decrease of other SOs, a complement of grants will be ensured beyond the ERDF/NCP. Specific result indicator and target value have been determined. Specific output indicator and target value have been determined. Performance framework has been adapted to the new budget and indicators. 10
Modification of the OP The MA administration has tried to write a proposal which would be coherent with the planned operation. The writing was realized with the support (context, indicators ) of the Brussels Institute for Statistics and Analysis (BISA) and with regular contacts with the Geographical Unit in the DG Regio. To guarantee a global balance, a large modification of the financial plan had been decided. But as a part of these revisions still needs more details, the Commission recommended to adopt the modification in 2 times. The first modification has been presented to the Monitoring Committee in May-2016, and formally approved (just after the PA) by the EU Commission in Nov-2016. 11
Implementation of the project Before the formal approval of the OP, the MA administration was in contact with the main operator of the project and determined the conditions of the project, adapted the elements from the Application Form and the budget breakdown. The file was, as classical ones, overviewed from the standpoint of the State aid regulation, before implementation. After the formal approval, a funding agreement was signed and the project could be implemented. 12
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION QUENTIN RICHARD ERDF CELL First officer qrichard@sprb.brussels feder@sprb.brussels 13