During these years, Romania will be the second-larges beneficiary of the financial assistance offered by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Minister of European Affairs Leonard Orban, representing Romania’s Government, signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway’s Government aimed at implementation of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014, and the memorandum of understanding with the Governments of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein for implementing the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) 2009 – 2014, according to a media release. On Norway’s behalf, the documents were signed by Gry Larsen, Foreign State Secretary, and Icelandic Ambassador to Romania Sturla Sigurjonsson, on behalf of Iceland. “The implementation of mechanisms for 2009 – 2014 yielded positive results, both with respect to the absorption rate of approximately 70 pc and the quality and sustainability of the projects involved. Also given the experience gathered, we have well-grounded to look forward to a new grant stage inaugurated today,” Leonard Orban said.The EUR 305.9 M worth of cooperation agreement funds is significantly higher than the EUR 98.5 M in the previous period, 2004 – 2009. The EEA and Norwegian grants are aimed at reducing the social an economic gaps between EEA countries and shoring up cooperation between donor states and the recipient country.During 2009-2014, Romania will be the second-larges beneficiary of the financial assistance offered by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.The EEA and Norwegian grants for 2009 – 2014 will go into projects in 23 fields, each of them managed by a program operator represented by a Romanian public institution or NGO. Sometimes, the program will be jointly handled by a program operator and a partner, namely an entity from one of the donor countries.
Orban: proposal to supplement by nearly 500 posts the organisational chart
Orban also said he would make the Government a proposal to supplement by nearly 500 posts the organisational chart of the EU funds central management structures, although he only expects some tens of posts to be approved, Mediafax reports. “Our intention is to help those ministries, and not the Ministry of European Affairs, which have projects underway and need to strengthen their administrative capacity. It is central institutions we are talking here. We are seeking formulas to help local authorities too to implement such projects, yet, this draft normative act is meant to only help central authorities,” Orban said.The ministry’s draft ordinance launched for public debate Tuesday sets out for the ministries which have in their subordination structures tasked with managing structural and cohesion funds to employ temporary personnel who will be paid from European funds. The salary caps are as follows: RON 5000 – assistant level, RON 7000 – principal and RON 10000 – superior.
