Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC)

Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) of OPHRD 2007-2013 (IPA Component IV)

The Sectoral Monitoring Committee (SMC) of the ‘Human Resources Development’ Operational Programme is a permanently acting body, established under the provisions of Article 36(2) of the Framework Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Macedonia and the Commission of the European Communities and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 59 and 167 of EC Regulation No 718/2007 of 12 June 2007 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1085/2006 establishing an instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA) (Implementing Regulation).

The Committee is a collective body and is co-chaired by the Operating Structure and the Commission. The composition of the Committee is decided by the Operating Structure, in agreement with the Commission, in accordance with the provision of Article 167.3 of the Implementing Regulation. It consists of both voting and non voting members and observers who participate in an advisory capacity. Voting members have their substitutes.

The Committee is co-chaired by the Head of the Operating Structure and a representative of the Commission.

The scope of work of SMC is related to:

  • Considers and approves the general criteria for selecting the operations and approves any revision of those criteria in accordance with programming needs;
  • Reviews at each meeting progress towards achieving the specific targets of the Operational Programme on the basis of documents submitted by the Operating Structure;
  • Examines at each meeting the physical and financial progress of implementation, particularly the achievement of the targets set for each priority axis and measures and interim evaluations; it shall carry out this monitoring by reference to the indicators agreed;
  • Examines the sectoral annual and final reports on implementation before transmission to the Commission and NIPAC;
  • Informs itself of the annual audit activity report or of the part of the report referring to the Operational Programme and of any relevant comments the Commission may make after examining that report or relating to that part of the report;
  • Examines any proposal to amend the Financing Agreement of the Programme;
  • Proposes to the Operating Structure any revision or examination of the programme likely to make possible the attainment of the programme’s objectives referred to in Article 155.2(a) of the Implementing Regulation or to improve its management, including its financial management, as well as to oversee cross-cutting themes and publicity measures;
  • Provides the IPA Committee with the necessary elements to allow it to assess the overall effectiveness, quality and coherence of the implementation of the Programme and operations towards meeting the objectives set out in the Financing Agreement as well as in the multi-annual indicative planning documents. In particular the Committee provides the IPA Monitoring Committee with information relating to:
    • the progress made in implementing the Programme, by priority axis and, where relevant, by measures or operations; this shall include the results achieved, financial implementation indicators, and other factors and shall be established with a view to improving the implementation of the programme;
    • any aspects of the functioning of the management and control systems raised by the Audit Authority, the National Authorising Officer or the Competent Accrediting Officer
  • Examines proposals from the IPA Committee for possible decisions on any corrective measures to ensure the achievements of programme objectives and enhance the efficiency of assistance provided under the programme;
  • Seeks to ensure the effectiveness and quality of the implementation of the programme and operations concerned, in accordance with the specific provisions laid down in the financing agreement. It may make proposals to the Commission and the national IPA coordinator, with a copy to the National Authorising Officer, for decisions on any corrective measures to ensure the achievements of programme objectives and enhance the efficiency of the assistance provided;
  • Examines the results of evaluations linked to the monitoring of Operational Programme;
  • The Committee will examine proposals by the Operating Structure and/or the Commission to revise the Programme following, where relevant, an evaluation and including results as well as output, outcome and financial indicators used to monitor the assistance.

The Monitoring Unit of the CFCD, which is appointed by the Operating Structure of the ‘Human Resources Development’ Operational Programme will perform the duties of the permanent Secretariat of the Committee.

The Secretariat of SMC:

  • Collects and/or elaborates and submits to all the Committee members all the documents and materials (reports, analyses and proposals) necessary for the activities of the Committee;
  • Organises and carries out the preparation of the Committee meetings and assists its activities under the supervision of the Head of the Operating Structure;
  • Develops Committee meetings’ Protocols in English;
  • Is responsible for the book-keeping and documentation of all the statements and decisions taken at the Committee meetings;
  • Coordinates the implementation of the decisions of the Committee and the necessary exchange of information between the concerned parties;
  • Assists the co-chairpersons of the Committee in the execution of their duties;
  • Maintains the documentation of the Committee;
  • Ensures sufficient publicity and visibility measures related to the work of the Committee (using the web site of the “Human Resource Development” Operational Programme) in cooperation with Line Ministries;
  • Performs other duties and functions assigned by the Head of the Operating Structure in connection of the work of the Committee.
  • Provides for all technical and logistical arrangements, including translation and interpretation services where necessary, to permit the effective participation in the committee discussions and resolutions by all its members.

The SMC meetings are held at least twice a year at the initiative of the Operating Structure or the Commission. Additional meetings can be called at the request of the Commission, the Head of the Operating Structure or a simple majority of Committee members.

The composition of SMC is:

Function Representation
Voting members Chairperson – Head of Operating Structure (HOS) Ministry of Finance
Chairperson DG EMPL
National IPA Coordinator (NIPAC) Secretariat of European Affairs
European Commission (EC) EU Delegation, Skopje
Strategic Coordinator (SC) Economic Policies and Regulatory Reforms Department
Operating Structure (OS) Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
Operating Structure (OS) Ministry of Education and Science
National Authorising Officer (NAO) Ministry of Finance
Socio-economic partners Representative of Trade Unions
Social partners Representative of Employer Organisation
Civil society representatives 4 Representatives from different Civil Society Organizations
Non-voting members (Observes) Operating Structure for Component II Ministry of Local Self Government
Operating Structure for Component III Ministry of Environment and

 

Physical Planning

Operating Structure for Component III Ministry of Transport and

 

Communication

Protection and development of the common interest of the municipalities Association of local self-government units (ZELS)
Expertise: Official statistical data and analysis State Statistical Office (SSO)
Part of Operating Structure for Component I Ministry of Economy
Other relevant stakeholders (if necessary, other institutions invited) Bureau for educational development (BED)

 

Vocational Educational Training Centre (VET)

Employment Service Agency (ESA)

Centre for Adult Education (CAE)

Other representatives IPA Audit Authority