Public Participation in EU Funds

Advocating for transparency in EU funded wastewater project, Lithuania (June 2004)

This need is addressed by the concept of public participation, i.e. the involvement of citizens in decisions on spending public money from the EU funds like the structural funds, the Cohesion Fund and the pre-accession funds (ISPA, SAPARD). Public participation can take place at different stages of the decision-making process:

EU and national legislations provide for different forms of society's involvement in each of the three stages [1]: representatives of different social groups, i.e. social partners, may consult documents during the programming stage, sit on bodies responsible for project assessment and selection (steering committees) or bodies responsible for the monitoring of project implementation (monitoring committees). Citizens can also participate at a more local level, i.e. during different consultation procedures conducted for particular projects, like. when deciding on the location of a project, on its impact on the environment or local communities.

Although basic EU legislation regulating this issue is in place, actual public participation standards differ across EU member states and candidate countries. National legislation often does not provide citizens with access to timely and sufficient information, nor does it stipulate clear, effective and enforceable tools for participation in the aforementioned processes. Public participation is frequently treated as an impediment to decision-making and is frequently organised only as a matter of formal requirement. In practical terms, citizens are repeatedly denied the opportunity to have a real impact on the decisions affecting EU funds programming, implementation and monitoring.

CEE Bankwatch Network aims to monitor the state of public participation in the central and eastern European region and to advocate for wider inclusion of citizens in the decision-making processes regarding the EU funds. Wider public participation limits the potential for corruption, contributes to a democratic political culture and increases the efficiency of the use of the funds, which are derived after all from European taxpayers' money. Given that our countries are currently the main beneficiaries of EU assistance, it is of particular importance to secure sufficiently high public participation standards, and thus efficiency of public control, in these states.

One of CEE Bankwatch Network's focus areas is the participation of environmental partners at the different stages of EU-funds-related decision-making. The appropriate inclusion of non-governmental organisations dealing with environmental protection helps to ensure that the vast resources available in the form of EU assistance do not pose a threat to the environment and nature and that they contribute to fulfilling EU and national environmental legislation.

Most of our member groups are actively involved in the programming, implementation and monitoring of EU funds in their states, advocating for the wider consideration of environmental and sustainable development needs. Our members are also active at the local level, trying to secure that the interests of local communities and nature are given due consideration in particular EU-funded projects (see sections on projects) and that the projects comply with relevant environmental legislation, e.g. regarding environmental impact assessments. Again, considering the huge scale of EU assistance for the region, it is particularly important to ensure that the EU funds do not damage the great environmental heritage of the countries in this part of Europe.

General public participation issues are provided for, under the notion of the partnership principle, in Article 8 of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999 of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the structural funds. More detailed procedures are specified in national legislations of respective member states. Currently, a new set of regulations on structural assistance is being developed and it will redefine the scope of public participation in EU funds programming, implementation and monitoring for 2007 – 2013.