Programming periods
The EU implements cohesion policy objectives in seven-year cycles. For each of these cycles Member States prepare new programming documents and framework strategies. The key umbrella document dealing with the European funds absorption in the CR for the current period is the Partnership Agreement. These documents set the budget and define objectives and priorities that Member States will try to achieve in the given period in accordance with the basic EU strategic documents. The main economic strategy of the EU, influencing European funds absorption, is currently Europe 2020.
To date the Czech Republic has qualified for three programming periods, and currently preparation for the new one is underway:
Programming period 2004-2006 Programming period 2007-2013 Programming period 2014-2020
Coordination of drawing finances from the EU in the Czech Republic Under Government Resolution No. 198/2006 the role of the National Coordination Authority (abbreviated NCA) is performed by the Ministry of Regional Development. With its scope of competence the NCA replaced Managing Authority of the Community Support Framework. The NCA is a central methodological and coordinating authority of cohesion policy in the Czech Republic and as such it currently carries out the following activities in particular:
- It manages and coordinates the Partnership Agreement
- It performs the role of a designation authority
- It issues a basic set of methodological rules
- It is an official partner of the European Commission
- It informs about European funds
- It carries out evaluations
- It administers the single monitoring system
- It collaborates with other partner authorities, especially the Ministry of Finance (Audit Authority and Paying and Certifying Authority) and the Managing Authorities of the programmes.