Operating structure(s) shall be established by the IPA II beneficiary to implement and manage the IPA II assistance (Article 10, IPA II Implementing Regulation).

The Operating Structures within IPA II Cross-border Cooperation Programme Serbia – Montenegro 2014 -2020 are as follows:

  • Republic of Serbia
  • CBC Body
  • Government of the Republic of Serbia – Ministry of European Integration, Nemanjina 34, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
  • Contracting Authority
  • Government of the Republic of Serbia – Ministry of Finance Central Financing and Contracting Unit (CFCU) of the Republic of Serbia Sremska 3-5, 11 000 Belgrade
  • Montenegro
  • CBC Body
  • Government of Montenegro – Ministry of European Affairs, Bulevar revolucije 15, 81 000 Podgorica, Montenegro
  • Control Body
  • Government of Montenegro – Ministry of Finance Directorate for Finance and Contracting of EU Assistance Funds (CFCU) Stanka Dragojevica 2, 81000 Podgorica

Structures and authorities

  1. The following structures shall be involved in the management of cross-border cooperation programmes in the IPA II beneficiaries:

(a) the NIPACs of the countries participating in the cross-border cooperation programme as referred to in Article 4 and, where applicable, the territorial cooperation coordinators;

(b) the NAO and the management structure as referred to in Article 7 of the participating IPA II beneficiary in which the contracting authority is located when the cross-border programme is implemented in indirect management;

(c) the operating structures in all the participating countries which shall cooperate closely in the programming and implementation of the relevant cross-border cooperation programme. In case of indirect management the operating structure shall include a contracting authority;

(d) the audit authority as referred to in Article 7(3) when the cross-border programme is implemented in indirect management. Where it does not have the authorisation to carry out the functions provided for in Article 12, it shall be assisted by a group of auditors comprising a representative of each country participating in the cross-border cooperation programme.

  1. The IPA II beneficiaries and countries under the European Neighbourhood Instrument participating in a cross- border cooperation programme shall establish a JMC which shall also fulfil the role of the sectoral monitoring committee referred to in Article 19.
  2. A Joint Technical Secretariat shall be set up to assist the Commission, the operating structures and the JMC.

The operating structure shall be responsible for the implementation, information and visibility, monitoring and reporting of programmes, and the evaluation thereof whenever relevant, in accordance with the principle of sound financial management, and for ensuring the legality and regularity of the expenditure incurred in the implementation of the programmes under its responsibility.