Risk management in times of

COVID-19 and beyond

COVID measures in a EU Funds Operational Programme -

how to manage pandemic and risks at the same time.
Managing Authority’s point of view

Anna Świebocka, Deputy Director in the Polish Ministry of Development

Funds and Regional Policy,
Managing Authority for Smart Growth OP 2014-2020

Virtual event - 10 march 2021

© OECD
Plan of presentation

• General information about Smart Growth OP,

• COVID-19 changes introduced,
• Identified risks for the changes,
• Changes in the procedures and documents

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Smart Growth Operational Programme
at a glance – facts and figures

• Innovation and R+D support 2014-2020

• 8,5 billion EUR,
• 98% contracted/61% certified to the EC
• 11 800 grant contracts signed,
• Beneficiaries: SME and large companies, universities,
start-ups, bussiness environment
• Grants and financial instruments,
• Dedicated almost 800 mln EUR for COVID support
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 EU law – CRII and CRII+ Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative

COVID call for

New measures proposals

Changes in OP
as responce to
COVID-19

Changes in the Changes in the

onging call for projects
proposals implementation
Polish law – special provisions on EU projects implementation due to COVID
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 New measures

Grants
Loan for
Fund SMEs working
Liquidity capital Medium companies
Interest 0% a decline in turnover of
at least 30%
Up to 6 years

150 mln EUR out of 300

500 mln EUR 3500 grants
4200 loans on Temporary
Framework (max 800
Max 3,5 mln EUR 000 EUR)

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 New measures - RISKS

Grants
Loan for
Fund A. selection of financial working
intermediaries A. granting subsidies to
capital non-eligible enterprises
B. irregularities in
granting loans B. insufficient control of
applications
C. loan default risk

A. control of the
A. + B. Control of MA in
Beneficiary and
IB providing grants
intermediaries by MA
A.+ B. IB on-the-spot
B. + C. - control of the
verifications of
financial intermediaries
individual operations
by Beneficiary

No risk of uncompetitive selection of contractors – FI & SCO

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 COVID call for proposals

R+D
R+D infrastructure
Enterprises + science Enterprises
15 mln EUR
50 mln EUR
on Temporary
Grants Framework

diagnosis, treatment investment aid for

and counteracting infrastructure for the
COVID 19 development, testing,
improvement and
preparation of products
to fight COVID-19

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COVID call for proposals - RISKS

R+D and
infrastructure A. Low quality of calls for proposals,
B. Low quality of applications
accepted,
C. Irregular expenditure due to
insuficient controls of payment
claims or on-the-spot control

A.+B. +C.– MA management control

in IB
C. – IB control in beneficiary – on
documents and on-the-spot

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 Changes in the on-going calls for
proposals

Extention
Digitalisation
Panel of experts of
working deadlines
remotely on submitting
projects applications
assessment

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Changes in the on-going calls for
proposals - RISKS

A. granting subsidies
to non-eligible
enterprises
B. insufficient control
of applications
Digitalisation
A.+B. control of the
…Beneficiaries by MA
…and IB

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 Changes in the projects
Eligibility
implementation
of
expendit Extention
ure of
expences are eligible – deadlines
products not delivered and
results not achieved submitting
payment
claims
Shared
respons
Controls ibility
project
on the
Individual completion
irregularities caused
documents –
not on-the- by COVID – paid by
spot state budget

Assessment of changes, influence of COVID on the project, vis maior

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 Changes in the projects
Eligibility
of
implementation - RISKS
expendit Extention
ure irregular of
expenditure due to deadlines
insuficient controls
of payment claims Projects extented will
or on-the-spot fail anyway – big
control amount of money left
at the end of the
programming period
Shared
respons Payment claims
Controls ibility submitted for smaller
amount
Management
verifications and Insuficient control of Delays in financing of
audits might be less the project – money
Beneficiary may left
“in depth” because cause large loss in
carried out remotely state budget
and not on-the-spot

Assessment of changes, influence of COVID on the project, vis maior

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 Changes in the procedures of
MA and IB
Checklists of Risk analisys of
payment the Program and of
claims all the institutions

Annual The scope of

control plan controls
Control procedures: Panels of experts
2 stages of controls:
- on the documents,
recorded
- on the spot,
- mix: on-line on the COVID justification
spot controls - assessment
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recorded
Thank you for your attention

in case of any questions or doubts:

anna.swiebocka@mfipr.gov.pl

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