OREANDA-NEWS. On June 02, 2008 the Cabinet of Ministers approved two Cabinet regulations (hereinafter in the text – Regulations) on the procedure by which two activities co-financed from the European Social Fund – development and implementation of a quality management system and administrative capacity building of social partners; thus, the project selection process could be started soon, reported the Official website www.mk.gov.lv.

The first Regulations stipulate the conditions for project development and receiving funding for the ESF sub-activity „Development and implementation of a quality management system”. It is aimed at enhancing performance of public administration institutions and quality of their services. Projects can be submitted by direct public administration institutions, courts, authorities which are delegated to perform certain tasks of public administration, planning regions and amalgamated municipalities.

It is planned that by 2013 support would be granted to 98 institutions and the amount of public administration institutions in which a quality management system is implemented would increase by 25 per cents. The total funding for this activity available for Latvia amounts to 2 248 973 LVL, including the ESF funding of 1 911 627 LVL.

The second Regulations stipulate the assessment criteria for the activity „Administrative capacity building of social partners”. When submitting their projects under this activity, the social partners – the Latvian Employers’ Confederation and the Free Trade Union Federation of Latvia – will be ensured opportunities to develop their regional structures and ensure training for their members.

Thus, it is planned to enhance capacity of these social partners in their respective areas, for instance, with regard to representing their interests at the national and EU level. The total funding for this activity amounts to 2 259 310 LVL, including ESF funding of 1 920 414 LVL.

The project assessment procedure will be ensured by a committee formed by the Secretariat of the Society Integration Fund; the committee may also invite experts. Both Regulations were available for public discussion participated by representatives of 30 NGOs and social partners. These Regulations are available on the Internet homepage of the State Chancellery at www.mk.gov.lv, section „Structural Funds”.

Additional information: in the planning period of 2007-2013 the State Chancellery is appointed as one of the authorities responsible for the administration of the ESF; it participates in drafting of documentation and legal acts and in developing assessment criteria for project applications, it also plans financing for the measures „Better regulation policy” and „Capacity building of human resources”, as well as supervises these measures. The State Chancellery is to draft nine regulations in the area of better regulation and human resources; by now the Government has already approved five regulations.