Institutional Cooperation and Capacity Building

• A pre-defined project on “Via Transilvanica - From Civic Cultural Trail to Circular Rural Regeneration System” with a maximum grant from the programme of €6.5 million shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. The project shall aim to develop the capacity of local authorities for the enhanced and sustainable use of local cultural resources working in partnership with local communities, NGOs and national authorities. Public institution(s) in Romania, including the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration and the Ministry of Culture, shall be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the project.
• A pre-defined project on digital citizenship education, including information and media literacy in education of approximately €2 million shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. The European Wergeland Centre shall act as project partner.
• A pre-defined project on sexual assault centres with a grant from the programme of approximately €5 million shall be developed when developing the Concept Note. The project shall ensure the continuation and further development of the services developed under the “Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Romania” project implemented under the Justice programme of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. The project shall align with the standards set by the Istanbul Convention. The Romanian Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity (through the agency responsible for ensuring equal opportunities between women and men) shall act as the Project Promoter, and the Romanian Ministry of Health shall act as a project partner. The involvement of civil society organisations shall be ensured. Involvement in the SYNERGY Network shall also be supported.
• A pre-defined project supporting independent fact-checking and promoting information integrity shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. Cooperation with civil society shall be facilitated.
• Consultation with relevant stakeholders, including civil society, shall be carried out during the development of the Concept Note.
• One or more pre-defined projects supporting implementation of the OECD’s recommendations to Romania on an Open and Digital Government as well as on good governance and information integrity, including support to strengthening information integrity in the green transition, with an approximate grant from the programme of €7 million shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. The project shall address both national and local level actors, including facilitating cooperation with civil society where relevant. The General Secretariat of the Government shall act as Project Promoter and the OECD shall act as project partner. Other partners shall be involved as relevant, including the Romanian Ministry of Environment on strengthening information integrity in the green transition.
• Partnerships with donor partners and/or international organisations are mandatory in all projects. The partners will be defined when developing the Concept Note and specified in the Programme Agreement.
• Pre-defined project(s) on media freedom shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. The project(s) shall focus on capacity building on regulatory frameworks for independent media. The Norwegian Media Authority shall act as donor project partner.
• Pre-defined project(s) to strengthen the capacity of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in line with good governance and transparency standards shall be explored when developing the Concept Note. The project(s) shall focus on governance reform, digitalization, strengthening consular processes, crisis management, and transparent service practices. The OECD shall act as project partner.
• The maximum level of funding for investment in infrastructure and equipment (hard measures) shall be 60% of the total eligible expenditure of the programme. Investment in infrastructure and equipment (hard measures) shall only be supported alongside capacity building, training, or experience sharing (soft measures).
• The National Focal Point and the Programme Operator shall at the latest by the submission of the Concept Note, demonstrate adequate programme management capacity and expertise to fulfil the Programme Operator’s responsibilities.
• The programme shall enhance institutional capacity to deliver better public services at central, regional and local levels. The programme shall support the modernisation of public administration, including digital investments, as well as capacity building. These measures shall align with the European Digital Rights and Principles.
• The programme shall include substantial measures addressing information integrity with special focus on media freedom, information and media literacy, digital citizenship education, and strengthening information environments at both local and national levels.
• The public institution(s) in Romania in charge of the relevant policy areas, including the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration shall be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the programme, specifically as member(s) of the Cooperation Committee.

No projects have been signed under this programme. That is a real state rather than a gap in the data: bilateral funds and newly agreed programmes both sit here.