MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2021 – 2027

Abstract

The Regional Development Program is a key European Union (EU) policy aimed at reducing re-gional disparities, fostering economic growth, and ensuring sustainable development in less-devel-oped regions. The program provides substantial financial resources to improve infrastructure, stim-ulate business activity, and promote social inclusion. A complex institutional framework, involving numerous national and European bodies, ensures the effective and transparent use of these funds. Launching the Regional Development Program during the 2021 – 2027 programming period pre-sented significant challenges. This report examines the program's management and control mecha-nisms and identifies problematic areas in the preparation of its strategic documents. A crucial aspect of program management is the institutional framework defined within the applicable European reg-ulatory framework. The multi-tiered control framework involves various national and European bod-ies, with specific functions and responsibilities at European, national, and regional levels. The report also incorporates perspectives from various authors on monitoring and control procedures, inform-ing the development of a conceptual model for managing Structural Funds. Effective control and monitoring, incorporating both internal and external verification mechanisms, are crucial for achiev-ing program objectives and ensuring the efficient use of public funds. Challenges include bureau-cratic procedures and inter-institutional coordination. Optimizing procedures and strengthening in-stitutional cooperation are essential for enhancing control effectiveness.