The fifth meeting of the Joint Programming Committee (JPC) for the future ENI CBC Black Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020 was held on the 17th – 18th of July 2014, in Brussels, Belgium.

The representatives of the 9 participating countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine), together with the representatives from the European Commission, ENI CBC – Support to the preparation of programmes (SPP) project, Interact ENPI project, Managing Authority and Audit Authority discussed on the draft programme strategy, programme area, programme structures, description of the Management and Control System (DCMS), evaluation and selection procedure of projects and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

On the topic of draft programme strategy, the JPC approved the thematic objectives, the priorities and the indicative activities and a first draft of list of indicators was presented. On the programme area subject, the inclusion of adjoining regions and major centres was discussed, but the final decision is foreseen to be taken during the next JPC meeting.

Regarding the programme structures, the participating countries appointed the majority of institutions to fulfil the role of member in the Group of Auditors and Control Contact Point. Furthermore, the first draft chapter on programme structures, including the role and tasks of JMC, MA, NA, AA, was approved. The Managing Authority presented to the JPC members the proposal for the institution to perform the role of the future JTS.

Also, there were presented, discussed and agreed the outline of the Description of the Management and Control Systems and the description of the main steps of the evaluation and selection procedure of projects. On the Strategic Environmental Assessment topic, the necessary steps for the conducting of this assessment were discussed.
In the end of the meeting, there were agreed the future milestones for the developing of the ENI CBC BSB programme.

Besides, on the 18th of July a meeting of the Audit Authority and the members of the Group of Auditors took place, back to back with the JPC meeting.

The next JPC meeting was scheduled to take place in Tbilisi, Georgia, at the end of the year.