Beneficiary capacity building workshop

The Interreg Danube Region Programme participated in a TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer workshop on support to beneficiaries, co-hosted by DG REGIO and OECD.

On 28 November, the Interreg Danube Region Programme participated in a TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer multi-country workshop, co-organized with DG REGIO and the OECD. The workshop provided participants an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned, exchange tools, and explore strategies to optimize support mechanisms for beneficiaries.

The workshop is part of a pilot project focused on enhancing the capacity of managing authorities (MAs) to support a diverse range of beneficiaries. Six MAs have been chosen to participate in this project, which is being implemented in collaboration with the OECD since January 2024.

TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer multi-country workshop in Brussels on 28 November 2024.

Participatory approach

In February/March 2024, the MA/JS completed a questionnaire developed by the OECD to collect essential information about the about the Danube Region Programme, its beneficiaries, the MA/JS’s institutional structure, the perceived beneficiary capacity gaps, as well as the existing beneficiary support measures and engagement mechanisms. This initial phase laid the foundation for a beneficiary survey launched in May 2024, designed to identify specific needs and preferred support strategies. The survey reached over 1,500 stakeholders, providing valuable insights into the current challenges and opportunities.

The findings from the survey informed a series of focus group discussions held online in May 2024 and in person in July 2024. These sessions involved approximately 40 participants, representing a broad range of stakeholders, including public agencies, private sector partners, universities, research institutions, and civil society organizations. Discussions highlighted the beneficiaries' capacity needs and explored how the MA/JS could better address them. The process culminated in a one-day workshop in Budapest on 4 July 2024. Over 43 participants from the MA/JS, national contact points, first-level controllers, beneficiaries, and consulting companies came together to identify priority areas for capacity building and to develop a roadmap for action.

Multi-stakeholder workshop in Budapest on 4 July 2024.

Action plan

The pilot project will result in an action plan for the Interreg Danube Region Programme, aimed at reinforcing the capability of the programme managing authority, and other programme bodies, to tackle the challenge of having to support diverse groups of beneficiaries, particularly on how to help beneficiaries to strengthen their capacity.