Strasbourg, 30 September 2008
AT(2008)354MdT/sb
REGIONAL PROGRAMME
FOR CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE
IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE 2003-2010 (RPSEE)
INTEGRATED REHABILITATION PROJECT PLAN / SURVEY OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE
(IRPP/SAAH)
Ljubljana Process: Activity Plan (2008-2009)
Revised following the IRPP/SAAH Expert Meeting
London, 17-18 September 2008
INTRODUCTION
This revised Activity Plan 2008-09 for the IRPP/SAAH project reflects the continuing developing situation in the countries participating in the new comprehensive funding strategy implemented as part of the “Ljubljana Process”. It updates and replaces, on the basis of the recommendations formulated by the IRPP/SAAH Expert Group (London, 17-18 September 2008) the previous version AT(2008)247 transmitted to the countries in June 2008.
The revised version of the action plan maintains the previously-defined main phases, but fine-tunes the deadlines and the proposed description of actions which should be implemented in the countries. The coming weeks of activity are more specifically detailed and the Action Plan will have to be revised again after the 13th IRPP/SAAH Co-ordination Meeting (November 2008).
The IRPP/SAAH Project Co-ordinators are invited to pay great attention to this document, to decide upon what it implies for the “Ljubljana Process” implementation in their country and make sure that available resources and support will guarantee the completion of the activities within the timeline. In defining / revising their action plan, the IRPP/SAAH Project Co-ordinators should define precisely their and other actors’ tasks and estimated time requested for carrying out these actions. The Minister of Culture or relevant authorities and the RPSEE Programme Co-ordinators must endorse these commitments and facilitate the responsibilities of the Project Co-ordinator for the success of the “Ljubljana Process”. The Secretariat could support the Project Co-ordinators in their efforts to secure political commitments if needed.
OBJECTIVES
The “Ljubljana Process” confirms the continuing importance of the IRPP/SAAH and represents a tangible acknowledgement of the achievement of this groundbreaking project, and of the invaluable contribution made by all the participants. This achievement must now be built on in order to fully capitalise on the results achieved so far in the pursuit of long term sustainable benefits for all countries involved in the programme.
The general IRPP/SAAH objectives implemented as part of the “Ljubljana Process” remain the building of institutional capacity, the promotion of the countries’ development strategies, and the support of public awareness, education and professional training.
More specifically, the “Ljubljana Process” should improve the focus of the overall programme by ensuring funding for a significant number of the “Consolidated Projects” and fostering the adoption of sustainable funding strategies by the beneficiaries. Activities of the “Ljubljana Process” concentrate on the mobilisation of national and international funding with a view to encouraging future public and private investments and are conducive to a coherent incorporation of these sites’ rehabilitation in regional economic development plans. The European Commission initial contribution (in IPA countries) should create a positive dynamic stimulating further investment. Synergies between and mobilisation of existing national programmes in various sectors for funding consolidation projects and other PIL projects should be regarded as an important sign confirming the political commitments and the institutional feasibility of these projects.
WORKING METHODS
The workload of the proposed draft Activity Plan is quite significant, but the existing co-ordination and management structures set up in the past should have clarified the different tasks and responsibilities shared between an increasing number of professionals in the participating countries.
The Council of Europe and the European Commission consider that it is the entire responsibility of the countries to carry out the activities in time and to deliver the expected results. The countries are expected to contribute to the implementation of the IRPP/SAAH Ljubljana Process activities through:
- constant political support from the Ministry of Culture and other relevant government institutions concerned by heritage, fund-raising and European activities;
- sufficient availability and involvement of the IRPP/SAAH Project Co-ordinators and permanent support of the RPSEE Programme Co-ordinators;
- the mobilisation of national stakeholders including civil society and NGOs as well as international organisations active in the country;
- the functioning of the Project Management Teams and the Advisory Board, according to the rules and specificities in each participating country;
- the regular revision of the PIL and the “Plaques”;
- the funding of activities through the national budget;
- development of synergies between and mobilisation of national programmes for funding heritage rehabilitation projects (targeting the rehabilitation of one Consolidated Project in each country).
The implementation of the activities should be co-ordinated by the IRPP/SAAH Project Co-ordinator who has the responsibility of ensuring the correct functioning of the different national expert bodies. The administrative part of the tasks and the relations with the Secretariat should be facilitated by the setting-up of a “Collaborative Platform”. This working tool should be operational by the end of October 2008. It will be accessible electronically, according to specific access to be attributed to the different users (Secretariat, experts, Project Co-ordinators, etc.), in order to share in real time all the information available and to guide the realisation of the technical steps. It is foreseen that the “Collaborative Platform” will avoid the confusing traffic of draft versions and will make automatic the intervention of each actor thereby avoiding delays due to transmission. The “Collaborative Platform” is being designed in order to make its use as simple as possible. The Secretariat will inform the users when the “Collaborative Platform” is operational.
Monthly Reports, Activity Reports and annual detailed Action Plans should continue to be produced by participating countries in order to ensure sufficient communication levels between participants. The continuation of the “Plaques” project is included in the “Ljubljana Process” as an important working and communication tool.
ACTIVITIES PLANNED
The activities have been slightly revised with more effective procedures responding to time pressure. The fact is that there is very little margin for further changes and Project Co-ordinators must realise the absolute necessity of organising their activities very tightly. More than ever, Project Co-ordinators must consider their responsibility in relation to the co-ordination and organisation of the work to be carried out by different professionals. The adoption of a clear and simple agenda, the organisation of political contacts with stakeholders / partners, the organisation of the pre-promotional contacts in order to make the potential investors feel that the process is really progressing, and the involvement of complementary expertise well defined and in time, must be the task of the Project Co-ordinators.
The ongoing activity phase “Elaboration of the rehabilitation projects” (“phase A”), is now scheduled at the end of January 2009. The further phasing has been revised in order to include the “Promotion” phase (January-May 2009) and the “Negotiation” phase (June-November). Timelines, presented in this document in order to serve as a common guide to the participants, must be adapted by each country according to their possibilities. According to their progress, countries may give themselves more time for the Promotion or for the Negotiation phase, in order that all participants reach the final objectives of the “Ljubljana Process”: to secure funding for the 26 “Consolidated Projects”. Secretariat and IRPP/SAAH Experts will follow with attention the progress in each country and will tailor assistance in order to be more involved in the implementation of some activities or more involved in others when requested.
The two main activities the Project Co-ordinators must organise are related to the Business Plan and to the POP. The Management Teams must have drafted the Business Plan based on the revised template to be provided by the Secretariat (beginning of October). Advisory Boards have to meet in order to endorse the sections related to the “General information and the context” and to discuss the problems / risks identified for the implementation of the rehabilitation projects. Based on the position of the Advisory Board and the advice provided by the IRPP/SAAH Experts Group, the Project Co-ordinators will have to organise the work of the Advisory Board in order to find the best way to overcome the problems identified and to reassure the potential investors and to finalise the Business Plan.
Regarding the POP, the document must be completed; this implies meeting the potential investors and clearing the conditions of their potential investment in relation to each of the Consolidated Projects. The list of these investors must be finalised in 2008 in order to carry out pre-promotion actions and to prepare the Promotion Phase (2009). Moreover, the Project Co-ordinators, supported by the RPSEE Programme Co-ordinators, must develop permanent contacts with the EC Delegation and CoE Offices in the countries. Information on progress must be regularly reported. More specifically, relevant negotiation procedures should be undertaken in order to fix the conditions for the EC investment on one “Consolidated Project” in each (IPA) country. Finally, Project Co-ordinators must ensure, through the Interministerial Commission and/or Advisory Boards the agreement on national priorities (Consolidated Projects and other PIL monuments and sites) in order to ensure both the adequate financial support by national budgets in 2009 and the inscription of these priorities on the EC programme agendas.
The next major deadline will therefore be the 13th IRPP/SAAH Co-ordination meeting (in Brussels, date to be confirmed around mid-November 2008). The main point on the agenda will be the ongoing works on the Business Plan. The meeting, based on the Advisory Board meeting report should lead to the adoption of agendas for the additional meetings to be organised by the Project Co-ordinators in order to obtain official positions / suggestions of the Advisory Board for completing the Business Plan. Agenda will also include presentation of the “Collaborative Platform” and its functioning, as discussion on the Catalogue, the next phases of the process and finally the professional training programme (which will be detailed in a document apart following the results of the ongoing discussions with potential partners).
Phase A: Elaboration of the rehabilitation projects – 15 March 2009
The specific objectives of the “Phase A: Elaboration of the rehabilitation projects” are mainly to finalise the technical documents, to set up management and implementation national bodies and to organise the promotion of the Consolidation projects.
First step (October – 15 November 2008)
Specific objectives:
- to set up/strengthen the management and implementation national bodies;
- to draft the Business Plans for each of the “Consolidated Projects”;
- to discuss the Advisory Board’s position and to define the next step(s);
- to implement the pre-promotion of the Consolidation Projects on the base of the POP.
Activities:
To be undertaken by countries
- Updated Monthly Report sent to the Secretariat, highlighting the progress made on the main issues / concerns identified by the IRPP/SAAH Experts during the Assessment Missions (spring 2008). Transmission of the summarised reports of the Management Teams and Advisory Boards.
- Information sent to the Secretariat about the detailed actions to be undertaken on the base of the present document.
- Identification of complementary necessary skills and contacts (contracts), including promotion, communication and financial expertise.
- Finalisation of the Promotion Operational Plan (POP) and pre-contacts, especially with EC Delegations and IPA planning.
- Draft agenda of meetings for the Management Teams and the Advisory Boards.
- Meeting of the Management Teams concerning the Business Plan template and organisation of the drafting process.
- First draft of the Business Plan, and pre-validation of sections 1-4 (“General information and the context”) by IRPP/SAAH Experts.
- First draft presented to the Advisory Board for final approval/endorsement of sections 1-4 (“General information and the context”) and for detailing its position regarding the draft sections 5-7 (“Management”): legal and institutional obstacles / risks on the rehabilitation projects. Proposed agenda for further meeting(s) of the Advisory Boards.
- Presentation of the report during the 13th Co-ordination meeting.
- Completion and/or revision of the “Consolidated Projects” FSs and of the other PIL’s monuments’ PTAs.
Communication strategy
- PIL 2008 and PTAs for the “Consolidated Projects; web site;
- Brochure “Plaques 2008” and Plaques installed;
- 13th IRPP/SAAH Co-ordination meeting;
- Joint Council of Europe / European Commission seminars for potential investors and partners on the “Ljubljana Process:
- Ministerial meetings in South-East Europe;
- European Heritage Days.
Contribution of the Council of Europe
- publication of the PIL 2008 and PTAs for the “Consolidated Projects. Transmission of paper versions to the countries and electronic version available on the web;
- publication of the pre-catalogue + “Ljubljana Process” brochure and dissemination to countries;
- setting up of the “Collaborative Platform”;
- production of the brochure “Plaques 2008” and transmission of Plaques to the countries for instalment;
- elaboration and dissemination of the Business Plan’s template;
- Secretariat’s visits in countries (strengthening the political commitments and support);
- IRPP/SAAH Experts’ assistance;
- nomination of international and national Project Assistants;
- organisation of the 13th IRPP/SAAH Co-ordination meeting;
- joint Council of Europe / European Commission seminars for potential investors and partners on the “Ljubljana Process”.
Second step (20 November 2008 – March 2009)
Specific objectives:
- to complete the Business Plans;
- to prepare the promotion file.
Activities:
To be undertaken by countries
- organisation of additional Advisory Board meetings;
- identification and agreement with external official financial expertise;
- second and final drafting of the Business Plan (sections 5-7), to be pre-validated by IRPP/SAAH Experts;
- drafting of the Business Plan section 8-12 (“Economic, financial and market information”) with external official financial experts, to be validated by IRPP/SAAH Experts;
- official validation of the Business Plans by national authorities;
- finalisation of the POP (including pre-promotion activities: contacts with potential investors);
- elaboration of the “promotion files” and participation in the workshops.
Communication strategy
- Business Plans
- Catalogue on the Consolidated Projects, available on the web
- Brochure by country on the Consolidated Projects, available on the web
- Ministerial meetings in South-East Europe.
Contribution of the Council of Europe
- Specific international experts’ assistance (business / financial advice). Evaluation of the management and implementation structures / roles and responsibilities of the institutions;
- specific assistance on Consolidated Projects;
- tailored workshops for completing the “promotion files” including training and presentation of best practices on the economic value of the heritage, rehabilitation projects, and local development impact.
Phase B: Promotion (March - July 2009)
Specific objectives:
- to promote Consolidated Projects to potential investors;
- to revise the PIL (including monitoring and reporting actions);
- to confirm the Plaques 2009.
Activities:
To be undertaken by countries
- bilateral meetings;
- promotional activities (press conferences, publications, web sites, exhibitions, seminars, site visits, etc;
- etc.
Communication strategy
- production of additional promotion material “Ljubljana Process”;
- promotional activities;
- 14th IRPP/SAAH co-ordination meeting;
- Summit of Heads of State of South East Europe;
- ministerial meetings in South-East Europe;
- joint Council of Europe / European Commission seminars for potential investors and partners on the Consolidated Projects “Ljubljana Process”;
Contribution of the Council of Europe
- Joint Council of Europe / European Commission seminars for potential investors and partners on the Consolidated Projects “Ljubljana Process”;
- tailored international experts’ assistance;
- organisation of the 14th IRPP/SAAH co-ordination meeting.
Phase C: Negotiation (July – November 2009)
Specific objectives:
- to identify investors / partners;
- to finalise the Consolidated Projects
- to secure the operational framework and funding arrangements of the Consolidated Projects.
Activities:
To be undertaken by countries
- bilateral and interministerial meetings with investors;
- elaboration and signature of agreements;
- consolidation of the political, institutional and professional conditions for future public/private investments;
- evaluation of the IRPP/SAAH impact and reporting;
- reports on harmonisation and reform of laws and policies in the region to facilitate cultural and economic co-operation. Recommendations to the Legislative Support Task Force (RPSEE Component A). Provision of legal or technical assistance for the beneficiaries developing the IRPP/SAAH long-term methodology with the involvement of specialised NGOs;
- support to regional and local development projects. Workshops, seminars and expert meetings.
Communication strategy
- publication of the PIL 2009;
- publication PTAs;
- production of the brochure Plaques 2009;
- 7th RPSEE Co-ordination meeting;
- European Heritage Days.
Contribution of the Council of Europe
- Award of the Plaques 2009 (evaluation of the List 2008, validation of the List 2009);
- assistance to project management and specific problems related to rehabilitation (onsite audits and advice);
- tailored international experts’ assistance;
- organisation of the 7th RPSEE Co-ordination meeting.
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