1st Meeting – 22nd November 2024
On 22nd November 2024, the Coordination Table on the implementation of STEP reprogramming took place, involving the Managing Authorities of the National and Regional Programmes that have joined the STEP Initiative. Key stakeholders, including Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and Invitalia SpA, also attended the meeting.
In its opening remarks, the Department for Cohesion Policies and the South highlighted how the STEP initiative represents a significant challenge for Italian cohesion programs, considering that only six Member States (Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, Romania, and Italy) have submitted proposals for changes to the 2021-2027 programmes, for a total amount of €6.2 billion. Reprogramming of Italian programs covers 48% of this amount. This results as a significant responsibility, which requires coordinated action to ensure the STEP initiative is effective and achieves the results identified by the Managing Authorities during the reprogramming phase.
The Coordination Committee established by the Department intends to promote systemic action at the national level for the implementation of the STEP Initiative. Accordingly, within the Committee, it was agreed to share the information resulting from the joint work carried out by the National Contact Point at the European level with the STEP Task Force, established within DG Budget, and with other Member States. Another function of the Coordination Committee will be to share methods and tools developed by the Managing Authorities for the implementation of STEP interventions, including identifying critical elements to be worked on jointly and discussed jointly with the European Commission. Finally, the Committee will also be a forum for discussion with relevant stakeholders. It was agreed that the Coordination Table's work should be aimed at strengthening relationships and cooperation among the various stakeholders involved in implementing the STEP reprogramming, facilitating coordination between instruments, including reducing some overlap, and enabling greater critical mass in the initiatives that each Managing Authority will implement in the territories covered by its respective programmes.
The following topics were identified for further debate during upcoming meetings: discussion of selection criteria for calls for proposals dedicated to the STEP Initiative; sharing methods and tools for the pre-examination of STEP calls and related project proposals; and application of state aid regulations to STEP projects.