Operational Programmes

The Operational Programmes (OP) refer to EU co-financed programmes approved and adopted by the Commission to implement the CSF.

Each Operational Programme includes:

a) the strategy adopted and thematic action priorities (priority axes) as outlined in the CSF;
b) the synthesis of the measures to be applied for each priority (priority axes) being the multi-annual framework of single projects (operations);
c) the financial plan which specifies for each priority and year the amount of the planned financial contribution for each Fund, Structural or not: the OP are co-financed both by the Structural Funds and public and private financing, from national and regional sources;
d) the implementation provisions of the Operational Programme.

The Operational Programmes are drawn up by the relevant Managing Authorities, and adopted by the European Commission through proper Decision.

The information contained in the Operational Programmes are detailed in the Programme Complements (PC). The PC is defined as “the document implementing the programme strategy and priorities and containing detailed elements of the programme at measure level ".

Each Programme Complement provides detailed information on:

a) the content of the measures stated in the OP for implementing the OP priority axes, including their ex-ante evaluation and relevant monitoring indicators, in particular regarding those used for allocating the Performance Reserve;
b) the categories of final beneficiaries of the measures;
c) the financial plan  outlining the allocation of Structural and other possible Funds for each year and measure;
d) the measures ensuring the proper publicity of the Operational Programme;
e) modes agreed between Commission and the Member State of concern for the IT exchange of data necessary to meet the managing, monitoring and evaluation needs. The PC is drawn up and adopted by the relevant Managing Authority, after agreed by the Monitoring Committee, and later submitted to the European Commission for informational purposes.

In Italy the 2000-2006 CSF for the Ob. 1 Regions provides 14 Operational Programmes: 7 Regional (ROPs) and 7 Sectoral (SOPs). In general the SOPs concerns only the Ob.1 Regions.
First versions of the Operational Programmes were approved in 2000. In accordance with Regulation (EC) 1260/99, laying down the general provisions on the Structural Funds, the Community Support Framework (CSF) and the Operational Programmes were reviewed and adjusted in the middle of the programming period (2004) in accordance both with the mid-term evaluation (December 2003) and the allocation of the Performance Reserve for promoting efficiency, effectiveness, management and financial implementation. In 2004 the updated versions of CSF and OPs were furthermore approved following the "mid-term review".