Technical Support Instrument Annual Conference 2021

The Green and Digital transitions are transforming our European citizen’s lives. The COVID-19 pandemic is testing the resilience of our economies. Across Europe, administrations must adapt to the new way we learn, work, produce, consume. Such reforms are often complex and difficult to implement.

The Technical Support Instrument is the European Commission’s key tool for supporting Member States in designing and implementing growth-enhancing and inclusive reforms. From healthcare, to sound public finances, from the digitalisation of education and public services, to strengthening the business environment and the financial sector, the Technical Support Instrument supports EU Member States with their reform agenda.

The European Commission organised its Technical Support Instrument annual conference, to share information about the instrument and the role it plays in building a European Union that ultimately emerges fairer and more resilient.

How are member States meeting the moment, and what do they need to do next to undertake the necessary reforms?

The European Commission, representatives from the Member States and other Institutions and national authorities gathered on 30 June and 1st July 2021 to discuss the lessons from this unprecedented year and how to best support Member States in their path to recovery.

Technical Support Instrument at a glance

Commissioner Ferreira keynote address

You can find the details of her speech here.

Programme

DAY 1 - MORNING – POLITICAL SETTING

09:20 CEST	Welcome of the participants
09:40 CEST	Introduction Mr Mario Nava, Director-General, DG REFORM
09:50 CEST	Opening remarks Mr Nelson de Souza, Minister of Planning, Portugal Mr Andrej Šircelj, Minister of Finance, Slovenia
10:00 CEST	Technical Support Instrument 2022 – main features and novelties General presentation of the instrument Ms Judit Rozsa, Director, DG REFORM Technical Support Instrument - Multi-country projects Ms Judit Rozsa, Director, DG REFORM Ms Isabelle Verschueren, organisation advisor, Federal Public Service Strategy and Support, Belgium Technical Support Instrument - Flagship Technical Support Projects Ms Nathalie Berger, Director, DG REFORM
11:00 CEST	Break
11:30 CEST	Keynote address Ms Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
11:40 CEST	Panel discussion: Supporting Member States for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plans and key reforms - What do you see as the main challenges in implementing the RRPs? - How can the Commission’s technical support help Member States in implement their RRPs? - What is the role and importance of public administration for recovery and resilience, with a focus on the successful implementation of the RRPs? - How do EU citizens perceive this important EU initiative and what can be done to raise awareness? Moderator: Mr Ioannis Hadjiyiannis, Head of Unit, DG REFORM Mr Mario Nava, Director-General, DG REFORM Ms Céline Gauer, Director-General, SG RECOVER Mr Johan Van Overtveldt, Chair of the BUDG Committee, European Parliament Ms Sandrine Gaudin, Secretary-General, General Secretariat of European Affairs, France Mr Martin Polónyi, Director-General, International Relations, Ministry of Finance, Slovakia
12:45 CEST	Lunch break

DAY 1 - AFTERNOON – COORDINATING AUTHORITIES RESTRICTED SESSION

14:00 CEST	Discussion session Role of the Coordinating Authorities in the Technical Support Instrument
15:30 CEST	Submission of requests under the Technical Support Instrument 2022 – Process and timing Mr Thomas Andreou, Head of Unit, DG REFORM
15:50 CEST	Final remarks Ms Judit Rozsa, Director, DG REFORM
16:00 CEST	End of Day 1

DAY 2 - MORNING – FLAGSHIP PROJECTS

Moderator: Mr Ioannis Hadjiyiannis, Head of Unit, DG REFORM

10:05 CEST	Opening remarks Mr Mario Nava, Director-General, DG REFORM
10:15 CEST	Interventions on the Flagship technical support project approach Mr R. Viola, Director-General, DG CNECT Ms D. Juul-Joergensen, Director-General, DG ENER Mr M. Lemaître, Director-general, DG REGIO Mr M. Petriccione, Director-General, DG CLIMA Ms C. Scheele, Director, EIGE
10:50 CEST	Closing remarks Ms Nathalie Berger, Director, DG REFORM
Digital Thematic Session
11:00 CEST	Introduction of the Flagship technical support projects with a digital focus REFORM 01 Ms Francesca Nastri
11:05 CEST	*“Development of resilient, innovative and human-centric digital government services”* REFORM B2 Mr Daniele Dotto
11:15 CEST	*“EU Supervisory Digital Finance Academy: Strengthening Supervisory Capacity in innovative Digital Finance”* REFORM B5 Ms Laura Rinaldi
11:25 CEST	*“Digital Skills for Digital Transformation of Health and Care Systems”* REFORM B4 Ms Raluca Painter
11:35 CEST	Discussion
12:05 CEST	End of session
Green Thematic Session
12:15 CEST	Introduction of the Flagship technical support projects with a green focus REFORM 01 Ms Georgina Georgiou
12:20 CEST	*“Recharge and Refuel - Clean, smart and fair urban mobility”* REFORM B3 Mr Kaspar Richter
12:30 CEST	*“Bridging the Climate Financing Gap with Public Policy Instruments”* REFORM B1 Ms Riikka Torppa; B5 Ms Gabriela Tschirkova
12:40 CEST	*“Support to Renovation Wave”* REFORM B3 Mr Kaspar Richter
12:50 CEST	*“Greening taxes - applying polluter pays principle in practice”* REFORM B1 Ms Riikka Torppa
13:00 CEST	*“Support to the Implementation of the Just Transition”* REFORM B3 Ms Ariane de Dominicis
13:10 CEST	Discussion
13:40 CEST	End of session

DAY 2 - AFTERNOON - FLAGSHIP PROJECTS

Flagship technical support projects in line with other EU priorities
Moderator: Mr Ioannis Hadjiyiannis, Head of Unit, DG REFORM

14:00 CEST	Introduction to the Flagship technical support projects presented in the dedicated session REFORM 01 Ms Georgina Georgiou
14:05 CEST	*“Support to the Tourism ecosystem: towards a more sustainable, resilient and digital tourism”* and discussion REFORM B3 Ms Milena Raykovska
14:25 CEST	*“Integration of Third Country Nationals in EU Member States”* and discussion REFORM 01 Ms Francesca Nastri
14:45 CEST	*“Implementation of the European Child Guarantee in EU Member States”* and discussion REFORM B4 Ms Raluca Painter
15:05 CEST	*“Gender mainstreaming in public policy and budget processes”* and discussion REFORM B3 Ms Dobromila Palucha
15:25 CEST	*“Regional and local authorities – Enhancing cooperation & Quality of public administration”* and discussion REFORM B2 Mr Daniele Dotto
15:45 CEST	Final remarks Ms Nathalie Berger, Director, DG REFORM
16:00 CEST	End of the session

Flagship technical support projects

The Conference was an occasion to present the 13 proposed Flagship technical support projects that Member States could opt for in the context of the 2022 Technical Support Instrument call. Detailed factsheets as well as the event presentations on each proposed Flagship technical support project is available here.

Follow the event online

Watch the event recordings

On 30 June – from 9.30 to 12.30

On 1 July – from 9.30 to 18.30

You can also follow the event moments online on Twitter @ EU_reforms

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