TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer - Frequently Asked Questions

TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer funds four types of short-term exchanges among programme authorities and other bodies involved in the implementation of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Cohesion Fund (CF) and Just Transition Fund (JTF) operational programmes. The exchanges can focus on both the thematic objectives of the EU Regional and Urban Policy and horizontal aspects related to the management of the programmes.

N.B.: The scheme does not cover participation in conferences, regular events for networks or project partnerships, training or other events.

Depending on the type of exchange, the following costs are covered:

N.B.: Experts mobilised for online events are entitled to receive up to 2 additional FDAs for the preparatory work.

The following complementary costs may also be covered upon request:

• Simultaneous interpretation.
• Venues and catering (in case they cannot be provided by the beneficiary or host institution).
• Local transport between different sites (only for study visits in justified cases).

There is no limit to the number of exchanges that a single institution can request. As far as they are linked to clear learning needs, and supported by positive past experiences, programme authorities or other bodies can request as many exchanges as they deem useful. These can focus on different aspects of the same topic or different topics. The exchanges can be requested separately through different applications or together in a single application as “series of events”. This last option is particularly recommended to develop coherent capacity building programmes complementing different learning modes.

TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer is a component of REGIO Peer2Peer+, whose aim is to facilitate peer learning between programme authorities and other bodies in relation to the thematic objectives and the management of ERDF, CF and JTF programmes.

REGIO Peer2Peer+involves two components.

• TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer helps organising short-term exchanges to learn from the experience of peers from other EU countries;
• The REGIO Peer2Peer Communities offer a space to staff of programme authorities and other bodies to establish a longer-term dialogue and build new knowledge on subjects of common interest.

All participants in TAIEX-REGIO exchanges are warmly invited to join the Communities and participate in their development.

Online events offer a rapid, flexible and environmentally sustainable option to receive peer advice from experienced civil servants from another EU country. They can be organised either as separate events or to prepare for and follow up to in-person events.

Online events follow the same format as ‘expert visits’ or ‘workshops’, with the advantage of being accessible from everywhere, at a lower cost and less time-consuming. 

Online events are organised via a dedicated virtual platform with technical set up and support ensured by TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer.

To apply for an online event, fill in the& regular application form , choosing either ‘expert mission’ or ‘workshop’, and express your preference for an online exchange. Once the request is approved, online events are quickly organised, based on the availability of experts and participants.

TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer is open to staff working for programme authorities or other bodies involved in the management of ERDF, CF and JTF programmes in all EU countries. All institutions that are part of the management and control system are eligible to request an exchange, namely:

• managing authorities
• intermediate bodies
• audit authorities
• national coordinating bodies
• joint technical secretariats of European territorial cooperation programmes

Other bodies that are directly involved in performing certain tasks associated with the management and control of ERDF/CF/JTF programmes may also be eligible (e.g. public procurement offices).

The online application form is available on the TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer webpage . The application form is in English, and applying in this language would help the evaluation of the requests, however all EU official languages are accepted.

Any staff member from an eligible body can submit an application for a TAIEX-REGIO exchange.

No, it is not necessary to know already the peer expert you would like to exchange with. It is sufficient to indicate your learning needs and we will help you find the right expert/s for you. TAIEX owns an extensive database of more than 6,500 experts from all EU countries on almost any field related to the EU Regional and Urban Policy and funds management; whatever the topic you are interested in, we can certainly find the right expert for you.

However, if you already know a peer, an institution, or a region/country you would like to exchange with, you can indicate it in your application form. This will help speed up the organisation of the event.

The flow diagram below shows the main steps involved.

This depends on the quality of the application, the availability of experts and other factors. However, experience shows that it is usually feasible to organise exchanges within 6-10 weeks of the moment of submission.

The Commission has made arrangements to ensure quality control. In addition to conducting advance checks on the qualities of potential experts (CVs, previous experience, testimonials), we also systematically evaluate individual exchanges. Each exchange is evaluated twice: right at the end, to assess the quality of the exchange, and after 6 months, to assess the longer-term effects.

Staff working for a programme authority or any other public body and who are willing to take part in or host TAIEX-REGIO exchanges can express their interest here .

When registering, please indicate your exact fields of expertise.

Experts can register on their own initiative by using our online registration tool .

No, with TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer you can only receive expertise from staff of other programme authorities, bodies linked to the management of operational programmes and other public bodies.