By the virtue of the EC Decision as of 29.06.2007 г. the Phare program is managed under the Extended Decentralized Implementation Sysytem. This is a system for implementation of the EU's external aid programme where Implementing agencies (CFCU), as an accredited PHARE Implementing Agency, assumes the responsibility to carry put the activities related to ex-ante approval of the technical specifications and documents for conducting public procurement procedures, tendering and contracting in connection with the assistance funded by the Community.
The main actors in the process of preparation, implementation and monitoring of the PHARE programme are:
- The National Aid Coordinator (NAC) is the Deputy Minister of Finance responsible for the overall coordination of pre-accession funds at national level and ensures the political coordination between EC and Bulgarian beneficiaries. NAC is appointed by a Council of Ministers’ Decision. NAC acts as the single representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to EC in view of the overall planning, programming and management of the EU financial assistance. The current National Aid Coordinator is the Deputy Minister of Finance Lyubomir Datzov.
- The National Authorising Officer (NAO) is the Deputy Minister of Finance responsible for the National Fund. NAO is appointed by Council of Ministers’ Decision. He is fully responsible for the EU assistance granted to the Republic of Bulgaria under the pre-accession instruments; NAO manages and monitors the system for effective, efficient and economical financial management of pre-accession instruments. NAO ensures the overall financial management of EU funds and the corresponding national co-financing by all structures involved in the process of management of pre-accession financial instruments. The current National Authorising Officer is the Deputy Minister of Finance Dimiter Ivanovski.
- The National Fund is the central treasury entity that receives EU funds and is subordinate to NAO. The National Fund is responsible for the financial management of EU assistance as well as for the corresponding co-financing. It acts as the payment agent of a certain project, organizes and maintains a system of financial reporting and information under EU funded programmes and projects.
- The Programme Authorising Officer is a representative of the administration who is in charge of the respective Implementing Agency and is appointed by the NAO for each Implementing Agency. PAO is responsible for the sound financial management of the projects to be implemented. PAO is responsible for the tendering procedures, for signing the individual contracts with the successful bidders, for contract payment as well as for exerting control during contract implementation.
- The PHARE Implementing Agencies (IAs) are responsible for the implementation of programmes and projects as specified in the respective Financing Agreement.
- The Senior Programme Officers (SPO) are officials of beneficiary institutions in charge of the technical implementation of projects. SPOs are nominated by the respective beneficiary ministries or agencies.
- The Beneficiaries may be both public administration entities as well as other public administration institutions. With grant schemes, the final beneficiaries may be NGOs and/or private organizations.
- The Project Implementation Unit is set up by the SPO to implement certain activities under the project;
- The EC Delegation (only for DIS) represents the European Commission, exerts ex-ante control over the management and absorption of EU assistance.
- The Sectoral Monitoring Sub-Committees are joint bodies between the EC and the beneficiary set up to monitor the development of each project and the undertaking of corrective actions as needed.
- The Joint Monitoring Committee includes the National Authorising Officer, the National Aid Coordinator, the Director of National Fund Directorate, the Director of Management of EU Funds Directorate at the Ministry of Finance, the Director of Coordination of EU and IFI Affairs Directorate at the Council of Ministers as well as representatives of the European Commission. The Committee is responsible for the review and assessment of the technical aspects of the development of the pre-accession programmes relating to the achievement of the goals set in the programming documents. In the conditions of EDIS, the Joint Monitoring Committee gathers twice a year under the guidance of the National Aid Coordinator.