Ex-ante conditionalities are an essential part of the preparations for the next programming period. They represent pre-conditions that all Member States will have to fulfil and are linked to the effective and efficient use of EU funds.  Should ex-ante conditionalities not be fulfilled by the time the Partnership Agreement (PA) has been submitted, EU countries will need to present the European Commission with an action plan and a timetable for implementation. Ex-ante conditionalities must be fulfilled no later than 31 December 2016 (or within two year following the adoption of the PA).

In the case of Romania the following ex-ante conditionalities have been defined:

• Effectiveness of the public procurement system, through the implementation of the recommendations of the evaluation carried out by Commission services;
• The existence of a strategy to reinforce Romania's administrative efficiency including public administration reform;
• Adoption of a comprehensive transport master plan, resting on a multimodal approach, reflecting financing constraints and benefiting from sound political endorsement;
• Preparation of a national research and innovation strategy for smart specialisation, being an integral part of an industrial policy, valorising national fields of excellence and comparative advantages, reflecting demand-driven inputs;
• The existence and the implementation of a national strategy for poverty reduction;
• The existence of a national or regional strategy for health ensuring access to quality health services and economic sustainability;
• The existence of a comprehensive strategy to reduce early school leaving;
• Modernisation and strengthening of labour market institutions, in accordance with the Employment Guidelines;
• In fisheries, improve data collection for fisheries management (to ensure a smooth shift from direct to shared management) and the implementation of a Union control, inspection and enforcement system;
• Romania should have appropriate recording systems to allow systematic monitoring of state aid expenditure, to ensure the compliance with state aid rules and, in particular, to avoid accumulation;
• In agriculture and rural development, efforts are needed to strengthen and extend the advisory capacity on innovation and sustainable management of agriculture and forests; develop a functional cadastre system covering the territory of the country and an agricultural strategy with priorities per sector;
• Adoption of a strategic plan for aquaculture.

Source: Position Paper on the Commission Services on the development of the Partnership Agreement and Programmes for the period 2014-2020 in Romania

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Source: www.mrr.gov.pl