NICVA hosts Consultation Event on the new EU PEACE PLUS Programme for 2021-2027

20 Feb 2020 Kathy Maguire    Last updated: 21 Feb 2020

NICVA PEACE PLUS Consultation Event

Representatives from across the VCSE Sector have their say on the development of the new PEACE PLUS Programme 2021-2027

 

NICVA recently hosted an event for representatives from across the VCSE sector to help shape and inform its response to the current consultation on the new EU PEACE PLUS  funding programme. The seminar provided an opportunity to discuss the key issues within the draft consultation document and to feed directly into NICVAs response to this important consultation.   

PEACE PLUS is a new cross-border EU funding programme for the 2021-2027 period, which will succeed both of the current  2014-2020 PEACE IV  and INTERREG VA Programmes.

PEACE PLUS shall build on the work of these current programmes by funding activities related to peace and reconciliation and to economic, social and environmental development in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland.

Senior representatives from the Special EU Programmes Body  (SEUPB) responsible for implementation of this new programme where also in attendance at the NICVA event. Leanne Massey and Declan McGarrigle from the SEUPB programme team gave an overview of the new programmes proposed aims and objectives and heard directly from sector representatives  suggested views on priorities for  future funding and how organisations and communities can best be supported to deliver on these.

Organisations in attendance stressed: 

  • The importance of building upon the successes of EU funded  programmes to date; of taking stock and ensuring any future funding priorities reflect the changing face of Northern Irelands communities and the challenges for modern day peace building and reconciliation.
  • The importance of support for organisations in developing projects; ensuring accessibility; adopting an assets-based approach and meaningfully involving communities in the programme design and implementation process was emphasised.
  • The need to minimise bureaucracy; ensure a focus on evidencing impact rather than number based targets  and the opportunity to reprofile budgets and adapt projects in accordance with changing need where also highlighted regarding administration and delivery of the programme.
  • In addition, the vital importance of effectively managing the transition between current and future EU funding programmes to ensure the impact and expertise created via EU investment is not lost was also stressed.

What Next?

The PEACE PLUS consultation closes on Friday 28th February 2020.

The PEACE PLUS funding programme is of interest to organisations working across the social, environmental and economic sectors and NICVA is encouraging the sector to respond to this important consultation.

For more details on how your organisation or group can respond directly to the consultation via online survey visit : https://www.seupb.eu/peaceplus

Drawing on key messages from the consultation event NICVA is currently preparing a final response for submission to SEUPB which shall be available soon via our usual communication channels.

For more details on NICVAs response to this consultation please contact our Policy and Public Affairs Team via email: [email protected]

kathy.maguire@nicva.org's picture
by Kathy Maguire

Policy Development Officer

[email protected]

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