The Government has decided to delegate the majority of tasks of the Hungarian Economic Development Centre PLC (MAG) to the Ministry for National Economy. Through the transformation of the institutional system the Government aims to make administrative processes related to EU development projects and tenders more efficient and put in place a one-stop tendering system, Minister of State for Economic Cooperation István Komoróczki said at the company’s staff meeting.
According to the Government Decree adopted on 25 March 2014, the tasks of MAG as a so-called intermediary body will be assumed as of 15 April by three budgetary institutions: the projects launched under the State Reform Operational Programme and the Electronic Administration Operational Programme will be assumed by the Office of the Prime Minister, while activities related to the utilization of non-EU development funds will be taken over by the Ministry for National Development. The Ministry for National Economy will become responsible for the Economic Competitiveness Operational Programme, the Economic Development Operational Programme, the development projects of the Research, Technology and Innovation Fund and trade development investment projects.
At the staff meeting, István Komoróczki stated the fact that related institutions have hitherto been outside the Hungarian public administration system has necessitated the overhaul. Through these changes the Government intends to accelerate and streamline processes as well as to establish a one-stop tender processing system. The Government believes that the overhaul of the institutional system for development policy will speed up the decision making process on each and every implementation stage of the EU programmes of the 2014-2020 fiscal period.
Under the Economic Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, some HUF 1000bn of EU resources were disbursed for more than 25 thousand subsidized projects.
The newly reorganized system will be entrusted with utilizing in the most efficient way EU funding of altogether HUF 7480bn made available for Hungary for the next seven years.
As it already well-known, in the period 2014-2020 60 percent of EU funding will be spent on economic development in Hungary.
Tenders are expected to be launched in autumn.
(Ministry for National Economy)
