The Technical Support Instrument (TSI)
Summary
Budget
Official information source
https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-program...Description
Technical Support Instrument (TSI)
PAGE CONTENTS
- Events
- About the TSI
- How does it work?
- Reform areas covered
- Project in the spotlight
- Examples of projects
- Contacts
- Entities implementing EU funds under indirect management:
- Documents
Events
On 5 May, the European Commission organised the 2022 Technical Support Instrument Annual Conference, to highlight the importance of the Technical Support Instrument for the successful design and implementation of key reforms in the Member States.
Furthermore, the conference addressed, in particular in the context of the recent crises (COVID 19 pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine), whereby Member States need to strengthen further their resilience and the structural capacities of their administrations. The conference also marked the official launch of the TSI 2023.
For more information about it and the event recording, look at the event page here.
About the TSI
The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) is the EU programme that provides tailor-made technical expertise to EU Member States to design and implement reforms.The support is demand driven and does not require co-financing from Member States. It is an important pillar of the EU’s initiative to help Member States mitigate the economic and social consequences of the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis.
Smart, sustainable and socially responsible reforms help to strengthen the resilience of our economies and societies. The TSI offers Member States a unique service to help them tackle reform challenges. The support can take the form of, for example, strategic and legal advice, studies, training and expert visits on the ground. It can cover any phase in the reform process. From preparation and design to development and implementation of the reforms.
The technical support is provided in a wide range of policy areas, including but not limited to climate action, digital transition and health. Member States can also request support to prepare, amend, implement and revise their national recovery and resilience plans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
By providing on the ground support to overcome reform challenges, the TSI helps Member States to recover from the social and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, to improve the quality of public services and to reinforce sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The TSI is the successor programme of the Structural Reform Support Programme (2017-2020) and builds on its experience in building capacity in Member States. The European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) manages the TSI.
TSI support for reforms
starts with a request for support from an EU Member State
is tailor-made to address the country's needs
provides a unique combination of expertise from the European Commission, EU Member States’ national administrations, international organisations and/or the private sector
strengthens the capacity of an EU Member State to carry out reforms
- requires no co-financing
Budget
€864 million for the period 2021-2027 (in current prices)
Types of support
EU Member States can request technical support under the TSI to:
- implement resilience-enhancing reforms in the context of EU economic governance, such as those arising from country-specific recommendations under the European Semester and by virtue of implementing EU law
- prepare, amend, implement and revise national recovery and resilience plans under the Recovery and Resilience Facility
- implement economic adjustment programmes
- implement reforms undertaken at their own initiative
How does it work?
An EU Member State wishing to receive technical support submits a request to the Commission, via a national Coordinating Authority. This request must be submitted by 31 October of each year.
The Commission analyses the requests received and enters into dialogue with the national Coordinating Authorities to assess the country' specific needs and the options to support the design and implementation of the reforms.
Support may be provided directly through the Commission’s in-house expertise or with other providers of technical support:
- experts from EU Member States' national administrations (TAIEX)
- international organisations
- private firms and consultancies
- individual experts from the private sector
TAIEX-TSI Peer 2 Peer is an instrument managed in cooperation with the Directorate General for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) to implement part of the TSI of DG REFORM. The instrument allows experts from national administrations to exchange expertise through expert missions, study visits and workshops. The instrument is only available for projects selected under the TSI.
Reform areas covered
The TSI provides technical support to Member States in a wide range of policy areas. These include:
- Green transition (including climate action, circular economy and energy transition)
- Digital transition
- Health and long-term care
- Skills, education and training
- Governance and public administration
- Competitiveness
- Financial sector and access to finance
- Revenue administration and public financial management
- Labour market, social protection and migration
Project in the spotlight
The Commission supported the carrying out the Portuguese Action Programme for the prevention of rural wildfires in three pilot regions. The objective is to protect citizens’ lives and their property from the fires, identifying and managing the most vulnerable territories, and ensuring the protection of the ecosystems.
The main expected result of the project is the implementation and operationalisation of the National Action Programme for the prevention of rural wildfires in three pilot regions in view of protecting the Portuguese citizens’ lives and their property from these fires, identifying and managing susceptible territories, ensuring proper care to ecosystems while changing citizen’s behaviour towards the use of fire and other fire prone activities.
Supporting the prevention of wildfires in Portugal
Examples of projects
So far, more than 1200 reform projects have been supported in 27 Member States. These include:
- improving the operational capacity and efficiency of public administrations
- modernising public financial management
- reforming tax administrations
- developing the digital economy
- achieving climate and energy goals
- attracting foreign direct investment
- reforming education systems
- improving financing opportunities under the Capital-Markets-Union initiative
- improving the efficiency of dealing with non-performing loans
Contacts
Main contact point for EU countries:
For more on the TSI:
Directorate General for Structural Reform Support: REFORM-TSI@ec.europa.eu
Entities implementing EU funds under indirect management:
2021
- France Expertise Internationale
- Council of Europe (grants and procurement)
- International Organization for Migration
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas
- World Health Organization
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- De Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO)
2020
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
- France Expertise Internationale
- Council of Europe (grants and procurement)
- International Organization for Migration
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- The British Council
- Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas
- World Health Organization
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- International Labour Organization
2019
- Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Council of Europe (grants and procurement)
- International Organization for Migration
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
- European Union Aviation Safety Agency
- International Labour Organization
- The British Council
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland
- France Expertise Internationale
- International Centre for Migration Policy Development (grants and procurement)
- UNICEF
2018
2017
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
2016
Documents
Technical Support Instrument: Financing Decisions and Annual Work Programmes
Financing Decisions and Annual Work Programmes setting out measures needed for the implementation of the TSI Programme.
Structural Reform Support Programme: Financing Decisions and Annual Work Programmes
Financing Decisions and Annual Work Programmes setting out measures needed for the implementation of the Programme.
Structural Reform Support Programme: Annual monitoring reports
Monitoring reports on the implementation of the Structural Reform Support Programme.
Structural Reform Support Programme: Mid-term evaluation
Report, staff working document and executive summary of the mid-term evaluation of the SRSP.
DG REFORM brochure - General Download
DG REFORM brochure - Technical support for implementing the European Green Deal Download
DG REFORM brochure - Governance and public administration Download
DG REFORM brochure - Growth and business environment Download
DG REFORM brochure - Labour market, education, health and social services Download
DG REFORM brochure - Revenue administration and public financial management Download
DG REFORM brochure - Financial sector and access to finance Download
Related links
Legal base - Regulation establishing the TSI
Request for technical support - Templates 2023
Legal base - Regulation establishing the SRSP
Amendment of the Regulation establishing the SRSP
Questions and Answers on the Technical Support Instrument 2021-2027
