JASPERS

Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions

Featured
Event
11 July 2023

State aid for Just Transition Fund projects in 2021-2027

Publication
11 July 2023
JASPERS Team

A strategy for the EU integration of the Ukrainian and Moldovan rail systems

 A strategy for the EU integration of the Ukrainian and Moldovan rail systems was published by the European Commission on the 11.07.2023. 

The strategy will guide the future implementation of the EU-gauge corridors in Ukraine and Moldova. The document suggests that the European track gauge on lines to Lviv and Chiṣinău should be deployed as a first step to improving connections between Poland and Ukraine, and between Romania and Moldova.  
Publication
06 July 2023
JASPERS Team

JASPERS annual report 2022

In 2022 JASPERS, the advisory programme run by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and funded by the EIB and the European Commission, worked on 491 advisory assignments in the European Union, of which 43 were completed during the year. Support was provided for the preparation of projects in a variety of sectors: transport; energy; innovation; digital and human capital; water and environment; climate change mitigation and adaptation; urban development; circular economy; and capacity building.

JASPERS’ support in EU Member States is needed more than ever in light of the impacts of the war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic, causing time delays and higher construction costs, as well as the ever-growing challenges of climate change adaptation and the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

How we work

JASPERS helps cities and regions deliver high-quality projects.

Our experts provide independent, hands-on support in strategies, programmes and projects to make EU-funded investments that promote growth and pave the way to a greener, more connected and more innovative Europe.      

JASPERS assistance is free of charge for local authorities and promoters, and is available to most EU and pre-accession countries. Learn more about how JASPERS can help you.

Through specific mandates, two powerful partners, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) entrust JASPERS to support Europe-based projects. These partners also co-chair our Steering Committee.

The JASPERS team is composed of more than 120 staff within the EIB who cover a broad range of expertise and deal with the whole project cycle, from planning to execution.

To be closer to our beneficiaries, we work from six locations: Beyond the Luxembourg headquarters, more than 70% of our experts are based in Brussels, Bucharest, Sofia, Vienna and Warsaw.

To Member States and Pre-Accession Countries

The role of public administrations is changing radically. Local, regional and national governments are expected to act as enablers for the rest of society, utilising their limited budgets to create better economic and living conditions.

JASPERS helps you rise to this challenge in three ways:

First, we advise on how to set your sector strategies at national, regional and local level, helping you screen projects and decide where you can make a difference.

Next, we work alongside your teams and promoters to prepare top-quality projects that improve people’s lives. The better the project, the higher its chances of being approved for EU funding. We can also streamline the approval process by providing our independent opinion on specific projects.

Last, but not least, we equip your teams and promoters with tailored knowledge and skills. Whether through on-the-job support (on individual projects) or bespoke training (including online), we improve capacities in areas like integrated strategic planning, compliance with EU environmental, State aid or procurement regulations, and many more.

To the European Commission

The shortest route to earning citizens’ trust is to boost those projects that will make a tangible difference in their lives, making the best possible use of EU resources.

JASPERS experts cover a wide range of sectors and work at both European and national level, putting us in a unique position to facilitate the absorption of EU funds.

Our experts simultaneously support beneficiaries and mManaging Authorities to ensure that available EU grants are utilised in an optimal manner.

Our combination of sector expertise and local knowledge also makes JASPERS a natural sounding board and partner for collaborating with the European Commission on the technical aspects of policy decisions.

To lenders

Right from the start, lenders are faced with a complex task. They can only fund projects that serve their lending policy objectives, meet stringent quality standards and achieve an acceptable risk profile.

Their next challenge — making those projects a reality — is no less daunting, and requires the alignment of multiple stakeholders from various sectors.

From start to finish, we offer lenders seamless, comprehensive support in the appraisal and selection of projects, with one goal in mind: getting them ready for funding.

JASPERS-assisted projects are “good to go, good to fund”. Left to our experts, projects are given solid preparation and made implementation-ready. This improves access to co-financing by international financial institutions like the European Investment Bank, as well as commercial lenders.

JASPERS operates based on country work programs prepared through cooperation with the beneficiary country and the European Commission.

These plans list the investment projects that JASPERS may assist through individual assignments.

A Managing Authority acts as the central coordinator for each country and requests assistance from JASPERS. Our experts work in close cooperation with the beneficiary, Managing Authority and relevant intermediate bodies.

Member States or Enlargement Countries remain the owners of the projects.

Our impact

2126

+

assignments

27

countries

€

292

+bn

investment costs

Delivering results since 2005

  1. 2005
  2. 2006
  3. 2007
  4. 2008
  5. 2009
  6. 2010
  7. 2011
  8. 2012
  9. 2013
  10. 2014
  11. 2015
  12. 2016
  13. 2017
  14. 2018
  15. 2019
  16. 2020
  17. 2021
  18. 2022

  1. JASPERS is launched by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on November 2005.

  2. Formalised agreement by Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). JASPERS is based in Luxembourg. Its 16 members of staff assist the ten countries which joined the European Union in 2004 and the two about to join in 2007.

  3. Opening of offices in Warsaw, Vienna and Bucharest.

  4. As part of the economic recovery package, the Commission and the EIB’s contributions to JASPERS are increased by 25%.

  5. At the request of EU Member States, JASPERS' mandate is expanded to include support to project implementation.

  6. JASPERS is asked to get involved even earlier in projects (preparation phase) and to step up its capacity building activities.

  7. A Networking Platform is created.

    JASPERS starts working in Croatia.

  8. JASPERS evaluation by the EC recognises JASPERS role in helping projects and notices an increasing demand for its services. Its main recommendation is to step up capacity building activities.  

  9. JASPERS is requested to play a new role as Independent Quality Reviewer (IQR) of Major Projects.

    JASPERS supports for the first time an old Member State (Greece).

    JASPERS starts working in selective pre-Accesssion countries, e.g. the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

  10. JASPERS IQR team is located in Brussels and organised as a separate division.

  11. JASPERS assistance becomes available to the majority of EU and Candidate Countries.

    Agreement is signed with DG MOVE for JASPERS experts to support Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) projects.

    An award is granted by the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) recognising EIB's contributions to capacity building for better management of impact assessment processes and environmental protecion, particularly in its joint work with JASPERS.

  12. JASPERS is made available to all IPA beneficiary countries.

  13. JASPERS is awarded the "Committed to Excellence" certificate by the European Foundation for Quality Management, recognising its strengths in adding value for customers and managing with agility.

    Preparatory discussions on post-2020 start.

  14. Draft post-2020 strategy developed and first discussions with key stakeholders.

    ECA performance audit highlighted the comprehensive support of JASPERS and the positive impact on quicker project approval and administrative capacity of its counterparts.

  15. JASPERS stepped up its horizontal and strategy support to Member States in order to improve the early identification of projects for 2021-2027.

    The European Foundation for Quality Management awards the Recognised for Excellence certification to JASPERS.

  16. JASPERS-supported projects in health, ICT and education proved to be of great value in the COVID-19 context.

    JASPERS supports coal regions in transition in preparation of a wider support in the context of Just Transition Mechanism.

  17. In addition to ESIF and CEF projects, JASPERS actively helps deploy the Just Transition Fund in European regions.

    Preparation for 2022-2027 JASPERS Agreement continues. JASPERS operates under a continuity agreement for 2021.

  18. The 2022 – 2027 JASPERS Agreement is signed for the ESIF (European Structural and Investment Funds), CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) and JTF (Just Transition Fund) mandates.

    JASPERS continues to work in IPA beneficiary countries. Discussions on JASPERS post 2022 mandate for IPA III mandate for Western Balkans.

    Preparation of JASPERS Country Work Programs with EU Member States to provide a strategic view of future JASPERS activity.