MK 24 IPA FA 01 25 TWL R Strengthening the capacity of EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) for the protection of EU financial interest in the impl...

The European Commission has published a Twinning Light grant (MK 24 IPA FA 01 25 TWL R) to strengthen the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) in the Republic of North Macedonia to protect EU financial interests under the Reform and Growth Facility. The contract is funded under IPA III with a maximum EU contribution of €250,000 and an implementation period of 8 months (11 months contract execution). Only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply through their National Contact Point for Twinning and each Member State may submit one proposal. The deadline for submission by Member State National Contact Points to the Contracting Authority is 10 July 2026 at 24:00 local time of the beneficiary country.

What it funds

Scope and objectives

Twinning Light action to strengthen the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) in North Macedonia: improve legislative and institutional framework, develop methodology for handling and reporting suspected cases, draft a national strategy for protection of EU financial interests under the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF), and deliver capacity-building including training, curricula and a study visit.

Grant type:Action Grant via Twinning Light targeting public administration capacity building ¹.

1. 1Maximum EU contribution: €250,000
2. 2Beneficiary country: Republic of North Macedonia
3. 3Project duration: implementation period 8 months; contract execution up to 11 months
4. 4Expected start and selection timeline: published 04/05/2026; results notified around August 2026

Who may apply:Only public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States through their National Contact Points for Twinning (Member State partners submit proposals on behalf of their administrations).

Submission deadline:Twinning proposals must reach the Contracting Authority via the Member State National Contact Points by 10 July 2026, 24:00 local time of the beneficiary country.

Selection and eligibility notes:Only one Twinning proposal per Member State National Contact Point; assessment includes operational capacity of the MS Project Leader and experts and qualitative award scoring.

Footnotes

1. 1Details and procedural rules are in the Twinning Manual and the Twinning Light fiche attached to the call documents available from the Contracting Authority and Member State National Contact Points.

Opportunity summary

What the action is about

This is a Twinning Light Action Grant EuropeAid financed under the EU Integration Facility (Annual action plan in favour of North Macedonia for 2024) to strengthen the capacity of the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) within the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia. The objective is to improve the legislative and institutional framework, develop methodology and procedures, and strengthen administrative and operational capacities to protect the EU financial interests in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. The maximum EU budget for the Twinning Contract is €250,000. The planned implementation period is 8 months with a total execution period of 11 months (8 + 3 months for contract closure).

Deadline:Deadline for submission of Twinning proposals by Member State National Contact Points to the Contracting Authority: 10 July 2026, 24:00 local time of the beneficiary country (Republic of North Macedonia). Provisional notification of results is expected in August 2026 and evaluation committee meetings are tentatively envisaged to start on 15 July 2026 ¹.

1. 1Call reference: EuropeAid
2. 2Instrument: EU Integration Facility; CRIS IPA III/2024/045-609; OPSYS ACT-62395
3. 3Type of action: Twinning Light (Action Grants)
4. 4Maximum EU contribution: €250,000
5. 5Beneficiary country: Republic of North Macedonia
6. 6Implementation period: 8 months (plus 3 months for contract closure), total contract execution 11 months

Eligibility and applicants

Eligible applicants are restricted. Only Public Administrations and mandated bodies of European Union Member States may submit Twinning Light proposals through their Member State National Contact Points for Twinning, following the Twinning Manual. Submission to the Contracting Authority must be made by the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning. Each Member State may submit only one Twinning proposal to the Contracting Authority for this call. Proposals must use the template and follow the Twinning Manual requirements strictly.

Eligible applicant types:Public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States only; submissions are routed via Member State National Contact Points for Twinning. Sub-national public administrations that are mandated bodies and meet Twinning Manual definitions may participate under their Member State submission.

Funding, structure and implementation

This Twinning Light grant is financed under IPA III direct management. The financing is a grant to cover the Twinning Contract between the EU Delegation in North Macedonia (Contracting Authority) and the selected Member State Administration acting as Twinning partner. The EU Delegation (Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia) will be responsible for contracting, accounting, monitoring and evaluation.

Consortium, partnership and application modality

This is not an open consortium call. Twinning Light requires a single Member State administration (the Twinning Partner) with mandated public administration expertise to be the applicant on behalf of the Member State. The Member State administration submits the proposal through its National Contact Point for Twinning to the Contracting Authority. The beneficiary counterpart is the AFCOS Unit within the Department for Public Sector Financial Inspection and Coordination for Combating Fraud against EU Funds, Ministry of Finance of North Macedonia.

Consortium requirement:Single Member State administration applicant acting as Twinning Partner. Implementation will involve the Member State Project Leader, Component Leaders and a pool of short-term experts provided by the Member State partner.

Scope, objectives and components

Overall objective:Strengthen capacities of AFCOS for protection of EU financial interests relating to the Reform and Growth Facility (RGF) for the Western Balkans. Specific objective: Improve legislative and institutional framework and develop methodology and administrative capacity for more effective protection of EU financial interests in the RGF implementation in North Macedonia. The project is structured in two components with mandatory results and supporting activities.

1. 1Component 1: Enhancing institutional setup and legal framework. Mandatory result: Improved national legal framework, draft amendments and a strategy for protection of EU financial interests, and a methodology for handling suspected cases and reporting to the Commission.
2. 2Component 2: Strengthening administrative capacities. Mandatory result: Enhanced effectiveness of AFCOS and related institutions through training needs assessment, training programme, trainings/workshops and at least one study visit to an EU Member State (minimum 5 AFCOS staff).

Expected activities and expert profiles

The Twinning Light assistance is to be delivered as hands-on know-how transfer and will include legislative analysis and drafting support, strategy drafting, methodology development for case handling and reporting, training needs assessment (TNA), training curricula and materials, delivery of workshops and training, and a study visit. Activities must be jointly implemented not as a one-way transfer but in close cooperation with the beneficiary administration.

1. 1Activity 1.1: Analysis and assessment of existing legislative framework and written recommendations.
2. 2Activity 1.2: Support drafting amendments to the Decree and other legislation to strengthen protection of EU financial interests.
3. 3Activity 1.3: Support drafting a national strategy for protection of EU financial interests for RGF implementation.
4. 4Activity 1.4: Develop methodology for handling suspected cases, reporting to the Commission and monitoring elimination of irregularities.
5. 5Activity 2.1: Conduct Training Needs Assessment (TNA) for AFCOS and relevant institutions, including interviews and online questionnaire, and produce TNA report.
6. 6Activity 2.2: Prepare training programme, curricula and materials.
7. 7Activity 2.3: Organise and deliver training(s)/workshop(s) for AFCOS and relevant institutions.
8. 8Activity 2.4: Organise direct know-how transfer via a study visit to an EU Member State for at least 5 AFCOS staff.

Profiles of experts expected

The Twinning partner must supply an MS Project Leader, Component Leaders and a pool of Short-Term Experts (STEs). Key profile requirements are provided in the Twinning Light Fiche and include university degree or equivalent experience, minimum years of specific professional experience (typically 3–8 years depending on role), proven contractual relations to a public administration or mandated body, project management experience for the Project Leader, fluency in English and relevant sector expertise (anti-fraud policy, detection and reporting of irregularities, EU acquis on protection of EU financial interests, capacity building, methodology development and training delivery).

Selection, award and evaluation

Selection criteria assess operational capacity of the Member State Project Leader and Short-Term Experts on a pass/fail (Yes/No) basis; failure of any selection criterion disqualifies the proposal. Award criteria are qualitative and scored from 1 to 5 and include proposed methodology, experience of the Project Leader, institutional setting, and administrative capacity of the Member State applicant. The Twinning Manual Annexes (C6bis, C8, C9bis etc.) set out administrative compliance, eligibility and selection fact sheets and must be followed exactly.

Application modality and templates:Proposals must be submitted by the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning to the Contracting Authority via the specified email address. The Twinning Manual prescribes mandatory templates and a specific proposal template that must be strictly observed. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State can be submitted for this call. The Twinning Fiche attached to the call will form an annex to the Twinning Light Grant Contract and provides concrete indications on work plan, schedule, expert profiles and indicators.

Indicative timeline and milestones

Geographic and sector scope

Beneficiary country:Republic of North Macedonia (geographical zone: North Macedonia). The Twinning sector is Finance, Internal market and economic criteria (FI). The action targets public administration reform and strengthening of administrative and anti-fraud capacities within the context of EU accession and IPA III alignment. It supports SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Mentioned countries:Republic of North Macedonia; EU Member States (as possible Twinning partners and source of expertise).

Project maturity, expected stage and sustainability

Project maturity:This is an implementation and capacity-building intervention at the policy and administrative level (development, validation and demonstration of methodologies, legal drafting, capacity building and institutional strengthening). The Twinning action will produce concrete outputs (legislative amendments, strategy, methodology, training materials, TNA report, study visit report) intended to be sustainable and embedded in the beneficiary administration. Sustainability measures include alignment with national strategies, institutionalization of procedures, documentation and training-of-trainers components, and recommendations to integrate recurrent costs in beneficiary budgets.

Funding details and co-financing

Funding amount:€250,000 maximum EU (IPA) contribution for the Twinning Contract. The budget is designed to cover the Twinning Light implementation including expert missions, training, study visit, drafting and administrative support. The Twinning Fiche and Twinning Manual specify eligible cost categories and rates. The call does not explicitly require financial co-funding from the beneficiary or the Member State partner; standard Twinning Light modalities foresee the beneficiary providing in-kind support (office space, meeting rooms, local logistics) while the Twinning partner covers experts costs through the grant. Applicants should consult the Twinning Manual and call documents for any specific co-financing or cost-sharing rules.

Co-funding requirement:No explicit financial co-funding is required in the call text. The beneficiary will provide in-kind support such as office space, meeting rooms and logistical support for events. Applicants must follow Twinning Manual financial provisions regarding eligible costs and reporting.

Application stages, success rates and selection process

Application stages:Single-stage submission of the Twinning proposal by the Member State National Contact Point to the Contracting Authority. The process includes administrative compliance and eligibility checks, selection criteria (operational capacity pass/fail) and award evaluation using qualitative scoring. The evaluation is carried out by an evaluation committee with provisional notifications expected in August 2026. Number of formal stages in the awarding process: effectively one submission and then the Commission-led evaluation process resulting in award or rejection.

Application stages (count):1 (single-stage submission to Contracting Authority, followed by evaluation and award).

Success rates:The specific call does not publish a success rate. Twinning Light competitions are typically competitive and limited to one proposal per Member State; success depends on evaluation against award criteria and quality of the proposed Twinning partnership, methodology and expert profiles. No numerical success probability is provided in the call documentation.

Submission and contact

Submission route:The Member State National Contact Point for Twinning must submit the complete Twinning proposal to the Contracting Authority by email to the address indicated by the EU Delegation. Contact points at the EU Delegation to North Macedonia are provided for information in the Twinning Fiche: Head of Cooperation Mr Steffen Hudolin and Programme Manager Mr Javier Castillo Alvarez. The beneficiary counterpart contact is Tatjana Trajkovska, Head of Department for Financial Inspection and AFCOS Unit within the Ministry of Finance.

Templates and documentation to use

Applicants must use templates and follow rules published in the Twinning Manual. The call references Annex C9bis (Twinning Light publication), the Twinning Light Fiche (Annex C1bis) and Annexes C6bis and C8 (administrative compliance, eligibility and selection fact sheets). The Twinning Fiche attached to the call forms an annex to the Grant Contract and provides specific guidance on workplan structure, experts' profiles, indicators and targets. Proposals not using the prescribed template or failing the Twinning Manual rules risk administrative rejection.

1. 1Mandatory use of Twinning proposal template as per Twinning Manual.
2. 2Member State submission to National Contact Point for Twinning first (internal MS procedure), then NCP to Contracting Authority by email.
3. 3Only one submission per Member State to the Contracting Authority.
4. 4Ensure compliance with administrative eligibility and selection grids (Annex C6bis, C8).

Risks, assumptions and success factors

Key risks identified in the Twinning Fiche include limited external expertise quality, lack of political engagement or commitment by high-level officials, staff turnover in beneficiary institutions, and incomplete or untimely feedback during training needs assessment. Assumptions for success include political engagement to reinforce human resources, openness to adopt new procedures, continuity of appointed staff and availability of adequate counterpart resources for follow-up and sustainability.

How to prepare a strong proposal

A strong Twinning Light proposal should demonstrate:clear understanding of the Twinning Fiche objectives and mandatory results; a detailed methodology and realistic workplan aligned to the Fiche schedule; an experienced MS Project Leader and Component Leaders with demonstrated track record in anti-fraud, legislative drafting and capacity building; a well-justified pool of short-term experts with relevant public administration background and examples of previous Twinning or EU assistance experience; clear arrangement for direct and joint implementation with beneficiary staff; measurable indicators and targets consistent with the Logical Framework; and compliance with all Twinning templates and administrative requirements.

Annexes and legal framework referenced

The Twinning Fiche lists applicable Union acquis and national legal documents relevant to the project, including: Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans; Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 on OLAF investigations; Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/1995 on protection of EU financial interests; Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 on EPPO; Directive (EU) 2017/1371 on fraud to the Union’s financial interests; and national Decrees and Rulebooks establishing AFCOS and related structures. The Twinning Fiche includes an Annex A with links to relevant legislation and a Logical Framework (Annex C1b) with indicators and verification sources.

Final summary

This Twinning Light opportunity funds a targeted, short-term capacity building and legislative support project for the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) in North Macedonia to ensure effective protection of EU financial interests under the Reform and Growth Facility. It requires a single EU Member State public administration or mandated body to act as the Twinning partner and to submit one proposal via its National Contact Point for Twinning. The EU provides up to €250,000 for an implementation period of 8 months (11 months contract execution). The action focuses on legal and institutional reform, methodology development for case handling and reporting, training and exchange of best practices through study visits. Proposals must strictly follow the Twinning Manual templates, demonstrate strong methodology and expert profiles, and ensure close cooperation with the beneficiary AFCOS Unit to achieve sustainable results that will be embedded into national systems and aligned with accession-related reform objectives.

For full call documentation and the Twinning Light Fiche see the published call documents and Annexes available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the external document links provided in the call notice Twinning Light Call Documents Twinning Fiche ¹

Footnotes

1. 1The call documents include Annex C9bis (Publication notice), the Twinning Light Fiche (Annex C1bis) and relevant Twinning Manual annexes. See the EU Funding & Tenders Portal notice and the attached Annex C9bis and Annex C1bis documents for full procedural requirements and templates: ec.europa.eu (call reference EuropeAid).

The European Commission has launched a Twinning Light grant opportunity titled MK 24 IPA FA 01 25 TWL R, focused on strengthening the capacity of the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) in the Republic of North Macedonia. This initiative aims to enhance the protection of EU financial interests in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. The project is funded under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) and represents a direct management action by the European Commission.

Project Objectives and Scope

Overall Objective

The project aims to strengthen the capacities of the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) within North Macedonia's Department for Public Sector Financial Inspection and Coordination for Combating Fraud against EU Funds, Ministry of Finance. The initiative directly supports North Macedonia's progress toward EU accession, particularly in Chapter 32 on Financial Control and Protection of EU Financial Interests.

Specific Objectives

The project pursues two interconnected specific objectives. First, it seeks to improve the legislative, institutional framework and methodology for more efficient protection of EU financial interest in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans in North Macedonia. Second, it aims to strengthen the administrative capacities of the AFCOS unit and authorities involved in protecting EU financial interests in relation to the Reform and Growth Facility implementation.

Who Can Apply

Only Public Administrations and Mandated bodies from European Union Member States may apply for this Twinning Light grant. Applications must be submitted through the respective EU Member State's National Contact Point for Twinning. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State can be submitted to the Contracting Authority within the application deadline. ¹

Project Leader Requirements

The Member State Project Leader must possess a university degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience of minimum 8 years in the relevant field. The Project Leader must demonstrate proven contractual relations to a public administration or mandated body, at least 3 years of specific professional experience in the project area, project management experience, fluency in written and oral English language, and computer literacy. The Project Leader is responsible for overall coordination of project activities, coordination and monitoring of implementation, coordination of MS experts' work, permanent contact with the main counterpart in North Macedonia, ensuring backstopping functions and financial management, and guaranteeing successful implementation of the project's work plan.

Component Leaders and Short-Term Experts

Component Leaders must meet similar qualifications as the Project Leader, including a university degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience of minimum 8 years, proven contractual relations to a public administration or mandated body, at least 3 years of specific professional experience in the project area, project experience, fluency in written and oral English language, and computer literacy. Short-term experts must have proven contractual relations to a public administration or mandated body, a university degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience of minimum 8 years, at least three years of experience in the field of protection of EU funds, knowledge on processes related to protection of EU funds, experience in managing trainings, knowledge on EU legislation in relation to protection of EU funds issues and related databases, and fluency in English.

Funding Details

Total Budget:€250,000 is available for this Twinning Light contract. The entire amount is funded through IPA contribution at 100 percent.

Project Duration:The overall execution period of the Twinning contract is 11 months. The implementation period of the Action will last 8 months, with the execution period of the contract entering into force upon notification by the Contracting Authority of the signed contract by all parties and ending 3 months after the implementation period.

Application Deadlines and Timeline

Application Deadline:The deadline for submission of Twinning proposals by the EU Member State National Contact Points to the Contracting Authority is Friday, 10 July 2026, at 24:00 (local time of the beneficiary country). Any application received after this deadline will not be considered. ²

Publication and Evaluation Timeline:The call was published on 4 May 2026. The provisional notification date of results of the award process is August 2026. The tentative date envisaged for starting the evaluation committee meetings is Wednesday, 15 July 2026.

Project Components and Expected Activities

Component 1: Enhancing Institutional Setup and Legal Framework

This component focuses on improving the legislative, institutional framework and methodology for more efficient protection of EU financial interest in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans in North Macedonia. The mandatory result is an improved national legal framework for the protection of EU financial interest.

Expected activities under Component 1 include conducting analysis and assessment of the legislative framework of the Reform and Growth Facility and preparing a report with written recommendations for improving the legislative framework in the field of protection of EU financial interest. The project will support drafting of amendments to legislation for the protection of EU financial interest in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility. Support will be provided in drafting a strategy for protection of EU financial interests in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility. Additionally, the project will develop methodology on the manner of handling suspected cases, the manner of reporting such cases by the Beneficiary to the Commission, and the manner of monitoring of the elimination of irregularities.

Component 2: Strengthening Administrative Capacities

This component aims to strengthen the administrative capacities of the AFCOS unit and the authorities involved in the protection of EU financial interest in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans in North Macedonia. The mandatory result is enhanced effectiveness of the administrative capacities of AFCOS unit and the authorities involved in the protection of EU financial interest.

Expected activities under Component 2 include carrying out a training needs assessment for employees of the AFCOS Unit and institutions included in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility. A training program, curricula and training materials will be prepared. The project will organize training and workshops for employees of AFCOS and relevant institutions from the Reform and Growth Facility. Direct transfer of know-how will be facilitated through at least one study visit to a Member State with relevant employees, with at least 5 persons from the AFCOS Unit participating to learn about best EU practices in the field of protection of financial interests of the EU.

Selection and Award Criteria

Selection criteria assess the operational capacity of the Member State Project Leader and Short-term experts mentioned in the proposal. The assessment is expressed on a Yes/No basis, and a single negative evaluation of one criterion disqualifies the proposal. Award criteria consider the merit of the main qualifying aspects of the proposal and are evaluated applying a scoring system from 1 to 5.

Selection and award of the Member State will be based on evaluation of several qualitative aspects including but not limited to the proposed methodology, the experience of the proposed Project Leader, the institutional setting and the capacity of the administration and the Member State presentation. Detailed evaluation grids are available in Annex C6bis of the Twinning Manual (Twinning Light Administrative compliance and Eligibility grid) and Annex C8 of the Twinning Manual (Twinning Light Selection Fact Sheet).

Application Requirements and Procedures

Twinning proposals must be submitted by the Member State Administration to the EU Member States National Contact Points for Twinning following the instructions of the Twinning Manual, which must be strictly observed, including the use of the template. The MS application should be submitted to the Contracting Authority via the email address of the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning. The deadline for submission of Twinning proposals by the EU Member State Public Administrations to the corresponding National Contact Point is decided by the latter.

Beneficiary Administration and Contact Information

The beneficiary administration is the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit (AFCOS) within the Department for Public Sector Financial Inspection and Coordination for Combating Fraud against EU Funds, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of North Macedonia. The contact person and Project Leader counterpart is Tatjana Trajkovska, Head of Department for Financial Inspection in the Public Sector and Coordination for Combating Fraud against EU Funds, Ministry of Finance, Dame Gruev 12, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia.

The Delegation of the European Union is responsible for tendering, contracting, accounting, monitoring and evaluating. The Head of Cooperation is Mr Steffen Hudolin, and the Programme Manager is Mr Javier Castillo Alvarez, both at the Delegation of European Union, Sv. Kiril I Metodij €52B, 1000 Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia.

Strategic Context and Alignment

This project directly supports North Macedonia's EU accession process, particularly addressing recommendations from the 2025 EC Country Progress Report Chapter 32 on Financial Control and Protection of EU Financial Interests. The project aligns with the 2022-2025 National Strategy for Combating Fraud and Protection of the EU Financial Interests in the Republic of North Macedonia and its corresponding Action Plan. It also supports the Public Administration Reform Strategy 2023-2030, which aims to establish a professional, quality and service-oriented public administration as a key to achieving economic growth and strengthening competitiveness.

The project is linked to the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans, which is a new financing instrument designed to assist the region in implementing reforms for sustainable economic growth, regional integration and the Common Regional Market. Under the Facility Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia, the Beneficiary is required to use an independent anti-fraud coordination service to facilitate effective cooperation and exchange of information with OLAF (European Anti-Fraud Office).

Applicable EU Legislation and Standards

The project must comply with several key EU regulations and standards. These include Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 883/2013 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/1995 on the protection of the European Communities financial interests, Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2185/1996 on on-the-spot checks and inspections, Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), Directive (EU) 2017/1371 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law, and Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. ³

Sustainability and Cross-Cutting Issues

The project will be implemented in alignment with strategic objectives, laws, and guidelines to enhance the effectiveness of the EU Anti-Fraud Coordination Unit. Key activities will focus on improving the legislative, institutional framework and methodology for more efficient protection of EU financial interest and strengthening capacities through experience gained from Twinning partners. With a strong emphasis on capacity building, the project aims to contribute to the sustainability of public administration by establishing standardized processes for long-term application, including the development of accessible documentation such as methodology for future use by the beneficiary administration.

The achievements of the Twinning project will serve as a permanent asset for the beneficiary administration, ensuring that mechanisms are in place to disseminate and consolidate results post-project. The beneficiary must plan for the allocation of necessary resources to sustain results in their budget planning. The project incorporates equal opportunity principles, ensuring participation on the basis of equal access regardless of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The project will ensure adequate representation of women in the activities. Environmental impact will be limited, with the project delivered in the most environmentally friendly way possible, including recycling of paper and reduction of paper-based activities through distribution of project materials via intranet and internet.

Facilities and Support Provided by Beneficiary

The beneficiary will provide the MS Twinning partner with appropriate office space, meeting rooms, and necessary equipment for expert activities and training as outlined in the Twinning fiche. For expert missions and roundtables, the Ministry of Finance will offer its meeting rooms and office spaces. For training sessions, the nearby Parliamentary Club, equipped with conference rooms, technical facilities, and catering services, will be utilized.

Key Performance Indicators

The project includes specific, realistic and verifiable indicators to measure performance. Under Component 1, indicators include preparation of an assessment report of the legislative framework with recommendations for improvement, recommended amendments of the Decree on determining the structure of the system for protection of the financial interests of the European Union, preparation of a strategy for protection of EU financial interests in the implementation of the Reform and Growth Facility, and preparation of methodology on the manner of handling suspected cases and reporting to the Commission. Under Component 2, indicators include completion of a training needs assessment, preparation of training program and materials, organization of at least five trainings and workshops, and organization of one study visit to a Member State with at least 5 people from the AFCOS Unit.

Related and Linked Activities

This project builds upon previous EU-funded initiatives. The IPA Twinning Project MK 18 IPA FI 01 19 titled Strengthening Budget Planning, Execution and Internal Control Functions (54 months, February 2020 to July 2024, budget €3,700,000) developed a legal base for full operationalization of the AFCOS Unit, including the drafting of a Manual of procedure for the AFCOS Unit. Additionally, technical missions are being conducted under the EU-financed TAIEX Program on Irregularity Management and Usage of Irregularity Management System (IMS) during September-December 2024, with experts from Croatia presenting irregularity management system practices and tools to strengthen the capacities of the AFCOS Unit and the whole IPA management system in reporting irregularities.

How to Apply

Interested EU Member State Public Administrations or Mandated bodies should contact their respective National Contact Point for Twinning to obtain detailed information on this Call for Proposals. The Twinning Manual and the specific project Twinning Fiche are available at the European Union Member States National Contact Points for Twinning. Detailed information on this Call for Proposals is contained in the Twinning Manual and in the specific project Twinning Fiche. Applications must strictly follow the Twinning Manual instructions and use the provided template. The application should be submitted to the Contracting Authority via the email address of the Member State National Contact Point for Twinning by the deadline of Friday, 10 July 2026, at 24:00 (local time of the beneficiary country).

For more information, applicants can access the official EU Funding and Tenders Portal at EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The call documents, including Annex C9 (Twinning Call for Proposals) and the TWL Fiche re-circulated, are available for download from the portal.

Footnotes

1. 1According to the Twinning Manual, only Public Administrations and Mandated bodies as per the Twinning Manual of European Union Member States may apply through European Union Member States' National Contact Points. Each Member State can submit only one proposal per call.
2. 2The deadline is Friday, 10 July 2026, at 24:00 (local time of the beneficiary country, which is Central European Time). Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. The tentative date for starting evaluation committee meetings is Wednesday, 15 July 2026.
3. 3These regulations establish the framework for protecting EU financial interests, investigating fraud, conducting on-the-spot checks, establishing the European Public Prosecutor's Office, criminalizing fraud against EU interests, and implementing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. Compliance with these standards is mandatory for all project activities.