Economic, social and territorial cohesion
Central Government
The Planning Bureau used to be the central government's main managing authority in regard to the management of the EU Structural Funds and other EU horizontal policies (research, lifelong learning, etc). On November 1st 2013 (Law 127(I)/447), the Planning Bureau has been renamed . It is now the Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development (DG EPCD). It is responsible for :
- The implementation of government policies and the optimal use of available European and other funds.
- The overall responsibility for the programming, management and utilization of funds allocated under the Programming Period 2007 - 2013 and those allocated under the Programming Period 2014 - 2020 (in its role as the Managing Authority of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund in Cyprus).
- Handling two Operational Programmes for Cohesion Policy, namely the Operational Programme "Competitiveness and Sustainable Development", which will be co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cohesion Fund (CF)
- Handling the Operational Programme "Employment, Human Resources and Social Cohesion", which will be co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Youth Employment Initiative.
- Handling the Operational Programme for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
- Handling the Rural Development Programme.
The European Social Fund Unit, operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance and is responsible for the handling of programs that are sponsored by the European Social Fund. The European Social Fund Unit is responsible for:
- Drafting of overall policy and legislation in the field of social policy, including continuous study and evaluation;
- The implementation, correctness (monitoring of the physical and financial progress of the projects and the exercise of control) and effectiveness of managing the European Territorial Cooperation Programme;
- The concentration of statistical and financial data;
- The selection of projects;
- Preparation of the Annual Implementation Report and organisation of the mid-term evaluation;
- The safeguarding of compatibility and conformity with national and Community policies that concern competition, public procurement, environment, gender equality, employment, and publicity and information, and
- The implementation of specific social insurance schemes and measures.
Spatial planning is under the control of the town planning and housing department (Ministry of Interior). It includes:
- The formulation and implementation of urban development, town planning and housing policies;
- Its control and enforcement, except in the 4 municipalities of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphoa which are delegated planning authorities.
Responsible ministries/bodies
Province Level
District authorities are responsible for the administration and coordination of central government policies at the district level.
Local SAA
In the field of economics, municipalities have the following responsibilities:
- Establishing and taxing municipal markets;
- Establishing and managing zones of craftmanship;
- Raising tax revenues from public spectacles;
- Raising municipal taxes from hotels
- Raising tax revenues from hippodrome betting.
- Taxing businesses and individuals that have their legal basis in the municipality.
In the field of spatial planning municipalities are responsible for:
- Acting as the town planning authority and applying national town planning regulation.
- Regulating any private interventions (digging etc) on roads.
European Social Fund (ESF)
- Contributing to the provision of funds;
- The establishment, maintenance and operation of any resting places, charitable or philanthropic stations, schemes and institutions.
- The provision of social, sanitary, paramedical, medical services and emergency services to improvised or disabled persons.
In the field of economics communities are responsible for:
- Establishing and taxing community markets;
- Raising community taxes from hotels
- Taxing businesses and individuals that have their legal basis in the community.
Communities have no competences in the field of spatial planning.
Sources
Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus,
Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development (DG EPCD)
The Communities Law (Law No. 86(1)) of 1999.
The Ministry of Labour, Welfare, European and Social Insurance
The Municipalities Law (Law No. 111) of 1985, in particular Art. 84 (a) and Art. 85 (n), 85 (o).
The planning bureau website
