EPEC – the best example so far …. of the regional PPP knowledge centre

Yeas, regional cooperation is not only possible but certainly desirable. EU has made its big jump on September 16th 2008 and established EPEC on the meeting in Paris.

What does EPEC stands for; it is European PPP Expertise Centre established under the hosting wings of EIB (European Investment Bank) and therefore located in Luxembourg.

“In the general aims of EPEC are providing support to, and assisting its Members in the development of the skills and capacity required within the Public Sector to define, manage and/or implement their PPP policies and programmes in accordance with market best practice. Moreover, based on the Members’ experience, the expertise center will provide its Members with guidelines, papers and comments on relevant issues concerning the structuring of effective and efficient PPP projects.”

What does EPEC do?

- Policy and program support
- Helpdesk to EPEC members
- Collaborative network activities, which include:
(a) Value for Money- assessing the wider benefits of PPPs; (b) Value for Money- reviews of independent reports; (c) Applying Eurostat guidance to PPPs; (d) Operating Competitive Dialogue procedures; (e) Credit Crisis

EPEC’s main task is to help the public sector to overcome shortfalls in PPP expertise across EU and especially in new EU members. EPEC is in operation more than 9 months, and during this whole time we can hear very unfavorable news from the world of PPP. All conditions have changed in financing PPPs. EIB is now playing even more prominent role in financing PPPs as bank clubs are not able to raise enough of money with reasonable long term conditions.

Nicolas Jennet of EPEC suggested some of the solutions to the current market situation in his presentation in Warsaw (May 2009), however in EU has not been still able to find any solution on how to replace wrapped bonds ,which are not longer option in Europe.