Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (PACE) taotluse esitamine

Roheline 64 / 80010 Pärnu linn/ Tel 662 5999 / e-post: [email protected] / www.keskkonnaamet.ee /

Registrikood 70008658

Aali Lilleorg

Riigi Tugiteenuste Keskus [email protected]

22.10.2025 nr 6-14/25/20250

Public Administration Cooperation Exchange

(PACE) taotluse esitamine

Saadame Teile Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (PACE) õppereisi taotluse, mille eesmärk on tõhustada Keskkonnaameti inspektorite pädevust rahvusvahelise merenduse

keskkonnanõuete rakendamisel.

Projekti raames on planeeritud ühenädalane õppereis Saksamaale 2026. aasta teisel poolaastal ja õppereisi käigus tutvuvad Eesti keskkonnakaitse inspektorid Saksamaa kolleegide tööga sadamates ja laevadel.

Täpsem info taotluse kohta: [email protected] (+372 53 421 035)

Lugupidamisega

(allkirjastatud digitaalselt)

Margit Martinson juhataja

Strateegia- ja analüüsiosakond

Lisa: PACE taotlus

Rene Rajasalu 53421035 [email protected]

0

TECHNICAL SUPPORT INSTRUMENT (TSI) PROGRAMME

Regulation (EU) 2021/240 (TSI Regulation) (1)

REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORTi

(Article 9 of the TSI Regulation)

DEADLINE: 31 October 2025

To be submitted [by/via]

INITIATE THE REQUEST IN THE SYSTEM

MULTI-COUNTRY REQUEST

Instructions for the following question:

For PACE, please select ‘Yes’ and submit the request as a multi-country only in case more than one participating

Member State is aiming to send civil servants.

0.1

*

Is this a multi-country request? (a multi- country request is a request developed

and/or submitted in collaboration with one or

more authorities of other Member State(s))

☐ Yes

☒ No

The following question will be displayed only if the user selects “Yes” to 0.1 question. The display of question 0.3

will depend on the answer to the type of multi-country request. See options below.

(1) Regulation (EU) 2021/240 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 February 2021 establishing a

Technical Support Instrument, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 1–16.

Type of support request: * PACE - Public Administration Cooperation Exchange

Title of the request: * Strengthening Estonia’s Maritime Environmental Supervision

through EU Peer Cooperation

This template is for requests for Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (PACE). Once you log in in the Funding & Tender portal of the European Commission, the system will automatically record your user details, and extract information of your profile (i.e. Beneficiary Authority or Coordinating Authority) and your Member State.

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0.2

*

Please indicate the type of this multi-country

request ☐ The Member State submits this request on

its behalf and on behalf of one or several

authorities of other Member State(s)

☐ One or several authorities of other

Member State(s) is/are submitting

a similar/same request in parallel to this request, in a coordinated

way

INSTRUCTIONS TO ADD PARTICIPATING BENEFICIARY AUTHORITIES OF OTHER MEMBER STATES:

➢ For multi-country requests with the “on-behalf” mode: under this mode the request initiator (“lead authority”) must invite Beneficiary Authorities (BAs) from other Member States to participate in

this multi-country request. To invite them, please add the “Name”, “Email” and “Country”. This is a

mandatory step. The system will create a replica request in the portal of the invited participants. The

activities requested will be the same for all participating authorities.

➢ For multi-country requests with the “in-parallel” mode: the request initiator could include information of other Member States and/or Beneficiary Authorities that are interested in submitting a

similar request. This will support an easy identification of the interested parties in the multi-country

project. For this, you can select the Member State concerned, and include the name of the Beneficiary Authorities in that Member State. Under this mode the system will not create a replica request for

the Member States listed in the following point, and hence the participating authorities must initiate

their own requests “in parallel”.

Please indicate the Beneficiary Authority

(-ies) of this request.

For each participant:

Estonia

Environmental Board

[email protected]

INSTRUCTIONS TO ADD OBSERVER BENEFICIARY AUTHORITIES OF YOUR MEMBER STATE:

Optionally the request initiator can give observer rights to other Beneficiary Authority(-ies) from their

Member State by adding their “Name”, “Email” and “Country”. These other BAs will see the request in read- only mode, without editing permissions. This is applicable to both multi-country and non-multi-country requests.

For multi-country on behalf requests only the request initiator can include observers to the lead request.

At the end of the window, you will see the details of your identifier -the one you are using to create the request and

that will be associated to this action when you finish the process. You will also see the list of authorities included as participants or as observers of the request (list available to the view of all the participating BAs in the case of a

multi-country “on behalf” request). Please, see example of how it will look below:

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ACTORS

This section is to provide details on the Beneficiary Authority/ies that is requesting the support, i.e.

for PACE, the authority/ies requesting to send civil servants. In order to include multiple beneficiaries,

replicate the boxes below.

It is mandatory to enter at least one Beneficiary Authority from your Member State and at least

one Contact Person for each Beneficiary Authority.

This section is NOT to include information on Beneficiary Authority(-ies) of other Member States.

For multi-country requests with the “on behalf” mode this section will be replicated in the portals of the

participating authorities and must be filled-in individually by each participating Member State.

BENEFICIARY (RECIPIENT) AUTHORITY (-IES)

Legal name – Official name of the

Authority * Environmental Board

Address * Roheline 64, 80010, Pärnu

Country * Estonia

Beneficiary Authority type* [Single Choice: Selection from pre-determined options]

☐ National government

☐ Regional or local government

☒ Regulatory or supervisory agency

☐ Judicial authority

☐ Public agency

☐ Central bank

☐ National promotional bank and institution

☐ Other public law body or body governed by private law with a public

service mission

Additional information Click or tap here to enter text.

CONTACT PERSON FOR THE BENEFICIARY AUTHORITY

Name * Rene Rajasalu

Position * Chief Inspector

Telephone number * +372 5342 1035

Email * [email protected]

Additional information Click or tap here to enter text.

Personal data provided in the request for technical support are processed in accordance with the

applicable data protection rules. The privacy statement explaining the processing of personal data can

be found in section 7 of record DPR-EC-04667 “Submission and assessments of requests for technical

support under the Technical Support Instrument”, at the following link: https://ec.europa.eu/dpo-

register/detail/DPR-EC-04667

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SECTION 1 – PROBLEM / NEEDS

1 PROBLEM / NEED ANALYSIS - DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM/NEED TO BE

ADDRESSED

1.1 * What is the problem/need to be addressed with the support requested?

This general overview is providing the general scope of the Flagship technical support project. This

general overview does not provide any information about the specific situation in the Member State

submitting the request nor your specific needs.

When filling in the request template, you are therefore invited to outline your specific problems and

needs, taking inspiration from the general overview and adapting it to your national context, and to

provide information relevant to your specific context.

National public administrations across the European Union are confronted with common challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, crisis management or the effects of globalisation. These complex problems of

multidimensional nature require cooperation among national administrations but also at European level, to best

leverage all the knowledge available.

Many of the problems and challenges identified, for example in the country-specific recommendations addressed

to each Member State in the context of the European Semester, can more easily addressed by building cross-

border understanding and acquiring an EU dimension perspective in policy and decision making.

The Commission supports the efforts of Member States to improve their administrative capacity to implement Union law, which is essential for the proper functioning of the Union, and it shall be regarded as a matter of

common interest. Such action may include facilitating the exchange of information and of civil servants as well as

supporting training schemes.

Through the “Public Administration Cooperation Exchange” (PACE) the European Commission aims at promoting

cooperation and cross-border exchanges among Member States to build administrative capacity and prepare the next generation of policy makers in the European Union. The objective is to create a European Community of

public servants that exchange best practices, including, where appropriate, working visits to relevant Member

States to enable officials to acquire or increase their expertise or knowledge in relevant matters.

Exchanges will take the form of one or more targeted study visits, where 1-5 civil servant(s) from an EU Member

State authority will be embedded in an EU peer administration from a few days to 3 months taking part in meetings, workshops, preparations of reports, analyses or strategies. For each exchange, a detailed programme

will be defined between the host institution, guest civil servant(s) and SG REFORM. The project could entail a series of study visits as well as workshops to enlarge the number of possible stakeholders. In-person events could

be combined with online meetings between visits. The civil servant(s) participating in the exchange will agree on

the preparation of a final deliverable, such as a report or study, to be described in the TSI request for support to

be submitted.

The implementation of the exchanges should ideally take place during the 12 months following the selection of projects by the TSI Board and adoption of the Financing Decision, i.e. indicatively between

March 2026 and March 2027.

a) CORE PROBLEM OR NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

The Estonian Environmental Board is responsible for maritime environmental supervision in Estonia, including the implementation and enforcement of international and EU requirements related to marine environmental protection,

waste management, ship recycling, and climate objectives.

Although Estonia has made progress in building its maritime supervision system, the capacity of national inspectors to interpret and apply increasingly complex international and EU maritime environmental law remains limited.

Implementation of maritime law is inherently complex, as jurisdiction differs across sea areas and responsibilities are divided between flag, port and coastal state controls. Ships sailing in a state’s sea area are legally considered

part of the flag state’s territory, which makes enforcement of international and EU environmental requirements more challenging.

To ensure consistent and effective application, inspectors must possess both environmental expertise and technical

understanding of shipping operations — a dual competence that is currently not fully established in Estonia. The issue has become more pressing as the maritime and shipping sector undergoes rapid techno logical and

regulatory transformation, driven by the European Green Deal, climate-neutrality targets and the shift towards

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cleaner technologies and fuels. Practical cooperation and knowledge exchange with peer inspection authorities in

other EU Member States are therefore essential to strengthen national implementation capacity.

b) direct cause(s) of the problem (DRIVERS OF THE PROBLEM).

This challenge stems from the rapid pace of regulatory and technological change in the maritime sector and from varying implementation approaches across EU Member States, leading to uneven enforcement standards.

Estonian inspectors have limited opportunities for hands-on cooperation and peer-to-peer exchanges with other EU

countries, restricting their ability to learn from operational practices and adopt proven risk-based methods used in larger European ports.

National training programmes focus mainly on legal and procedural aspects, while practical inspection skills — such

as shipboard environmental control, waste management supervision and monitoring of fuel transition compliance — require further capacity building.

In addition, there is no unified overview across EU Member States of how environmental control requirements in

shipping are implemented, how inspector qualifications are obtained, and what competencies are required for different inspection functions.

Lack of harmonised digital tools and data-sharing mechanisms also limits cooperation between the Environmental Board, the Transport Administration and port authorities.

c) CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM, including on the affected population/stakeholders.

If these capacity gaps are not addressed, enforcement of maritime environmental requirements in Estonian ports

may remain fragmented and inconsistent. Differences in inspection practices and interpretations can reduce compliance among operators, harm environmental quality and create uneven competitive conditions within the EU

internal market.

Estonia records more than 1,000 port visits annually, of which the Environmental Board inspects around 15%, in line with the Port Reception Facilities Directive. This demonstrates Estonia’s significant role in EU-wide maritime

environmental enforcement. The inspection portfolio also includes higher-risk “shadow fleet” vessels, where

consistent and competent oversight is crucial to prevent pollution incidents in the Baltic Sea regions.

Please provide a thorough description of the specific problem/need. Please split the text into paragraphs labelling

them in capital letters as:

a) CORE PROBLEM OR NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

b) direct cause(s) of the problem (DRIVERS OF THE PROBLEM).

c) CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM, including on the affected population/stakeholders.

If there is more than one problem or need to tackle, please replicate this structure.

1.2 * SCOPE AND SCALE – How broad and deep (severe) is the problem/need?

Gaps in supervisory capacity and the uneven interpretation of international and EU requirements significantly affect Estonia’s ability to ensure the effective and consistent implementation of its obligations. Maritime transport

is a strategic sector for Estonia’s economy and trade, and the proper application of environmental rules directly

influences both the state of the Baltic Sea and fair competition within the EU internal market.

The challenge must be addressed systemically rather than within the boundaries of a single institution. It involves

several key stakeholders — the Estonian Environmental Board, the Transport Administration, port authorities, and shipping operators — whose coordinated action is essential to ensure the consistent implementation of EU

and international requirements such as the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, the Port Reception Facilities (PRF)

Directive, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, and MARPOL provisions. However, the absence of structured cooperation and regular experience exchange with other Member States has hindered the broader adoption of

best practices and innovative approaches. Although Estonia meets its annual inspection obligations under the PRF and Sulphur Regimes, the growing complexity of new environmental standards and technologies is significantly

increasing the technical and administrative workload of inspectors.

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Consequently, the problem has both national and cross-border dimensions. It affects the quality and consistency

of maritime environmental supervision in Estonia and has implications for coordinated implementation efforts and

environmental cooperation across the Baltic Sea region and at the EU level.

Maritime transport plays a crucial role in Estonia’s freight sector — studies indicate that nearly 90% of cargo

movements may take place by sea. Therefore, the consistent implementation of environmental regulations (such as the IMO and EU Sulphur Regulation, PRF and rules on waste- and ballast water management) is essential not

only from an environmental protection perspective but also for maintaining the competitiveness of Estonian ports

and shipping, and for ensuring compliance with the rules of the single EU maritime market.

Please explain if the envisaged reform affects a SIGNIFICANT PART/SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY or there are ‘SPILL-OVER’ EFFECTS (i.e., effects extending across several policy areas) or across borders? Were there any

PREVIOUS REFORM EFFORTS which have not fully managed to address the issue? What was the impact of those

efforts? What did not work and why?

1.3 * How urgent is it to address the problem/need?

Addressing this problem is urgent, as the maritime sector is a key component of the EU Green Deal and the Fit

for 55 package, where greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced by 2030 and further tightened progressively towards 2050.These commitments are closely linked with both EU and IMO Monitoring, Reporting

and Verification (MRV) measures, which require national authorities to have sufficient technical and analytical

capacity to ensure effective implementation.

At the same time, the PRF Directive obliges Member States to establish efficient port waste reception and management systems, including the separate collection and reporting of marine litter and abandoned fishing

gear. These measures are crucial for preventing pollution in the Baltic Sea and support the principles of the

circular economy. Even these obligations alone introduce new inspection and enforcement competencies that

require inspectors to develop higher technical expertise and use modern digital tools.

If these capacity gaps are not addressed in time, Estonia risks lagging behind in implementing the new frameworks, leading to uneven enforcement, potential non-compliance with EU law and weakened environmental

protection in the Baltic Sea region, thereby undermining both the EU 2030 climate targets and fair competition in

the maritime sector.

The Baltic Sea regions are particularly sensitive to pollution and climate impacts, with increasing pressure from

maritime emissions and waste. Strengthening inspector capacity contributes directly to the EU 2030 Climate

Target Plan and to regional objectives under the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.

Please specify if there a specific deadline (at national, European or international level). Please explain what the

implications would be if the problem is not addressed promptly.

1.4 Have other means / funding (at national, regional, EU, international level) been considered

for addressing the problem identified?

Estonia is still in the process of building up its maritime (ship and port) environmental supervision system and has

actively participated in EMSA training activities and expert working groups. Most national and EU funding instruments have so far focused on developing digital solutions (including the creation of the national inspection

system - OKAS), and general environmental training.

While Interreg cooperation programmes and Norden projects promote regional dialogue and policy exchange in the Baltic Sea area, they require national co-financing, which places additional pressure on the limited budget of the

Environmental Board. Consequently, participation in such projects has not been feasible. Therefore, external technical support is essential to build the competencies of Estonian inspectors and to ensure the consistent and

effective implementation of international maritime environmental law.

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If other means/funding have been considered, please explain which ones, and clarify how they are complementary

with the technical support requested.

Please explain why the envisaged reform cannot be implemented without external support and why the support

cannot be provided directly with national resources.

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SECTION 2 –DESCRIPTION OF REQUESTED SUPPORT

2 INDICATIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE SUPPORT REQUESTED AND THE ESTIMATED

COST

2.1.a* Please indicate the policy area of the support requested

[Single Choice: Selection from pre-determined options based on SG REFORM broad policy areas of intervention:

- Public administration and Governance

2.1.b In case there is more than one policy area linked to the support requested, please indicate a

second policy area

[Single Choice: Selection from pre-determined options based on SG REFORM broad policy areas of intervention:

- Green transition

2.1.c* Please indicate the topic(s) (or policy actions) of the support requested

- Environmental enforcement

- Better regulation, licensing, inspections and market surveillance

- Digital Public Administration

- Climate change mitigation

- Waste, waste water and marine resources

2.2.a

* GENERAL OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT / EXPECTED IMPACT OF THE PROJECT: What is the long-term effect or broader change at country, regional or sector level that the project will

contribute to? Impacts are beyond the project control and timeline.

The project aims to strengthen Estonia’s environmental supervision in the maritime sector and to enhance the

institutional and operational capacity of the Environmental Board to ensure the consistent and effective implementation of international and EU maritime environmental requirements. It supports the broader objective

of improving public sector performance and environmental governance in line with the EU Green Deal and the

2030 climate targets. By improving the technical and practical competencies of environmental inspectors and promoting knowledge exchange with peer authorities in other EU Member States, the project will help Estonia

apply international maritime environmental obligation in professional manner.

In the longer term, the project will strengthen cross-border cooperation in the Baltic and North Sea ports, improve

the quality and consistency of environmental compliance practices, and contribute to a cleaner, safer and more

sustainable maritime sector across Europe.

2.2.b

*

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE(S) OF THE PROJECT / EXPECTED OUTCOME(S) - Which outcome(s) (concrete medium-term change on the ground) would you like to achieve with this project to

address the problem or need identified?

The specific objective of the project is to strengthen the operational and institutional capacity of the Estonian

Environmental Board to effectively enforce maritime environmental legislation in alignment with EU and IMO

standards.

The project aims to ensure that Estonian inspectors are equipped with the technical, procedural and risk-based competences needed to apply complex maritime environmental requirements — including EU Regulations and

IMO environmental instruments.

Expected outcomes include:

• Strengthened technical knowledge and inspection skills of environmental inspectors;

• Increased ability to apply risk-based and proportionate inspection methods aligned with EU best practices;

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• Improved internal coordination between environmental, maritime and port authorities;

• Updated national guidance materials and inspection procedures reflecting EU standards;

• Enhanced institutional readiness to contribute to regional and EU-level environmental cooperation in the Baltic Sea region.

These outcomes will directly address existing capacity gaps, ensure consistent and effective implementation of

maritime environmental obligations, and strengthen Estonia’s contribution to the sustainable maritime governance

objectives.

2.2.c

*

What technical support measures do you request from SG REFORM to support your reform

and achieve the outcome specified under point 2.2.b?

The proposed technical support measures pursuant to Art.8 of the TSI Regulation: “working visits to relevant Member States […] will enable officials to acquire or increase their expertise or knowledge

in relevant matters”.

Potential methods of collaboration through PACE could be:

• As a host institution, you prepare a project concept and invite other Member States to join in a co -creation

effort to deliver a concrete outcome.

• As a sending institution, you define a project, initiative or reform you wish to get help to implement from

peer institutions. You mobilise your network to identify possible host institutions in other countries.

• Joining up of several Member State institutions to prepare a multi-country project.

• Identifying an existing TSI project of interest to your institution, and request support to deepen your knowledge on the specific reforms carried out as part of that project through study visits. This can also be

done as a multi-country project of several Member States interested in the same TSI project. Examples of

TSI projects can be found here.

Project concept / Key output

A report will summarise and document the work completed during the exchange, the working methods, culture of the host public administration and lessons learned during the exchange. This will be produced mainly by the

visiting Member State but can also be done in cooperation with the host administration if this is agreed in advance.

Indicatively it could be a comparative report or analysis, recommendations report, draft strategy, draft law, or

else.

Please describe in a few paragraphs what will be the expected content of the exchange, as well as

skills/competences/knowledge expected to be acquired.

If already known, you may also describe how the content of the exchange will be reflected in the report to be

produced at the end of the exchange

The requested support will take the form of a targeted study visit and peer-to-peer exchange. A group of 4–5

environmental inspectors from the Environmental Board will participate in a practical exchange in Germany’s Baltic and North Sea ports where advanced risk-based maritime environmental inspection systems are in place.

The exchange will address the increasing complexity of implementing EU and international maritime environmental regulations, which combine port, flag and coastal state responsibilities and require close

coordination between environmental, maritime and port authorities. This exchange will help bridge these

knowledge gaps and strengthen the professional capacity of inspectors to effectively enforce EU and IMO

requirements.

The exchange mainly will focus on: • learning risk-based inspection and enforcement methods;

• observing the use of digital monitoring and reporting tools (e.g. for PRF, MRV and ship recycling compliance);

• understanding coordination mechanisms between port, transport and environmental authorities; • exploring approaches to control high-risk vessels;

• and studying implementation practices supporting the EU Maritime Regulation and IMO instruments and

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Output link to outcome

How do you aim to incorporate the exchange results and overall lessons learned into your own

administration after the exchange? What will be the ideal follow-up towards the medium-term outcome of the

exchange, in your home Member State?

Following the exchange, the knowledge will be added into Environmental Boards internal training system and reflected in the national inspection guidelines and checklists, risk assessment methods and digital reporting tools

which is used for maritime environmental enforcement. Best practices identified during the visit will be shared

with the Transport Administration and the Ministry of Climate, ensuring cross-sectoral uptake. To ensure continuity, at least four internal follow-up workshops will be organised to train additional inspectors and to embed

the new approaches into everyday practice.

In the medium term, the outcomes will contribute to the development of a national risk-based inspection

framework, aligned with EU and IMO standards, and will feed into ongoing regional cooperation initiatives within

the Baltic Sea area.

The exchange will also support Estonia’s participation in future joint capacity-building or other projects focusing

on maritime environmental compliance and inspector qualification systems.

Key activities

What do you envisage to encounter during the exchange? How would you like to structure the exchange(s)? Any specific needs or expectations? e.g. learning about working methods, desk research, job shadowing,

participating in a particular project you are aware of in the host institution, joint workshops, etc.

The exchange will consist of a one-week practical study visit to Germany, focusing on Baltic and North Sea ports.

The programme will include:

• Day 1: Introductory workshop and presentations on inspection planning, risk assessment, and digital monitoring tools;

• Days 2–4: On-site ship and port inspections with German counterparts, focusing on waste management, air

emissions, fuel sampling, and safety procedures. Participants will observe the use of protective and monitoring equipment and gain insights into safety requirements during inspections;

• Day 5: Final debriefing session to exchange observations, identify good practices, and discuss next steps for adapting these methods in Estonia.

The practical part will be followed by a joint report summarising lessons learned and providing recommendations

for integrating the outcomes into Estonia’s inspection framework and future Baltic Sea cooperation activities.

Instructions to fill-in the following question:

The exchange will take the form of a targeted study visit, where civil servants from an EU Member

State national, regional or local authority will be embedded to an EU peer administration.

Please indicate which authority/ies would like to send civil servants, how many people would

participate in the exchange(s), for what indicative duration and timing (between May 2025 – May

2026), and to which host authority-ies/Member State(s). It is compulsory to indicate the host authority; we strongly suggest that you already contact potential hosts before submitting the request.

Please clearly indicate whether a host has already been confirmed and include the contact details to

your request.

Individual measure:

Please note that an exchange can last a minimum of five (5) days and up to three (3) weeks. After the first visit, two (2) more visits can be made of up to three (3) weeks each and with at least one (1)

week of break in between.

Examples of exchange format/duration: 1 x 1 week, 1 x 2 weeks, 1 x 3 weeks, 2 x 1 week, 2 x 2 weeks,

3 x 2 weeks, 3 x 3 weeks (maximum possible duration).

2.3 * Indicate the possible duration of the support requested and, if available, an indicative

timeline of each individual measure.

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The exchange will take the form of a targeted study visit, where civil servants from the Estonian Environmental

Board will visit the Niedersächsische Port Authority (NPorts) in Germany.

The visit is planned for the second half of 2026 and will last one week (six days including travel). The first day will focus on a joint workshop on inspection methods, safety procedures, and digital monitoring

tools. This will be followed by three days of on-site ship and port inspections in North Sea and Baltic Sea ports.

The final day will include a closing session to summarise findings, exchange feedback, and discuss future

cooperation opportunities.

Instructions to fill-in the following question:

The costs for the exchange that will be covered by the TSI including travel to and from the place of

exchange and per diems for participants for each day of the visit (including Saturdays and Sundays). Please note that the per diems cover the costs of accommodation, meals, and sundry expenses.

Moreover, the hosting institution will receive a fee of 350 EUR per working day to cover potential costs

when receiving participants.

For guidance, see the current per diem rates in the link below, based on the latest update of

Commission Decision C(2021)35.

https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/funding/guidelines/managing-project/diem-

rates_en

2.4 Indicate the estimated total cost of the requested support measures (in EUR).

Note that this estimation is purely indicative: the final budget estimation will be done by SG REFORM, based on its cost

estimation methodology.

10250 EUR

2.4 a Additional information: if known, please provide further explanation and indicative cost

estimation for each key output/deliverable.

The total indicative cost of EUR 10250 includes per diems, transport and the host institution fee. The final

budget will be confirmed later.

Daily allowances (per diem): 6750 EUR (5 participants × 6 days (daily rate 225 eur))

Flights and local transport: 1750 EUR (flights and train tickets for 5 participants) Hosting institution fee, 350 €/working day × 5 days): 1750 EUR

Total estimated cost: 10250 EUR

2.5 * What would be the indicators to measure the success of the project? Please provide

measurable indicators at outputs, outcome, and impact level.

The success of the exchange will be measured through a combination of output, outcome, and impact indicators:

Outputs:

• 5 inspectors trained;

• 1 preparatory workshop and 1 concluding meeting held; • 3 on-site inspection sessions completed, covering ship and port environmental checks (waste management,

air emissions, fuel sampling, safety procedures); • 3 joint debriefing sessions conducted after each practical day to exchange observations and identify good

practices;

• Up to 4 follow-up workshops organised at the Environmental Board to share lessons learned and disseminate results internally;

• 1 joint guidance document procedures to harmonise maritime environmental inspection practices.

Outcomes:

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• Improved technical and practical competencies of inspectors in applying EU and IMO maritime

environmental legislation;

• Better understanding of inspection planning, use of monitoring equipment and digital tools; • More harmonised, risk-based and proportionate inspection and enforcement practices;

• Strengthened cooperation between the Environmental Board, the Estonian Transport Administration and port authorities to better coordination of maritime environmental supervision.

Impact:

• Enhanced quality of maritime environmental enforcement in Estonia and the Baltic Sea region;

• Professional networks between authorities, ensuring continued learning and cooperation.

Indicators shall follow RACER criteria (Relevant, Accepted, Credible, Easy (to monitor), and Robust) and include

their data source, latest available values (baseline), and possible targets (if already set, with year to be reached).

For impact level you might provide relevant high-level thematic indicators (e.g. socio-economic and

environmental) to which the support is expected to contribute or expected benefits for final beneficiaries.

For outcome level, please provide indicators measuring the expected change by beneficiary authority after the

implementation of support.

Please try to select, where relevant, indicators from the list of TSI common indicators.

Not applicable for PACE requests. There is no envisaged provider, as the exchanges are based on the

cooperation between two or more Member States.

2.6 Provide information on your administrative capacity (i.e., staff that will be involved in the

requested support measures and their follow up).

The project coordinator, a Chief Inspector from the Environmental Supervision Development Bureau, will be responsible for planning activities, maintaining communication with partner institutions, and ensuring project

reporting. In addition, the team will include four environmental inspectors who are responsible for conducting

maritime environmental supervision in their daily work.

The team members, inspectors from Supervision Department have participated in several European Maritime

Safety Agency (EMSA) training programmes and working groups, providing a strong foundation for the planned

staff exchange and the implementation of lessons learned in Estonia.

Please describe the team (including number of team members and their experience, in particular in project management) that will be responsible for coordinating/monitoring the project, liaising with SG REFORM, and

participating in Steering Committees of the project.

2.7 Indicate the identity of stakeholders (e.g., other Ministries or beneficiaries) that may need to

be involved in the design or implementation of the requested support measures.

Key national stakeholders include:

• Transport Administration, responsible for maritime safety and coordination of port operations , also Maritime National Single Window;

• Port Authorities cooperation during inspections; • Ministry of Climate, ensuring policy coherence and strategic follow-up.

Stakeholders will be involved through coordination meetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and the

implementation of harmonised inspection procedures after the exchange.

[TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT

12

Please describe the role that each stakeholder will play in the implementation of the envisaged reform, as well as

their capacity to carry out the needed actions. Please explain how you plan to engage them in the implementation

of the requested support.

[TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT

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SECTION 3 – CIRCUMSTANCES

3 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE REQUEST

3.0* Is this request linked to a request from a

previous round? ☒ No, this is a new request.

☐ Yes, to a selected request from a past round.

☐ Yes, to a non-selected request from a past

round.

The following question will be displayed and mandatory only if the user selects “Yes” to the previous question.

Please enter the request ID of the linked request (selected or non-selected) from a previous round*

3.1 * The requested support is linked to:

☐ Reforms in the context of economic governance process (e.g., CSR, Country reports, implementation

of economic adjustment programmes, etc.)

☒ Implementation of Union priorities (e.g., European Green Deal, Customs Union, etc.)

☐ Implementation of Union law (e.g., infringements)

☒ Implementation of Member States’ own reform priorities to support recovery, sustainable economic

growth, job creation and enhance resilience

☐ Interventions with a regional dimension, multiregional projects, projects in outermost regions

☐ Intervention with an equality dimension (gender, disability, ROMA, migrants, elderly, LGBTQ+)

☒ Contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

[TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT

14

SECTION 4 – AGREEMENT TO COMMUNICATION

DISCLAMERS

Please see the disclaimers here. In order to “send for review” your request in the platform, you must

click and confirm that you “read and understood the disclaimer”.

-----------------------------------------------

CHECK (ONLY FOR COORDINATING AUTHORITIES BEFORE SUBMISSION)

4 AGREEMENT TO COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES BY BOTH THE COORDINATING

AUTHORITY(-IES) AND THE BENEFICIARY AUTHORITY(-IES)

SG REFORM may engage in communication activities to ensure the visibility of EU funding for support measures funded under the Technical Support Instrument. Such communications activities may include, but

are not limited to, press releases, publication on the Reform support website, or the publication on the

@EU_reforms X account.

4.1 * Do you agree that the Commission's communication activities may indicate that your

entity has submitted this technical support request, as well as the area of the request?

☒ Yes

☐ No

4.2 * Should this request be selected, do you agree that the Commission communicates about

the support measures?

☒ Yes

☐ No

The following point is only mandatory if you select “No” in point 4.1 or 4.2

4.2.1 * In case you object to the communication on a support measure, please provide a short

justification why you object.

[Insert Text; between 50-100 words]

4.2.2 * I consent that my personal data will be processed to invite me to future meetings or

events that the Commission may organise

☒ Yes

☐ No

Priority of the request Click or tap here to enter text.

Date of submission Click or tap to enter a date.

[TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT

15

DISCLAIMERS

DISCLAIMERS:

Please note that the template request for support is fully subject to the principles governing the TSI Regulation and Regulation (EU) 2024/2509 on the financial rules applicable to the General Budget of the Union. In compliance

with the principle of no double funding, the recipient (beneficiary) national authority shall immediately inform the European Commission of other related on-going actions financed by the budget of the European Union. In no

circumstances, shall the European Commission finance the same costs twice.

By submitting this request, the Member State accepts that, should the request for support be selected for funding under the TSI, the Member State will confirm to the Commission that there is no overlap between the

request selected under the TSI and concrete actions funded under other EU instruments and that

double funding is not present for this selected request.

Please note that the Commission shall establish a single online public repository through which it may, subject to applicable rules and on the basis of consultation with the Member States concerned, make available final

studies or reports produced as part of eligible actions set out in the TSI Regulation . Where justified, the Member States concerned may request that the Commission does not disclose such documents without their prior

agreement.

In accordance with the Financial Regulation, Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 2024/2509 and Council

Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 (10), (Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 (11) and (EU) 2017/1939, the financial interests of the Union are to be protected by means of proportionate measures, including

measures relating to the prevention, detection, correction and investigation of irregularities, including

fraud, to the recovery of funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used, and, where appropriate, to the imposition of administrative penalties. In accordance with the Financial Regulation, any person or

entity receiving Union funds is to fully cooperate in the protection of the financial interests of the Union, grant the necessary rights and access to the Commission, OLAF, the Court of Auditors, and, in

respect of those Member States participating in enhanced cooperation pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, the EPPO, and ensure that any third parties involved in the implementation of Union funds

grant equivalent rights.

The Member States shall counter fraud and any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union (Article 325(1) TFEU). Member States shall take the same measures to counter fraud affe cting the

financial interests of the Union as they take to counter fraud affecting their own financial interests (Article 325(2) TFEU). It is of paramount importance that the providers/implementing partners of support have an equivalent

stand against fraud and any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union.

It is to be noted that the support provided is intended to assist the Member State in its efforts to identify suitable

investments and reforms. The Member State remains fully responsible for such investments and reforms, including their implementation. The provision of the technical support does not commit the Commission in any way to

further support, whether financial or otherwise.

SG REFORM monitors the implementation of the Technical Support Instrument based on a performance reporting

system for which data and results are collected in an efficient, effective and timely manner and, where relevant and feasible, in a gender-disaggregated form. To that end, proportionate reporting requirements are imposed on

recipients of Union funding. As foreseen in the TSI Regulation, monitoring activities include, but are not limited

to, the TSI mid-term and ex-post evaluations. Should this request be selected, the information provided therein

may be used for evaluation purposes.

i Should a Member State wish to submit a request for special measures under urgency (Article 12(7) of the TSI

Regulation), it should contact SG REFORM at [email protected] for the relevant template. Please note that the request for special measures under urgency should be filled in only if there are serious grounds of urgency requiring an immediate response. The special measures that may be provided under urgency will only be interim support (for a maximum of six months), and could be replaced by support measures that are to be provided under normal circumstances according to the procedure of annual calls under the TSI Regulation. If the Member State concerned wishes to continue receiving support under the TSI, after the special measures expire, the standard request will need to be submitted according to Article 9 of the TSI Regulation.