Reviewers from
nine European countries

An international two-day seminar for First Level Controllers was held at Clarion Hotel in Östersund, Sweden on January 25-26. Interact* set up the agenda/content and swedish FLC took care of the practical arrangements of the event.

*the EU-organization who is supporting European Territorial Cooperationprograms

Thirty participants representing nine European countries attended the seminar. Subject of discussions where financial control of Territorial Cooperationprojects.

Helen Donaldson, FLC Northern Ireland and Piet van Dijk, FLC Netherlands where two of the participants at the seminar.

Interacts training and the participants own experiences resulted in interesting discussions and case studies. Exchange of experience continued during the breaks for coffe and lunch. Another good thing was that new contacts where established.

Many of the questions did have clear answers, but far from all. Conditions differ between the nations and situations and it can be difficult, or even impossible, to give simple answers, which also is an experience from the seminar.

Questions that seemed to be especially interesting was about future simplifications. For example flatrate of overhead-costs and common control documentation for all FLC through out Europe. As it is today, every program have their own set of documents.

Another interesting point in the agenda was when some participants presented their own experiences of working as FLC. This was a way of getting information about each others reality.

Boguslawa Lukomska from INTERACT Point Vienna spoke at the seminar about flexibility within First Level Control.

Discussions went on during lunch that was held at Arctura, a restaurant in the top of a tower at the arena used for World Cup and World Championship in cross-country skiing and biathlon.

In the evening dinner was served at restaurant Innefickan and seminar-participants enjoyed mushroom soup and herb-baked pork tender loin. Coffe and chocolate truffels rounded up the dinner.

All arriving participants was met by the freezing cold wintercity Östersund. Twenty degrees below zero and sparkling snow in beautiful sunshine was an exotic experience. Many of them defied the bitter cold after dinner and took the opportunity to step into the bathtubs on the dock of Storsjön (Big Lake). Some even dared to take a dip in the seawater in a hole in the ice.

The visit in Östersund was appreciated and, as someone said, "Your city is beautiful and it has made me want to visit Sweden again some-time soon!!"