Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (PACE) taotluse esitamine

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] Roheline 64 / 80010 Pärnu linn/ Tel 662 5999 / e-post: [email protected] / www.keskkonnaamet.ee / Registrikood 70008658  TECHNICAL SUPPORT INSTRUMENT (TSI) PROGRAMME Regulation (EU) 2021/240 (TSI Regulation) (1) REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT i (Article 9 of the TSI Regulation) DEADLINE: 31 October 2025 To be submitted [by/via] 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. INITIATE THE REQUEST IN THE SYSTEM Type of support request: * PACE - Public Administration Cooperation Exchange Title of the request: * Strengthening Estonia’s Maritime Environmental Supervision through EU Peer Cooperation 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- ☐ Yes * country request is a request developed and/or submitted in collaboration with one or ☒ No more authorities of other Member State(s)) 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 Parliam ent and of the Council of 10 February 2021 establishing a Technical Support Instrument, OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 1–16. 0 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 0.2 Please indicate the type of this multi-country The Member State submits this request on ☐ * request 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 For each participant: (-ies) of this request. Estonia Environm ental 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: 1 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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 Environm ental Board Authority * Address * Roheline 64, 80010, Pärnu Country * Estonia Beneficiary Authority type* [Single Choice: Selection from pre -determined options] ☐ National government ☐ Regional or local governm ent ☒ Regulatory or supervisory agency ☐ Judicial authority ☐ Public agency ☐ Central bank ☐ National prom otional bank and institution ☐ Other public law body or body governed by private law with a public service m ission 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 f or technical support are processed in accordance with the applicable data protection rules. The privacy statement explaining the processing of personal data can be f ound in section 7 of record DPR-EC-04667 “Submission and assessments of requests f or technical support under the Technical Support Instrument”, at the f ollowing link: https://ec.europa.eu/dpo - register/detail/DPR-EC-04667 2 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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 adm inistrations across the European Union are confronted with common challenges such as climate change, digital transform ation, crisis m anagement or the effects of globalisation. These com plex problems of m ultidim ensional nature require cooperation am ong national adm inistrations but also at European level, to best leverage all the knowledge available. Many of the problems and challenges identified, for exam ple in the country-specific recommendations addressed to each Mem ber State in the context of the European Sem ester, can m ore easily addressed by building cross- border understanding and acquiring an EU dim ension perspective in policy and decision m aking. The Com m ission supports the efforts of Mem ber States to im prove their adm inistrative capacity to im plement Union law, which is essential for the proper functioning of the Union, and it shall be regarded as a m atter of com mon interest. Such action m ay include facilitating the exchange of information and of civil servants as well as supporting training schemes. Through the “Public Adm inistration Cooperation Exchange” (PACE) the European Com mission aim s at prom oting cooperation and cross-border exchanges am ong Member States to build adm inistrative capacity and prepare the next generation of policy m akers in the European Union. The objective is to create a European Com m unity of public servants that exchange best practices, including, where appropriate, working visits to relevant Member States to enable officials to acquire or increase their expe rtise or knowledge in relevant m atters. Exchanges will take the form of one or m ore targeted study visits, where 1 -5 civil servant(s) from an EU Member State authority will be em bedded in an EU peer adm inistration from a few days to 3 m onths taking part in m eetings, 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 com bined with online m eetings between visits. The civil servant(s) participating in the exchange will agree on the preparation of a final deliverable, such as a report or s tudy, to be described in the TSI request for support to be subm itted. 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 m aritim e environmental supervision in Estonia, including the im plem entation and enforcement of international and EU requirements related to m arine environmental protection, waste m anagement, ship recycling, and clim ate objectives. Although Estonia has m ade progress in building its m aritim e supervision system, the capacity of national inspectors to interpret and apply increasingly com plex international and EU m aritim e environmental law rem ains lim ited. Im plementation of m aritim e 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 m akes enforcement of international and EU environm ental requirements m ore challenging. To ensure consistent and effective application, inspectors must possess both environmental expertise and technical understanding of shipping operations — a dual com petence that is currently not fully established in Estonia. The issue has become m ore pressing as the m aritim e and shipping sector undergoes rapid techno logical and regulatory transform ation, driven by the European Green Deal, clim ate -neutrality targets and the shift towards 3 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT cleaner technologies and fuels. Practical cooperation and knowledge exchange with peer inspection authorities in other EU Mem ber States are therefore essential to strengthen national im plementation 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 m aritim e sector and from varying im plem entation approaches across EU Mem ber States, leading to uneven enforcement standards. Estonian inspectors have lim ited 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 program mes focus mainly on legal and procedural aspects, while practical inspection skills — such as shipboard environmental control, waste m anagement supervision and m onitoring of fuel transition com pliance — require further capacity building. In addition, there is no unified overview across EU Mem ber States of how environm ental control requirements in shipping are im plemented, how inspector qualifications are obtained, and what com petencies are required for different inspection functions. Lack of harm onised digital tools and data-sharing m echanisms also lim its cooperation between the Environmental Board, the Transport Adm inistration and port authorities. c) CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM, including on the affected population/stakeholders. If these capacity gaps are not addressed, enforcement of m aritim e environmental requirements in Estonian ports m ay rem ain fragm ented and inconsistent. Differences in inspection practices and interpretations can reduce com pliance among operators, harm environmental quality and create uneven competitive conditions within the EU internal m arket. Estonia records m ore than 1,000 port visits annually, of which the Environm ental Board inspects around 15%, in line with the Port Reception Facilities Directive. This dem onstrates Estonia’s significant role in EU -wide m aritime environm ental 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 requirem ents significantly affect Estonia’s ability to ensure the effective and consistent im plementation of its obligations. Maritim e transport is a strategic sector for Estonia’s economy and trade, and the proper application of environm ental rules directly influences both the state of the Baltic Sea and fair com petition within the EU internal m arket. The challenge m ust be addressed systemically rather than within the boundaries of a single institution. It involves several key stakeholders — the Estonian Environm ental Board, the Transport Adm inistration, port authorities, and shipping operators — whose coordinated action is essential to ensure the consistent im plementation of EU and international requirem ents such as the FuelEU Maritim e 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 Mem ber States has hindered the broader adoption of best practices and innovative approaches. Although Estonia m eets its annual inspection obligations under the PRF and Sulphur Regim es, the growing com plexity of new environm ental standards and technologies is significantly increasing the technical and adm inistrative workload of inspectors. 4 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT Consequently, the problem has both national and cross-border dim ensions. It affects the quality and consistency of m aritim e environmental supervision in Estonia and has im plications for coordinated im plementation efforts and environm ental cooperation across the Baltic Sea region and at the EU level. Maritim e transport plays a crucial role in Estonia’s freight sector — studies indicate that nearly 90% of cargo m ovements 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 m anagement) is essential not only from an environm ental protection perspective but also for m aintaining the competitiveness of Estonian ports and shipping, and for ensuring compliance with the rules of the single EU m aritime 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 m aritim e sector is a key com ponent of the EU Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package, where greenhouse gas em issions m ust 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) m easures, which require national authorities to have sufficient technical and analytical capacity to ensure effective im plementation. At the sam e tim e, the PRF Directive obliges Mem ber States to establish efficient port waste reception and m anagement systems, including the separate collection and reporting of m arine litter and abandoned fishing gear. These m easures 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 tim e, Estonia risks lagging behind in im plementing the new fram eworks, 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 com petition in the m aritim e sector. The Baltic Sea regions are particularly sensitive to pollution and clim ate im pacts, with increasing pressure from m aritim e em issions and waste. Strengthening inspector capacity contributes directly to the EU 2030 Clim ate 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 m aritim e (ship and port) environmental supervision system and has actively participated in EMSA training activitie s and expert working groups. Most national and EU funding instrum ents 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 lim ited budget of the Environm ental Board. Consequently, participation in such pro jects has not been feasible. Therefore, external technical support is essential to build the com petencies of Estonian inspectors and to ensure the consistent and effective im plementation of international m aritim e environmental law. 5 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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. 6 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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 - Environm ental enforcement - Better regulation, licensing, inspections and m arket surveillance - Digital Public Adm inistration - Clim ate change m itigation - Waste, waste water and m arine 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 aim s to strengthen Estonia’s environmental supervision in the m aritim e sector and to enhance the institutional and operational capacity of the Environm ental Board to ensure the consistent and effective im plem entation of international and EU m aritim e environmental requirements. It supports the broader objective of im proving public sector performance and environmental governance in line with the EU Green Deal and the 2030 clim ate targets. By im proving the technical and practical com petencies of environm ental inspectors and prom oting knowledge exchange with peer authorities in other EU Mem ber States, the project will help Estonia apply international m aritim e environmental obligation in professional m anner. In the longer term , the project will strengthen cross-border cooperation in the Baltic and North Sea ports, im prove the quality and consistency of environm ental com pliance practices, and contribute to a cleaner, safer and more sustainable m aritime 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 Environm ental Board to effectively enforce m aritim e environmental legislation in alignm ent with EU and IMO standards. The project aim s to ensure that Estonian inspectors are equipped with the technical, procedural and risk -based com petences needed to apply com plex m aritim e environmental requirem ents — including EU Regulations and IMO environm ental 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; 7 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT • Im proved internal coordination between environmental, m aritim e and port authorities; • Updated national guidance m aterials and inspection procedures reflecting EU standards; • Enhanced institutional readiness to contribute to regional and EU-level environm ental cooperation in the Baltic Sea region. These outcomes will directly address existing capacity gaps, ensure consistent and effective im plementation of m aritim e environmental obligations, and strengthen Estonia’s contribution to the sustainable maritim e 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 Mem ber 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 im plement from peer institutions. You m obilise your network to identify possible host institutions in other countries. • Joining up of several Mem ber State institutions to prepare a m ulti-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 m ulti-country project of several Mem ber States interested in the sam e TSI project. Exam ples of TSI projects can be found here. Project concept / Key output A report will sum m arise and document the work com pleted during the exchange, the working m ethods, culture of the host public adm inistration and lessons learned during the exchange. This will be produced m ainly by the visiting Mem ber State but can also be done in cooperation with the host administration if this is agreed in advance. Indicatively it could be a com parative 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 m ay 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 environm ental inspectors from the Environm ental Board will participate in a practical exchange in Germ any’s Baltic and North Sea ports where advanced risk-based m aritime environmental inspection systems are in place. The exchange will address the increasing c om plexity of im plem enting EU and international m aritime environm ental regulations, which com bine port, flag and coastal state responsibilities and require close coordination between environm ental, m aritim e and port authorities. This exchange will help bridge these knowledge gaps and strengthen the professional capacity of inspectors to effectively enforce EU and IMO requirem ents. The exchange m ainly will focus on: • learning risk-based inspection and enforcement m ethods; • observing the use of digital m onitoring and reporting tools (e.g. for PRF, MRV and ship recycling compliance); • understanding coordination m echanisms between port, transport and environmental authorities; • exploring approaches to control high-risk vessels; • and studying im plementation practices supporting the EU Maritim e Regulation and IMO instrum ents and 8 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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 m edium-term outcome of the exchange, in your hom e Member State? Following the exchange, the knowledge will be added into Environm ental Boards internal training system and reflected in the national inspection guidelines and checklists, risk assessment m ethods and digital reporting tools which is used for m aritim e environmental enforcement. Best practices identified during the visit will be shared with the Transport Adm inistration and the Ministry of Clim ate, ensu ring 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 m edium term , the outcomes will contribute to the development of a national risk-based inspection fram ework, 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 cap acity-building or other projects focusing on m aritim e 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 m ethods, 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 Germ any, focusing on Baltic and North Sea ports. The program me will include: • Day 1: Introductory workshop and presentations on inspection planning, risk assessment, and digital m onitoring tools; • Days 2–4: On-site ship and port inspections with Germ an counterparts, focusing on waste m anagement, air em issions, fuel sam pling, and safety procedures. Participants will observe the use of protective and m onitoring equipm ent 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 fram ework 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. 9 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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 Germ any. 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 m ethods, safety procedures, and digital m onitoring 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 sum marise 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 confirm ed 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 estim ated 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 m easured through a combination of output, outcome, and im pact indicators: Outputs: • 5 inspectors trained; • 1 preparatory workshop and 1 concluding m eeting held; • 3 on-site inspection sessions completed, covering ship and port environm ental checks (waste m anagement, air em issions, fuel sam pling, 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 m aritime environmental inspection practices . Outcom es: 10 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT • Im proved technical and practical com petencies of inspectors in applying EU and IMO m aritime environm ental legislation; • Better understanding of inspection planning, use of m onitoring equipment and digital tools; • More harm onised, 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 m aritim e environmental supervision. Im pact: • Enhanced quality of m aritim e 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 Environm ental Supervision Development Bureau, will be responsible for planning activities, m aintaining com munication with partner institutions, and ensuring project reporting. In addition, the team will include four environm ental inspectors who are responsible for conducting m aritim e environmental supervision in their daily work. The team m embers, inspectors from Supervision Department have participated in several European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) training program mes and working groups, providing a strong foundation for the planned staff exchange and the im plementation 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 Adm inistration, responsible for m aritim e safety and coordination of port operations , also Maritim e National Single Window; • Port Authorities cooperation during inspections; • Ministry of Clim ate, ensuring policy coherence and strategic follow-up. Stakeholders will be involved through coordination m eetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and the im plem entation of harm onised inspection procedures after the exchange. 11 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT 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. 12 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT SECTION 3 – CIRCUMSTANCES 3 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE REQUEST 3.0* Is this request linked to a request from a ☒ No, this is a new request. previous round? ☐ Yes, to a selected request f rom a past round. ☐ Yes, to a non-selected request f rom 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: ☐ Reform s in the context of economic governance process (e.g., CSR, Country reports, im plementation of economic adjustment programmes, etc.) ☒ Im plementation of Union priorities (e.g., European Green Deal, Custom s Union, etc.) ☐ Im plementation of Union law (e.g., infringem ents) ☒ Im plementation of Mem ber States’ own reform priorities to support recovery, sustainable economic growth, job creation and enhance resilience ☐ Interventions with a regional dim ension, m ultiregional projects, projects in outermost regions ☐ Intervention with an equality dim ension (gender, disability, ROMA, m igrants, elderly, LGBTQ+) ☒ Contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT SECTION 4 – AGREEMENT TO COMMUNICATION 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 DISCLAMERS Please see the disclaimers here. In order to “send f or review” your request in the platf orm, you must click and conf irm that you “read and understood the disclaimer”. ----------------------------------------------- CHECK (ONLY FOR COORDINATING AUTHORITIES BEFORE SUBMISSION) Priority of the request Click or tap here to enter text. Date of submission Click or tap to enter a date. 14 [TSI 2026] Template: REQUEST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT DISCLAIMERS DISCLAIMERS: Please note that the tem plate 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 com pliance with the principle of no double funding, the recipient (beneficiary) national authority shall im m ediately inform the European Com mission 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 subm itting 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 m ay, subject to applicable rules and on the basis of consultation with the Mem ber States concerned, make available final studies or reports produced as part of eligible actions set out in the TSI Regulation . Where justified, the Mem ber States concerned m ay request that the Com mission does not disclose such documents without their prior agreem ent. 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). Mem ber States shall take the sam e 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 param ount im portance that the providers/im plementing 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 investm ents and reforms. The Mem ber State remains fully responsible for such investments and reforms, including their im plementation. The provision of the technical support does not com mit the Com mission in any way to further support, whether financial or otherwise. SG REFORM m onitors the im plementation of the Technical Support Instrument based on a perform ance reporting system for which data and results are collected in an efficient, effective and tim ely m anner 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, m onitoring activities include, but are not lim ited to, the TSI m id-term and ex-post evaluations. Should this request be selected, the inform ation provided therein m ay 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 pro vided 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. 15