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Public-Private Partnerships - PPPs

France’s network of expertise

For over five years, ADETEFhas been building up a pool of PPP experts and partners, from both the public and the private sector, who are involved in PPP promotion and outreach internationally.

This pool has grown over the course of various activities and meetings. It now contains over 80 members, including:

  • the French PPP Task Force (MAPPP);
  • PPP officials in the economic and financial ministries (Directorate of the Budget and Directorate of Legal Affairs);
  • experts from the Ministry for Sustainable Development;
  • bodies of the technical ministries (National Task Force for Hospital Investment (MAINH) in the Health Ministry for hospitals, and bodies of the Ministry for Justice, Ministry for the Interior, Ministry for Education, etc.);
  • the French Institute for PPP (IGD);
  • Banks and financial organisations (CDC, Caisse d’Épargne, Crédit Foncier, etc.), and the French International Contractors’ Association (SEFI);
  • specialist associations (French Institute of International Legal Experts (IFEJI (French Institute of International Legal Experts) ), International Bar Association);
  • law firms (Frilet, Landwell, Gide, Norton Rose, Chenut, etc.),
  • consultancies and large businesses (Veolia, Vinci, Egis, Systra, Suez, Saur, Bouygues, etc.).

Broad outlines of PPP cooperation

The assistance offered by Adetef in the PPP field consists in outreach to France’s partners, new EU member states, Neighbourhood Policy countries and other modernising countries concerning France’s extensive practical experience in PPP and the advantages of the different types of PPP developed over decades: concessions, public-service outsourcing and partnership contracts.

Many countries are going to embark on expensive infrastructure programmes with EU funding, especially from the Structural Funds or the specific funds for the Association Agreements. It is incumbent on these countries to lay down legislation ensuring that such programmes will be properly managed, and, to this end, they want to find the best formula and expertise.

The object is to help them introduce or improve their own legislative frameworks and develop their infrastructure and public services through knowledge and use of best financing practice and therefore PPP options.

Cooperation methods

  • The bilateral approach: seminars and study visits

Since 2005, various forms of cooperation (work seminars, study visits to France, expert missions, attendance at conferences, etc.) have taken place in the following countries: Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Mexico, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Sultanate of Oman, Syria, Ukraine, Vietnam, etc.

The demand for seminars on exchange of know-how and experience and for a better understanding of France’s expertise in PPPs is now growing with Lithuania, Vietnam and Kazakhstan.

  • The multilateral approach: European twinnings

Adetef, in association with the French PPP Task Force (MAPPP) and specialists from the Ministry for Sustainable Development, was awarded a short-term twinning in Bulgaria (6 months) to support the Bulgarian authorities in introducing their PPP financing policy for infrastructure. This twinning ended in late 2009, and the beneficiaries were very satisfied with it.

Adetef and its partners have applied for a twinning to strengthen PPP support infrastructure in Morocco.

Lobbying

The French Institute of International Legal Experts (IFEJI (French Institute of International Legal Experts) ), an association set up under the auspices of the Paris Bar and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, is intended to meet the demand for legal expertise in the field of cooperation.

With particular encouragement from the World Bank, which is very open to the experience on offer, its organisers aim to contribute through a collective effort (working parties and background papers) to development of PPP good practice internationally.

Adetef has given its support to this IFEJI (French Institute of International Legal Experts) initiative, including financial assistance, in order to help establish an effective strategy in the field of business law as well as to develop civil law.

  • Membership of the PPP MedAfrique Club

At the PPP International Meetings organised by the PPP Club in close collaboration with the MAPPP, IGD and consulting firms, Adetef became co-founder of the PPP MedAfrique Club, whose aim is to promote PPP financing methods developed in France to partners across Africa and the Mediterranean. This project should mesh with the EU’s extensive development programme for the Mediterranean.