Successful cooperation between the Inspection Council and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBOR)

The cooperation between the Inspection Council and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBOR) started in November 2019 within the Project – Support for Improving the Effectiveness of Inspections in the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

The purpose of this cooperation was the identified needs of support in the process of implementation of the newly adopted legislation (Law on Inspection Supervision and the bylaws arising from it), in order to successfully implementation of the reform processes of the inspection system in the country, as well as simplification of the inspection procedures and improving efficiency and coordination of the inspection services under the authority of the Inspection Council, with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden and costs for business.

Within the first phase of the Project, which ended in December 2020, the following activities were implemented:

90 checklists were prepared (part of the procedure for conducting regular inspections supervision), as well as another 90 checklists prepared by the inspection services within the project support;
15 Risk assessment methodologies for the 15 inspectorates were developed (part of the procedure for planning the inspection supervision);
8 training curricula were prepared. The aim of the curriculas is training of the candidates for inspectors in accordance with the Interactive programme for candidates for inspectors adopted by the Inspection Council. All prepared materials (Manual for the candidates, Manual for Trainers, Training plan, Presentation, Quiz – questions and exercises for checking the knowledge) were translated into Albanian;
an LMS e-learning platform was developed for online training of the candidates for inspectors and the existing inspectors;
eight electronic / online trainings were prepared which were placed on the platform for the needs of the candidates and the inspectors;
a database of exam questions has been prepared for the needs of acquiring the status of inspector;
the website of the Inspection Council has been improved and upgraded;
training of trainers was delivered (thirty inspectors became a trainers and a part of the Roster list for trainer inspectors) and
trainings for inspectors were delivered.

The second phase of the Project, which started in December 2020, should be completed in December 2021, is a continuation of the already started processes and activities of the first phase of the project. According to the new situation with the Covid pandemy, the classic way of holding the trainings in the classroom was excluded as an opportunity due to which the only possibility in the past period was holding the trainings online, through the newly developed the LMS system. The new circumstances imposed the need for further electronic development of the already prepared curricula and their adaptation for self learning training through the LMS system.

Thus, within this second phase, the following activities have been realized:

Adapted / updated 8 existing training packages (according to the Interactive Training Program for obtaining an inspector license);
developed 11 new training packages in accordance with the Generic Training Program for existing inspectors (advanced program / advanced level);
prepared curricula (8 + 11) were translated into Albanian;
13 risk assessment methodologies were developed for the 13 remaining inspection services;
8 (interactive) + 11 (generic) SCORM courses for self-learning on Macedonian and Albanian language have been developed, which are placed on the LMS platform.

Seriousness and commitment of our country and the Inspection Council for finalization of the already started reform processes for full automatisation of the inspection procedure had been recognized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, due to which there were negotiations for the extension of the ongoing project, i.e. start of the third phase of the project – Expansion of the support for the inspection reforms in the Republic of Northern Macedonia – Development of modules for e-inspector for conducting the inspection supervision for 13 inspection services.