SUPPORT OF PROCESSING PUBLIC PROJECTS FOR COHESION FUND USING ICT TOOLS Jiří Hřebíček, Zdenko Staníček Masaryk University, Faculty of Informatics Botanická 68a, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic E-mail: hrebicek@fi.muni.cz, stanicek@fi.muni.cz Jana Soukopová Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Business and Economy Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic E-mail:jhreb@mendelu.cz ABSTRACT This paper undertakes the analysis of project management and processing for Cohesion Fund with using developed information and communication technology tools. Presented data – flow analysis enables to implement information and communication technology tools, which allow planning, specifying and assessing projects for Cohesion Fund more effective. This novel and effective tool - web PROJECT portal based on a general business rule engine - is able to help an enhancement of sustainable development financing. KEYWORDS Public project, ICT, data-flow analysis, Cohesion Fund, web portal, business rule engine, knowledge management 1. INTRODUCTION One of the current research areas related to Applied Computing is an analysis, design and development of appropriate ICT tools for planning, proposing, evaluation and assessment of public projects (regional, sectorial or national programs) in support of sustainable development of regions in the European Union Member States. In brief, we will introduce several problems to be solved in this area. Article 2 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, states that the Community’s task is to promote harmonious, balanced and sustainable development of economic activities and a high level of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment. Article 6 of the Treaty of Amsterdam requires environmental protection requirements to be integrated into other Community policies with a view to promoting sustainable development and Article 130r has been replaced by Article 174 under which projects financed by the Cohesion Fund help member countries to achieve the environmental objectives laid down in accordance with the goals of the Fifth and Sixth Community programme on policy and action on the environment and sustainable development. Ten accessed European countries will become EU members on 1 May 2004 and they will be able to use the Cohesion Fund (CF) for supporting their sustainable development, because it aimes its financial support to accessed countries on three priority sectors in environment: 1. drinking water supply 2. sewerage and water treatment; 3. management of urban, industrial and dangerous solid waste. The European Commission’s main aim is to complete the cycle of assistance and provide what is missing in existing systems, and to finance integrated working systems. The future financial strategy of the CF has been defined by the Commission with regard to the following points: • presentation of projects using sectorial and territorial approach to the environment, by catchment’s area in case of water supply projects and by region in case of waste-water and waste management projects;