Archives: May 2010

On 19 May the ESPON 2013 Programme (the European observation network for territorial development and cohesion) published a call for Transnational Networking Activities under Priority 4 to provide for activities on targeted capitalisation, awareness raising and dissemination of results arising from the programme. This is being undertaken on the basis that a participatory approach involving all relevant stakeholders and target groups in the preparation of territorial policies is fundamental to ensure their relevance, effectiveness, transferability and sustainability. Interactive and focused transnational dialogue actions involving policy makers, practitioners, scientists and young academics are encouraged.

A budget of EUR1.3 million is being provided with three types of actions foreseen to be financed:
* Media and Publications
* European Seminars and Workshops
* Transnational Networking Activities

ESPON has also launched calls for targeted analyses and applied research activities.

Deadline: 28 June
Further details

A 20 May European Parliament resolution on the relation between the EU research and innovation funding programmes and regional development funds stressed the need for a more integrated approach and better synergies to be created between these policy fields and their funding instruments. This report highlighted that sustainable economic growth is increasingly dependent on regional economies being able to innovate and invest in new technologies.

Research-Regional Resolution

The Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Diego Lopez Garrido, used the occasion of the annual European Maritime Day (20 May) in Gijon to announce that the June Council of Ministers meeting will unveil a new financial instrument to develop an Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) as set out in the 2007 vision document ('the Blue Book') and accompanying action plan. The package is expected to be worth in the region of EUR45 million over 3 years and will be used to support actions of joining up policies with a maritime dimension over the coming years.

IMP covers a wide range of governance, spatial planning, and sustainable development issues including marine transport; competitiveness and employment in marine businesses; scientific research; and protection of the marine environment. Actions dealing with the economic crisis and the need to embed maritime issues within the European strategy for growth and economic development are likely to be prioritised.

At the same meeting Spain's Minister for the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Elena Espinosa called for actions to develop broader knowledge of Europe's maritime resources and their economic, social and environmental situations. She also supported the development of joint marine strategies at a transnational level. EU Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner MarIa Damanaki noted the need to develop a comprehensive policy that includes all involved parties in activities related to the sea and expands marine knowledge.

‘The Blue Book’

A call was launched on 22 May to support transnational projects based on the 2010 Annual Work Programme for the 'Preparatory Action in the field of Sport' (published on 26 April). The main objective of this initiative is to prepare future EU actions in this field, on the basis of priorities set in the White Paper on Sport. A more ambitious EU Sport Programme is expected in the coming years.

A budget of EUR2.5 million at an 80% co-financing rate is being provided to identify suitable networks and good practices involving partner organisations in at least 5 EU Member States and addressing one of the following areas:
* Anti-doping projects focusing on wide-ranging prevention measures targeting amateur sport, sport for all and/or fitness (an indicative 5 projects at EUR200,000 funding each are to be co-financed);
* Promoting social inclusion, particularly of migrants and persons of foreign origin through sport (5 projects at EUR200,000 each); and
* Promoting volunteering in sport - in particular relating to legal, fiscal and funding-related aspects and issues faced by actors involved in the management and running of sport associations and local sport structures (3 projects at EUR150,000-EUR200,000 each).
Actions will need to extend beyond basic research or one-off conferences.

The EU gained a competence in sport under the Lisbon treaty and European Sports Ministers held their first ever formal meeting on 10 May in Brussels, as part of the Council of Education, Youth and Culture. At this meeting they unanimously agreed to design a common policy which will aim, among other principles, to recognise sport's education and social role (including promoting training, health-enhancing physical activity and social inclusion); support sport structures, especially those of volunteers, and ensure sustainable funding (a study on the financing of grassroots sport in the EU is nearing completion); and encourage values such as the fight against discrimination and xenophobia. The Commission is committed to including these priorities in its upcoming communication on sport which is due to be published in November as a basis for common policies.

Deadline: 31 August

Approved applications (2009)

On 19 May the European Commission launched three new calls for proposals, making an additional EUR172 million of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) budget available to finance transport infrastructure projects. Funding opportunities are based upon the TEN-T annual and multi-annual programmes and will reflect key projects of European added value in the fields of:
* Motorways of the Sea (alternative freight routes) (EUR85 million);
* River information services and inland waterway traffic management (EUR10 million);
* Promoting the development of an integrated and environmentally friendly transport system (EUR30 million);
* Studies and works accelerating the implementation of TEN-T projects notably in the rail and inland waterways sectors, as well as projects supporting the Single European Sky policy (up to EUR40 million);
* Studies to support public-private partnerships (PPPs) (up to EUR7 million).

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their relevance to TEN-T priorities and policy objectives, and their socio-economic and environmental impact.

Deadline: 31 August
Further details or e-mail: TENT-AGENCY@ec.europa.eu

On 18 May a call for proposals was published to develop the 'Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs' preparatory action. This call aims to help new EU entrepreneurs enrich their experiences, learning and networking by spending periods of on-the-job training in enterprises run by experienced counterparts in other EU Member States. The overall objective of the preparatory action is to enhance the business skills, ideas development, internationalisation and market access prospects, and longer-term competitiveness of potential start-up entrepreneurs and newly established micro and small enterprises. A budget of EUR4.3 million is being provided, mainly to support ''intermediary organisations'' active in supporting enterprises and who would facilitate the mobility of nascent entrepreneurs.

Deadline: 28 June
Further details

The 2010 Call for Proposals for the LIFE+ programme was launched on 5 May. The programme comprises three components.
1) Nature & Biodiversity:
Innovative best practice or demonstration projects on the protection, conservation, restoration, monitoring and facilitating the functioning of natural systems or habitats, wild flora and fauna, with the aim of halting the loss of biodiversity or that contribute to the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives.
2) Environment Policy & Governance:
Projects that contribute to the implementation of Community environmental policy, the development of innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments, the knowledge base as regards environment policy and legislation, or environmental monitoring. Applications dealing with sustainable management and use of natural resources and waste (including the environmental performances of products, sustainable production and consumption patterns, waste prevention, recovery and recycling) are particularly encouraged although applications are welcomed across all the following themes:
* Climate Change
* Water quality
* Air quality
* Soil (sustainable use)
* Urban environment
* Noise
* Chemicals and pesticides
* Environment and health
* Forests
* Innovation (green technologies)
* Strategic approaches (e.g. improving SMEs’ environmental performance).

3) Information & Communication:
Awareness-raising campaigns and events on environmental, nature protection and, in particular, biodiversity conservation issues, as well as projects related to forest fire prevention.

The maximum co-financing rate will be 50% or 75% for projects focusing on priority Birds and Habitats Directives species/habitats. It is envisaged that successful projects will get underway in autumn 2011. No national priorities have been set for potential Irish projects. Ireland's national information day on the call is scheduled for 3 June. Contact LifeIE@mwhglobal.com for further details.

To date, just two Irish projects, both arising from the 2007 call, have been adjudged to be of sufficient quality to make use of the annual amount (this year an indicative EUR3.83 million) ring-fenced for projects from Ireland. Mulkear Life is led by the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board who, along with the Office of Public Works, National Parks & Wildlife Service, and the County Councils of Limerick, North Tipperary and South Tipperary, are engaged in the restoration of the Lower Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for Sea lamprey, Atlantic salmon and European otter. Meanwhile the Central Fisheries Board's CAISIE project is tackling the control of aquatic invasive species and restoration of natural communities in Lough Corrib, the Grand Canal and the Barrow.

Deadline: 1 September (submissions to the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government)

Further details

Climate change mediation is increasingly being seen in EU terms as an area where the local level is best placed to deliver informed grassroots solutions which also touch on other policy areas such as regeneration and the environment. This priority was underlined in a speech by energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger at the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony in the European Parliament on 4 May.

This Commission-backed declaration gained another 500 adherents at its first birthday celebration with representatives of these cities and regions formally pledging to play their part in significantly curtailing CO2 emissions through local plans and actions. Covenant signatories are now set to benefit from access to a windfall of at least EUR115 million, unspent as part of the European Economic Recovery package, in order to implement their sustainable energy policies. The funding is intended to be specifically used as a leverage mechanism to raise significant further investment from financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Bank (EBRD) and is hoped to act as a low carbon economy and employment creating stimulation tool.

The announcement was accompanied by a series of further Commission commitments to support the Covenant and local actions in sustainable energy including heightened levels of cooperation with ''regional and national administrations, that support both in technical and financial terms the implementation of the Covenant in smaller cities''. The ELENA financing package which arose from the Covenant as a means of providing technical assistance to structure and implement viable project proposals under local/regional sustainable energy strategies has already been doubled to a EUR30 million annual fund after strong levels of uptake. ELENA has been a key factor in mobilising €1 billion worth of investment (much of this through EIB loans) in just a few months – and is set to be further reinforced over the coming years.

According to the Commissioner, other supportive instruments with cities particularly in mind are also under consideration including 'carbon-funding instruments'. Looking to the longer term, work is ongoing to develop a dedicated 'Smart Cities' initiative in support of urban energy technologies within the Eight Framework Programme for Research and Technology. The Commissioner also announced his intention to bring forward a new Energy Efficiency Strategy for Europe which would give particular focus to regional and local actors.

Further details

Several calls for proposals to finance transnational projects within the 'Prevention of and Fight against Crime' programme have been opened. As well as technical policing and legal system support, this includes measures to address the following issues:
1) Radicalisation leading to terrorism and the role of victims of terrorism in preventing - mainly at community level (18 June deadline);
2) Illegal use of internet (18 June deadline); and
3) Trafficking of human beings (25 June deadline).

Further details

A separate call for proposals for transnational projects under the 'Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks' programme (CIPS) will be published at the end of May, with a deadline for applications in late July.

Further details