Compete2020

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Compete2020


compete 2020 logo

AAC 14/SI/2020 – Sistema de Incentivos Inovação Produtiva – COVID 19 – Projetos Individuais | 29 May 2020


logia de Projetos São suscetíveis de apoio os projetos individuais em atividades inovadoras, que se proponham desenvolver um projeto de investimento nas seguintes tipologias:

a) Inovação de produto (Bens e serviços).

b) Inovação de processo (novos métodos de fabrico, organizacionais ou de marketing e expansão da capacidade).
Área Geográfica Regiões NUTS II do Continente: (Norte, Centro, Lisboa, Alentejo e Algarve).
Natureza dos Beneficiários Empresas (PME e grandes empresas) de qualquer natureza e sob qualquer forma jurídica.
Taxas de Cofinanciamento Os apoios são aplicáveis através da aplicação das seguintes taxas de cofinanciamento:

A taxa máxima de incentivo 80%;

A taxa referida na alínea anterior pode ser majorada em 15 p.p. se o projeto for concluído no prazo de 2 meses a contar da data da notificação da decisão favorável da Autoridade de Gestão.
Formas e limite dos apoios Os apoios são atribuídos sob a forma de subvenção não reembolsável
Dotação orçamental 46 M€ FEDER
Período de Candidatura De 2020/04/20 a 2020/05/29 (19 h)

More information here
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AAC 15/SI/2020 – Sistema de Incentivos à Atividade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento e Investimento em Infraestruturas de Ensaio e Otimização (upscaling) – COVID 19 – Projetos de I&D Empresas | 29 May


pologia de Projetos “I&D Empresas” e “Infraestruturas de Ensaio e Otimização”, conforme disposto na Portaria nº 96 de 18 de abril relativa ao Regulamento específico para apoio a atividades de Investigação e Desenvolvimento e ao investimento em Infraestruturas de Ensaio e Otimização (upscaling) no contexto do COVID-19.
Área Geográfica Regiões NUTS II do Continente – Norte, Centro, Lisboa, Alentejo e Algarve.
Natureza dos Beneficiários – Empresas nacionais de qualquer natureza e sob qualquer forma jurídica;

– Entidades não Empresariais do Sistema nacional de I&I (ENESII).
Taxas de Cofinanciamento Projetos “I&D empresas”:

100% relativamente aos custos elegíveis nas atividades de investigação fundamental (até níveis de TRL 3); 80% dos custos elegíveis nas atividades de investigação industrial e desenvolvimento experimental (níveis de TRL 4 e superiores); A taxa de apoio de 80% prevista no ponto anterior pode ser majorada em 15 p.p. se mais do que um Estado-Membro apoiar o projeto de investigação ou se a investigação for realizada em colaboração transfronteiriça com organizações de investigação ou outras empresas.

Projetos “Infraestruturas de Ensaio e Otimização”:

A taxa máxima de incentivo a atribuir é de 75%; A taxa de 75% dos custos elegíveis pode ser majorada em 15 p.p. se o projeto for concluído no prazo de 2 meses a contar da data de decisão;
Formas e limite dos apoios Os apoios a conceder no âmbito deste Aviso revestem a forma de incentivo não reembolsável.
Dotação orçamental 23 M€ FEDER
Período de Candidatura De 2020/abr/20 a 2020/mai/29 (19 h)

More information here
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Foundation for Science and Technology Portugal – FCT – AI 4 COVID-19: Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the Public Administration to strengthen the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics – 2020| 28 May 2020

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FCT – AI 4 COVID-19: Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the Public Administration to strengthen the fight against COVID-19 and future pandemics – 2020| 28 May 2020


Visão Geral e Objetivos

Na sequência da série de concursos lançados pela FCT desde 2018 para o apoio a atividades de I&D na área da Ciência dos Dados e Inteligência Artificial na Administração Pública, a FCT lança agora um novo concurso orientado para processamento de dados no âmbito da atual pandemia do novo coronavírus SARS CoV2 e da doença COVID-19 e no contexto da situação de crescente incerteza e alarme social em que vivemos. O objetivo é apoiar projetos e iniciativas de I&D que possam contribuir para novas respostas a esta e a futuras pandemias, com ênfase no apoio aos cidadãos e aos serviços de cuidados de saúde.

Os projetos devem ainda considerar a possibilidade de utilização de recursos de computação avançada para tratamento dos dados, através de plataformas da Rede Nacional de Computação Avançada (RNCA).

O objetivo central desta ação, enquadrada na Iniciativa Nacional Competências Digitais e.2030, Portugal INCoDe.2030 (designadamente no Eixo 5 – Investigação), é promover a apresentação de projetos de I&D na área da Ciência dos Dados que contribuam para melhorar a resposta dos organismos da Administração Pública ao impacto da COVID-19 e de futuras pandemias, em linha com o disposto no Plano Nacional de Preparação e Resposta à Doença por novo coronavírus (COVID-19) da Direção Geral da Saúde (DGS).

As formas emergentes de “ciências dos dados”, incluindo o processamento, a análise, a visualização e a apresentação de dados e de informação resultante da sua análise, tem o potencial de originar novas informações para os cidadãos e para os serviços de saúde, de forma a estimular a prevenção da COVID19 e/ou de futuras pandemias assim como melhorar a resposta tanto a nível da saúde como da sociedade. Entre outros benefícios, espera-se que esta iniciativa contribua para a melhoria contínua dos serviços públicos de saúde, assim como para a otimização das práticas e atitudes dos cidadãos. De modo a maximizar a valorização e reutilização dos dados gerados no âmbito deste concurso, pretende-se adotar procedimentos alinhados com as melhores práticas internacionais de dados abertos, nomeadamente através da elaboração de Planos de Gestão de Dados para cada projeto.

Espera-se igualmente que esta iniciativa tire partido dos recursos de computação avançada existentes na RNCA, para os referidos métodos de processamento, análise, visualização e apresentação de dados e informação gerada, estimulando assim sinergias com esta rede e o desenvolvimento de competências digitais especializadas.

É obrigatória a participação no projeto de, pelo menos, uma entidade da Administração Pública, designadamente de serviços e entidades prestadoras de cuidados de saúde, sendo requerida a descrição do comprometimento dessa ou dessas entidades com a utilização dos resultados do projeto e das atividades de I&D.

É também necessária a descrição da forma como o projeto irá preservar os aspetos éticos e legais associados à utilização dos dados, nomeadamente as questões de privacidade e consentimento no acesso aos dados pessoais dos cidadãos, de partilha de dados entre fontes diferentes, e de transparência da análise e utilização dos dados.

Este concurso é a terceira edição de 3 concursos anuais que envolvem uma dotação global de 10 milhões de euros.

Financiamento

Os projetos terão uma duração de 24 a 36 meses (prorrogável, no máximo, por mais 12 meses, em casos devidamente justificados).

O limite máximo de financiamento por projeto é de 240 mil euros.

Para este concurso está prevista uma dotação orçamental de 3 milhões de euros. Os projetos aprovados serão integralmente financiados por fundos nacionais através do orçamento da Fundaçao para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.

Destinatários e Elegibilidade

Podem candidatar-se, individualmente ou em copromoção, equipas de investigação das seguintes entidades:

  • Entidades não empresariais do sistema de I&I, nomeadamente:
    1. Instituições do ensino superior, seus institutos e unidades de I&D;
    2. Laboratórios do Estado ou internacionais com sede em Portugal;
    3. Instituições privadas sem fins lucrativos que tenham como objeto principal atividades de I&D;
    4. Outras instituições públicas e privadas, sem fins lucrativos, que desenvolvam ou participem em atividades de investigação científica.

É obrigatória a participação no projeto de, pelo menos, uma entidade da Administração Pública, designadamente de serviços e entidades prestadoras de cuidados de saúde, sendo requerida a descrição do comprometimento dessa ou dessas entidades com a utilização dos resultados do projeto e das atividades de I&D.

Como concorrer

As candidaturas devem ser apresentadas à FCT, em língua inglesa, em formulário próprio e submetidas eletronicamente através do Portal de Concursos.

As candidaturas são compostas obrigatoriamente pelo formulário eletrónico e pelos seguintes anexos:

  • obrigatórios:
    • ficheiro de calendarização das tarefas do projeto;
    • documento comprovativo da colaboração de entidade(s) da Administração Pública (declaração de dirigente máximo do organismo);
  • opcional:
    • Orçamento de utilização dos recursos da plataformas computacionais da RNCA (Anexo I do Aviso);
    • Plano de Gestão de Dados (Anexo II do Aviso).

A digitalização da Declaração de Compromisso de cada candidatura (assinada pelo Investigador Responsável e instituições beneficiárias) terá de ser submetida obrigatoriamente num único documento PDF no Portal de Concursos de Projetos de I&D até às 17 horas, hora de Lisboa, do dia 15 de junho de 2020.

Para mais informações recomenda-se a leitura da documentação do concurso nomeadamente: o Regulamento de Projetos FCT, o Guia de Apoio ao Preenchimento do Formulário de Candidatura, o Guide for Peer Reviewers e o Ethics Self-Assessment Guide.

Prazos e datas importantes

O período de apresentação de candidaturas decorre entre 31 de março de 2020 e as 17 horas (hora de Lisboa) de 28 de maio de 2020.

Avaliação

A avaliação será efetuada por um painel internacional de avaliadores independentes. Cada proposta será avaliada segundo os seguintes critérios:

  1. Mérito científico e caráter inovador do projeto de acordo com os objetivos enunciados no Aviso para Apresentação de Candidaturas, incluindo a relevância da questão de investigação para a Administração Pública e a sociedade, e no contexto dos objetivos deste concurso;
  2. Mérito científico da equipa de investigação;
  3. Exequibilidade do programa de trabalhos em termos do compromisso da Administração Pública, incluindo a existência de dados em escala e qualidade adequadas e a demonstração da consideração das questões éticas e legais associadas ao acesso aos dados, a existência de um Plano de Gestão de Dados, a utilização de recursos de computação avançada para tratamento dos dados, através de plataformas da RNCA e a razoabilidade orçamental.

Contactos

Mais informações sobre o concurso: concursoprojetos@fct.pt.

Nenhuma informação contida nesta página substitui ou se sobrepõe ao estipulado no Regulamento e no Aviso de Abertura do Concurso.


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INTERREG and ENI

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INTERREG and ENI


Open Calls


Second call for Strategic Projects -Enhancing Mediterranean Governance | 10 June 2020 (note: link removed/ inactive page)

Second call for Strategic Projects -Enhancing Mediterranean Governance


The Priority Axis 4 aims to contribute to a dialogue on macro regional and sea basin strategies in the Mediterranean and to generate cooperation and consensus raising among Mediterranean regions and participating countries on issues currently lacking common agreements and operational plans.

 Specific objective: To support the process of strengthening and developing multilateral coordination frameworks in the Mediterranean for joint responses to common challenges.

 Specifically, the main objectives of the strategic projects are:

  1. The first strategic project will focus on promoting the use of blue biotechnologies to address the SDGs in the MED and on promoting new value chains and business opportunities.
  2. The second strategic project will focus on promoting the articulation of the collaboration of the quadruple helix actors to address the SDGs in the MED and on improving the governance of innovation policies to increase the coherence among multilevel programs, strategies and initiatives.

 Main focus is on innovation in blue bioeconomy, and the need to improve the capacities of public actors on innovation policies, strategies and actions in the blue bioeconomy

 The strategic projects must contribute:

  • to further improve the capacity of cooperation to add value to the investments already made;
  • to influence the dynamics of territorial development and improvement of the governance tools;
  • to support and create synergies with international initiatives or commitments in the framework of international conventions and agreements;
  • to facilitate and prepare the scale up toward concrete wider and long-term initiatives, beyond the strategic projects themselves, and in Post 2020 perspective.

Deadline

The submission consists of two main steps:

  •  The Application Form must be validated on SYNERGIE CTE by June 10th, at noon (French time).
  • The upload of the compulsory annexes to SYNERGIE CTE shall be completed by “date of the submission of the proposals assessment to the Monitoring Committee (foreseen on June 22nd)”

In order to submit the proposal, the Lead Partner must request the creation of an account giving access to the Application form on SYNERGIE CTE by sending an e-mail to the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg MED Programme (programme_med@maregionsud.fr).

The request for the account creation can be sent to the JS until March 27 . Any request made after this date will not be treated.

Project duration

Projects are invited to establish as starting date of the activities on September 1st, 2020 and as ending date June 30th, 2022. The duration of 22 months cannot be exceeded.

Financial allocation

The indicative financial allocation for this Call for Proposals is about 3 M€ in total (ERDF+IPA+national co-financing).
The overall ERDF envelope in the framework of this call is 3.000.000,00 €.
The overall IPA envelope in the framework of this call is 63.000,00 €.
Partners are co-financed at 85%.
Project budget should be between 1.5M€ and 1,6M€ in total (ERDF+IPA+national co-financing), depending on the planned activities and the partnership involved.

More information

https://interreg-med.eu/fund-my-project/calls/second-call-for-strategic-projects/

International Funding Instruments

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International Funding Instruments


There are various opportunities coming out of the International Funding Instruments, during the entire period of the AM WestMed Inititative, covering different Blue Economy sectors.


Open call


Europaid – ENI Euromed Transport – Logistics And Motorways Of The Sea Project


A Service Prior Information Notice – EuropeAid/140231/DH/SER/MULTI – was published recently targeting the ENI Southern region (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Syria).

In the framework of transport cooperation within the Union for the Mediterranean and the implementation of the related Regional Transport Action Plan this project will support activities in the area of Logistics of Motorways of the Sea connections. It will as such follow-up on the LogisMed Training Activities project and previous EuroMed Motorways of the Sea projects (MedaMOS). Activities will include, among others, technical assistance, capacity building, awareness rising and support to demonstration projects.

The Technical Assistance project will be launched under the programming of EU for Green MED III and sustainable transport, with a budget of €3,000,000.


More information here


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Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative


Under this new initiative, the Commission proposes to direct EUR 37 billion under Cohesion policy to the fight against the Coronavirus crisis. To this effect, the Commission proposes to relinquish this year its obligation to request Member States to refund unspent pre-financing for the structural funds. This amounts to about EUR 8 billion from the EU budget, which Member States will be able to use to supplement EUR 29 billion of structural funding across the EU. This will effectively increase the amount of investment in 2020 and help to front-load the use of the as yet unallocated EUR 28 billion of cohesion policy funding within the 2014-2020 cohesion policy programmes.

In order to quickly direct these €37 billion of European public investment to address the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, the Commission proposes to relinquish this year’s obligation to request refunding of unspent pre-financing for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the Cohesion Fund (CF) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) until programme closure.

In addition, the Commission is proposing to extend the scope of the EU Solidarity Fund by also including a public health crisis within its scope, in view of mobilising it if needed for the hardest hit Member States. Up to EUR 800 million is available in 2020.

Mobilising the EU budget

To bring immediate relief to hard-hit SMEs, the EU budget will deploy its existing instruments to support these companies with liquidity, complementing measures taken at national level. In the following period, EUR1 billion will be redirected from the EU budget as a guarantee to the European Investment Fund to incentivise banks to provide liquidity to SMEs and midcaps. This will help at least 100,000 European SMEs and small mid-caps with about EUR 8 billion of financing.

Moreover, the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative will facilitate the deployment of the European Social Fund – a fund geared towards supporting workers and healthcare.

The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund could also be mobilised to support dismissed workers and those self-employed under the conditions of the current and future Regulation. Up to EUR 179 million is available in 2020.

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (2014-2020) has a budget of €5.7 billion in shared management with Member States. Many Member States still have a substantial EMFF budget left to support their fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors, which they can use until the end of 2023. They can redirect the unspent budget to existing and new EMFF measures in their programme to reduce the negative impact of the Coronavirus crisis on the workers and businesses in these sectors.

 

EMFF Regulations[1]

It is proposed to amend the EMFF Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 as follows:

Article 35 is modified to make it possible for the EMFF to contribute to mutual funds which provide financial compensation to fishermen for economic losses caused by a public health crisis as follows: “In Article 35, paragraphs 1, 5, 6 and 8 are replaced by the following :

“1. The EMFF may contribute to mutual funds which pay financial compensation to fishermen for economic losses caused by a public health crisis, adverse climatic events or by environmental incidents or for the rescue costs for fishermen or fishing vessels in the case of accidents at sea during their fishing activities.”

…

“5. Member States shall define the rules for the establishment and management of the mutual funds, in particular for the granting of compensation payments and the eligibility of fishermen for such compensation in the event of a public health crisis, adverse climatic events, environmental incidents or accidents at sea referred to in paragraph 1, as well as for the administration and monitoring of compliance with those rules. Member States shall ensure that the fund arrangements provide for penalties in the case of negligence on the part of the fisherman.”

“6. Public health crises, adverse climatic events, environmental incidents or accidents at sea referred to in paragraph 1 shall be those that are formally recognised by the competent authority of the Member State concerned as having occurred.”

…

“8. The contributions referred to in paragraph 1 shall only be granted to cover losses caused by public health crises, adverse climatic events, environmental incidents or accidents at sea which amount to more than 30 % of the annual turnover of the business concerned, calculated on the basis of the average turnover of that business over the preceding three calendar years.”

  • Article 57 is modified to add the possibility for the EMFF to safeguard the income of aquaculture producers by contributing to an aquaculture stock insurance covering economic losses due to a public health crisis,
  • In order to respond to impacts of the crisis, the EMFF should support mutual funds and stock insurance to safeguard the income of fishermen and aquaculture farmers affected by a public health crisis.

 

Measures immediately available under current EMFF rules: actions by producers’ organisations and by Member States

A series of measures under the EMFF are immediately available under current EMFF-rules. Details can be found here – https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/sites/fisheries/files/2020-information-note-coronavirus_en.pdf . Examples include:

  • Producers’ organisations can, at short notice, adapt their Production and Marketing Plans (PMPs) to the evolving situation. This includes adapting their extraction and marketing strategies in order to continue a certain level of fishing activity and therefore ensure their economic viability and a stable supply to the market.
  • Member States are strongly advised to use the possibility for an advance of at least 50% of the financial support provided to the Production and Marketing Plans. For all valid PMPs, such advances may be paid without delay.
  • Both of the above can be pursued in parallel. Once a new PMP is approved, new advances must be paid. There is therefore a way to rapidly and legally inject liquidities. As payments related to the preparation and implementation of PMPs are conditioned on the approval of the annual report, payments related to past PMPs should be accelerated. In most cases, annual reports on the implementation of the 2019 PMPs (or 2019 phase of multiannual PMPs) have been or will shortly be submitted. Competent authorities should treat the related payment requests promptly.
  • The Commission encourages Member States to ensure swift payments to beneficiaries, including through advances where possible, and to consider an accelerated selection of beneficiaries. This will help to keep cash flows in support to the sector.
  • The EMFF supports community-led local development by providing financial support to Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), who implement their strategies. These strategies can be relatively easily and quickly updated or modified to take into account needs arising from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Member States are encouraged to communicate this possibility to their respective FLAGs.

 

Compensating economic losses of fishermen and aquaculture producers through the EMFF

The Commission has proposed to extend the scope of insurance mechanisms in the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) to pay financial compensation for economic losses caused by a public health crisis. If Member States activate these measures, the EMFF could contribute to mutual funds or stock insurance contracts to compensate fishers and aquaculture farmers whose economic losses amount to more than 30% of their annual turnover.

State aid Framework Flexibility[2]

The main fiscal response to the Coronavirus will come from Member States’ national budgets. EU State aid rules enable Member States to take swift and effective action to support citizens and companies, in particular SMEs, facing economic difficulties due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

In line with EU rules on state aid, temporary limited amounts of aid in the form of direct grants or tax advantages can be granted by Member States (national funding) to undertakings in the fisheries and aquaculture sector that find themselves facing a sudden shortage or unavailability of liquidity.

In view of the current crisis, the Commission has proposed a new temporary State Aid Framework on 19 March 2020, under which aid to fisheries and aquaculture can be authorised up to a level of €120,000. Beneficiaries can be undertakings which face difficulties as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. This temporary aid does not apply to cases explicitly excluded from the de minimis aid in the fishery and aquaculture sector. Aid can be granted until 31 December 2020.

Member States can also give public guarantees on loans and enable public and private loans with subsidised interest rates, subject to specific conditions.

Τhe Temporary Framework provides for five types of aid:

(i)  Direct grants, selective tax advantages and advance payments: Member States will be able to set up schemes to grant up to €800,000 to a company to address its urgent liquidity needs.

(ii)  State guarantees for loans taken by companies from banks: Member States will be able to provide State guarantees to ensure banks keep providing loans to the customers who need them.

(iii) Subsidised public loans to companies: Member States will be able to grant loans with favourable interest rates to companies. These loans can help businesses cover immediate working capital and investment needs.

(iv) Safeguards for banks that channel State aid to the real economy: Some Member States plan to build on banks’ existing lending capacities, and use them as a channel for support to businesses – in particular to small and medium-sized companies. The Framework makes clear that such aid is considered as direct aid to the banks’ customers, not to the banks themselves, and gives guidance on how to ensure minimal distortion of competition between banks.

(v) Short-term export credit insurance: The Framework introduces additional flexibility on how to demonstrate that certain countries are not-marketable risks, thereby enabling short-term export credit insurance to be provided by the State where needed.

European Fiscal Framework Flexibility

The Commission will propose to the Council to apply the full flexibility provided for in the EU fiscal framework so that they can implement the measures needed to contain the coronavirus outbreak and mitigate its negative socio-economic effects.

First, the Commission considers that the COVID-19 pandemic qualifies as an “unusual events outside the control of government”. This allows accommodating exceptional spending to contain the COVID-19 outbreak such as health care expenditure and targeted relief measures for firms and workers.

Second, the Commission will recommend adjusting the fiscal efforts required from Member States in case of negative growth or large drops in activity.

Finally, the Commission stands ready to propose to the Council to activate the general escape clause to accommodate a more general fiscal policy support.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/regulation-coronavirus-response-investment-initiative-march-2020_en.pdf

[2] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_496


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BEYOND PLASTIC MED- Committing to a plastic-free Mediterranean Sea

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BEYOND PLASTIC MED- Committing to a plastic-free Mediterranean Sea


The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Tara Ocean Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, and the Mava Foundation joined forces to give life to the Beyond Plastic Med initiative (BeMed), which was launched at the international conference “Plastic in the Mediterranean: beyond the observations, what are the solutions?” in Monaco in March 2015. The association Beyond plastic Med was created in January 2019 and the IUCN has since become part of it, as they were eager to become involved alongside the founding members.


Open calls


Call for projects to reduce plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Islands | 21 June 2020


General information
The call was published the 01/04/2020.

By supporting projects implemented by or in close collaboration with local actors involved in the fight against plastic pollution, BeMed aims to achieve the following objectives:

·       Reduce plastic pollution at source and its impact on the marine environment by carrying out initiatives in the field,

·       Putting in place sustainable solutions,

·       Improve the understanding of the local context related to plastic pollution (major sources, level of information of the population, waste treatment system, regulations, main obstacles to the implementation of solutions, key actors…),

·       Build partnerships and strengthen the capacity of local partners,

·       Reinforce and replicate the effective actions already underway in the Mediterranean.

LINK:  https://www.beyondplasticmed.org/en/call-for-projects/

Deadline

The deadline for submission of applications is 21st June 2020 -21:00 (Paris time, GMT+2)

Project duration

The projects’ duration is of a maximum of 24 months months.  In any case, projects must concern activities implemented from 1 October 2020 and must be completed by 30 September 2022 at the latest.

Financial allocation
The total amount available is €100,000 and co-financing is required with BeMed not exceeding the 70%. The co-finance can take the form of self-financing by the project leader and/or co- financing by local or international financial partners.

Partnership

Eligible countries / geographical areas:

  • The call for projects concerns all the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
  • The project must target a Mediterranean island (or a group of islands) without priority of size.
  • The project must have a significant impact at the scale of an island or group of islands.

Eligible projects sponsors:

  • The call for projects concerns all types of stakeholders whose legal status allows them to receive grants.
  • Particular attention will be paid to the financial soundness of the applicant organization.
  • Priority will be given to organizations that develop activities mainly in the areas of awareness raising, nature protection, environmental lobbying, societal change, solution finding and innovation.
Further information
Types of actions

  • The call for projects concerns all types of stakeholders whose legal status allows them to receive grants.
  • Particular attention will be paid to the financial soundness of the applicant organization.
  • Priority will be given to organizations that develop activities mainly in the areas of awareness raising, nature protection, environmental lobbying, societal change, solution finding and innovation.
  • Particular attention will be paid to the multi-stakeholder approach of the proposed actions. Projects must demonstrate good integration between the public sector, local authorities and the private sector.

 


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MedPAN

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MedPAN


MedPAN is the network of Marine Protected Areas managers in the Mediterranean. Its mission is to promote, through a partnership approach, the sustainability and operation of a network of Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean which are ecologically representative, connected and effectively managed to help reduce the current rate of marine biodiversity loss.

The network currently includes 120 institutions and NGOs that either have direct responsibility for managing Marine Protected Areas (MPA) or are involved in the development of MPAs in the Mediterranean. These players manage over 100 MPAS in 20 Mediterranean countries.

The activities of the network revolve around 3 strategic components

  1. Be a network for knowledge, information, anticipation and synthesis
  2. Develop the life of the network, the exchanges between its members and their capacity to effectively manage their MPAs in link with the other players in their territories.
  3. Reinforce the sustainability, prominence, governance and resources of the MedPAN network.

[1] https://medpan.org/


No ongoing relevant calls  (24/03/2020)

PRIMA CALLS

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Transnational call – Thematic Area 3 – Agrofood chain:New optimized models of Agri-food supply chain systems offering fair price for consumers and reasonable profit share for producers | 16 September 2020


General information
The Mediterranean Agri-food value chain represents a complex ecosystem with numerous local actors, including farmers, small-scale food manufacturers and local distributors, canteens and retailers local public authorities. However, its competitiveness is seriously challenged by increasing imported agriculture resources and food products, as processed food, or as ingredients of food productions.

Those products are produced in large volumes for global markets, at low prices, and in regions suffering less from climate and environmental constraints, compared to the Mediterranean area. In addition, the price small farmers get for their products is quite low, compared to the price that products are sold to the end customer. This is due to the presence of many powerful actors, other than smallholders, in the farm-to-fork supply chain who can position and negotiate powerfully. Hence, there is a need for innovative organisational approaches and tools (tools and machines, business models, green public procurement, software, applications, etc.) that can help overcoming this challenge. New optimization models for the local Agri-food supply chain are requested, which provide local and distinguished benefit, economically, environmentally and socially to smallholders.

Increasing the competitiveness of small-scale farmers, manufacturers, local distributors and all other intermediate actors in the food chain is of key importance in order to guarantee a fair profit share for them. Optimized business models should be investigated that allows a better positioning of smallholders in the local and international markets, including innovative green public procurement approaches for local public authorities. In addition, new supply chain arrangements may be considered, analysed and empowered (if already in place elsewhere), especially shorter supply chains and more transparent relations between actors.

The access to markets, through innovative tools, including but not restricted to multi-technologies and ICT tools (web, apps, mobile devices), should be reconsidered as well as levers to improve the direct contacts between market players (supermarkets, out-of-home and consumers, canteens) and the farmers/ manufacturers, respecting the local socio-cultural characteristics of the target groups, i.e. smallholders in rural and underserved regions. Finally, all organizational and technological innovations and underlying research approaches that help local clusters and cooperatives to be more competitive are highly appreciated; considering the characteristics of the local societies. Additionally, the actions shall empower, through a Responsible Research and Innovation Approach, the climate of creativity of the small famers/producers/SMEs in the local community (i.e. social and inclusive innovations).

It shall also promote the concept and implementation of circular economy and responsible production-consumption concepts, with meaningful usage of resources via cascading eco-industrial methods and technologies highly performed at small scale.

LINK: http://prima-med.org/call-for-proposal/call-section-2-multitopic-2020/

Deadline
Stage 1 Pre-proposals – 15 April, 2020 (17:00h Barcelona Time) – maximum 10 pages

Stage 2 Full proposals – 16 September, 2020 (17:00h Barcelona Time) – maximum 50 pages

Project duration
PRIMA considers that proposals requesting a contribution as from EUR 1 million and with a duration from 36 months to 48 months

Financial allocation
The Indicative total amount is EUR 38.152 million

Depending on National Regulations. Each national funding body will fund the beneficiaries established in its own country, thus, the national funding rules apply. The coordinator of the project has to decide with the partners of a common starting date of the project and send this information to all the funding bodies involved in funding this project in order to ensure that the national contracts are synchronized in time to cover all the period of the project.

Partnership
Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Spain, Slovenia, Tunisia, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Turkey

Specific info
·       New technology tools and business models for access to market, suited to local clusters and SMEs, and creation of a new generations of young entrepreneurs.

·       New insights in the competitiveness of local clusters of farmers, small manufacturers and distributors, with integrated innovative planning and institutional solutions for sustainability and profitability.

·       New options to increase the added value of products from local clusters.

·       Transparencies in fair trade and shortening Agri-food chain beneficial for smallholders.

·       Verified consumer feedback on quality and safety of products from small holders, locally produced or obtained in inter-Mediterranean country trade.

Key Indicators:

·       Number of business models for quality and sustainability adapted to SME and smallholders.

·       SDG#2 Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size

More information here (removed link/ inactive page)


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CHAFEA, the EU’s Consumer, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency

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ERASMUS+

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ERASMUS +


Erasmus+ is the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad. Set to last until 2020, Erasmus+ doesn’t just have opportunities for students. Merging seven prior programmes, it has opportunities for a wide variety of individuals and organisations.

The aim of Erasmus+ is to contribute to the Europe 2020 strategy for growth, jobs, social equity and inclusion, as well as the aims of ET2020, the EU’s strategic framework for education and training. Erasmus+ also aims to promote the sustainable development of its partners in the field of higher education, and contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU Youth Strategy.


No relevant open calls currently (24/03/2020)

CONNECTING EUROPE FACILITY (CEF)

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Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)


The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a key EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level. It supports the development of high performing, sustainable and efficiently interconnected trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital services. Since January 2014, INEA is the gateway to funding under the CEF. INEA implements most of the CEF programme budget,in total €28.7 billion out of €30.4 billion (€23.5 billion for Transport, €4.7 billion for Energy, and €0.5 billion for Telecom).

The CEF has 3 main sectors and particularly interesting is the CEF Transport sector (https://ec.europa.eu/inea/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport).

CEF Transport (focuses on cross-border projects and projects aiming at removing bottlenecks or bridging missing links in various sections of the Core Network and on the Comprehensive Network (link), as well as for horizontal priorities such as traffic management systems. CEF Transport also supports innovation in the transport system in order to improve the use of infrastructure, reduce the environmental impact of transport, enhance energy efficiency and increase safety. The total budget for CEF Transport is €24.05 billion for the period 2014-2020.


Open Calls




New CEF Transport Blending Facility | Until March 2021


General information
The 28 of March 2019, the European Commission (EC) together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) launched the new CEF Transport Blending Facility, an innovative financial instrument. It is implemented via a cooperation framework between the European Commission and Implementing Partners to support Blending Operations, i.e. investments combining the use of grants and/or financial instruments from the EU budget and financing from the Implementing Partners (via a loan, debt, equity or any other repayable form of support).

The rolling call for proposals has been published on 15 November 2019.  The CEF Transport Blending Facility supports two areas which deliver on the Commission’s agenda for a clean and digital transport system:

  • Deployment of the European Railway Traffic Management System (ERTMS)
  • Deployment of Alternative Fuels

The relevant priority is the second one. Only Actions which are part of a Project of Common Interest identified in the TEN-T Regulation may receive Union financial support in the form of CEF grant under the CEF Transport Blending Facility. They should comply with the following:

– contribute to the objectives falling within at least two of the four categories set out in Article 4 of TEN-T Regulation;

–  be aligned to Chapter III of TEN-T Regulation;

– demonstrate European added value.

Specific eligibility criteria for the Deployment of Alternative Fuels proposals are listed in APPENDIX B of the “CEF Transport Blending Facility under the Multi-Annual Work Programme 2014-2020” [1]

Works relating to the deployment of infrastructure for Alternative Fuels shall be located on, or within a maximum distance of 10 km from the trajectories of the TEN-T Core Network, or in nodes of the Core Network as listed in Regulation 1315/2013 Annex II.1 and II.2. Works relating to mobile assets concerning the deployment of alternative fuels shall be eligible provided they are used on the European transport network.

Promoters can only apply for the CEF TBF grants with the support of the Implementing Partners. The complete list of Implementing Partners can be found in the CEF Transport Blending Facility Implementing Partners[2]

Proposals to the CEF Transport Blending facility include two elements: – a Grant Application form submitted by the applicant – Application File submitted by the Implementing Partner

Promoters must engage first with an Implementing Partner that will screen potential operations for their eligibility for a CEF TBF grant and in order to be included in the CEF TBF Project Pipeline. Implementing Partner will engage with the project promoters to conduct the necessary appraisal in order to obtain the approval of the Implementing Partner’s governing bodies for the project. Promoters with operations included in the pipeline, will prepare a Grant Application form that and will be transmitted to the Implementing Partner, who will then submit the Application File to the European Commission that will decide on the award of the grant.

LINK: https://ec.europa.eu/inea/en/connecting-europe-facility/cef-transport/apply-funding/blending-facility

Deadline
The call includes quarterly cut-off dates until March 2021, unless the budget would be exhausted earlier, as showed in the table below:

Grant Application forms submitted by the Applicants, together with Application files submitted by the Implementing Partners will be evaluated by the European Commission after each cut-off date.

Project duration

No maximum project duration indicated.

Financial allocation
The indicative amount to be allocated on the basis of this rolling call for proposals is in total EUR 198 mil of wich EUR 99 mil for the priority “Deployment of Alternative Fuels”. Grants for will take the form of a reimbursement of a specified proportion of the eligible costs actually incurred for proposals addressing Alternative Fuels, as specified in the table below:

(b) For the deployment of LNG vessels in inland navigation, the co-funding rate is set at 20% of the eligible costs

The CEF grant per Action shall be in excess of EUR 1 million. The minimum size of the Implementing Partners financing to a project supported by the Blending Operation shall be EUR 5 million. EIB project loan size is typically at least EUR 12,5 million.

Costs related to land acquisition, renting/leasing of facilities, permits and indirect costs, such as staffing and administrative costs, are not eligible.

Partnership
In accordance with Article 9 of the CEF Regulation, the grant related elements under the CEF Transport Blending Facility shall be eligible to receive Union financial support only if presented by:

– one or more Member States, and/or

– international organisations, joint undertakings, or public or private undertakings or bodies or entities established in Member States with the agreement of the Member States concerned, and/or

– entities which do not have legal personality under the applicable national law, with the agreement of the Member States concerned, provided that their representatives have the capacity to assume legal obligations on their behalf and offer a guarantee for the protection of the Union’s financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.

Applicants may designate affiliated entities within the meaning of Article 187 of the Financial Regulation, for the purpose of supporting the implementation of the Action submitted for funding

Applications submitted by natural persons are not eligible.

Further information:
Detailed information on the application process, the proposal properties and eleigibilities is described in the Call Text[3] and in the Guide for Applicants[4].

Contact with the European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH)

Project promoters interested in financing and blending opportunities or advisory services in the context of the CEF Transport Blending Facility may receive advice through the EIAH by sending an email request to eiah@eib.org.

[1]https://ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/c2019-2743_annex_to_commission_decision_bf_only.pdf

[2]https://ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/cef_transport_blending_facility_implementing_partners_20191219.pdf

[3] https://ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/2019_cef_transport_bf_call_text_final.pdf

[4] https://ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/guide_for_applicants_-_cef_transport_2019_blending_facility_v1_final.pdf


More information here


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