Launch of the 2 nd call for proposals

1. CENTRAL EUROPE PROGRAMME 2007-2013 National Info Day Bologna, Italy 27 January 2009 Launch of the 2nd call for proposals Barbara Di Piazza JTS CENTRAL EUROPE PROGRAMME

2. 2nd Call for Proposals • Launched: 7 January 2009 • Closure: 18 March 2009 • ERDF amount to be allocated: ca 70 Mio EUR • Open to all Programme Priorities • Application Package available on the Programme website

3. Eligible Partners • National, regional and local public authorities • Public Equivalent Bodies • International Organisations • Private institutions including private companies

4. Minimum Partnership Requirements • At least: • three financing partners; • from at least three countries; • being at least two of the partners located in EU CENTRAL EUROPE area.

5. Location of partners (1/3) • Partners can: • be located outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area if they are considered as Assimilated Partners, i.e.: a national public authority or a public equivalent body competent for its scope of actions for certain parts of the eligible area but located outside it (e.g.: ministries); • Exception valid for Germany and Italy only.

6. Location of partners (2/3) • Partners can: • Also be located in EU but outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area; • Overall all EU partners outside the CENTRAL EUROPE area cannot get more than 20% of the ERDF project budget (application of the 20% flexibility rule in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme); • EU partners located outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area cannot be Lead Partner; • Their activities are for the benefit of the regions of the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area; • Their involvement is considered as exceptional and must be clearly justified.

7. Location of partners (3/3) • Partners can: • Also be located in any Third Countries; • Do not benefit of ERDF contribution; • Partners located in ENPI or IPA Countries could benefit of funds made available by the ENPI or IPA national programmes.

8. Partnership • Recommended maximum number of partners: from 8 to 12 according to the chosen type of action; • Partners involved in a balanced way; • Note: • Associated institutions acting as observers and without financial contribution can be involved in the project.

9. Partnership: Characteristics Partners involved in the project should be relevant bodies actually competent for the development, implementation and dissemination of outputs and results. All partners should be involved in the project in a balanced way and be able to credibly outline benefits derived from the partnership and transnational cooperation. As a general rule, the bigger the number of partners, the more complex it is to manage the project. Therefore, only partners necessary to achieve the project objectives should be brought on board.

10. Lead Partner's Requirements • Located in the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area*: • National, regional and local public authorities • Public Equivalent Bodies • International Organisations acting under national law • Private institutions (only for projects submitted under Priority 1) • * for IT and DE assimilated partners can also act as Lead Partners

11. Programme Priorities Priority 1: Facilitating Innovation across Central Europe Priority 2: Improving Accessibility of and within Central Europe Priority 3: Using our Environment Responsibly Priority 4: Enhancing Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Cities and Regions

12. Expected Project Characteristics (1/2) • Transnational thematic focus and partnership • Coherent approach • Effective management (including communication strategy, knowledge creation and transfer) • Strive for concrete and visible outputs and results and actual implementation • Clear added value

13. Expected Project Characteristics (2/2) CENTRAL EUROPE will not support: • Projects not addressing an issues of transnational relevance or that can be funded under one single cross-border programmes • Pure research and technology development without clear links to other actors • Mere continuation of past co-operation project without clear added value • Mere networking and exchange of experience • Project fundable under or other Structural Funds programmes

14. IMPLEMENTATION & METHODOLOGY: TYPE OF ACTION

15. Location of Activities (1/2) • General principles: • A) Activities must be implemented within the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area. • Expenditure is ERDF co-financed. • Exception: management/coordination activities performed by Assimilated Partners. • B) Activities can be implemented in EU but outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area (up to 20% of the total ERDF project contribution). • Expenditure is ERDF co-financed. • Activities are for the benefit of regions of the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area.

16. Location of Activities (2/2) • C) Activities can be implemented in Third Countries but for the benefit of the regions of the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area. • Expenditure is ERDF co-financed on condition that is spent under the responsibility of a EU CENTRAL EUROPE partner or assimilated to it. • Expenditure is up to 10% of the total ERDF project contribution.

17. Project size, Duration and Funding Indicative Project size From 1-5 million EUR total eligible budget; In exceptional cases also smaller or larger projects can be funded. Indicative Project duration Between 30 - 36 months (max 48 months).

18. Co-financing Rates Up to 75%: Austria, Germany, Italy Up to 85%: Czech Republic, Hungary, PolandSlovakia, Slovenia Up to 75%: EU partners located outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area

19. Budgeting Principles SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT • Principle of ECONOMY: resources […] shall be made available in due time, in appropriate quantity and quality and at the best price. • Principle of EFFICIENCY: best relationship between resources employed and results achieved. • Principle of EFFECTIVENESS: attaining the specific objectives set and achieving the intended results. The first two principles should be already incorporated when preparing the budget of your application.

20. Respect of EU policies • Project proposalshavetorespect: • Equalopportunities • Protectionandimprovementoftheenvironment • Public procurementrules • State Aid

21. State Aid discipline in a nutshell (1/4) • Art. 87.1 of the Treaty of the European Union says: • „(…) any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it affects trade between Member States, be incompatible with the common market“.

22. State Aid discipline in a nutshell (2/4) • All the following three conditions have to be met in order to consider the aid subject to the State Aid discipline: • The aid is provided by a public body; • The final beneficiary is an undertaking, that is “any entity engaged in an economic activity, regardless of its legal status and the way in which it is financed”; • The aid distorts or can potentially distort competition and affects trade among the Member States.

23. State Aid discipline in a nutshell (3/4) It is not, therefore, the legal status of the partner but the nature of the activities that it intends to implement that determines whether the State Aid discipline is applicable or not.

24. State Aid discipline in a nutshell (4/4) • In case the activities of a partner are considered as State Aid relevant, de minimis applies. • Max amount of aid is limited to EUR 200.000 (EUR 100.000 in the road transport sector) over a timescale of three fiscal years. • Percentages of co-financing established by the ERDF Regulation and applicable according to the location of the partner apply (75%-85%).

25. The evaluation process (1/2) If the project proposal does not pass this step, the further steps do not take place and the project is rejected If the project proposal does not pass this step, the further steps do not take place and the project is rejected Results validated by the MC

26. The evaluation process (2/2) Communication to Lead Applicants Notification of receipt Notification of results to all Lead Applicants Notification of results to all Lead Applicants

27. JTS SUPPORT to projects • Internet Platform (www.central2013.eu) • Publications • Lead Applicant Briefings- Venice, Italy: 9-10 February 2009- Budapest, Hungary: 16-17 February 2009- Stuttgart, Germany: 24-25 February 2009 • Seminars for Lead and Project Partners in - Project management - Finance management - Communication/Media-relations • Thematic events in co-operation with Contact Points • Individual Consultations on demand • Participation in project events on demand

28. JTS SUPPORT: Programme Website • wwww.central2013.eu • Thematically structured in line with the four programme priorities • Daily updated news • Permanently updated calendar of events • Document Centre • „How to implement“- Section • Tools and FAQs • Planned: Regional profiles, discussion forum, etc. Updates: Please register on our website and we will keep you posted!

29. CONTACT/UPDATES CENTRAL EUROPE ProgrammeJoint Technical Secretariat Museumstrasse 3/A/IIIA-1070 Vienna Phone: +43 1 4000 76143 Fax: +43 1 4000 9976141 Email: info@central2013.eu Internet: www.central2013.eu

30. Thank you for your attention!