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PROXEMIS - Asociatia de Management al Riscurilor Globale
Str. Arh. Hirjeu nr. 10. sector 2. BUCURESTI, ROMANIA TELEFON/FAX : 04021.321.6125 MOBIL : 0724581078 E-MAIL: proxemis@swissinfo.org
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AGENTIA DE ARBITRAJ SI MEDIERE CONTRACTUALA - confidential srl. FonduriEU@aol.com sau fonduriUE@bizcity.ro
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SPECIAL EDITION
EU 2007-2013
JUNE 2006
This is the last edition of EU Funding in Brief in its current format. The new EU budget period of 2007-2013 will
require a different structure and an upgrade in content, distribution and overall image. From September we will
produce a new electronic booklet available to our subscribers only that will discuss the new policies and the
supporting financial instruments in a much higher detail. In the meantime please refer to www.eucenter.org for
regular updates on the forthcomming programmes.
EU funding in brief - June 2006
1. INTRODUCTION
The European Commission has reorganised its funding
startegy for the 2007-2013 period. There will be more funds
available for virtually any European organisations. At the
same time understanding the funding mechanisms is getting
increasingly complex and putting together proposals is
also getting more and more difficult. There is also an
increased competition from the 25 EU countries.
Europa Media Trainings 2006
We have updated the content of all
our training programmes in a way
that the main focus is now on the
new instruments of 2007-2013
and the running programmes are
only introduced in this context i.e.
summarising the experiences of the past in order to prepare
to the future programmes.
E-LEARNING
This training is suggested to those who are not familiar with
EU funding system and EC project development. During the
2-month training, the participants get a clear overview on
the funding system and become able to start to develop their
own proposal. Registration is continuous.
EUROPEAN FUNDING ACADEMY
(Budapest, Hungary) 1 JULY - 13 OCTOBER
Europa Media developed a new, special
training programme together with the
University of Miskolc, Innostart
Foundation and Geonardo Ltd in order
to integrate all phases of EC project
development and management.
Concluding this course the participants
will be able to chose the best funding
The EU Funding in brief is the official edition of Europa Media PSC
Chief editor: Mr. Gabor Kitley, managing director, Europa Media
Address: 15 Vitorla Street, 1031 Budapest, Hungary
Phone: +361 453 3801, Fax: +361 436 9038
E-mail: info@europamedia.hu, Web: www.europamedia.hu
source for a specific idea, develop the proposal for it, negotiate
with the Commission on the won project, as well as
manage the project itself. The programme lasts for 3 month
including an e-learning course and a 5-day intensive classroom
course. See also page 53.
THREE-DAY INTERNATIONAL TRAINING COURSE ON EU PROJECT
DEVELOPMENT - INFORMATION SOCIETY TECHNOLOGY
(Heviz, Hungary) 25-27 SEPTEMBER 2006
The European Commission will
drastically change the funding
schemes available for European
IST projects beginning in 2006.
These changes concern the
introduction of completely new programmes and a significant
increase in the budget of the existing ones.
The seminar lecturers will introduce these new programmes,
relying heavily upon the experiences gained from
years of successful project development under the current
funding schemes. See also page 64.
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON EC PROJECT DEVELOPMENT -
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT (St Julians, Malta)
21-22 SEPTEMBER 2006
This program is recommended for
both decision makers and highlevel
project managers representing
companies and other organisations
that intend to take an active
part in the development of future
energy and environmental projects
in Europe. See also page 61.
For updates on the new programmes, calls and other events
visit www.eucenter.org on a regular basis.
3
EU funding in brief - June 2006
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Funding opportunities in 2006 . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1. EU External Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1.1 Pre-Accession Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1.2. Other External Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.1.3. Transition Period (2004-2006) - post accession assistance 7
2.2. Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2.1. Structural Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2.2. Community Initiatives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2.3. Cohesion Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 European Investment Bank, EIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.4. European Investment Fund, EIF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.5. Community Programmes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.6. Other funding opportunities in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3. New funding opportunities from 2007. . . . 22
3.1. The EU as a global partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3.1.1. Development Cooperation and Economic Co-operation Instrument 23
3.1.2. European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, ENPI 24
3.1.3. Instrument for Pre-Accesion Assistance, IPA . . . 24
3.1.4. Instrument for Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.2. Cohesion for growth and employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.2.1. Changes in ERDF 26
3.2.2. Changes in ESF 26
3.2.3. Novelties introduced for the Cohesion Fund 26
3.3. Competitiveness for growth and employment. . . . . . . . 26
3.3.1. Seventh Framework Programme on Research and Technological Development, FP7 27
3.3.2. Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, CIP 29
3.3.3. Integrated Action Programme in Lifelong Learning 30
3.4. Preservation and management of Natural Resource 31
3.4.1. Common Agriculture Policy, CAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.4.2. LIFE+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.4.3. Common Fisheries Policy, CFP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.5. Citizens, freedom, security and justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.5.1. Health and Consumer Protection Programme. . . 33
3.5.2. Culture 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.5.3. Media 2007 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
35.4. Citizens for Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.5.5. Youth in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3.5.6. Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
4. Success stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5. Information sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6. Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
7. Deadlines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Europea Media Trainings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
CONTENT
The scheme of funding opportunities for the year 2006 is generally structured according to three main areas of the interest
of the European Commission:
- Regional policy focusing on the economic and social development in regions within the EU. Here the financial support is
mainly provided through national or regional authorities;
- External policies related to countries outside the EU including the help for Accession countries, Candidate Countries and
third countries;
- Thematic policies. Within this area, topics such as research and development, information technologies, justice, health,
environment or education are supported by many specific Community Programmes.
2.1. EU EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE
2.1.1 Pre-Accession Funds
Pre-Accession Funds are financial instruments, which were established by the European Union to assist the preparation of
the applicant countries for the EU-accession:
- Phare (2000-2006) (Poland Hungary Assistance for the Reconstruction of the Economy) programme supports the implementation
of tasks (institutional development and legal harmonisation) defined by the national governments and the
European Commission in the Accession Partnerships and in the National Programmes for the Adoption of Acquis. These
tasks concern developments, which have economic, social and political effects. The main objective of Phare recently is to
4
EU funding in brief - June 2006
2. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN 2006
5
EU funding in brief - June 2006
assist the preparation of the applicant countries for joining the regional (ERDF - European Regional Development Fund)
and social (ESF - European Social Fund) sections of the Structural Funds. It comes under the responsibility of the
Directorate-General for Enlargement, which is also responsible for the overall co-ordination of pre-accession assistance
(including ISPA and SAPARD programmes). According to each country's level of preparation, PHARE programmes are
implemented under centralised or decentralized management structure. Under the Decentralized Implementation System
(DIS), the national implementing authorities are still subject to ex-ante control by the local EC Delegation. In a further step,
under the Extended Decentralized Implementation System (EDIS), the national implementing authorities are no longer
subject to ex-ante control by the local EC Delegation.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/pas/phare/
- The main aim of the SAPARD (2000-2006) (Special Action Programme for Pre-Acession Aid for Agricultural and Rural
Development) programme is the assistance of the preparation for the accession in the fields of agriculture and rural development.
No more project proposals can be submitted since 30 April, 2004. The sources of SAPARD can be used until the
end of 2006 according to the signed contracts.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/pas/sapard.htm
- ISPA (2000-2006) (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession) finances major environmental and transport
infrastructure projects, long-run investments. The Cohesion Fund will replace ISPA after the accession of the given country
to the Community. The system which was designed to make ISPA financial sources payable will make also the grants of the
Cohesion Fund payable.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/funds/ispa/ispa_en.htm
- CARDS (2000-2006) (Community Assitstance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation) programme was established
in 2000 to promote stability and peace in the Western Balkan region. Previously, the European Union assisted EUR
6.8 billion to this region. CARDS is aiming to help these countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia,
Montenegro, and the former Republic of Macedonia - WBC) in the participation of the Stabilization and Association
process. A formal contractual relationship is achieved in a Stabilization and Association Agreement. In the period of 2000-
2006 EUR 4.6 billion is provided for reconstruction, institutional and legislative development, ensuring human rights, to
sustain economic and social development and to promote closer relationship between the WBC and with the EU. All
programmes are divided into national and regional parts. The Europe Aid Co-operation Office is responsible for all Regional
Programmes, while the Delegations of the European Commission to the countries are responsible for National Programmes.
Croatia and Macedonia, which have been granted candidate country status are benefiting from pre-accession financial
assistance while remaining Western Balkan Countries are eligible for participation in the CARDS regional programme.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/cards/index_en.htm
In the period 2007-2013 IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance) will replace the 2000-06 pre-accession financial
instruments PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, the Turkish pre-accession instrument, and the financial instrument for the Western
Balkans CARDS. (See more on page 24.)
- The MEDA (2000-2006) (The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership) programme is the principal financial instrument of the
European Union for the implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. The programme offers technical and
financial support measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the Mediterranean partners
(Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey).
The first MEDA programme was introduced in 1996, and was followed by MEDA II in 2000. In the period of 2000-2006, EUR
5.35 billion is allocated in the region. MEDA is available at the level of bilateral and regional and multilateral co-operation.
6
EU funding in brief - June 2006
On bilateral and regional levels, the programme may apply to support economic transition, to prepare for free trade and to
strengthen the socioeconomic balance. However, at the multilateral level, the programme concerns the three domains of the
Barcelona Declaration.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/euromed/meda.htm
- The technical assistance called TACIS (2000-2006) (Technical Assistance for the Commonwealth of Independent States)
was created in 1991 to support the transition to market economies and democratic societies in the Eastern Europe and
Central Asia (EECA) countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia,
Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzebkistan). The total fund of the programme amounts to EUR
3.138 million until the end of 2006. The main objectives of the activities in the region are the institutional and legal reforms,
supporting the private sector, the development of infrastructure networks and rural economy and to improve enviromental
protection and the management of natural resources. The External Relations Directorate-General is responsible for the
political dialogues, while the EuropeAid Co-Operation Office manages the Annual Programmes.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/ceeca/tacis/
In the period between 2007-2013, ENPI (European Neighborhood Partnership Instrument) will replace the 2000-06 MEDA,
TACIS and (part of) CARDS programmes. (See more on page 24.)
2.1.2. Other external assistance
EU External Assistance is completed by two instruments that are designed to help people in third countries (those not
falling within the definition of EU Member States):
- Based on the Council Regulation 1257/96 Humanitarian Aid provides assistance, relief and protection operations in third
countries, which means e.g. to help finance the transport of aid, to provide the necessary assistance for people affected by
long-lasting crises or to save life in case of emergencies and natural disasters. Since 1992, the aid is operated through the
European Office for Emergency Humanitarian Aid (ECHO). Besides the funding of humanitarian aid, ECHO also develops
feasibility studies, monitors humanitarian projects and promotes disaster prevention measures. Its suggested yearly budget
for the next financial period (2007-2013) is EUR 910 million.
http://www.europarl.eu.int/facts/6_4_3_en.htm?textMode=on
ECHO: http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index_en.htm
- Originally Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) served as an intra-Community balance-of-payment support. In 1990, the
MFA was extended to third countries aiming at supporting political and economic reforms in the Central and Eastern
European Countries (CEEC) with particular focus on countries of the former Republic of Yugoslavia. MFA mostly takes the
form of a long-term loan, which is implemented with the support of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World
Bank. Nevertheless in some cases grants are available and the financial support is combined with the contribution from
other (mainly pre-accesion) programmes.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/about/activities/activities_macrofinancialassistance_en.htm
The European Union has launched several supplementary initiatives, which help the preparation of the acceding and candidate
countries or third countries. The following list includes the main ones:
TAIEX is the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument of the Institution Building unit of Directorate-
General Enlargement of the European Commission. Its aim is to provide short-term technical assistance to the New Member
7
EU funding in brief - June 2006
States, Candidate Countries, and the administrations of the Western Balkans, in line with the overall policy objectives of the
European Commission, and in the field of approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation.
http://taiex.cec.eu.int/
SIGMA is a joint initiative of the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), principally financed by the European Union.
Created in 1992 and governed by Conventions between the EU and the OECD, the Sigma Programme provides support to
partner countries in their efforts to modernise public governance systems. This support includes: assessing reform progress
and identifying priorities; assisting in the process of institution-building and setting up legal frameworks; and facilitating
assistance from the EU and other donors by helping to design projects and implement action plans.
http://www.sigmaweb.org/
The PRINCE programme is designed to provide assistance to implement the information and communication strategy for
the European Union. The focus is on information and communication actions on enlargement issues targeting mainly the
general public in EU member states.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/financial_assistance/index_en.htm
2.1.3. Transition Period (2004-2006) - post accession assistance
- 8 of the 10 countries which previously were eligible for the Phare programme, are new Member States since May 2004,
in addition to Malta & Cyprus, which received pre-accession assistance via different instruments, budget lines and procedures.
As a result, 2003 was the final programming year for pre-accession assistance to these countries, though contracting
is envisaged to continue till 2005 and payment of funds till 2006.
- Article 34 of the Act of Accession has set up a post-accession Transition Facility to provide continued financial assistance
to the new Member States in a number of core areas requiring further reinforcement, which were identified in the 2003
Comprehensive Monitoring Reports.
- The post-accession assistance is implemented under EDIS.
2.2. STRUCTURAL FUNDS AND THE COHESION FUND
The reduction of the regional development disparities within the EU regions is the main objective of the regional policy of
the European Union. The main financial instruments to achieve this scope are the Cohesion Fund and Structural Funds.
2.2.1. Structural Funds
The Structural Funds support the implementation of three objectives, the Community Initiatives and Innovative Actions.
The EU gives the most of the Structural Funds to support the three main objectives. The first two are region specific, the
third is horizontal, it concerns human resources development.
Objectives
The first objective serves the support of the least developed regions. Those NUTS 2 regions belong here,
- where the GDP per capita is below the 75% of the European Community average,
- the outermost regions (e.g. French oversea regions) that are also below the 75% average,
- where the population density is exceptionally low (some Swedish and Finnish regions).
EU funding in brief - June 2006
Objective 2 supports the development of the economically, socially changing regions which suffer under structurally difficulties.
It includes those industrial areas (NUTS 3 regions) where the number of unemployed exceeds the EU average. In
agriculture those NUTS 3 regions where the population density is lower than 100 people/km2, or the number of the agricultural
employees is twice the community average or the unemployment rate is higher than the community average.
Objective 3 aims at modernising the education, training and employment system and its policies in the regions outside the
1st objective. All member countries receive a certain percentage from the 3rd objective. The proportion of the target audience
living in the member country compared to the whole population of the EU gives the percentage given to the member
country.
See how this structure will change on page 25.
Structural Funds
I. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) was established in 1975.
The aims of the fund are the following:
to assist the reduction of the differences among the regions in the field of development and the standard of living;
to support the reduction of the major territorial differences in the EU by taking part in the development of the underdeveloped
regions and in their social adjustment.
Read about the changes in 2007-2013 concerning ERDF on page 26.
II. According to the Treaty of Rome, the European Social Fund (ESF) was established in 1958. The aim of the fund is to help
the expansion of the employment, the promotion of the rate of employment, equal opportunities and to support the investment
in the human resources and in trainings. This Fund intervenes in support of all three objectives of the Structural Fund
and also under the Community Initiative EQUAL.
Read more about the changes accepted for ESF on page 26.
III. The European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, Guidance Section (EAGGF-G) operates since 1970. The aims
of the fund are the following:
to sustain the contact between the multifunctional agriculture and the soil;
the improvement of the competitiveness of the agriculture (as the most important activity of the rural areas);
to secure the diversification of the rural economy;
to help the preservation of the rural communities;
the improvement and the preservation of the environment, land and cultural heritage.
For more information about the new fund for rural development see page 31.
IV. These three structural funds were supplemented in 1993 with the Financial Instrument of Fisheries Guidence (FIFG).
The aim of the fund:
to help the achievement of the sustainable balance between the resources of sea and their utilization;
the modernization of the fisheries structures;
to help to sustain a dynamic and competitive fishing and to boost those regions which depend on fishing;
the improvement of the supply and the utilization of fisheries products.
The Union has separated altogether EUR 257 billion for the financing of the Structural Funds for the 25 Member States
between 2000 and 2006.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/index_en.htm, http://ec.europa.eu/comm/regional_policy/funds/prord/prord_en.htm
9
EU funding in brief - June 2006
2.2.2. Community Initiatives
The Community Initiatives, which are financed by the Structural Funds represent one of the most important pillars of the
supporting system. For the period of 2000 and 2006 four initiatives (programmes) are being supported. 5.35 % of the
sources of the Structural Funds have been separated for the financing of these programmes. The most important aim of the
Community Initiatives is to support new, innovative approaches linked to specific fields. The participants of the initiatives
commit themselves to make the results of their projects known in order to share their experience with the Member States
and the applicant countries. For the period of 2000-2006 there are four Community Initatives:
- INTERREG (III) assists cross-border, international and regional co-operation programmes. The total support offered by
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for this initiative is 4 875 million euro for the period 2000-2006. INTERREG
III consists of three sections:
Section A concerns cross-border co-operation that is the promotion of integrated regional development between bordering
regions
Section B concentrates on cross-national co-operation, contributing to an integrated and harmonious territory across
the European Union
Section C aims to reinforce interregional co-operation and by the same token to improve the policies and techniques of
interregional economic development
http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/interreg3/index_en.htm
- the goal of EQUAL is to help combat discrimination and inequal opportunities on international labour markets.
Development Partnership is the basic working unit in the EQUAL Programme. Most Development Partnerships bring
together the key players from one particular region, place or economic sector in order to increase the integration of the disadvantaged
into the labour market, to improve their chances of success. The relevant players of a region or sector acting
together may overcome the problems of employment due to discrimination and inequality. Establishing links with at least
one partnership from another Member State and participating in the thematic network functioning across Europe and in
the information dissemination are essential parts of the work of each Development Partnership.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equal/index.html
- LEADER+ supports the development of rural regions and encourages the implementation of integrated, high-quality and
original strategies for sustainable development. It has a strong focus on partnership and networks of exchange of experience.
A total of EUR 5 046.5 million for the period 2000-2006 is spent, of which EUR 2 105.1 million is funded by the EAGGF
Guidance section and the remainder by public and private contributions. In addition to technical assistance, Leader+ is
structured around three actions: Support for integrated territorial development strategies of a pilot nature based on a bottom-
up approach; Support for cooperation between rural territories and Networking. Economic and social partners and
associations must make up at least 50 % of the local partnership, and the relevance and effectiveness of this partnership is
also taken into account.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/rur/leaderplus/index_en.htm
- the aim of URBAN (II) is to promote the design and implementation of innovative models of development for the economic
and social regeneration of troubled urban areas, by sharing experience on sustainable urban development in the
European Union. The Framework of Action for Sustainable Urban Development adopted by the Commission in October
1998 recognises the importance of the urban dimension in Community policies, and highlights, in particular, the possibilities
offered by the regional development programmes cofinanced by the Structural Funds. The programming documents of
the regions eligible for priority Objectives 1 and 2 during the period 2000-06 comprise integrated measures of economic and
social development covering many urban areas. Furthermore, the measures financed under Objective 3 also strengthen
social cohesion in the towns not covered by Objectives 1 and 2.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/urban2/index_en.htm
10
EU funding in brief - June 2006
Community Initiatives will not exist in their present form in the next financial period. Please read more on the future of the
financial instruments of the regional policy on page 25. LEADER will be intergrated in the European Agriculture Rural
Development Fund (EARDF), please see more on this issue on page 31.
2.2.3. Cohesion Fund
The Cohesion Fund finances major environmental and transport infrastructure development projects in the less developed
Member States of the European Union. The Cohesion Fund supports determined projects, which are selected according to
the Cohesion Fund Strategy.
The main fields of the Cohesion Fund are:
- within transport: the railway transport, road traffic, inland waterways, civil air transport, combined transport;
- within environment: the reduction of air pollution, the protection of surface and groundwater, to secure drinking-water
supply, dirty water maintenance, disposal of refuse.
The Cohesion Fund was founded in 1994. Those Member States are eligible for this fund where the per capita GNP is below
90% of the Community average. All of the new Member States are below this treshold. The rate of the support granted by
the Cohesion Fund varies between 80% and 85% of expenditure, the minimum size of a project is 10 billion Euro.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/funds/procf/cf_en.htm
Please find more information on the future of the Cohesion Fund supports on page 26.
2.3 EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK, EIB
The EIB offers various financial services to support projects, depending on eligibility and the project category.
I. Global loans
These are credit lines made available for banks, leasing companies or financial institutions, which on-lend the proceeds for
small or medium-scale investment projects meeting the Bank's criteria.
Here local authorities or SMEs can get support for new capital investment projects worth up to EUR 25 million, undertaken
by SMEs or, in the case of small infrastructure projects, by local authorities. Investments eligible for this type of funding
are for example investments in advanced technologies, R&D projects, rational use of energy, environmental protection
and water supply and sanitation projects. It is possible to apply directly to one of the intermediary banks and financing
institutions, which operates on the national, regional or local level.
II. Venture capital
Since 1997, the EIB has been deploying throughout the European Union a venture capital facility designed to strengthen the
equity base of high-technology SMEs and those with strong growth potential. Operations under this heading encompass
financing for: venture capital funds, security packages for such funds, conditional and subordinated loans. From December
2000, the EIF is the only contact point for all venture capital and SME portfolio guarantee transactions within the EIB group
as agreed in the Master Agreement between EIB and EIF.
III. Individual loans
Applicants can be both from the public and private sectors, including banks. The project topic is a matter of an agreement.
In case the amount required exceeds 25 million and up to 50% of the investment costs the capital investment project has to
11
EU funding in brief - June 2006
be agreed directly with the EIB.
IV. Structured Finance Facility
Total reserves of 750 million have been set aside under this heading over the next three years for the purpose of generating
operations amounting 1.5 to 2.5 billion, providing a broad mix of financial products: senior loans and guarantees incorporating
pre-completion and early operational risk, subordinated loans and guarantees ranking ahead of shareholder subordinated
debt, mezzanine finance, including high-yield debt for industrial companies in transition from SME scale or in the
course of restructuring and project-related derivatives.
These operations are undertaken chiefly in the countries of the European Union, but also in non-member countries.
http://www.eib.org/
2.4. EUROPEAN INVESTMENT FUND, EIF
The European Investment Fund (EIF) was founded in 1994 as a joint venture between three shareholder groups: the
European Investment Bank, the European Commission and the European financial institutions. It is a member of the EIB
Group. Its main task was to provide financial institutions with infrastructure and SME guarantees. The EIF is active in the
Member States of the European Union and in countries that have applied to become a member and, in respect of, which the
accession process has commenced.
The EIF's activity is centred upon two areas, venture capital and guarantees:
- EIF's venture capital instruments consist of equity investments in venture capital funds and business incubators that support
SMEs, particularly those that are early stage and technology-oriented;
- EIF's guarantee instruments consist of providing guarantees to financial institutions that cover credits to SMEs.
Both instruments implemented by the EIF for SMEs are complementary to the Global Loans provided by the European
Investment Bank to financial intermediaries in support of SME financing. EIF's instruments are implemented on commercial
terms.
http://www.eif.org/
2.5. COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES
The Community Programmes are a series of integrated measures accepted by the European Commission aiming to
strengthen the co-operation among the Member States regarding Community policies for a period of time. The Community
Programmes are financed from the general budget of the Community. The original aim of the Community Programmes was
to bring the European Union nearer to its inhabitants, to make citizens acquainted with the objectives of the Community
policies, with the operation of the supporting-redistributing system and with the "whys" and "hows". Therefore originally
only the organisations of the Member States could take part in the programmes. Nowadays also all acceding and candidate
countries have the opportunity to participate in the programmes, although, as a main condition of participation, an annual
fee has to be paid to the budget. Community Programmes can be tied to almost every Community policies. The
Community decides the type of programmes, their budgets and their lengths. In each case the European Council and the
European Parliament decides the budget of a programme for a period of 4,5,6 or 7 years. Any legal entity (sometimes individuals,
too) can submit a proposal. The submission, the evaluation and the settlement of the accounts along with the full
administration belong to the Administration of the Directorate Generals (DGs) of the European Commission. The proposals
can be submitted in a consortium with the participation of minimum 2 or more organisations from the EU Member
States (specified in the Calls for Proposals). The project proposals are evaluated in English, though, they can be submitted
in any official language of the EU. The Commission translates the materials into English with its own translators at its own
expense. However the language of the administration, settlement etc. is still English.
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EU funding in brief - June 2006
The applicants are directly in contact with EC officers, from the submission till the final closure of the project. However,
each participating country opens a national programme office or agency (either within a competent Ministry or within a
separate organisation) whose task is the collection of information and the mediation in order to help the national applicants.
In some cases the national programme coordinators have bigger responsibility and competence. At some programmes, e.g.
educational and youth programmes, there is a two-step submission procedure. In this case the project proposal has to be
submitted to the national programme office. The applicant will remain in contact with the national agencies.
The Community Programmes concern almost every field of the economic-social life of the European citizens. The competent
Directorate-Generals of the European Commission are responsible for the single programmes. Their aim is the implementation
of the objectives and priorities of the accepted EU-policies.
FP6 - Sixth Framework Programme on Research and Technological Development
Period, budget: (2000-2006), EUR 17.5 billion
The FP6 has one of the biggest budgets of the Community Programmes. The aim of the programme is to lay down the foundations
for the European Research Area, and to structure and create it in a way that makes the European Union the most
dynamic developing R&D economy in the world. The FP6 Framework Programme -, which is in close connection with the
6. Nuclear Research and Training Framework Programme (common name: EURATOM) - has three parts: the first block -
which has the greatest budget - includes different thematic and horizontal research activities, the task of the second block
is to help to structure the research area through innovation, infrastructure development and mobility actions. The third part
helps to strengthen the foundations of the European Research Area through encouraging coherent development of different
activities and policies.
Thematic priorities are: life sciences, genomics, biotechnology for health, information society technology, nanotechnology
and nano-sciences, knowledge-based multifunctional sciences, aeronautics and space, food quality and safety, sustainable
development, global change and ecosystems, citizens and government in the knowledge-based economy.
Horizontal priorities are: support of Community policies, new and emerging science and technology (NEST), specific
researches of SME's, specific international co-operation (INCO), JRC researches. In addition to the above infrastructural
developments, in all fields of the science and technology, mobility actions and the phasing of different researches and innovation
policies are supported through FP6.
www.cordis.lu
See FP7 on page 27.
LIFE-III.
Period, budget: (2000-2006), EUR 957 million
The LIFE Community programme was introduced in 1992 in order to support innovative, demonstrative environmental
projects in the Member States (later also in the applicant countries). LIFE is a horizontal legal instrument system, which has
three main fields of activity. On the bases of these activities it tries to have an effect in all fields of the environmental protection
and the preservation of nature. By determining its priorities, the Community leaned primarily on the actual environmental
action programmes.
The present LIFE-III programme has three subdivisions (actions)
- Environment (47% of the total LIFE III budget)- within this category LIFE supports industrial innovation and demonstrative
projects in the fields of land use and development, water management, reduction of the negative impact of economic
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EU funding in brief - June 2006
activities, waste management, integrated product policy.
- Nature (47%) - the goal of the Preservation of nature support is to assist programmes aimed at the conservation of wild
fauna and flora according to the relevant directives of the EU.
- Third Countries (6%) - ensures technical assistance for the implementation of an environmental administrative organisation
and for the implementation of nature protection activities and presentations in order to enable sustainable development
in the third countries.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/life/home.htm
See LIFE+ on page 32.
IEE - Intelligent Energy for Europe
Period, budget: (2003-2006), EUR 215+50 million
The IEE framework programme supports mid-term and long-term developments in the field of energy. The programme
aims at the easing of the EU's energy dependence and the implementation of sustainable development with the more effective
and reasonable utilization of the energy systems along with the spreading of the renewable energy sources. The
programme puts emphasis, in particular, on the international popularization of the research results and on the support of
those projects where participants from the developing countries are included. The programme originally had a budget of
215 million Euro for four years. This sum of money were supplemented with 50 million Euros after the accession. The funding
instruments of the programme by priority fields:
- ALTENER: it supports the centralized and decentralized production of the renewable energy sources, their integration in
the urban areas and the preparation and adoption of the relevant laws (86 million Euro).
- SAVE: rational use of energy and the improvement of the demand management, especially in the construction industry
and industry sector including the preparation and the adoption of law (75 million Euro).
- STEER: It supports those initiatives, which are in connection with the energy aspect of the transport, the diversification of
the fuels, energy-efficiency including the preparation and adoption of the relevant laws (35 million Euro).
- COOPENER: the support of international projects aiming energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy, especially in
the developing countries (19 million Euro).
http://europa.eu.int/comm/energy/intelligent/index_en.html
On 6 April 2005, the Commission adopted a proposal for the continuation of the Intelligent Energy - Europe programme
during the period 2007-2013, as part of the "Competitiveness and Innovation framework Programme (CIP)". Find more
information on CIP on page 29.
eEurope
The eEurope initiative was first proposed by the European Commission at the end of 1999 and endorsed by the European
Council in Feira as part of the Lisbon Strategy to modernise the European economy. The objective of eEurope was an ambitious
one: to bring every citizen, school and business online and to exploit the potential of the new economy for growth,
employment, and inclusion. The first eEurope Action Plan (2000-2002) had three aims: a cheaper, faster and more secure
Internet; investment in people and skills; stimulating the use of the Internet. It consisted of 64 targets and nearly all were
successfully achieved by end 2002.
The second eEurope (2005) Action Plan was endorsed by the European Council in Seville. eEurope 2005 aims at developing
modern online public services (e-government, e-learning services, e-health services), a dynamic e-business environment
and, as an enabler for these, widespread availability of broadband access at competitive prices along with a secure information
infrastructure. The term 'E-business' covers both e-commerce (buying and selling online) and the restructuring of
business processes to make the best use of digital technologies.
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EU funding in brief - June 2006
e-Government promises to deliver better, more efficient public services and to improve the relationship between citizens
and their governments. The resulting benefits to the quality of life, industrial competitiveness and society will only be
realised, however, if administrations change the way they operate.
e-Health - at a time when healthcare budgets are being increasingly strained, the impact of e-Health is, as diverse as the sector
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