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What is the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme?

CENTRAL EUROPE is a European Union initiative that promotes innovation, competitiveness, accessibility and the environment in Central Europe. It is financed by the European Regional Development Fund and runs from 2007 to 2013. The Programme invests € 231 million ERDF to support trans-national cooperation projects fostering sustainable growth in the Programme area.

 

Category: General programme information

What is the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area?

The CENTRAL EUROPE cooperation area comprises the territory, or parts of the territory, of eight EU Member States: Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and the western regions of Ukraine. 

Ukraine is member of the Monitoring Committee and can particpate in the programme with national financial contribution. Availability of ENPI funds for the western regions of Ukraine being part of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area will be announced in due time after confirmation by the European Commission. (see also: Can project partners from Ukraine receive ERDF funding?)

Countries and regions participating in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme

Austria: The whole country Czech Republic: The whole country Germany: Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen Hungary: The whole country Italy: Piemonte, Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste, Liguria, Lombardia, Provincia Autonoma Bolzano/Bozen, Provincia Autonoma Trento, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia-Romagna Poland: The whole country Slovak Republic: The whole country Slovenia: The whole country Ukraine: Volyn, Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi 

Category: General programme information

What is the Programme’s main aim and objective?

The CENTRAL EUROPE Programme’s 2007-2013 overall programme goal is: Strengthening territorial cohesion, promoting internal integration and enhancing the competitiveness of CENTRAL EUROPE. The overall programme goal will be pursued with the following strategic approach:

1. Improving competitiveness of CENTRAL EUROPE by strengthening innovation and accessibility structures.
2. Improving territorial development in a balanced and sustainable way by enhancing the quality of the environment and developing attractive cities and regions.

Taking the new directions of the European Union’s territorial cohesion policy into account the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme should aim at an even more focused and result-oriented approach and specifically contribute to reaching the Lisbon and Gothenburg objectives.

Category: General programme information

What is the Programme budget?

The total Programme budget is 298 Mio Euro out of which 246 Mio Euro Community funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). 231 Mio Euro ERDF is devoted to successful cooperation projects. The rest is used for Technical Assistance, that is programme management and services to project promoters.

Category: General programme information

How much ERDF funds does the Programme plan to allocate to each of its priorities?

The funding (ERDF-budget) breakdown per priority is as follows:

• Priority 1 - Facilitating innovation across Europe: 49,2 Mio Euro
• Priority 2 - Improving accessibility of and with CENTRAL EUROPE: 63,9 Mio Euro
• Priority 3 – Using our environment responsibly: 63,9 Mio Euro
• Priority 4 – Enhancing competitiveness and attractiveness of cities and regions: 54,1 Mio Euro

Category: General programme information

How much ERDF have been allocated in the 1st Call and 2nd call?

In the First Call about 67 Mio Euro ERDF and in the Second Call about 72 Mio Euro ERDF have been allocated to approved projects.

Category: General programme information

How is the Programme managed?

The Programme is managed by a structure comprising institutions at the European, national and regional levels. Main decision-making body is the “Monitoring Committee”, which is composed of representatives of the Programme's Member States. As Managing Authority the Department for EU Strategy and Economic Development of the City of Vienna is responsible for the operational management of the programme. It is supported by a Joint Technical Secretariat, an international bureau that is also located in Vienna, and a network of Contact Points, that are located in the Member States.

For more information and contact details see ABOUT CENTRAL >> Management of the programme and CONTACT.

Category: General programme information

Whom can I contact for information on the Programme and project proposal development?

Project promoters seeking guidance in their project development are invited to contact the Joint Technical Secretariat in Vienna or their respective national Contact Points (CPs). The Joint Technical Secretariat and Contact Points regularly organise information and partner search events, which are announced on the CENTRAL EUROPE homepage and in mailings to the CENTRAL EUROPE user community.

The CPs should be addressed for general information on the Programme, the calls for proposals, partner search and national requirements.

The JTS should be addressed for detailed and specific information.

For contact details: CONTACT

 

 

 

 

Category: General programme information

What is the timeline for the 3rd Call?

The 3rd Call for proposals has been opened on 15 March 2010 and will close on 7 May 2010.

Category: General programme information

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What are the thematic Programme Priorities?

Priority 1 – Facilitating Innovation across CENTRAL EUROPE – will improve the framework conditions for innovation and build up the capabilities to transfer and apply innovation. In this light, knowledge-development will be strengthened.

Priority 2 – Improving Accessibility of and within CENTRAL EUROPE – will improve the interconnectivity and intermodality of transport across the cooperation area. It will support multimodal logistics cooperation in all relevant transnational fields. Sustainable and safe mobility will be promoted and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will be used for enhancing access. It will help to ensure accessibility also for sparsely populated areas and to find further alternative solutions for enhancing access.

Priority 3 – Using our Environment Responsibly – develops a high quality environment by managing natural resources and heritage, by reducing risks and impacts of natural and man-made hazards. This Priority will support the use of renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency throughout the cooperation area. The use of environmentally friendly technologies and activities will be strengthened.

Priority 4 – Enhancing Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Cities and Regions – will promote polycentric settlement structures and will address the effects of demographic and social change on urban and regional development. The capitalisation on cultural resources will contribute to achieve more attractive cities and regions.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What are the "Areas of Intervention"?

The 4 thematic Priorities are subdivided in 14 Areas of Intervention.

Priority 1: Facilitating Innovation across Central Europe:

P1.1 Enhancing Framework Conditions for Innovation

P1.2 Establishing Capabilities for the Diffusion and Application of Innovation

P1.3 Fostering Knowledge Development

 

Priority 2: Improving Accessibility of and within Central Europe

P2.1 Improving Central Europe’s Interconnectivity

P2.2 Developing Multimodal Logistics’ Cooperation

P2.3 Promoting Sustainable and Safe Mobility

P2.4 Promoting Information and Communication Technologies and Alternative Solutions for Enhancing Access

 

Priority 3: Using our Environment Responsibly

P3.1 Developing a High Quality Environment by Managing and Protecting Natural Resources and Heritage

P3.2 Reducing Risks and Impacts of Natural and Man-made Hazards

P3.3 Supporting the Use of Renewable Energy Sources and Increasing Energy Efficiency

P3.4 Supporting Environmentally Friendly Technologies and Activities

 

Priority 4: Enhancing Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Cities and Regions

P4.1 Developing Polycentric Settlement Structures and Territorial Cooperation

P4.2 Addressing the Territorial Effects of Demographic and Social Change on Urban and Regional Development

P.4.3 Capitalising on Cultural Resources for More Attractive Cities and Regions

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What, if a project addresses several Priorities or Areas of Intervention?

In order to be eligible each project has to select one Priority and one Area of Intervention that best describes the main thematic focus of the project. In addition a project can indicate up to three further Areas of Intervention (belonging to the same priority or a different one).

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is the recommended project duration?

The recommended duration is 30-36 months. However projects with a higher intensity of cooperation or with larger financial resources may require a longer period of implementation and could last up to 48 months.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a strategic project?

A targeted call for strategic projects is planned to be launched in the first part of 2010.  Preliminary information is available HERE.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What kind of investments can be implemented within a project?

There are two major pathways to investment in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme:

• Pre-investment refers to the preparation of investments (Type of Action “Investments Preparation”) later to be funded through complementary sources such as Competitiveness and Employment Objectives, EIB or national sources. . This can, for example, include the involvement of the decision-making authorities and the general public in order to reach decisions and the elaboration of documents necessary to assess the feasibility of such investments in economic, legal and environmental terms. All pre-investment projects must create relevant links to relevant funding sources already during project development and maintain/intensify links during project implementation. Representatives of relevant funding institutions need to be included in the partnership or form a key aspect of the project. Pre-investment projects not showing credible links to complementary funding sources will not be financed.
• Pilot investments (Type of Action “Pilot Action”) demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of an investment in order to pave the way for subsequent investments at a larger scale. The results of the pilot investment should be transferable and the transfer of results should form part of the project. Pilot investments can be undertaken in several partner regions or, in well-justified cases, only a few or just one location.

All investments (both pre-investments and pilots) have to show a clear transnational added value and have to fulfil at least two of the following criteria:

• form part or be the result of transnational project cooperation
• have a transnational effect
• create a physical link or a functional connection between regions, and/or
• have a demonstrating/model or pilot character being jointly strived for and evaluated by the partners.

Please note that in case the proposed investment does not meet the aforementioned requirement the investment will not be eligible and its costs will be taken out from the project budget.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a “Type of Action”?

Specific Types of Action differ in terms of activities, outputs and results. The Types of Action chosen characterize a project and demonstrate how and which kind of actual implementation will be achieved. Each project will have to select at least one Type of Action and specify the Core outputs generated through these action(s). A definition of Core outputs is provided under the question “What is the difference between an output and a Core output?"

The Programme has pre-defined five Types of Action:

• Joint strategy + Action plan development
• Transnational Tool development
• Joint management establishment
• Investment preparation
• Pilot actions (including investments)

In well justified cases, applicants may develop another (implementation-oriented) Type of Action.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

How many Types of Action can be addressed by a project?

Each project has to select at least one Type of Action in the Application Form and specify the Core outputs generated through these action(s). A definition of Core outputs is provided under the question “What is the difference between an output and a Core output?

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

How shall the project activities be structured?

The project can foresee up to 7 Work Packages (WP), 3 of which are predefined by the Programme:

WP0 = Project Preparation (not compulsory)

WP1 = Project management and co-ordination comprising 4 pre-defined actions

WP2 = Communication, Knowledge Management and Dissemination comprising 2 pre-defined actions; 2 further actions can be added.

WP3 –WP6 = these WPs and corresponding actions can be defined by the project itself. These WPs have to be split in up to 6 actions each.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is the difference between an output and a Core output?

An output is the tangible deliverable of the project and refers to the actions carried out. They can be up to 20 per action. It is measured in physical or monetary unit. Examples of outputs (to be quantified) can be: workshops or conferences organized, publications realized, participants etc.

Core outputs are the major outputs produced by the project (0 to 4 per Action; at least one per WP3-6). They are directly used by someone to achieve the intended results. They must be related to the Type(s) of Action chosen. It is advisable to have a few but meaningful number of Core outputs rather than considering all Outputs as Core outputs.

For more information see Application Manual Chapter 4.2.4.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a communication plan about?

A communication plan is an important component and necessity of any EU-funded project in order to provide internal and external visibility to the project. Lead Partners of approved projects will be requested to develop a detailed communication plan covering knowledge management, external and internal communication. The communication plan has to be submitted together with the first Progress Report.

A communication plan provides a framework for making sure the project partners share information about their activities and achievements with appropriate audiences on a timely basis and by the most effective means. The quality and competence of communication often makes the difference between a successful or disappointing delivery of a project. Communication planning is not an afterthought but should always be developed in conjunction with the overall plan for any project.

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

What is a knowledge management strategy about?

Knowledge management is an important strategic goal of every project. It can be described as the collection/sum up of all strategies and processes designed to identify, capture, structure, and share information to enhance the performance of the project. Please note that there is a strong link between communication and knowledge management. Your communication activities should support your wider knowledge management strategy, for instance by clearly defining your target groups and reaching out to them or by making sure that the knowledge created and/or shared within your project is captured and documented in a clear and easy-to-digest way so that it can disseminated more widely beyond the partnership! It includes at least the objectives, the messages and target audiences, the tools or channels and a work-plan outlining your non-media and media-related communication activities as well as the responsibilities, deliverables and timeframe.

Please see our Tools and Resources in the section DOCUMENT CENTER >> OTHER DOCUMENTS for more detailed information on successful project communication.

 

Category: Thematic focus/project requirements

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What is the minimum number of partners/ countries to be involved in a project?

The minimum requirements for partnership are as follows:

• at least three financing partners
• from at least three countries and
• being at least two of the partners located in an EU region of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area.

Project partners should financially contribute to the project. Associated Institutions (as described in the answer to the question “Can the partnership comprise also associated institutions or partners with an observer status?”) are not considered to be part of the partnership.

Category: Partnership

Who can be a project partner?

 

1. National, regional and local public authorities, such as ministries, regional governments, provinces, municipalities as well as their departments;
2. Public equivalent bodies, such as regional development associations, innovation and development agencies and foundations.
3. Private institutions, including private companies having legal personalities It shall be noted the definitions of “legal personality” and “company” might differ from country to country.
4. International organisations can also qualify as eligible partners fulfilling certain requirement. For further details see Application Manual Chapter 3.1.1.

 

Category: Partnership

What is the definition of a public equivalent body?

Public Equivalent Bodies, such as regional development associations, innovation and development agencies and foundations means anybody that – according to the definition provided in Article 1(9) of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on public procurement:

• is established under public or private law for the specific purpose of meeting needs of general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character; and
• has a legal personality; and
• is financed for the most part by the State, or regional or local authorities, or other bodies governed by public law, or subject to management supervision by those bodies, or having an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities or by other bodies governed by public law.

(Based on the definition in Article 1(9) of Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004 on public procurement.)

Category: Partnership

Can private institutions be project partners?

Private institutions including private companies (see also question Who can be a project partner?) can be project partners and can receive ERDF funding. Private institutions can also act as Lead Partners but only for project proposals submitted under Priority 1.

Private institutions may also participate in projects as subcontractors of public authorities and public equivalent bodies acting as Lead Partner or Project Partner.

 

Category: Partnership

Can international organisations participate as project partner?

There are two types of international organisations:

1. International Organisations acting under national law of any EU CENTRAL EUROPE Member State. Such institutions can participate as project partners and be also Lead Partner.
2. International Organisations acting under international law: These organisations can only participate as Project Partner upon explicit acceptance and fulfilling all the requirements deriving from the Treaty and the Council and the Commission Regulations applicable in the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, including but not limited to the list provided in Chapter 3.1.1 of the Application Manual.

Category: Partnership

Can partners from non EU-countries participate in a project?

Project Partners located in any Third Countries can participate with their own funds.

Partners located in those countries benefiting from ENPI or IPA funds can check at national level whether specific funds are available to participate in transnational/CENTRAL EUROPE Programme. Please also see question "Are activities implemented outside the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area eligible?"

 

 

Category: Partnership

Who can be an Assimilated Partner?

Partners from Italian or German regions located outside of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area can participate as Assimilated Partners and receive ERDF funding provided that they:

• are NATIONAL public or public equivalent body
• are competent in their scope of action for certain parts of the eligible area but are located outside of it
• implement all core thematic activities in the EU CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area

The detailed requirements for Assimilated Partners and their activities can be found in Chapter 3.1.5 and 3.1.6 of the Application Manual.

Category: Partnership

Which institution can be considered as an Associated Institution?

Institutions without financial contribution to the project can be involved as Associated Institutions. Please note that these bodies are not part of the partnership per se, and thus, do not count for the fulfilment of the minimum partnership requirements.

The involvement of Associated institutions must not enter in conflict with public procurement rules: their expenditure incurred should be in principle limited to the reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs related to the participation in project meetings and finally borne by any of the partners (Lead Partner or Project Partner) in order to be considered as eligible.

Therefore, potential External Experts should not be listed as Associated Institutions.

Category: Partnership

Who can act as Lead Partner?

The Lead Partner must be located in a EU region of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme area. The following bodies can act as Lead Partner:

• public authorities, that is national, regional and local public authorities, such as ministries, regional governments, provinces, municipalities as well as their departments;
• public equivalent bodies (see the specific question “What is the definition of a public equivalent body?”);
• international organizations acting under the national law;
• private institutions (see question: Who can be a project partner?) but only for project proposals submitted under Priority 1.

Category: Partnership

What is a balanced partnership?

Partners involved should be suitable to produce the planned outputs and to achieve the envisaged results. The partnership must be competent to develop, implement and disseminate jointly elaborated approaches and tools. Depending on the project goals this can imply the involvement of national, regional and local authorities as well as other players such as research institutions, intermediate bodies, agencies, industry and others.

Category: Partnership

What is the recommended size of a partnership?

Even if larger partnerships will not be excluded, the recommended size of a partnership is 8 up to 12 partners.

Category: Partnership

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Which ERDF co-financing rates will be applied?

Different rates of ERDF assistance will be granted in the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme depending on the Member State where the institution participating in a project is located, its legal and economic profile and the nature of the activities to be developed:

• Partners from AT, IT, DE: rate of assistance up to 75%
• Partners from HU, CZ, PL, SI, SK: rate of assistance up to 85%
• EU Partners located outside the EU CENTRAL EUROPE area: up to 75%

Please note that the ERDF contribution to eligible expenditures incurred by any partner, be it public or private, carrying out project activities falling under the scope of the State aid discipline will be limited to the thresholds set by the de minimis rule. In the absence of any other public funding source, the ERDF granted under the de minimis will cover up to 85% or 75% of the eligible expenditure according to the location of the partner. Nevertheless, if partners receive additional public funding (e.g., national co-financing schemes at central level) this will be accounted for as aid granted under the de minimis rule and, as a consequence, the maximum amount of ERDF that can be received is automatically lower. This limitation does not apply to international organizations of any kind.

Category: Budget

What is the minimum/maximum project budget?

Typical projects within the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme should have a total budget ranging from 1 through to 5 million EUR. In exceptional cases, smaller or larger projects can also be funded.

Partners should ensure that the financial size of the project truly reflects the activities foreseen in the work plan and that it is based on real costs and on the principles of sound financial management.

Category: Budget

What is the national co-financing and how does it have to be proved?

The national co-financing is the own contribution which each project partner provides in order to finance the share of expenditure not covered by ERDF. This amount has to be confirmed in the duly signed, dated and stamped Declaration that additionally contains the declaration on administrative and financial capacity and legal status (co-financing statement).

There are two types of co-financing:

a) Public co-financing is public funding at central, regional or local level, obtained via specific co-financing schemes set up by the Member States or provided directly by the partners with own funds. Co-financing from public equivalent bodies is also considered as public co-financing. Likewise, match funding of international organizations falls under this category.

b) Private co-financing refers to the amount of own funds provided as match funding by private institutions or by bodies constituted under public law but not fulfilling all requirements to be considered as a public equivalent body.

Category: Budget

What is ENPI and IPA funding?

ENPI (European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument) and IPA (the Instrument for Pre-Accession) are financing instruments instituted by the European Union in order to respectively promote enhanced cooperation and economic integration with neighboring countries and assist pre-accession countries with a view to membership.

The countries covered by ENPI are: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Syria, Tunisia, and Ukraine.

The countries covered by IPA are: Croatia, Turkey, Former Yugoslav Republic Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo as defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Project Partners wishing to receive funding from these instruments have to directly address the respective bodies in their country.

Category: Budget

What is the 10% Flexibility Rule?

In accordance with Article 21.3 of the ERDF Regulation, the ERDF may finance expenditure incurred in implementing projects or parts of projects on the territory outside the European Community up to a limit of 10% of the amount of its contribution to the Operational Programme (10% flexibility rule), where they are for the benefit of the regions of the Community. However, in the case of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme funds allocated to a single project under this rule may also not exceed 10% of the total ERDF contribution to this project. This flexibility option can be used for implementing activities in any Third Country under the condition that the benefit for the CENTRAL EUROPE area of activities to be implemented in Third Countries is clearly demonstrated in the project proposal.

Funds allocated under this 10% flexibility rule shall be spent under responsibility of a Lead Partner or project Partner located in the EU CENTRAL EUROPE cooperation area (or assimilated to it) in order to ensure proper financial control. The use of 10% flexibility rule must be described in the Application Form and approved by the Monitoring Committee.

Category: Budget

Are preparation costs eligible?

Preparation costs can only be eligible for those projects finally approved for funding. These costs must relate exclusively to preparation activities carried out between 1 January 2007 and the date on which the Application Form has been submitted. Payment of these costs can nevertheless intervene in part or in full after the submission deadline. The eligible preparation costs are subject to a ceiling of EUR 20,000. Please note that eligibility rules also apply to these costs; in particular, selection of external service providers (e.g., external experts assisting the partners in preparing the project proposal) must be made on the basis of a regular awarding system.

Category: Budget

As from when expenditures for project implementation are eligible?

Expenditure related to the project implementation is eligible from the start date until the end date of the project duration. At the earliest, costs are eligible as from the day after the submission of the Application Form, provided that this day is the official start date of the project. On this basis, partners may decide at their own risk to start the implementation phase before the project is finally selected for granting.

Category: Budget

Are expenditures after the end date of the project duration eligible?

Expenditure related to project closure (e.g., preparation of final reports and, where applicable, related audit costs) are eligible until the deadline for submission of final reports that will be set in the Subsidy Contract.

Category: Budget

Who are the responsible national First Level Control institutions?

The list of the responsible First Level Control (FCL) bodies nominated by the Member States is available at the country-specific information section of the Programme website www.central2013.eu.

Category: Budget

Is VAT considered to be eligible expenditure?

VAT does not constitute eligible expenditure unless it is genuinely and definitively borne by the partner. VAT which is recoverable by whatever means cannot be considered as eligible even if it is not actually recovered by the partner.

Category: Budget

Are expenditures for housing eligible?

Expenditure related to housing is eligible if in line with the general requirements set in Article 7 of Regulation 1080/2006 and the detailed specifications provided by Article 47 of Regulation 1828/2006, in their latest versions. Please note that nevertheless any intervention in the field of housing in the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme should be limited to pilot actions having a demonstrative effect and being the result of a cooperation process among the partners involved.

Category: Budget

Are expenditures for the acquisition of land eligible?

Acquisition of land is not eligible.

Category: Budget

Are in-kind contributions eligible?

In-kind contributions shall be eligible expenditure if they fulfill the following conditions:

• they are eligible according to national eligibility rules;
• they consist of the provision of land or real state, equipment or raw materials, research or professional work or unpaid voluntary work and their value can be independently assessed and audited. In the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, the provision of services between partners (e.g., estimation of costs for making available own premises for holding meetings and events) is not eligible;
• they are below 5% of the total partner’s budget and do not exceed 5.000€.

Category: Budget

How to include in-kind contributions in the Application Form?

In-kind contributions should be included in the respective budget lines according to:

• the nature of the contribution (i.e. land or real state, equipment or raw materials, research or professional work or unpaid voluntary work);
• the provisions set up at national level for the calculation of in-kind contributions.

The specification of in-kind contributions is not requested in the Application Form, and their value has to be independently assessed prior their validation by the First Level Controller.

Category: Budget

What, if a project will generate revenues?

Revenues are earnings made through the sales of products and merchandise, from tuition fees for conferences and, in general, by any provision of services against payment. When it is expected that a project proposal will generate revenue, the amount of this must be deducted from the eligible costs in full or pro-rata depending on whether it was generated entirely or only partly by the co-financed project.

A specification of revenues is not requested at the application stage. Revenues will be subject to control during the process of expenditure validation by the First Level Controllers. Specific attention will be provided to those cases where the approved proposals foresee the realisation of investments.

 

Category: Budget

What kind of investment is eligible?

The CENTRAL EUROPE Programme cannot be considered an investment Programme in traditional terms. Projects can prepare investments later to be funded through other sources (pre-investment) or implement pilot investments in the framework of pilot actions. Both pre-investments and pilots have to show a clear transnational added value.

In order to be eligible, all investments have to fulfill at least two of the following criteria:

• Form part or be the result of transnational project cooperation;
• Have a transnational effect;
• Create a physical link or a functional connection between regions (independently of the neighbouring position of these regions) or/and
• Have a demonstrating/model or pilot character being jointly strived for and evaluated by the partners; the results of this ‘pilot investment’ should be transferable, a transnational transfer of results should form part of the project.

For further details please refer to the Application Manual, Chapter 4.3.

Category: Budget

Are Common Costs allowed?

In the framework of the 3^rd call for proposals, the practice of splitting cost items among the partners (i.e., sharing common costs) is not allowed.

Category: Budget

When do the rules on competition and public procurement have to be respected?

The purchase of goods and services, as well as the ordering of public works, by public services or other public bodies, is subject to national, Community and international rules. The procurement rules aim at securing transparent and fair conditions for competing on the common market and should be followed by the project partners when commissioning the above services, works or deliveries.

Please note that, even if the value of the purchase does not exceed the applicable thresholds, the purchaser must take into account the general principles of sound financial management laid down in the EC Treaty and ensure the adequate transparency and equal treatment when purchasing goods and/or services. Whichever rules (EC, national or statutory) are more stringent must be applied.

In the framework of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, rules on public procurement are of mandatory respect also by private bodies and international organizations. For more details please refer to the Application Manual Chapter 4.6 and also see the Programme Control & Audit Guidelines as well as the FAQs devoted to implementation.

Category: Budget

Which costs shall be allocated to the “Equipment” budget line?

The “Equipment” budget line refers to the purchase of IT equipment – including software – needed for office purposes and necessary for the daily project management. Where strictly necessary, office furniture is considered as eligible expenditure and should also be charged to this budget line.

Being depreciable assets, their full cost can only be charged to the project’s budget if the period going from the date of purchase to the end date of the project is longer than the normal depreciation period for each type of equipment. Otherwise, only the portion of the equipment’s depreciation corresponding to the rate of actual use for the purpose of the project may be taken into account. For this reason, partners are advised to purchase any needed equipment in the start-up phase and, in any case, well before project closure.

For further information, please see Application Manual Chapter 4.3.2.

 

Category: Budget

Which costs shall be allocated to the “Investments” budget line?

In budgetary terms, only costs clearly linked to Pilot Actions corresponding to the investment category shall be allocated in this budget line. These costs include:

• Costs related to financing infrastructure works;
• Costs related to the purchase of equipment which is not of office use and thus does not fall within the scope of the equipment budget line. This equipment may be either linked or independent from the infrastructure and construction works themselves;
• Costs related to the purchase of any good, which is neither IT equipment nor is of office use (e.g., permanent information panels).

Costs for infrastructure and works may refer either to an investment that will be set up ex-novo or to adaptation of an already existing infrastructure. Whatever the case, these costs are only eligible if referring to pilot actions having a transnational added value and a demonstrative effect.

For further information, please see Application Manual Chapter 4.3.2.

Category: Budget

How to build the budget allocation per reporting period?

When building their spending forecasts, partners should take into consideration the following elements:

• The reporting periods run on a six-monthly basis;
• The spending forecast should be an estimation of the actual payments to be done in each reporting period. Therefore, it only partly reflects the activities taking place in a certain period. Indeed, if an activity is carried out close to the end of a reporting period, the related payment may occur in the following period and the costs should therefore be budgeted in the following reporting period.

Please note that spending forecasts will be subject to analysis during the assessment process as well. In particular, artificial splitting of total costs evenly throughout the project duration will be negatively evaluated due to its negative effect on the decommitment calculations on Programme level.

With regard to the decommitment calculation please refer to the CENTRAL EUROPE Implementation Manual.

Category: Budget

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When will the projects be approved?

The approval of projects submitted under the 3^rd Call depends on the amount of project proposals actually received and is scheduled for the end of 2010.

Projects that have been approved for funding might receive additional conditions to be fulfilled deriving from the results of the quality assessment.

Only after the fulfillment of these conditions and additional administrative requirements the negotiation process can be considered as finalized with the sending of the Subsidy Contract offer.

 

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

Can the Application Form and Annexes be submited in national language?

Since the Programme language is English, all documents have to be provided in English.

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

How to submit the project application?

The Application Form and its Annexes has to be sent by normal post/courier or directly delivered by hand in only one envelope on the date of deadline at the latest (date of the post mark) to the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme Joint Technical Secretariat. In both cases the envelope must include the hard copy of all necessary documents and a CD-Rom or any other electronic support where the electronic version of the Application Form, the map with the location of partners and, in case of private Lead applicant under Priority 1, the Simplified Financial Statement document are saved (full list of documents to be provided as electronic version and/or hard copy see Application Manual chapter 5.2.1). Submission via e-mail is not accepted.

The hard copy version of the Application Form is considered to be the official application: it must be in original, unbound and duly signed by the legal/duly authorised person of the Lead Applicant.

In case the original Annexes are not available at the Lead Partner premises at the date of submission of the project proposal, the Lead Partner is allowed to include in the Application package to be submitted the missing Annexes received via fax or scanned by the affected partners. The related original documents shall be sent to the JTS by the Lead Partner not later than 3 working days after the deadline of the call for proposals (date of the postal stamp).

Lead Applicants are invited to send the JTS an e-mail (e-mail address: info@central2013.eu) before the deadline of the Call for proposals announcing the submission of the project proposal and including the project title and acronym (no additional documentation to be attached).

 

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

Will there be additional checks for private Lead Applicants?

For private Lead Applicants in Priority 1 the financial capacity check will be performed on the base of the Simplified Financial Statement and using the financial rates as described in Chapter 5.2.2 of the Application Manual Third Call.

 

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure

What are the criteria for the technical and financial assesment?

The content and financial assessment will be performed according to the following 5 criteria:

• Relevance
• Partnership technical and operational capacity
• Implementation and Methodology
• Quality of the outputs and sustainability of the achieved results
• Budget and cost effectiveness

Category: Project Evaluation Procedure