New call for proposals for strategic projects supporting business, education, and environment

Entities, departments, and NGOs will be able to submit their proposals for strategic projects in the Mediterranean, as a new call under the ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020 has opened.

The call for proposals amounts to €68 million and fourteen different countries are eligible to benefit from such funds as approved by the European Commission.

The call has four thematic objectives, namely business and SMEs development (innovative start-ups and euro-Mediterranean clusters), education, research, technological development and innovation (technological transfer and commercialisation of research results), social inclusion and fight against poverty (employability of young people and women), as well as environmental protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation  (water management, waste treatment, renewable energy and energy efficiency).

Specifically, it has the following priorities:

• Support innovative start-ups and recently established enterprises
• Strengthen and support euro-Mediterranean networks, clusters, consortia and value chains in traditional sectors and non-traditional sectors
• Support technological transfer and commercialisation of research results
• Provide young people, especially those belonging to the NEETS, and women, with marketable skills
• Water management - Support sustainable initiatives targeting innovative and technological solutions to increase water efficiency
• Waste treatment and recycling - Reduce municipal waste generation, promote source-separated collection and its optimal exploitation
• Renewable energy and energy efficiency - Support cost-effective and innovative energy rehabilitations relevant to building types and climatic zones, with a focus on public buildings.

Eligible beneficiaries include public authorities, bodies governed by public law, private institutions and international organisations operating in the Programme’s eligible area.

Deadline for submission of project proposals is 3 July 2019 at 1pm.  

During an information session on the call, EU funds parliamentary secretary Aaron Farrugia said that the transnational dimension of this Programme gives the beneficiaries the opportunity to exchange best practices with our European and Mediterranean counterparts, carry out studies, implement pilot projects and capitalise on best practices.

“I became aware of the importance of this programme in particular when I was elected as Head of Maltese delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean last year,” he said.

“There, I met with representatives like myself from Mediterranean countries, who had visions and ideas, but a lack of funds. This is where I promoted this programme for the first time. Now I am promoting it here with departments, entities, and NGOs, in order to share expertise and best practices.”

Farrugia explained that Maltese entities are already participating in three ongoing projects under the first call pertaining to this programme, following on the footsteps of other entities which have successfully implemented their projects in the previous programming period.

“Malta intends to pursue such participation in the current call too and therefore I strongly encourage you to take this opportunity by joining or submitting joint projects in collaboration with our European and Mediterranean counterparts. Let’s explore all possibilities being offered as part of this call and come up with project ideas which could possibly be funded.  

“Let’s see how we can work with our colleagues on both sides of the Mediterranean to turn common challenges into feasible ideas and  possibilities. Let’s join forces to improve our way of doing things, in collaboration with our counterparts, in the areas being addressed under this call.”

Farrugia said there were two other calls under which funds are available under the Territorial Cooperation Programmes.  

These include a call under the Interreg Italia-Malta Programme, which is due to be launched in the coming weeks and another call under the Interreg MED Programme, which is currently open.

“I urge you to keep an eye open for such opportunities and make the most of them for the benefit of our countries and citizens.”