LIFE + Programme: EUR 281.4 million in new environment and climate projects

The European Commission has approved funding for 248 new projects under the LIFE+ programme, the European Union's environment fund. An informal agreement was reached in Brussels on 27 June 2013 on the next funding period for the LIFE programme (2014-2020). Changes include a specific section devoted to climate mitigation and adaptation, and a new funding category for "Integrated Projects".

 

The projects cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, climate change, environmental policy and information and communication on environmental issues across all Member States. Overall, they represent a total investment of some EUR 556.4 million, of which the EU will provide EUR 281.4 million.

 Environment Commissioner  Janez Potočnik said: “The LIFE+ programme continues to provide vital funding for innovative projects. These new projects will make a big contribution to protecting, conserving and enhancing Europe’s natural capital. They will support the goal of turning the EU into a resource efficient, greener and more competitive low-carbon economy.”

 

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Combating Discrimination

DEADLINE: August 8, 2013

The global objective of this Call for Proposals is to reinforce the EIDHR fight against discrimination. EIDHR aims to contribute to the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Actions in this call are divided in four lots:

• LOT 1 - Discrimination against Indigenous Peoples: actions to improve their social, economic and political participation; to support free, prior and informed consent in decision making processes; to promote dialogue with authorities on access to land and their natural resources; to protect them from violence and criminalization; to ensure access to justice, etc.
• LOT 2 - Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI): actions to improve LGBTI organizations’ visibility and acceptance; to improve dialogue with authorities to change laws; to combat homophobia; to protect LGBTI persons from violence; to offer them and their organizations training, information, legal support, etc.
• LOT 3 - Discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief (or non-belief): Actions contributing to intercultural and inter-religious dialogue; promoting the perception and development of equal participation of men and women discriminated on these grounds, in the social, economic and political life, etc.
• LOT 4 – Worst forms of discrimination against girl infants – Female infanticide (0 to 5 years old): Actions contributing to awareness rising on female infanticide, both among society and local authorities; data collection and education campaigns to reduce female infanticide; support women’s protection from pressure to commit female infanticide; enhance dialogue on human rights and discrimination, etc.

Applications must address only one of the above mentioned four lots.

The overall indicative amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 20 million.

EU contribution could cover up to 95 % of the total eligible costs of the action.

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Illegal use of Internet

DEADLINE: 7 October 2013

Under the general programme Security and Safeguarding Liberties, this targeted Call for Proposals has the following priorities:

• supporting the co-operation between experts and law enforcement authorities on understanding and combating cybercrimes;
• actions establishing standard forms for law enforcement requests to the private sector and vice versa;
• co-operation to develop and exchange efficient methods of combating terrorist, racist and xenophobic content on the Internet, including content inciting minors.

Some measures and expected results:

• setting up joint cyber crime investigation and enquiry teams, preferably in cooperation with Europol and Eurojust, to fight criminal groups operating on the Internet and child sexual abuse online;
• development of tools to identify new threats as they emerge, to monitor their evolution and share information between relevant partners;
• development of innovative digital investigative and forensic tools to support the law enforcement agencies in combating cyber crime.

Budget available: 5.000.000 euro

 

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Trafficking in Human Beings

Deadline: 31 October 2013

The call Trafficking in Human Beings is part of the specific programme Prevention of and Fight against Crime.

Projects should achieve one or more of the following results:

• More comprehensive and sustainable systems or frameworks for assistance, support and protection of victims of trafficking in human beings;
• Establishment of partnerships between all relevant actors at all levels addressing trafficking in human beings from a wide perspective with the aim of exchanging good practices on identification of trafficking cases and establishing guidelines on cooperation agreements for investigation, prosecution and victims protection and support.
• A reduction of the demand and supply for goods and services provided by victims of trafficking in human beings
• Development of initiatives to better prevent trafficking in human beings and protect, assist and support victims of human trafficking (victims-centred approach); increase the knowledge on groups vulnerable to trafficking in human beings, especially women and children at risk, domestic workers, Roma communities and undocumented workers;
• Increased knowledge and awareness of new or less investigated forms of trafficking, such as trafficking for the purpose of domestic servitude, forced begging or forced criminal activities, forced marriages, and/or trafficking for the purposes of removal of organs etc.

Budget for this call: 5.000.000 euro

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WELCOME CROATIA!

Croatia is the first Western Balkans country to join the European Union. Its accession on 1 July 2013 is the result of a decade-long negotiation process. Since the formal application for EU membership in 2003, Croatia has invested considerable effort and fulfilled all the accession criteria needed to bring it into line with EU laws and standards. Tangible progress has been achieved in areas such us the rule of law, the fight against corruption, human rights and protection of minorities. This accession provides fresh evidence of the transformative power of EU enlargement policy: torn by conflict only two decades ago, the country is now a stable democracy, capable of taking on the obligations of EU membership and of adhering to EU standards.

Croatia will hold 12 seats in the European Parliament and 7 votes in the European Council.

 

Posting of workers: enhancing administrative cooperation and access to information

DEADLINE: 13 September 2013

The general objective of this call for actions is to further improve transnational administrative cooperation between national competent bodies and social partners involved in the monitoring and correct application of Posting of Workers Directive and increase mutual trust among stakeholders, including promoting exchanges of relevant officials and training, as well as developing, facilitating and promoting best practice initiatives in the area of posting of workers in the framework of temporary provision of services.

A posted worker for the purposes of the Directive is a worker who, for a limited period, carries out his work in the territory of a Member State other than the State in which he normally works.

 

The following actions may be co-financed:

• Developing, facilitating and promoting exchanges and/or training (for example joint visits, joint inspections, short training actions) of officials of competent public authorities and/or relevant social partners in charge of administrative cooperation and mutual assistance in relation to posted workers in the framework of the provision of services.
• Developing, facilitating and promoting exchanges and best practice initiatives with respect to the access of information between public authorities and relevant social partners, such as the development and updating of databases or joint websites containing general or sector-specific information concerning terms and conditions of employment to be respected in relation to posted workers in the framework of the provision of services.
• Exchange of information and best practices (for example, seminars, conferences, round tables) and dissemination of information and best practices in this respect (for example, reports, manuals, guidelines, leaflets, newsletter, web pages).

Who can apply?

Public authorities, social partners, international organisations, non-profit organisations, research centres and institutes, universities and civil society organisations.

Budget for this call: 2.440.000 euro.

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Human rights actions

European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR): Supporting Human Rights and their defenders where they are most at risk

DEADLINE: 1 AUGUST 2013

The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) was created to give financial support for activities aiming to strengthen democracy and human rights around the world during the 2007-2013 financial perspectives.

The specific objective of this Call for Proposals is to support and protect human rights and their defenders by reinforcing their capacities to do their work in the short and long-term, as well as providing tangible support and means of action to local civil society in the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in some of the world's most difficult, dangerous, repressive and unpredictable political situations and/or where they are the most vulnerable and threatened.

 

Two lots:

• Actions taking place in one single country.
• Multi-countries actions having similar issues to be addressed or where human rights defenders face similar types of threats or obstacles to their work. Both lots do not include any list of focus countries. It is up to the applicant to identify the target area and prove the gravity of the violations with reference to direct and proven knowledge of the issues to be addressed, independent monitoring reports and/or specific indicators. This is essential to establish the relevance of the action: the more serious the situation, the higher the priority.

Regardless of the geographic restrictions, actions under both lots must at least address one of the following priorities:

• To contribute to improving the situation relating to the following human rights and fundamental freedoms
• To provide support and protection to human rights defenders in those countries and regions where they are the most persecuted and subject to repression.

Indicative allocation of funds by lot: Lot 1: €9 million Lot 2: € 6 million

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Support for gender equality

PROGRESS- SECTION 5- GENDER EQUALITY

Deadline: 28 August 2013  

PROGRESS is the EU employment and social solidarity programme, set up to provide financial support for the attainment of the European Union’s objectives in employment and social affairs.

PROGRESS supports, with this Section 5, the effective implementation of the principle of gender equality and promotion of its mainstreaming in all EU policies. The general objective of this call is to support actions from the civil society and other relevant stakeholders to promote equality between women and men and to achieve the objectives defined in the Commission's Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2015 and in the European Pact for Gender Equality 2011-2020.

 

Two specific priority areas for action:

• Actions addressing the gender pay gap: The European Commission therefore encourages the effort of all stakeholders, such as social partners, business associations, NGOs and research institutions to establish transnational partnerships and work together to contribute to tackle pay inequalities and reduce the GPG.
  
• Actions promoting gender balance in economic decision-making positions at all levels of the hierarchy, the European Commission encourages key stakeholders (social partners, business associations, recruitment agencies and head-hunters, business schools, universities and research institutes, public bodies, media, etc.) to establish transnational partnerships and work together to contribute to improve the situation.

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Partnerships within the Youth in Action programme

Partnerships

DEADLINE: 5 September

Within the “Youth in Action” programme, this call for proposals aims at supporting partnerships with regional or local public bodies or other stakeholders active in the youth sector at European level in order to develop over the long-term projects which combine various measures of the programme.

The specific objectives of such partnerships are to:

• encourage the involvement of public bodies at regional or local level or other stakeholders active in the youth sector in European youth and non-formal education activities

• support their capacity capacity-building as bodies active in the youth field providing non-formal education opportunities to young people and youth workers

• promote the development of sustainable networks, the exchange of best practices as well as the recognition of non-formal education.

 

 

Preference will be given to well-structured projects which are framed within a longer-term perspective and planned with a view to achieve a multiplying effect and a sustainable impact. The projects will support the development of a programme including one activity or combining several activities taking inspiration from the ‘Youth in Action’ programme.

The following activities are eligible under this call:

• Trans-national Youth Exchanges
• National or Trans-national Youth Initiatives
• European Voluntary Service
• Training and Networking

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Europe-Brazil relations

Exchange of New Entrepreneurs between the Federative Republic of Brazil and Europe

DEADLINE: 4 July

This call for proposals assumes that exchanges with knowledgeable entrepreneurs from Brazil and from CIP Participating Countries will help Brazilian and European SMEs and entrepreneurs to address the lack of business and entrepreneurial know-how and skills environment to grow and encourage their development.

The overall objective of this call for proposals is:

• To increase exchanges between Brazil and CIP Participating Countries;
• To provide on-the-job-training for New entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises in Brazil and in Europe in order to facilitate a successful start-up, and development of their business ideas;
• To foster sharing of experience and information between entrepreneurs on the obstacles and challenges of starting up and developing their businesses in Brazil and in the CIP Participating Countries;
• To enhance market access and identification of potential partners for new and established businesses in Brazil and in Europe;
• To support business networking between entrepreneurs from Brazil and the CIP Participating Countries by building on knowledge and experience from each other.

The specific objective is to select an organisation which will manage the exchange of new entrepreneurs between the Federative Republic of Brazil and CIP Participating Countries at local level. This call for proposals is expected to result in 100 successful exchanges.

 

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