Results of first call for proposals confirm interest of Euro-Mediterranean partnership in cross-border cooperation
A total of 419 proposals were submitted under the call for standard projects, whose objective is to contribute to make the Mediterranean a more competitive, innovative, inclusive and sustainable area.
Following the closure of the first call for proposals on 24th of January 2018, the Managing Authority is pleased to announce that 419 proposals were submitted, amounting to a total value of over €1 billion (around €940 million of ENI contribution were requested): this corresponds to 11 times the budget of the call which is €84.6 million. The value of the proposals is considerable taking into account the budget of the European Neighborhood Policy for the 2014-2020 period, i.e. €15.4 billion.
The proposals involve 2,959 organizations from the 13 countries participating in the Programme, as well as a limited number of international organizations.
Balanced participation
An almost equal participation of organizations from Mediterranean Partner Countries and EU Mediterranean Countries, 49% vs. 51%, was achieved. While the signature process of Financing Agreements has probably impacted on the number of Lead Applicants from Mediterranean Partner Countries, these latter are allocated 53% of the projects budget.
As in the 2007-2013 ENPI CBC Med Programme, Italy continues to be the most active country, totaling 579 organizations involved. With 430 actors, Tunisia is the second country, followed by Greece, Spain, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine.
Regarding the legal status of the organizations involved, a significant participation of companies and civil society organizations, has been witnessed both at partner and Lead Applicant level (see the presentation below for exact percentages).
Sustainable tourism leads the way
Sustainable tourism is the most popular priority of the call, followed by the support to Euro-Mediterranean economic clusters. It is worth mentioning the keen interest for the new thematic objectives introduced in the framework of the ENI CBC Med Programme, namely “Innovation and technological transfer” and “Social inclusion and the fight against poverty”. Priorities related to environmental sustainability and mitigation of climate change - water efficiency, waste manegement, renewable energy and energy efficiency, integrated coastal zone management - remain key drivers for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
What’s next?
The first phase of the evaluation process, which includes the administrative check and the assessment of the relevance and quality of design of proposals, will start soon. Applicants will be informed about the outcomes of this first phase following the decision of the Joint Monitoring Committee, expected in May 2018.
Important information for Applicants
Please note that the Managing Authority is currently assessing, together with the service provider in charge of the technical management of the online application form, some specific cases of Applicants who have experienced troubles in submitting their proposals. Concerned Applicants will be informed soon of the results of the checks carried out by the Managing Authority.
