2ND CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS INTERREG IPA II CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME "GREECE–ALBANIA 2014-2020"

Deadline: Sep 5, 2016  
CALL EXPIRED

1. Context

The Interreg IPA II Cross-border Cooperation Programme “Greece –Albania 2014-2020” is a cross border co-operation Programme co-financed by the European Union under the Instrument for Pre- accession Assistance II (IPA II).

The Instrument for Pre–accession Assistance for the period from 2014 to 2020 (‘IPA II’) shall support the beneficiaries listed in Annex I of the Regulation (EU) No.231/2014 in adopting and implementing the political, institutional, legal, administrative, social and economic reforms required by those beneficiaries in order to comply with the Union's values and to progressively align to the Union's rules, standards, policies and practices, with a view to Union membership. Through such support, IPA II shall contribute to stability, security and prosperity in the beneficiaries listed in Annex I of the Regulation (EU) No.231/2014.

Within this framework, the Interreg IPA II Cross-border Cooperation Programme “Greece – Albania 2014-2020” consists of three Priority Axes and four Thematic Priorities, which are:

• Priority Axis 1: Promotion of the environment sustainable transport & public infrastructure

• Priority Axis 2: Boosting the local economy

• Priority Axis 3: Technical Assistance

Priority Axis 1 will be implemented via two thematic priorities focusing on:

• 1. Thematic Priority (c): Promoting sustainable transport, information and communication networks and services and investing in cross-border water, waste and energy systems and facilities
• 2. Thematic Priority (b): Protecting the environment & promoting climate change adaptation & mitigation, risk prevention & management

Priority Axis 2 will be implemented via two thematic priorities focusing on:

• 1. Thematic Priority (d): Encouraging tourism and cultural and natural heritage
• 2. Thematic Priority (g): Enhancing competitiveness, the business environment and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, trade and investment through, inter alia, promotion and support to entrepreneurship, in particular small and medium-sized

enterprises, and development of local cross-border markets and internationalisation

The overall strategy of Interreg IPA II cross-border cooperation programme “Greece - Albania 2014- 2020” is: “to find the balance between sustainable regional development and enhancement of cross-border cooperation among local population & regional institutions, in accordance with EU & national policies, in order to address common challenges through joint interventions”

The Programme’s budget allocated for the period 2014-2020 is 42.312.029,00€. This amount consists of 35.965.222,00€ EU contribution and 6.346.807,00€ national contributions. The national counterpart rate for both Greece and Albania is 15%. For the 2nd Call for project proposals, for the project beneficiaries from Albania, the 15% of the national counterpart will be covered by the beneficiaries own contribution.

Suspension clause

This Call for proposals is subject to the signing of the Multiannual Financing Agreement between the European Commission, Managing Authority and Albania (for Albanian beneficiaries).

2. Documents of reference

Before submitting any project proposal, applicants are invited to consult the Operational Programme approved by the European Commission (Decision C(2015) 5482 of 30-07-2015), Regulation (EU) No.231/2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA II), Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No.447/2014 (implementing Regulation (EU) No.231/2014). Applicants are also invited to study carefully the Programme and Project Manual.

These documents are available on the Managing Authority’s website at http://www.interreg.gr, on the Programme’s website at http://www.greece-albania.eu and on the website of the Ministry of European Integration of Albania www.integrimi.gov.al.

3. Priority Axes, Thematic priorities, Specific objectives

The present call for proposals is open to both Priorities Axes and to the six related Specific Objectives of the programme, namely:

• Priority Axis 1: Promotion of the environment sustainable transport & public infrastructure
  • Specific Objective 1.1: Increase the capacity of CB infrastructure in transport, water & waste management
  • Specific Objective 1.2: Increase the effectiveness of environmental protection & sustainable use of natural resources
  • Specific Objective 1.3: Increase energy-efficiency and the use of RES
  • Specific Objective 1.4: Improve the effectiveness of risk prevention and disaster management with a focus on forest fires
• Priority Axis 2: Boosting the local economy
  • Specific Objective 2.1: Preserve cultural and natural resources as a prerequisite for tourism development of the cross border area
  • Specific Objective 2.2: Improve cross-border capacity to support entrepreneurship, business survival and competitiveness

The results that the partner States seek to achieve with Union support are:

a. Specific Objective 1.1: Increase the capacity of CB infrastructure in transport, water & waste management. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Increase share of water resources used sustainably.
Increase capacity for wastewater treatment.
Increase share of solid waste managed sustainably.
Improve maturity of cross-border accessibility interventions.

b. Specific Objective 1.2: Increase the effectiveness of environmental protection & sustainable use of natural resources. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Better management of natural-protected sites.
Improve institutional capacity and coordinated policies in environmental protection and sustainable use of natural resources.

c. Specific Objective 1.3: Increase energy-efficiency and the use of RES. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Reduce overall energy consumption in the public sector.
Increase share of energy from RES in the public sector.
Increase population awareness regarding energy efficiency.

d. Specific Objective 1.4: Improve the effectiveness of risk prevention and disaster management with a focus on forest fires. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Improve cross border preparedness for effective management of natural disasters.
Coordinate decision making tools and early warning systems.
Reduce of damages from forest fires.
Improve Civil Protection – Better Informed Public.

e. Specific Objective 2.1: Preserve cultural and natural resources as a prerequisite for tourism development of the cross border area. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Contribute to growth in the tourist business sector.
Improve capacity to sustainably use natural and cultural resources in the cross-border area.
Preserve/protect/promote cultural and natural assets.

f. Specific Objective 2.2: Improve cross-border capacity to support entrepreneurship, business survival and competitiveness. The aim of this specific objective is to:

Improve capacities of regional actors/facilities to support the development/growth of businesses.
Improve cross-border business survival.
Create collaborative schemes of businesses.
Increase exports of CB businesses.