Call for proposals MARE/2020/08 Strengthening regional cooperation in the area of fisheries data collection

Deadline: Jul 31, 2020  
CALL EXPIRED

1. INTRODUCTION

Legal basis for this call: Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 15 May 2014 on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), and in particular Articles 85(a) and 86 thereof.

Type of grant: Action grant following a call for proposals.

This is a call for proposals for EU grants in the field of fisheries data collection aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, in accordance with the 2020 Work Programme for grants and procurement financed under the EMFF.

The Commission Implementing Decision of 17 December 20191 on the financing of the EMFF and the adoption of the work programme for 2020 (“the Decision”), constitutes the basic act and the financing decision under which this call for proposals is published.

The point 2.2.2 of the annex to the Decision relates specifically to the scope and financing of grants for “Strengthening regional cooperation in the area of fisheries data collection”.

This call will be managed by DG MARE and is subject to the standard submission and evaluation procedure (one-stage submission and one-step evaluation).

This call document outlines the following:

• o background, objectives, themes and priorities, activities that can be funded and the expected outputs of the call (sections 1 and 2)
• o timetable and available budget (section 3 and 4)
• o admissibility, eligibility, exclusion, selection criteria, award criteria
• (sections 5 to 9)
• o legal commitment and financial provisions (section 10 -11) o publicity and processing of personal data (section 12-13)
• o submission procedure (section 14)

All the relevant information to this call for proposals is published and available for downloading on the following website under the call number MARE/2020/08:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-opportunities-maritime-affairs-and-fisheries_en

1.1. Background

Reliable and complete data are essential to the correct functioning of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)2. For this reason, the EU framework for the collection and management of fisheries data was established in 20003, renewed in 20084 and recast in 20175 resulting in the existing Data Collection Framework (DCF). The DCF establishes a harmonised set of EU rules governing the collection, management and use of biological, environmental, technical, and socio-economic data on the fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors. It aims to ensure that the scientific data necessary for fisheries management are collected, managed and made available to end–users, including bodies designated by the Commission.

Related DCF legal acts:

• Regulation (EU) 2017/1004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 on the establishment of a Union framework for the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector and support for scientific advice regarding the common fisheries policy and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 (current DCF regulation)

• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/909 of 18 February 2019 establishing the list of mandatory surveys and thresholds for the purposes of the multiannual Union programme for the collection and management of data in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors

•   Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/910 of 13 March 2019 establishing the multiannual Union programme for the collection and management of biological environmental, technical and socioeconomic data in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors

•   Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1701 of 19 August 2016 laying down rules on the format for the submission of work plans for the data collection in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors

•   Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1283 of 24 August 2018 laying down rules on the format and timetables for the submission of annual data collection reports in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors collection and management of the data needed to conduct the common fisheries policy

1.2. Regional Coordination Groups

Regional coordination groups (RCGs) were established under the current DCF Regulation to facilitate cooperation on data collection among Member States (MS) in the same marine region or on specific fisheries6. They also make efforts to coordinate their actions with third countries having sovereignty or jurisdiction over waters in the same marine region. RCGs aim at developing and implementing procedures, methods, quality assurance and quality control for collecting and processing data, which will allow to further improve the reliability of scientific advice. RCGs consist of experts appointed by Member States, including MS’s national correspondents for data collection, and the Commission.

The following RCGs were established:

•   RCG Baltic (RCG Baltic),

•   RCG North Atlantic (RCG NA),

•   RCG North Sea & Eastern Arctic (RCG NS&EA),

•   RCG Mediterranean and Black Sea (RCG Med&BS),

•   RCG Long Distance Fisheries (RCG LDF), and

•   RCG Large Pelagics (RCG LP).

To assess and discuss issues that affect several marine regions, the Commission created the Expert Group on Fisheries Data Collection (E02750), which meets in several subgroups annually, such as the Liaison meeting, the National Correspondents meeting, and the Planning Group on Economic Issues (PGECON, a pan-regional group that deals with the collection of the economic data). PGECON is not an RCG but operates in a similar way and with the same objectives and is, therefore, subsumed under the reference to “RCGs” in this call for proposals.

The RCGs are now well established: the work has developed from a single annual Regional Coordination Meeting (RCM) under previous legislation into a continuous cooperation process. RCGs contribute to translating scientific advice into concrete regionally coordinated approaches to data collection, produce reports on specific topics of relevance and organise workshops. All RCGs have adopted rules of procedure (RoP)7 and prepared terms of reference (ToR) for their annual meetings. Some RCGs hold joint meetings with common ToR, which in addition may cover several years8. RCGs have established intersessional sub-groups9 (ISSG), which work year around on common topics, such as data quality, dialogue between data providers and end users, diadromous fish, regional overviews of fisheries etc, but also on region-specific priorities as agreed at RCG level.

1.3. Challenges for RCGs

The following main challenges to the current operation of the RCGs have been identified. 1.3.1. Regional work plans

One of the primary purposes of the RCGs is to prepare regional work plans, which should include, amongst other possible elements, sampling designs/plans, procedures, methods, quality assurance and quality control for collecting and processing data, and conditions for the delivery of data. RCGs are also a vehicle for the preparation and submission to the Commission of regional work plans.

However, discussions in the RCGs do not always go sufficiently beyond the national perspectives to allow achieving concrete, coordinated regional approaches and implementation thereof. As a consequence - while some common parts of national work plans have been elaborated and currently exist (e.g. joined meetings to attend, common pilot studies, as is the case for PETs in the Mediterranean) - no RCG has come forward to date (Spring 2020) with a proposal for a regional work plan for approval by the Commission.

1.3.2. Administration and coordination

The annual meetings of RCGs, and the continuous work in the form of ISSG, involve a multitude of administrative and coordination tasks (e.g. finding venues and accommodation, supporting travel arrangements of participants, organising side events, ensuring timely production and distribution of documents, facilitating access to relevant information, written consultations following meetings and/or in preparation of meetings). RCGs have also emphasised the need for the creation of a dedicated website10 to share information and increase the visibility of the RCGs’ work to stakeholders.

Under the current set up it is the RCG chairpersons who are performing these tasks (and are expected to follow up on additional upcoming initiatives such as providing updates for the website). This occupies capacities that they could otherwise devote to steering the further development of the content of RCG work to drive successful outcomes, such as progress on the regional work plans and sampling plans.

1.3.3. Regional Databases

Regional databases (RDBs), referenced under the 2017 DCF Regulation, allow having available data at low aggregation level concentrated in one place and facilitate the work of MS and RCGs, among other things by reducing the burden of multiple data submissions (for data calls) under different formats. RDBs also allow end-users to calculate statistical estimates of data tailored to their needs and help to streamline and ease the reporting of MS on the data collection. Together with the corresponding RCGs, the Commission, MS and end-users are entrusted to cooperate on the creation of RDBs.

RDBs have existed for a period of time for the RCGs Baltic, the RCG North Sea and Eastern Arctic and the RCG North- Atlantic (hosted by ICES). In 2019, data related to the RCG LDF were included in the ICES RDB and data from RCG LP are expected to be hosted as well in this RDB once some necessary adjustments have been completed. However, no RDB has been established for the Mediterranean and Black Seas. For the latter, DCF data of different aggregation levels are still placed in different databases, spread mainly between the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), which are not necessarily compatible.

2. OBJECTIVES, PRIORITIES AND THE EXPECTED OUTPUTS OF THE CALL

2.1. Objectives

The shared funding for data collection in the EMFF is based on the national envelopes (per MS) and does not foresee EU-wide or regional funding mechanisms. Therefore, this grant aims to support the operation and functioning of the RCGs, helping RCGs to advance beyond national approaches, to achieve in a transparent and impartial way, the expected results of coordinated regional work for data collection.

Building on the results of the call for proposals launched in 201411 and 201612 and other relevant existing work, this call for proposals aims to support projects that further enable RCGs and MS to strengthen regional or EU-wide cooperation on data collection. The purpose of the call helps to provide, as well as develop the tools and support to accomplish further regional or EU-wide cooperation but not to finance activities on a recurrent basis.

2.2. Priorities

The supported projects should, in particular, address the challenges identified in section 1.3. and provide creative and feasible ways forward based on these.

The intention is not to duplicate the activities and outputs already existing, but to build further on them, where applicable. The deliverables of these grants should not be a compilation of existing work - carried out in ongoing or finalised studies, scientific working groups of end users, such as ICES13 and STECF14, Member States pilot studies or earlier grants - but should demonstrate novelty, added value and be complementary to the existing accomplishments.

2.3. Activities

The detailed description of the objectives, themes, priorities and expected outputs as well as the description of the work packages for each grant category can be found in the Annexes 1 to 3.

Annex 1: Establishing regional work plans for the following regions covered by the work of RCGs: Baltic / North Atlantic, North Sea, Eastern Arctic / Med & BS / long distance fisheries / large pelagics.

Annex 2: Actions in support of the work of RCGs (administrative support, website, future structure and financing).

Annex 3: Development, of the Regional Database for the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

In order to realise the objectives and priorities outlined above, projects should implement targeted activities resulting in concrete, and measurable outputs and results.

In all cases, the proposed activities must:

•   Be in line with and contribute to ongoing operations of RCGs.

•   Be adapted to meet specific issues and needs linked to progress of RCGs, including assistance to the Commission where relevant (e.g. presentations on relevant forums).

•   Be built on experiences from the past Data Collection projects and other relevant existing works as mentioned in section 2.1.

Applicants are invited to propose the activities that meet the needs of the selected Annex to this call (Annexes 1 to 3) always considering the detailed description of the work packages provided in these Annexes.

Concerning Annex 1, applicationsshould focus on one of the mentioned RCGs. Applications covering more than one RCG could be funded if there is a solid justification of the rationale behind the merge, e.g. joined work plans. The intention of the Commission is to grant up to 6 projects.

Concerning Annex 2, the intention of the Commission is to grant only one project covering all RCGs.

Concerning Annex 3, the intention of the Commission is to grant only one project covering the relevant RCG.

Applicants are allowed to submit multiple applications addressing different RCGs under Annex 1, e.g. one application for the RCG Baltic and one application on the RCG Long distance fisheries. Applicants are also allowed to submit more than one application

2.4. Expected outputs

The expected outputs resulting from this call for proposals are (i) regional work plans, (ii) actions in support of the work of RCGs, and (iii) development work for a Regional Database for the Mediterranean and Black Seas in order to:

• further develop regionally/EU-widely tools and processes applicable for the data collection framework (data collection, management, storage and transmission)
• facilitate the implementation and regional/EU-wide coordination of MS pilot studies (2017-2019) and results of the 2014 and 2016 grants that detail data collection requirements in specific fields;
• support the implementation of results (from earlier grants) on the establishment and coordination of available and new regional sampling plans, including transfer of knowledge and training of staff in Member States and RCGs;
• facilitate the transfer of knowledge and experience between MS in the different sea basins on fisheries data collection (including regarding observer on board programmes, statistically sound sampling schemes, execution of scientific surveys and data storage systems);
• conduct work between the annual meetings of RCGs and the Planning Group on Economic Issues (PGECON) on the implementation of their work programmes; and
• support the development and establishment of Regional Data Bases as provided for in the DCF Regulation.

3. TIMETABLE

The indicative timetable for this call for proposals is:

(a) Publication of the call

4th May 2020

(b) Deadline for submitting applications

31 July 2020 at mid-day (12:00) CET

(c) Evaluation period

August – October 2020

(d) Information to applicants

October 2020

(e) Preparation and signature of grant agreement(s)

October – December 2020

(f) Start of activities

January 2021

(g) Progress reports

Every 6 months

(h) Interim report

Within 60 days after the end of the interim reporting period (Month 1-12 included).

(i) Final report

Within 60 days after the end of the project.

3.2. Implementation period.
The Project should, in principle, NOT exceed the duration of 24 months.

The project shall start on the first day of the month following when the last of both parties signs the grant agreement or on the date specified in the grant agreement.

4. BUDGET AVAILABLE

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of all projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 1.300.000 and shall be financed from budget line 11.066201 of the General Budget of the European Union for 2020.

The Commission expects to fund 6-8 proposals, with an average budget of approximately EUR 200.000. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

The EU grant is limited to a maximum co-funding rate of 85% of eligible costs actually incurred.

The Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

5. ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In order to be admissible, applications must be:

•   sent no later than the deadline for submitting applications referred to in section 3 (timetable);

•   submitted in writing (see section 14), using the application form provided in Annexes 4 and 5 to this Call for Proposals and available at https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-opportunities-maritime-affairs-and-fisheries_en ;

•   drafted in one of the EU official languages. For practical reasons a translation into English would be appreciated.

Failure to comply with those requirements will lead to rejection of the application.

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