Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme - 6th Call for Main Project Applications

Deadline: Nov 30, 2018  
CALL EXPIRED

The Northern Periphery and Arctic 2014-2020 Programme is part of the European Territorial Cooperation Objective supported by the European Regional Development Fund. The programme contributes to and aligns with the Europe 2020 Strategy, national and regional policies and development strategies, macro regional and sea basin strategies, and other programmes covering parts of the geographical area.

The programme’s vision is to assist in the generation of vibrant, competitive and sustainable communities, by harnessing innovation, expanding the capacity for entrepreneurship and seizing the unique growth initiatives and opportunities of the Northern and Arctic regions in a resource efficient way.

To date, the NPA 2014-2020 Monitoring Committee has in total committed approximately 85% of the programme funding to 44 projects.

Special note

Applicants from the Faroe Islands and Greenland should be aware of financial limitations in the Faroese and Greenlandic funding sources. However, “Geographical flexibility” rules are in effect, these rules specifically allow for the use of ERDF funding for Faroese and Greenlandic partners. (Please see the NPA Programme manual section 1.5.2 for further details). Note: The Monitoring Committee encourages partnerships with a wide participation from the NPA area. Applicants should not be discouraged from including Faroese and Greenlandic partners in their application.

The Monitoring committee recommends Norwegian and Icelandic project partners to contact their respective Regional Contact Points to discuss available funding, and to determine a reasonable grant request.

The NPA programme has reached the required targeted number of approved projects for specific objectives 1.2 and 2.1. As a result, the Monitoring Committee has decided that specific objectives 1.2 and 2.1 are mainly open to invited main projects recommended to reapply from the 5th call or approved on-going preparatory projects in these specific objectives are eligible to come forward in the Sixth Call. Applicants considering applying to specific objective 1.2 and 2.1 are advised to contact the Joint Secretariat in good time.

Terms of Reference for the 6th Call

•   The MC is looking to fund an additional 3 projects in Priority Axis 1.

•   The MC especially encourages projects addressing the following actions:

  • o In specific objective 1.1: Increased innovation and transfer of new technology to SMEs in remote sparsely populated areas

    •   Action: Transfer and development of models or solutions for clustering SMEs with shared needs in relation to accessing R&D in order to develop critical mass and support access to R&D links across regional and national borders.

    •   Action: Transfer and development of models or solutions facilitating business networks across regional and national borders to help to diversify and broaden the regional sector base.

•  The MC especially encourages projects involving the following sectors:

  • o Non-traditional, and creative sectors

  • o Blue Growth, and Green Growth

  • o Cold climate technologies, and cold climate impacts

Priority Axis 2:

•   The MC is looking to fund 3 projects in Priority Axis 2.

•   The MC especially encourages projects addressing the following actions:

  • o In specific objective 2.2: Greater market reach beyond local markets for SMEs in remote and sparsely populated areas, all actions:

    •   Action: Transfer and development of marketing models and solutions suitable for SMEs in remote, sparsely populated areas, to increase their market reach.

    •   Action: Transfer and development of concepts for clustering and creating networks of SMEs to meet a larger-scale, more diverse and/or more complex demand.

    •   Action: Transfer and development of marketing models and solutions facilitating the use of distance-spanning technology to overcome long distance to market.

•  The MC especially encourages projects involving the following sectors: o Marine sector

  • o Biotech

  • o Processing/refinement of natural resources

Priority Axis 3:

•   The MC is looking to fund 4 projects in Priority Axis 3.

•   For specific objective 3, increased energy efficiency, the MC in specific encourage projects addressing :

  • o the development and use of renewable energy sources suitable for cold climate and dispersed settlements

  • o the use of ICT technologies, such as new energy efficiency concepts for smart energy management

Priority Axis 4:

•   The MC is looking to fund 1 project in Priority Axis 4.

•   For specific objective 4, sustainable environmental management, the MC in specific encourage projects addressing:

  • o pooling of competences transnationally among public authorities

  • o help to develop and share concepts for sustainable environmental management that takes into account not only the environmental aspect, but also social and economic aspects affecting the community

For all Priority Axes, the following is highlighted:

•   All projects are expected make a special effort to include end users in their project proposals. End user involvement can be demonstrated by the composition of the partnership (e.g. involvement as full project partners, sub partners or associated partners), the involvement of end users as described in dedicated work package activities, or by attaching letters of support from end users.

•   Projects are encouraged to include measures to involve underrepresented groups such as young women and indigenous peoples.

•   In order to increase the impact of the NPA 2014-2020 on innovation and entrepreneurship in the programme area, projects are encouraged to address topics in a broader sense.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 30th November 2018, 23:59 CET

DECISION DATE: 13th March 2019

Guidance for applicants

See the NPA 2014-2020 Programme Manual (click to download) for a description of the Priority Axes, instructions for how to apply and the NPA eligibility rules. This and all other application documents can be found on the Sixth Call page.

How to Apply Seminar

A How to Apply Seminar will be organised on 24th October in Copenhagen at the offices of the Joint Secretariat. This seminar will offer technical sessions on the application form, budget and partnership. The seminar will be conducted as a combination of the presentation of factual material and online eMS tutorials. Register here. Space is limited to one person per project application and registration closes on October 12th, 2018.

Important note regarding future calls for main projects

The NPA Monitoring Committee will decide on the exact dates and the focus of the next call in April 2019, if necessary. This will be communicated on the NPA 2014-2020 website and through the Regional Contact Point network.

Preparatory project call

The call is ongoing, which means that applications can be submitted at any time. Preparatory Project decisions will be made by the Joint Secretariat. The approval process takes approximately 1 month from submission. Preparatory project idea developers are encouraged to aim the end date of their preparatory projects to coincide with the Sixth Call deadline. See www.interreg-npa.eu for further details and instructions.

Special note for preparatory project applicants: Preparatory project applications are being accepted for all specific objectives except for 1.2 and 2.1. Preparatory project applications submitted in preparation for the Sixth call after 30th September 2018 will not be processed.

Further information

If you are interested in applying, we recommend that you are in touch with the Regional Contact Point in your region, click here for contact details. Alternatively, you can contact Christopher Parker at the Joint Secretariat, christopher.parker@interreg-npa.eu