Support for Training 2018 - EACEA/09/2018

Deadline: Apr 26, 2018  
CALL EXPIRED

1. OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION

This notice of a call for proposals is based on the Regulation No 1295/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11/12/2013 concerning the implementation of a programme of support for the European cultural and creative sector (CREATIVE EUROPE)1 and its corrigendum of the 27/06/20142.

Within the field of reinforcing the audiovisual sector's capacity, some of the priorities of the MEDIA Sub-programme are the following:

•  facilitating the acquisition and improvement of skills and competences of audiovisual professionals and the development of networks including the use of digital technologies to ensure the adaptation to market development, testing new approaches to audience development and testing of new business models.

The objective of the Support to Training is to facilitate the acquisition and improvement of skills and competences of audiovisual professionals and the development of networks. Emphasis is put on the use of digital technologies to ensure adaptation to latest market developments, testing new ways of storytelling in all formats and for all platforms, testing new approaches to audience development including reaching young audiences, testing new business models and enhancing the capacity to access finance.

2. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Applicants must be entities in the audiovisual sector (private companies, non-profit organisations, associations, charities, foundations, municipalities/Town Councils, etc.), established in one of the countries participating to the MEDIA Sub-programme and owned directly or by majority participation, by nationals from such countries.

Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible as long as all conditions referred to in Article 8 of the Regulation establishing the Creative Europe Programme are met and the Commission has entered into negotiations with the country:

• −  EU Member States and overseas countries and territories which are eligible to participate in the Programme pursuant to Article 58 of Council Decision 2001/822/EC;

• −  Acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates benefiting from a pre-accession strategy, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the participation of those countries in Union programmes established in the respective Framework Agreements, Association Council Decisions or similar agreements;

• −  EFTA countries which are members of the EEA, in accordance with the provisions of the EEA Agreement;

• −  The Swiss Confederation, on the basis of a bilateral agreement to be concluded with that country;

• −  Countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy in accordance with the procedures defined with those countries following the framework agreements providing for their participation in Union programmes.

The Programme shall also be open for bilateral or multilateral cooperation actions targeted at selected countries or regions on the basis of additional appropriations paid by, and specific arrangements to be agreed upon with, those countries or regions.

The Programme shall permit cooperation and joint actions with countries not participating in the Programme and with international organisations which are active in the cultural and creative sectors such as UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development or the World Intellectual Property Organisation on the basis of joint contributions for the realisation of the Programme's objectives.

The Agency may select proposals from applicants in non EU countries, provided that, on the date of the award decision, agreements have been signed setting out the arrangements for the participation of those countries in the programme established by the Regulation referred to above.

The updated list of countries that fulfil the conditions referred to in Article 8 of the Regulation and that the Commission has started negotiations with can be found on the following link:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe/library/eligibility-organisations-non-eu-countries_en). Only applications submitted by eligible entities active in the audiovisual sector in countries

participating in the MEDIA sub-programme will be accepted.

Natural persons may not apply for a grant.

3. ELIGIBLE ACTIONS

Applications must be for activities which are aimed at developing the capacity of audiovisual professionals to understand and integrate a European and international dimension in their work by improving expertise in the following fields:

- Training in audience development, marketing, new modes of distribution and exploitation including those relying on the latest digital technologies in particular in ways to reach young audiences;

- Training in financial and commercial management with a view to enhance the capacity to access to finance, financial instruments and new business models;

- Training in development and production of audiovisual works including innovation in content development (new storytelling, new formats for all platforms), knowledge sharing and networking capabilities;

- Training integrating the opportunities offered by digital technologies to ensure adaptation to latest market developments .

Applicants shall be applying for one of the three following categories of supported actions depending on the scale, needs, objectives and international / European/ regional dimension:

1. European actions: actions aimed at the acquisition and improvement of skills and competences for professionals to operate mainly in Europe

2. International actions: actions aimed at building expertise, knowledge and capacities for European professionals to operate outside Europe through networking and collaboration with non-European professionals.

3. Regional actions: actions aimed at reinforcing the capacity of professionals from low production capacity countries.

Under this call for proposals, the applicant submits a proposal in view of establishing a three-year partnership with the MEDIA sub-programme, through a contractual instrument called Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA).

Activities must start between date of signature of the grant agreement and 31/08/2019. The maximum duration of the action is 12 months.

4. AWARD CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of a 100-point score on the basis of the following criteria and weighting:

Relevance and European added value (30 points)
Relevance of the content of the activity including its international/European/regional dimension vis-à- vis the objectives of the Call for proposals, the needs and trends of the industry especially digital distribution and young audience reach, the level of innovation of the project in relation to the existing European training offer, the co-operation between players from different groups of countries as well as the partnerships with the audiovisual industry including animation.

Quality of the content and activities (40 points)
Adequacy of the content and the methodology of the proposed action to the objectives, adequacy of the format, the cost-effectiveness as well as the integration of innovative aspects relying on the use of the latest digital technologies especially digital promotion tools, innovation in content development and storytelling, talent development, access to finance. Special attention to the adequacy of the content of the action, the proposed methodology, the pedagogical approach and the suitability to reinforce the capacity of professionals from low production capacity countries will be given.

Dissemination of project results, and impact and sustainability (20 points)
Mechanisms to disseminate good practice and results beyond participants, the impact on participating professionals, single companies, the audiovisual sector and the digital distribution of works as well as impact on access to international networks and markets of individuals and companies.

Organisation of the project team (10 points).
The distribution of the roles and responsibilities of the team as well as the relevance of the pedagogical expertise of the tutors, experts and coaches vis-à-vis the objectives of the training action.

5. BUDGET

The total budget available is estimated at 7.5 M €.
The financial contribution of the Union cannot exceed:

- 60% of the total eligible costs of the action in case of European actions;

- 80% of the total eligible costs of the action in case of international and regional actions.

The Agency reserves the right not to allocate all the available funds.

6. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS OF APPLICATIONS

Proposals must be submitted not later than 26/04/2018 at 12.00 noon (midday Brussels time) using the online application form (eForm). No other method of submission of an application will be accepted.

Applicants shall ensure that all the documents requested and mentioned in the eForms are provided.

7. FULL DETAILS

The full text of the guidelines together with the application forms can be found at the following Internet address:

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe/funding/support-training-2018-eacea092018_en

Applications must comply with all the terms of the guidelines and be submitted on the eForms provided.