General Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) INTERREG III B Neighbourhood Programme?
- What is the co-operation area in the Baltic Sea Region?
- What are the topics addressed by BSR INTERREG III B NP?
- How much money is available?
- How is the programme be managed?
- What is the general rate of BSR INTERREG III B co-financing?
- What are projects working on and what results are expected?
- Who can apply for funding from the BSR INTERREG III B?
- Can private partners participate in BSR INTERREG III B NP projects?
- How many partners have to be involved in the project?
- How many calls for project applications were launched?
- When and where can information on the application procedure be found?
- Which projects are preferred?
- How long can a project last?
- What are the responsibilities of a Lead Partner?
- Is there a model partnership contract available?
The BSR INTERREG III B programme belongs to one of the three different strands of the European Community Initiative INTERREG III. These programmes address transeuropean co-operation and encourage harmonious and balanced development of the European territory. Strand B of the INTERREG III Initiative supports transnational co-operation projects. The BSR INTERREG III B is the successor of the INTERREG II C BSR programme. It is sponsored by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of the Structural Funds, an co-financed by national project partners. Application period is 2001-2006, project implementation period is till 2008.
2. What is the co-operation area in the Baltic Sea Region?
BSR INTERREG III B functions in eleven countries covering a large European area.
Entire Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Denmark, Finland and Sweden are eligible areas, as well as the German federal states (Länder) of Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen (only NUTS II area Regierungsbezirk Lüneburg). Only partners from the Member States can apply for ERDF funding from the BSR INTERREG III B programme. Please click here to see the co-operation are map.
The Norwegian government has provided a separate budget for project partners from Norway.
In Russia, co-operation partners from Kaliningrad, St Petersburg, surrounded by Leningrad Oblast, the Karelian Republic, Pskov Oblast, Novgorod Oblast and Murmansk Oblast are welcome to participate in joint projects. For projects concerning the Barents Region, also co-operation with Archangelsk Oblast and Nenzen Okrug is envisaged. The funding source is the EU Tacis cross-border co-operation (CBC) programme. In Belarus, the Oblasts of Minsk, Grodno, Brest and Vitebsk are eligible areas for co-operation.
The idea of the new Neighbourhood Programmes (NP) has been to overcome a situation where a cooperation project with partners from inside and outside the European Union have to apply to different EU funding instruments, namely INTERREG for inside the Union, and Tacis funds as the external instrument for Russian and Belarusian partners. For the transition period until 2008, the main improvement, therefore, is that projects involving partners from both Member States and Russia/Belarus undergo a joint application, project selection and decision making procedure. At programme level, the coordination of the implementation of projects financed from Tacis or INTERREG funds, still governed by different regulations, will be improved.
3. What are the topics addressed by BSR INTERREG III B NP?
- Spatial development approaches and actions for specific territories and sectors
I. Sustainable development of macro-regions II. Sectors of importance for spatial development III. Coastal zones, islands and other specific areas
- Promotion of territorial structures
I. Polycentric settlement structures II. Communication and transport links III. Good management of cultural and natural heritage and of natural resources
- Transnational and bilateral institution and capacity building in the Baltic Sea Region
I. Promotion of transnational institution and capacity building II. Bilateral maritime cooperation across the Baltic Sea
- Special support for regions bordering candidate countries
- Cross-border co-operation priority Estonia-Latvia-Russia
I. Development of the Estonian-Latvian border regions II. Development of the EU external border regions
- Cross-border co-operation priority Latvia-Lithuania-Belarus
I. Utilising the cross-border cooperation to enhance the competitiveness of involved regions and improve the access to markets across the borders II. Supporting the development and strengthening of co-operation on a people-to- people level and between the institutions located in border regions.
4. How much money is available?
The total ERDF-budget amounts to EUR 149 million. This amount is matched with co-financing from national project partners of the EU Member States. The general ERDF-funding rate for project partners is up to 50% of the total eligible partner budget. To encourage participation of project partners from Objective 1 areas (East German Länder, parts of Sweden and Finland, whole of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) in truly transnational projects, the ERDF assistance for these project partners can be increased to up to 75%. In addition, private funds are welcome to top up project budgets. The contribution from Norway, and from the EU Phare (until 2004) and Tacis programmes also plays an essential role in financing actions.
5. How is the programme managed?
A joint Steering Committees comprising representatives of all participating countries selects projects and makes funding decisions. A joint Monitoring Committee oversees the use of ERDF funds. A joint programme secretariat, located in Rostock/Germany and in Riga/Latvia is responsible for the day to day programme management, and acts as the main contact point. The Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein, acting as managing and paying authority for the programme, manages the ERDF funds.
6. What is the general rate of BSR INTERREG III B NP co-financing?
In general, the share of BSR INTERREG III B funding for partners from Member States ican be up to 50% of the total eligible budget. For partners from Objective 1 areas (and Special programme area in Sweden) the ERDF assistance can be up to 75 per cent. As fom 2004 the co-financing for Norwegian partners is 30% from Norwegian national funds.
7. What are the projects working on and what results are expected?
BSR INTERREG III B partners address topics identified under priorities and measures of the programme. Eligible activities are, for example, workshops and seminars, dissemination of information and analyses such as market research, joint pilot actions, implementation of best practice and building up networks.
Examples of outputs are:
- framework plans or sector concepts for specific areas,
- feasibility studies including investment plans,
- management and marketing concepts,
- small scale infrastructure investment for model and pilot projects of transnational relevance,
- transnational networks and databases.
8. Who can apply for funding from the BSR INTERREG III B?
Eligible partners are public authorities on national, regional, sub-regional and local level, research and training institutions, foundations, NGOs and non-profit organisations from EU Memeber states and Norway. For more precise description of who can be Lead Partner and Project Partner please see Programme Complement.
9. Can private partners participate in BSR INTERREG III B NP projects?
BSR INTERREG III B is a programme targeted to public authorities and public equivalent bodies. Private partners can participate if they fulfill the conditions stated in the Programme Complement (chapter 2.1 Final beneficiaries). Other private partners are not eligible to receive BSR INTERREG III B funds. Nevertheless, they can participate in a project but only with own funding.
Another option is to involve private partners by sub-contracting them as consultants resp. external experts (in complinace with the public procurement law).
10. How many partners have to be involved in the project?
Each project should involve partners from at least three different countries, of which at least two should be financial contributors and one coming from an EU Member State. Measure 3.2. has separate eligibility criteria, the same is valid for priorities 5 and 6.
11. How many calls for project applications are launched annually?
Calls for applications are planned twice per year (Spring & Autumn) between 2002 and 2006. For more specific information please go to "How to apply" section.
12. When and where can information on the application procedure be found?
The Joint Secretariat prepares an information- and application package for applicants, which is published on www.bsrinterreg.net in section "How to apply" before each call for project applications. The applicant´s pack is available in digital form. The applicant´s pack, among other things, includes background information on the programme, the application form, a form for the total budget plan, a form for co-financing statements, a form for implementation schedule including time schedule, a draft subsidy contract and a manual for applicants including practical advice and information.
13. What projects are preferred?
Priority is given to projects requiring transnational action and delivering added value through joint solutions. Partners from at least three different countries must be involved, of which at least two should be financial contributors, and one from an EU Member State. Projects should evidently contribute to a harmonious, balanced and sustainable development and to ecological, economic and social cohesion in the Baltic Sea Region. The projects should also refer to spatial planning, follow a multi-sectoral and territorial approach, and respect EU policies. Preference is given to projects focusing on of actions going beyond networking and exchange of experience. Activities preparing investment gain support above research or purely methodological studies.
14. How long can a project last?
In principle projects should not last longer than three years.
15. What are the responsibilities of a Lead Partner?
The Lead Partner is responsible for management, implementation and coordination of activities among the involved partners. He submits the Application Form to the Joint Secretariat and, in case the project is selected for funding, signs a Subsidy Contract with the Managing Authority thus undertaking the full financial and legal responsibility for the entire project, including all EU partners and partners from Norway. The Lead Partner is thus financially liable towards the Managing Authority for the total amount of the subsidy. Only Lead Partner may request payments on the basis of the Subsidy Contract. The Lead Partner shall also be responsible for the division of tasks among the partners involved in the project (recommended in the form of a written contract) and ensuring that these tasks are subsequently fulfilled.
16. Is there a model partnership contract available?
It is almost impossible to develop a model contract for co-operation projects throughout the BSR, which would have to consider the legal practices of all 8 EU Member States plus Norway. Approved projects have to develop their co-operation contracts themselves. The Subsidy Contract could be taken as a basis for the co-operation contracts. Elements of the partnership contract are listed in the Programme Manual and one source for such a contract could be a North West Europe INTERREG III B Programme (go to www.nweurope.org), which has such a model available on website.