| 1.
Introduction
Council Decision 2000/596/EC of 28 September 2000 (published
in OJ L 252 of 6.10.2000) established the European Refugee
Fund (ERF) to support and encourage Member States' efforts
in receiving refugees and displaced persons.
The objective of the European Refugee Fund is to support
and encourage the efforts made by the Member States
in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving
refugees and displaced persons.
2.
Objectives
This call for Proposals is addressed to non-governmental
organisations, national, regional and local authorities
registered in one of the 14 Member States participating
in the European Refugee Fund (Belgium, Germany, Greece,
Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), as well as international
organisations working on a strictly non-profit basis,
with proven experience and expertise in the fields covered.
Actions may include partners and participants from Denmark,
candidate countries and third countries on a no-cost
basis.
This Call for Proposals aims at providing financial
support to actions which contribute to the realisation
of the following general objectives:
- to assist in analysing and evaluating the situation
and issues related to reception, integration and repatriation
of target groups defined in Article 3 of the European
Refugee Fund decision in the Member States, and the
effectiveness of measures implemented,
- to help to build the capacity of the actors (in particular
Member States, local and regional authorities, the social
partners, non-governmental organisations, and recognised
refugees) in the Member States and at European level
who are active in fields covered by the European Refugee
Fund,
- to promote and disseminate best practice to practitioners
and opinion-formers at national and EU level.
For the year 2003, only those types of actions defined
in section 4 of the Call for Proposals may be supported.
Actions must be practical in nature, with tangible and
measurable results. They must also have a clear transnational
dimension, and be complementary to actions that could
be financed under the national programmes implemented
by the Member States.
In selecting the projects under the present call for
proposals, priority will be given to:
- actions focusing on the priorities defined in section
3 hereunder;
- interest of the proposed action to the Community as
a whole;
- innovatory aspects of the proposed action;
3.
Priorities for 2003
Proposals are invited focusing specifically on the following
priorities:
1. Good practices and new developments in the field
of voluntary return, focusing on the conditions for
the sustainability of such programmes, including the
development and implementation of an integrated approach
(combining measures for the preparation of returnees
through information, training and/or employment support,
means of assistance to travel to and/or initial reintegration
in the country of origin, as well as measures for support
and monitoring of returnees).
2. Good practices and new developments in the field
of resettlement (Resettlement is the transfer of a refugee
to a new safe host country, where he or she is accorded
full protection guarantees, including legal residence,
allowing the refugee to integrate in the national community.)
in the Member States, with a view to improve the organisation,
through legal means, of the reception of persons in
need of international protection on the territory of
the host EU Member State, and in particular with regard
to the following issues: improvement of the protection
of specific individual needs (such as vulnerable persons),
implementation of sustainable solutions for groups of
refugees, and improved solidarity between Member States
in the reception of refugees.
3. Protection issues relating to the situation of persons
referred to in Article 3 of the ERF Decision: general
information on situation in countries of origin and
transit, historical overview, human rights issues, geographical
and statistical data, analysis of and opinions on legal
issues, assessment of the situation of vulnerable groups,
assessment of protection needs, on return programs,
voluntary and forced repatriation issues, reintegration
prospects, actions and operations of humanitarian NGOs
and international organisations in and concerning those
countries.
4. Material reception conditions and health care for
asylum seekers, taking into account Council Directive
Council Directive 2003/9/EC of 27 January 2003 (2) laying
down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers
in the Member States, including good practice in creating
reception facilities at local level.
5. Material reception conditions and integration of
vulnerable persons (such as disabled persons, pregnant
women, victims of torture, rape or other forms of physical
or sexual violence, elderly people, minors, unaccompanied
minors, single parents with minor children) among the
target groups falling under Article 3 of the European
Refugee Fund Decision.
4.
Actions that may be supported
The following actions may be supported, in relation
to the general objectives defined in section 2 and/or
the priorities defined in Section 3.
STRAND A — ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
(a) The development and dissemination of information
and comparable data on the target groups falling under
Article 3 of the European Refugee Fund Decision;
STRAND B — CAPACITY BUILDING
(b) Transnational actions, submitted by public authorities
(national, regional, or local authorities) from at least
two Member States, involving a range of actors, consisting
of the transfer of information, lessons learned and
good practices. Activities may include the mutual transfer
and application of good practice; exchanges of personnel;
the joint development of products, processes, strategy
and methodology; the adaptation to different contexts
of the methods, tools and processes identified as good
practices; and/or the common dissemination of results,
information materials and events.
(c) Proposals, covering at least four Member States,
aiming at furthering capacity building and empowerment
of persons enjoying one of the forms of protection set
out in Article 3 of the ERF Decision and/or their community
organisations, in the light of work previously done
and projects currently underway. Activities may include
the mutual transfer and application of good practice;
exchanges of personnel; the joint development of products,
processes, strategy and methodology; the adaptation
to different contexts of the methods, tools and processes
identified as good practices; and/or the common dissemination
of results, information materials and events.
STRAND C — AWARENESS RAISING
(d) The organisation of conferences, seminars and events
at European level, covering all Member States participating
in the European Refugee Fund, and relating to European
Refugee Fund actions;
(e) The promotion of European dimension events covering
at least 5 Member States in support of the implementation
of Community policy and sharing of best practice in
the field of reception, integration and voluntary repatriation;
(f) The organisation of media campaigns or events covering
at least 5 Member States to promote dissemination of
information on refugees and asylum seekers.
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