| 1. Article
6 of the European Social Fund Regulation supports innovative
measures that seek to promote new approaches and identify
examples of good practice which can subsequently improve
the implementation of the operations supported by the
ESF.
2. The Commission's Communication
on the implementation of innovative measures und Article
6 of the European Social Fund Regulation for the programming
period 2000-2006 sets out the general principles of
the actions that can be financed and it also establishes
a thematic approach, identifying priority thematic objectives
for the period 2001-2002.
Thematic focus
3. For the period 2001-2002, one of the priority themes
is the support of innovative actions to develop local
employment strategies in order to reinforce the implementation
of the European Employment Strategy at a local level.
4. This call for proposals
aims to co-finance innovative projects within this priority
theme which may include the following activities (among
others):
- analysis of the existing local employment situation,
- development of partnerships at local level which include
relevant actors from different sectors,
- relevant studies and research to prepare the local
lemployment strategies,
- development and implementation of the local employment
strategies,
- monitoring, benchmarking and evaluation,
- exchange of information, dissemination and networking.
Eligible applicants
5. In principle, competent public authorities and territorial
public administrations acting in territories at NUTS
level 2 or NUTs level 3 are eligible to apply under
this call for proposals. However, in those Member States
where the competence for employment and local development
issues has been attributed to bodies other than territorial
administrations, these bodies are also eligible to apply
if they operate at NUTS level 2 or NUTS level 3.
6. More detailed information
on the eligible activites and the organisations eligible
to apply is contained in the Applicant's Guide which
can be obtained from the sources indicated below.
Financing
7. The budget made available under this call will be
a maximum of EUR 40 million in 2002 and a maximum of
EUR 40 million in 2003, provided that the budgetary
authority confirms the budget allocations. The Commission
will co-finance actions up to a maximum of 75 % of the
total eligible costs, between a minimum of co-financing
of EUR 300 000 and maximum of EUR 3 000 000 over a two-year
period. Applicants will be required to make a financial
contribution to the action.
Timetable
8. There are two deadlines for making an application
under this call for proposals, as follows:
- The deadline for the first round of applications is
22 February 2002.
Grant agreements will be signed, in principle, in October
2002.
Projects may start between 1 November 2002 and 31 December
2002, but not before the grant agreement has been signed.
The maximum duration of projects will be 24 months and
projects must finish by 31 December 2004.
- The deadline for the second round of applications
is 31 January 2003.
Grant agreements will be signed, in principle, in September
2003.
Projects may start between 1 October 2003 and 30 November
2003, but not before the grant agreement has been signed.
The maximum duration of projects will be 24 months and
projects must finish by 30 November 2005.
Information and application
forms
9. More detailed information, including the Applicant's
Guide and the application forms and other annexes, can
be downloaded from the following web site:
http://forum.europa.eu.int/Public/irc/empl/vp_2001_017/library
10. Further information
can be obtained by contacting the European Commission
as follows:
Tel. (32-2) 295 66 43 or 295 43 80
Fax (32-2) 296 59 89
E-mail:
empl-article6@cec.eu.int
11. The documents can
also be consulted on the web pages of DG Employment
at the following address, but do be aware that the PDF
format is not appropriate for filling in the forms:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/employment_social/tender_en.htm
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