Funds available for cross border projects

  • 2010-08-26
  • From wire reports

RIGA - The Latvian Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government on Aug. 23 announced the first call for proposals for the Estonia-Latvia-Russia Cross Border Cooperation Program 2007-2013, for which more than 16.5 million lats (23.5 million euros) will be provided by the European Union (EU), reports Nozare.lv.
The deadline for submission of project proposals is Nov. 29, 2010.

It is possible to receive up to 90 percent co-financing from the EU for the project, with at least 10 percent provided by the project partners themselves. Eligible partners for the projects are national, regional and local public authorities; associations; public equivalent bodies; NGOs; educational organizations, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Possibilities for SMEs are more limited, and they are obliged to provide at least 50 percent co-financing.
Project proposals can be submitted by organizations from the border regions of the three countries, as well as from adjoining areas, including the cities of Riga, Tallinn and St. Petersburg. Each project must involve at least one partner from Russia and at least one from either Latvia or Estonia.

The program financially supports joint development activities for the improvement of the region’s competitiveness by utilizing its potential and beneficial location on the crossroads between the EU and the Russian Federation. The three priorities are socio-economic development, common challenges, and promotion of people-to-people cooperation.
Proposals are evaluated and approved by a Selection Committee constituted of representatives of program member states on a national and regional level, as well as by various experts.

The program is financed from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument, and implemented through open calls for project proposals. The EU funding for the program is also supplemented by funding from program member states Estonia, Latvia and Russia.