Strategic project Call and themes for the Seventh Call How to Apply Seminar 16 th February 2011 – Copenhagen Christopher Parker

Strategic projects

The NPP is looking for 4 additional strategic projects within the following three themes: Priority 1 Renewable energy solutions adapted for remote areas and to the scale of sparsely populated areas Responding to climatic change in the Northern Periphery Priority 2 Rural health services in the Northern Periphery Programme area Project applicants have to be aware that their proposal must cover all the expectations outlined in the relevant Terms of Reference.

Strategic projects Strategic projects are expected to demonstrate their strategic capacity by presenting high standards regarding the following attributes: Have a relevance to the identified strategic topic. Be relevant for the whole of Northern Periphery area and where possible demonstrate activities that will take place in and be available to all regions. Have a focus on objectives, proposed activities and intended activities that lead to the development of existing and new products and/or services. The products and/or services need to clearly demonstrate an influence on local, regional, national and EU policies.

Strategic project The products and/or services are expected to be viable after project closure. The products and/or services created should be “open sourced”. Display a good vertical representation of stakeholders, end beneficiaries, intermediary bodies and different administrative levels of governance in the project partnership. Taking into account the results of existing approved NPP projects while distinguishing itself in terms of “added of the implemented actions and a broad scope of the partnership.

Strategic project funding A Strategic Project partnership is recommended to apply for as much funding as they need to realise their proposal, but not more than 3 MEUR, and consider a year bid with a reduced total budget. Due to the limited available Member State funding, the Programme Monitoring Committee has agreed to limit the total budget for Member State partners in strategic projects to 1.8 MEUR per project. Strategic projects can apply for an intervention rate of up to 75% for Member States. For Non Member States a grant rate of up to 50% is applied.

Seventh Call

The Seventh Call for Applications runs from the 14th of January to the 21st of March2011. The call is open to applicants from across the programme area and to projects addressing both priorities: 1. Promoting innovation and competitiveness in remote and peripheral areas 2. Sustainable development of natural and community resources

Seventh Call The PMC especially welcomes proposals in the following five themes, which could be more strongly addressed: 1. exchange of best practise and establishment of cooperation networks between R&D institution and SMEs to increase the capacity for innovation, facilitate the design of innovation systems and strengthen competitiveness 2. cooperation and exchange of best practice between SMEs on how to address and reach markets with existing and new products 3. increased use of ICT to overcome distance 4. developing innovative product and service solutions for developing and maintaining transport infrastructure with regard to roads, railways, airports and ports under harsh climatic conditions 5. urban-rural partnerships for new service solutions

Seventh Call The PMC expects all applicants to outline project ideas that are focusing on activities facilitating economic benefit, which could be measured by:- Demonstrating the expected “pay off time” of the NPP investment, or the expected increase in turn over or similar. The PMC expects a strong focus on job creation both direct and indirect as a result of a main project. Safeguarding of sustainable jobs is also viewed as a strong outcome if it is clear and well demonstrated how the project's intervention will lead to:- business efficiency increased competitiveness and added value to their current product and or service portfolio. All the targets should be met by developing a new or existing product and/or a service through project activities, which is expected to be developed, tested, implemented and made into a viable solution during main project implementation.

Main project funding The recommended minimum size for a main project’s total budget is € and the recommended maximum size is €1.5 million. In general, a 60% grant rate is applied for partners in Member States and 50% for Non Member States of Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands and Greenland. Note that 10% funding source and 20% funding source have a grant rate of 50%. All applicants are instructed to consider the limitations in different funding sources. An indicative budget recommended by the PMC for Member State partners is a total budget of EUR. With regards to other funding sources, projects are recommended to stay in close contact with their Regional Contact Points and the Programme Secretariat. Applicants are recommended to consider the option of running their projects for 2 or 2.5 years, if appropriate.

Wider Definition of Products and Services In preparation for both calls the PMC has agreed to the definition of products and services has widened and alternative wording has been provided for a number of themes to facilitate a better understanding. Producing a new product or service that has a transnational or trans-regional character. Transfer and adaptation of existing products and services from one region into transnational or trans-regional solutions Update and adaptation of existing transnational or trans-regional products and services with additional features

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