NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

(A) General Programme Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows

General Context

The framework aims to facilitate a fair share of responsibilities between Member States managing the external border and the implementation of common asylum and immigration policies. There are four programmes falling under the Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows framework programme:

• European Refugee Fund
• External Borders Fund
• Return Fund
• Integration Fund

Time - frames 

Draft Mult Annual Programmes outlining the strategy for the next 3 years for all the four Funds under this framework programme will be submitted to the Commission by the 1st of December 2007. 

The Annual Programmes for the 2007 for the External Borders Fund and the Integration Fund have to be submitted by the 1st December 2007, whereas submission date of the Annual Programmes for the 2008 for the four Funds is 1st March 2008.

The overall amount foreseen for the framework programme “Solidarity and management of migration flows” is 4020,37 million € for the period 2007-2013.

European Refugee Fund

i) Objectives

The Fund will support actions in Member States relating to reception conditions and asylum procedures;  the integration of third-country nationals enjoying Refugee Status, Subsidiary Protection or Temporary Protection whose stay in the Member State is of a lasting and stable nature as well as the voluntary return of persons enjoying Refugee status,  Subsidiary Protection or Temporary Protection, provided they have not acquired a new nationality, and of applicants for Refugee status or subsidiary protection, provided they have not received a negative decision further to their request for international protection.

ii) Applicants

Member States have the sole responsibility for the selection of individual projects and for the financial management and administration of projects supported by the Fund, with due respect for Community policies and the criteria for eligibility.

Each Member State shall organise, in accordance with current national rules and practices, a partnership with the authorities and bodies which are involved in the implementation of the multiannual programme or able to provide a useful contribution to its development according to the Member State concerned.

Such authorities and bodies may include the competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, international organisations and bodies, in particular UNHCR, representing civil society such as non-governmental organisations or social partners.

iii) Funding

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Fund from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 is €628 million as per Article 13.

The Community contribution to supported projects, as regards actions implemented in the Member States under Article 3 shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of a specific action. This may be increased to75% for projects addressing specific priorities identified in the strategic guidelines as defined in Article 18.This shall be increased to 75% in the Member States covered by the Cohesion Fund.

In addition, each Member State shall receive a fixed amount of €300 000 from the Fund's annual allocation. This amount shall be fixed at €500 000 per annum for the period 2008-2013 for the states which acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004. This amount shall be fixed at €500 000 per annum for Member States which will accede to the European Union in the period 2007– 2013 for the remaining part of the period 2008 - 2013 following the year of their accession.

At the Commission's initiative, up to 10% of the Fund's available resources may be used to finance transnational actions or actions of interest to the Community as a whole ("Community actions") concerning return policy and measures applicable to the target group as referred to in Article 7.

In the event of temporary protection mechanisms within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC being implemented, the Fund shall also finance measures to help the Member States, such measures being separate from, and in addition to, the actions referred to in Article 3.
At the initiative of and/or on behalf of the Commission, subject to a ceiling of €500 000 of the Fund's annual allocation, the Fund may finance the preparatory measures, monitoring, administrative and technical support measures, as well as evaluation, audit and inspection measures necessary for implementing this Decision.

At the initiative of the Member State in question, for each annual programme, the Fund may finance preparatory measures, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control measures, as well as measures for the reinforcement of the administrative capacity for the implementation of the Fund. The annual amount may not exceed 7% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2008-2010 and 4% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2011-2013.

External Borders Fund

i) Objectives

The four main policy objectives to which the Fund will contribute are the following:

• enhancement of the efficiency of controls, and thereby, the effectiveness of the management and protection of external borders in order to reduce illegal entry and increase the security of the internal EU area of free movement;
• the facilitation of procedures for authorised travellers to enter the EU in conformity with the Schengen acquis while protecting the EU against illegal entry;
• the achievement of a uniform application of EU law by Member States and an overall efficiency of national border guards in carrying out their tasks in accordance with EU law;
• the enhancement of the efficiency of the issuing of visas and the implementation of other pre-frontier checks.

This Fund also supports actions relating to the common visa policy. The Fund will contribute to the above four objectives in complementarity with the further development of relevant legislation and the work of the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States. 

ii) Applicants

Member States have the sole responsibility for the selection of individual projects and for the financial management and administration of projects supported by the Fund, with due respect for Community policies and the criteria for eligibility.

Each Member State shall organise, in accordance with current national rules and practices, a partnership with the authorities and bodies which are involved in the implementation of the multiannual programme or able to provide a useful contribution to its development according to the Member State concerned.

Such authorities and bodies may include the competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, international organisations and bodies, in particular UNHCR, representing civil society such as non-governmental organisations or social partners.

iii) Funding

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Fund from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 shall be €1.82 million as per Article 14, divided as follows:

• 1533 million distributed among the states on the basis of objective criteria expressing the burden of each state for external border control and visa policy ('solidarity') for actions under national programmes;
• 109 million (6% of the total annual resources each year) for Community actions;
• 108 million for the Kaliningrad transit schemes implemented by Lithuania;
• 70 million (10 million each year) for specific actions addressing weaknesses at strategic border points at the external borders on the basis of risk analyses carried out by the FRONTEX Agency.

There is no fixed allocation for this Fund. A risk analysis will be carried out by FRONTEX for the purpose of the annual distribution of resources.

The Community contribution to supported projects, as regards actions implemented in the Member States under Article 4 shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of a specific action. This may be increased to 75% for projects addressing specific priorities identified in the strategic guidelines as defined in Article 19.This shall be increased to 75% in the Member States covered by the Cohesion Fund.

At the initiative of and/or on behalf of the Commission, subject to a ceiling of €500 000 of the Fund's annual allocation, the Fund may finance the preparatory measures, monitoring, administrative and technical support measures, as well as evaluation, audit and inspection measures necessary for implementing this Decision.

At the initiative of the Member State in question, for each annual programme, the Fund may finance preparatory measures, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control measures, as well as measures for the reinforcement of the administrative capacity for the implementation of the Fund. The annual amount may not exceed 7% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2007-2010 and 4% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2011-2013.

Return Fund

i) Objectives

The following are the main objectives of the Fund:

• the introduction and improvement of the organisation and implementation of integrated return management by Member States;
• the enhancement of the co-operation between Member States in the framework of integrated return management and its implementation;
• the promotion of an effective and uniform application of common standards on return according to the policy development in the field.

The Fund would in principle cover the return of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers whose request for protection has been turned down. Financing of return measures for rejected asylum seekers shall however be covered by the European Refugee Fund until 1 January 2008, in order to allow for the full implementation of the first multi-annual programming cycle under the current ERF decision. 

ii) Applicants

Member States have the sole responsibility for the selection of individual projects and for the financial management and administration of projects supported by the Fund, with due respect for Community policies and the criteria for eligibility.

Each Member State shall organise, in accordance with current national rules and practices, a partnership with the authorities and bodies which are involved in the implementation of the multiannual programme or able to provide a useful contribution to its development according to the Member State concerned.

Such authorities and bodies may include the competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, international organisations and bodies, in particular UNHCR, representing civil society such as non-governmental organisations or social partners.

iii) Funding

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Fund from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 shall be €676 million as per Article 14. This will be divided as follows:

The Community contribution to supported projects, as regards actions implemented in the Member States under Article 3 shall not exceed 75% of the total cost of a specific action. This may be increased to60% for projects addressing specific priorities identified in the strategic guidelines as defined in Article 19.This shall be increased to 75% in the Member States covered by the Cohesion Fund.

In addition, each Member State shall receive a fixed amount of €300 000 from the Fund's annual allocation. This amount shall be fixed at €500 000 per annum for the period 2008-2013 for the states which acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004. This amount shall be fixed at €500 000 per annum for Member States which will accede to the European Union in the period 2007– 2013 for the remaining part of the period 2008 - 2013 following the year of their accession.

At the Commission's initiative, up to 7% of the Fund's available resources may be used to finance transnational actions or actions of interest to the Community as a whole ("Community actions") concerning return policy and measures applicable to the target group as referred to in Article 7.

At the initiative of and/or on behalf of the Commission, subject to a ceiling of €500 000 of the Fund's annual allocation, the Fund may finance the preparatory measures, monitoring, administrative and technical support measures, as well as evaluation, audit and inspection measures necessary for implementing this Decision.

At the initiative of the Member State in question, for each annual programme, the Fund may finance preparatory measures, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control measures, as well as measures for the reinforcement of the administrative capacity for the implementation of the Fund. The annual amount may not exceed 7% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2008-2010 and 4% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2011-2013.

Integration Fund

i) Objectives

The six main policy objectives to which the Fund will contribute are:

• facilitation of the organisation and implementation of admission procedures for migrants, by strengthening their integration prospects and anticipating the needs of third-country nationals;
• contribution to the organisation and implementation of introduction programmes and activities for third country nationals, by way of capacity building, policy development and implementation;
• increase of civic, cultural and political participation of third country nationals in the host society, in order to promote their active citizenship and recognition of fundamental values;
• strengthening of the capacity of Member States’ public and private service providers to interact with third country nationals and their organisations and to respond effectively to the needs of different groups of third country nationals;
• strengthening of the ability of the host society to adjust to increasing diversity by targeting integration actions at the host population;
• increasing the capacity of Member States to develop, monitor and evaluate integration policies. 

Besides a solidarity mechanism, the Fund also provides for a policy framework to support the exchange of experiences, cooperation and best practices between Member States, on the initiative of the Commission (“Community actions”), in particular in order to continue the encouragement of a more structured policy development as initiated by INTI (Integration of Third-Country Nationals.)

ii) Applicants

Member States have the sole responsibility for the selection of individual projects and for the financial management and administration of projects supported by the Fund, with due respect for Community policies and the criteria for eligibility.

Each Member State shall organise, in accordance with current national rules and practices, a partnership with the authorities and bodies which are involved in the implementation of the multiannual programme or able to provide a useful contribution to its development according to the Member State concerned.

Such authorities and bodies may include the competent regional, local, urban and other public authorities, international organisations and bodies, in particular UNHCR, representing civil society such as non-governmental organisations or social partners.

iii) Funding

The financial reference amount for the implementation of the Fund from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013 shall be €825 million as per Article 13. This is divided as follows :

The Community contribution to supported projects, as regards actions implemented in the Member States under Article 4 shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of a specific action. This may be increased to 75% for projects addressing specific priorities identified in the strategicguidelines as defined in Article 18. This shall be increased to 75% in the Member States covered by the Cohesion Fund.

In addition, each Member State shall receive a fixed amount of €500 000 from the Fund's annual allocation.

At the Commission's initiative, up to 7% of the Fund's available resources may be used to finance transnational actions or actions of interest to the Community as a whole ("Community actions") concerning immigration and integration policy.

At the initiative of and/or on behalf of the Commission, subject to a ceiling of €500,000 of the Fund's annual allocation, the Fund may finance the preparatory measures, monitoring, administrative and technical support measures, as well as evaluation, audit and inspection measures necessary for implementing this Decision.

At the initiative of the Member State in question, for each annual programme, the Fund may finance preparatory measures, management, monitoring, evaluation, information and control measures, as well as measures for the reinforcement of the administrative capacity for the implementation of the Fund. The annual amount may not exceed 7% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2007-2010 and 4% of the total amount of co-financing allocated to the Member State, plus €30 000 for 2011-2013.

Fundamental Rights and Justice

General Context

The framework programme on “Fundamental Rights and Justice”, will aim to promote the development of a European society based on European Union citizenship and which is respectful of fundamental rights, fighting anti-semitism, racism and xenophobia and strengthening civil society. The programme will contribute to the setting-up of an area of freedom, security and justice by combating violence and by providing information on and preventing the use of drugs. Moreover, it will promote judicial cooperation with the aim of contributing to the creation of a genuine European area of justice in civil and commercial matters, as well as in criminal matters. This framework programme consists of five instruments:

• Prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk (Daphne III) (under MFSS remit)
• Drugs Prevention and Information
• Fundamental rights and citizenship
• Civil justice
• Criminal justice

Prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women and to protect victims and groups at risk (Daphne III) - under MFSS remit

i) Objectives

The aim of this programme is to contribute to the protection of children, young people and women against all forms of violence and to attain a high level of health protection, well‑being and social cohesion. These general objectives will contribute to the development of Community policies, in particular those related to public health, human rights and gender equality, as well as actions aimed at protection of children's rights, and the fight against trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation. Furthermore the programme will contribute to the prevention of, and the fight against, all forms of violence occurring in the public or the private domain against children, young people and women, including sexual exploitation and trafficking in human beings, by taking preventive measures and by providing support and protection for victims and groups at risk.

ii) Applicants

The programme is open to participation by NGOs, local public authorities and institutions (mainly universities and research institutes). The programme will achieve this by means of transnational actions (grant funding), the Commission's own-initiated actions (contracts) or operating grants to NGOs.

iii) Actions

In particular, financial support may be provided for :

• assisting and encouraging NGOs and other organisations active in this field;
• developing and implementing targeted awareness-raising actions;
• disseminating results obtained under Daphne;
• actions contributing to positive treatment of people at risk;
• setting up and supporting multidisciplinary networks;
• expansion of the knowledge base and exchange, identification and dissemination of information and good practice;
• designing and testing awareness-raising and educational materials;
• studying phenomena related to violence and its impact;
• developing and implementing support programmes for victims and people at risk and intervention programmes for perpetrators.

iv) Funding

 Drugs Prevention and Information

i) Objectives

This programme builds on the EU’s Drugs Strategy and Action plans, the ultimate aim of which is to significantly reduce the social harm and health damage caused by the use of, and trade in, illicit drugs. The general objectives of this programme relate to the prevention and reduction of drug use, dependence and drug-related harms, the contribution to the improvement of information on the effects of drug use and support of the EU Drugs Strategy implementation.

ii) Applicants

This programme will be open to public and private organisations working in the area of information on and prevention of drugs use and support.

iii) Actions

The following types of actions will be supported :

iv) Funding

Fundamental Rights and Citizenship

i) Objectives

The aim of this programme is to promote the development of a European society based on respect for Fundamental Rights and rights derived from citizenship of the Union as well as to strengthen civil society and fight racism, xenophobia and antisemitism. It will also improve the contacts, exchange of information and networking between legal, judicial and administrative authorities and the legal professions, including by way of support of judicial training, with the aim of better mutual understanding among such authorities and professionals.

ii) Applicants

Access to this programme shall be open to public or private organisations and institutions (local authorities at the competent level, university departments and research centres) working to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women or to protect against such violence or to provide support for victims or to implement targeted actions to promote rejection of such violence or to encourage attitude and behaviour change towards vulnerable groups and victims of violence. The programme shall also be open to public or private organisations and institutions (local authorities at the competent level, university departments and research centres) working to inform and prevent drugs use.

iii) Actions

This programme will support the following types of actions:

• specific actions taken by the Commission;
• specific trans-national projects of Community interest presented by an authority or any other body of a Member State, an international or non-governmental organisation;
• support to the activities of non-governmental organisations or other entities pursuing an aim of general European interest.

iv) Funding

Civil justice

i) Objectives

The Civil justice programme will promote the elimination of obstacles to the good functioning of cross-border civil proceedings in the Member States and aims to improve the daily life of individuals and businesses, notably by fostering access to justice. Projects financed under this programme will improve the contacts, exchange of information and networking between legal, judicial and administrative authorities and the legal professions, including by way of support of judicial training.

ii) Applicants

Access to this programme shall be open to public or private organisations and institutions (local authorities at the competent level, university departments and research centres) working to prevent and combat violence against children, young people and women or to protect against such violence or to provide support for victims or to implement targeted actions to promote rejection of such violence or to encourage attitude and behaviour change towards vulnerable groups and victims of violence. The programme shall also be open to public or private organisations and institutions (local authorities at the competent level, university departments and research centres) working to inform and prevent drugs use.

iii) Actions

Different types of actions are envisaged such as:

• specific actions taken by the Commission, such as, studies and research, opinion polls and surveys, formulation of indicators and common methodologies, collection, development and dissemination of data and statistics, seminars, conferences and expert meetings, organisation of public campaigns and events, development and maintenance of websites, preparation and dissemination of information material, support for and management of networks of national experts, analytical, monitoring and evaluation activities;
• actions providing financial support for specific projects of Community interest under the conditions set out in the annual work programmes;
• actions providing financial support for the activities of non-governmental organisations or other entities under the conditions set our in the annual work programmes;
• an operating grant to the Association of the Council of States and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union which pursues an objective of general European interest by promoting exchanges of views and experience on matters concerning the jurisprudence, organisation and functioning of its Members in the performance of their judicial and/or advisory functions, particularly with regard to Community Law.

iv) Funding

Criminal Justice

i) Objectives

The Criminal Justice programme provides financial support for activities aimed at promoting judicial cooperation in criminal matters and thus contributing to the creation of a genuine European area of justice based on mutual recognition and mutual confidence. It will promote a reduction in existing legal obstacles to the proper functioning of judicial cooperation, with a view to strengthening the coordination of investigations and to increase compatibility of the existing judicial systems in the Member States to the European Union. The compatibility in rules applicable in the Member States to improve judicial cooperation will also be promoted. The programme will aim to improve the contacts and exchange of information and best practice between legal, judicial and administrative authorities and the legal professions, with a view to enhancing mutual trust, therefore ensuring the protection of rights of victims and defendants.

ii) Applicants

The programme is destined for inter alia, legal practitioners, representatives of victims' assistance services, and other professionals involved in the work of the judiciary, the national authorities and the citizens of the Union in general. However, b odies and organisations which are profit oriented will have access to the programme only in conjunction with non profit oriented or state organisations.

iii) Actions

The actions envisaged are as follows:

• specific actions taken by the Commission, such as studies and research, opinion polls and surveys, formulation of indicators and common methodologies, collection, development and dissemination of data and statistics, seminars, conferences and experts meetings, organisation of public campaigns and events, development and maintenance of websites, preparation and dissemination of information materials, support to and animation of networks of national experts, analytical, monitoring and evaluation activities;
• specific transnational projects of Community interest presented by at least three Member Sates under the conditions set out in the annual work programmes;
• support to the activities of non-governmental organisations or other entities pursuing an aim of general European interest regarding the general objectives of the programme under the conditions set out in the annual work programmes.
• an operating grant to co-finance expenditure associated with the permanent work programme of the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children which pursues an aim of general European interest in the field of children’s rights and protection.

iv) Funding

Security and Safeguarding Liberties

General Context

The framework programme on “Security and Safeguarding Liberties” aims at ensuring an effective operational co-operation in the fight against crime and terrorism and strengthening their prevention. The framework programme consists of two financial instruments encompassing the following specific programmes:

• Prevention of and Fight Against Crime
• Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and Other Security Related Risks

Prevention of and Fight Against Crime

To implement the programme, the Commission will adopt an annual work programme that will further specify the funding conditions such as the maximum rate of co-financing of the costs of the projects, eligibility, exclusion, selection, and award criteria and other conditions related to the management of the funds in 2007. The programme will be implemented via framework partnership agreements and via specific programmes.

i) Objectives

The new programme provides financial support to activities under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union regarding all types of crime, in particular terrorism, trafficking in persons and offences against children, illicit drug trafficking and illicit arms trafficking, corruption and fraud.

ii) Applicants

In terms of framework partnership agreements, the applicants would be public bodies (including EU agencies).

The specific programme is destined for law enforcement agencies, other public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions, including local, regional and national authorities, social partners, universities, statistical offices, non-governmental organisations, and public-private partnerships. However, Bodies and organisations which are profit oriented will have access to the programme only in conjunction with non profit oriented or state organisations.

iii) Actions

à Framework Partnership Agreement:
The Commission services intend to implement certain priority areas of the new programme 'Prevention of and Fight against Crime' by means of with responsibilities in the following areas:

The purpose of framework partnerships is to establish long term cooperation with competent public bodies, including law enforcement agencies, responsible Ministries and national statistical bodies. Framework partnership agreements should be concluded as soon as the programme is in force and the relevant annual work programme is adopted. Framework partnerships will run for a period of up to 4 years (2007-2010), during which the partners will have the possibility to undertake projects funded by EU grants under procedures to be specified in the annual work programme adopted for the year concerned. A call for framework partners has been published on 6 February 2007. The deadline for applications is 27 March 2007.

à Specific programme:

• crime prevention and criminology,
• law enforcement,
• protection and support to witnesses, and
• protection of victims.

iv) Funding

Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks

To implement the programme, the Commission will adopt the annual work programme, which will further specify the funding conditions such as the maximum rate of co-financing of the costs of the projects, eligibility, exclusion, selection, and award criteria and other conditions related to the management of the funds in 2007. Calls for proposals are expected to be published in April 2007.

i) Objectives

Within the competence of the European Community, the programme offers a comprehensive framework and contributes to the development of the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP) as well as policy measures aiming at upholding, and/or guaranteeing security and public order during a crisis situation. The general objective of the programme is to support Member States' efforts to prevent, prepare for, and to protect people and critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks and other security related incidents. Furthermore, the programme is intended to contribute to ensuring protection in the areas such as the crisis management, environment, public health, transport, research and technological development and economic and social cohesion, in the field of terrorism and other security and safety related risks within the area of freedom, security and justice.

ii) Applicants

Access to this programme is open to bodies and organisations with legal personality established in the Member States. The programme provides financial support through grants and public procurement for projects initiated and managed by the Commission with a European dimension, and/or for transnational and national projects implemented by the organisations in the Member States. However, Bodies and organisations which are profit oriented will have access to the programme only in conjunction with non profit oriented or state organisations.

iii) Actions

In particular, financial support may be provided for :

iv) Funding

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