13.9.2011   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 270/3

CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/28/11

Action 4.1 — Support for bodies active at European level in the field of youth

2011/C 270/04

1.   Objective

This call for proposals concerns structural support, referred to as operating grant, to bodies active at European level in the field of youth and pursuing an aim which is of general European interest.

The objective is to support bodies, which through their permanent, usual and regular activities contribute to the objectives of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme.

These activities must help encourage young people to participate as citizens in public life, in society and in the development and implementation of European cooperation actions in the broadly defined field of youth.

The call for proposals aims at the selection of organisations for the conclusion of annual operating grant agreements covering the budget year 2012. It does not concern organisations having concluded a framework partnership agreement with the Executive Agency for 2011-2013.

2.   Eligible applicants

2.1.   Eligible bodies

This call for proposals is open to:

1.

European non-governmental organisations:

(a)

European umbrella organisations having branches in at least eight eligible countries;

(b)

formal European networks having formal statutory member organisations in at least eight eligible countries.

2.

Informal European networks — composed of organisations independent from each other and active in at least eight eligible countries.

To be eligible for an operating grant, a body must:

—

be non-profit making,

—

be non-governmental,

—

have been legally registered for at least one year in an eligible country on the date of submission of applications,

—

be a youth body or one having a broader scope but including a section dedicated to youth,

—

involve young people in managing activities developed with them in mind,

—

have at least one (salaried or non-salaried) permanent member of staff. An exception is granted to bodies that have never received grants under this action and that intend to employ a permanent member of staff if this grant is awarded.

2.2.   Eligible countries

Bodies established in any one of the following countries are eligible to apply:

—

the Member States of the European Union,

—

the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland,

—

the countries applying for membership of the European Union and benefiting from a pre-accession strategy: Croatia and Turkey,

—

the countries of the western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo (under UNSC Resolution 1244/1999), Montenegro and Serbia,

—

the following east European countries: Belarus, Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine.

3.   Eligible activities

Organisations must schedule within their annual programme a series of activities which comply with the principles underpinning European Union action in the field of youth.

The activities likely to contribute towards strengthening and improving the efficiency of European Union action are as follows:

—

:

group 1

:

representing the views and interests of young people in their diversity at European level,

—

:

group 2

:

youth exchanges and voluntary services,

—

:

group 3

:

non-formal and informal learning and activity programmes targeted at young people,

—

:

group 4

:

promoting intercultural learning and understanding,

—

:

group 5

:

debate on European matters, EU policies or youth policies,

—

:

group 6

:

dissemination of information on European Union action,

—

:

group 7

:

actions promoting participation and initiative by young people.

4.   Award criteria

Eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

—

relevance to the objectives and priorities of the ‘Youth in Action’ programme and of the call for proposals (30 %),

—

quality of the work plan and of the working methods that it comprises (50 %),

—

profile and number of participants and number of countries involved in the activities (20 %).

5.   Budget available

The total budget allocated for cofinancing the operation of bodies active at European level in the field of youth under the present call for proposals is estimated at EUR 800 000.

Financial contribution from the Union budget cannot exceed 80 % of the provisional expenses (for applicants using the budget-based grant calculation, this refers to 80 % of the eligible costs (1)).

The maximum grant for each body will be EUR 35 000 for an annual agreement.

The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

6.   Submission of applications

Grant applications must be drawn up in one of the official EU languages, using the electronic form specifically designed for this purpose.

The forms can be obtained on the Internet at the following address:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

The electronic application form duly completed must be submitted by 12.00 CEST (mid-day) on 15 November 2011.

A paper version of the application must also be sent by 15 November 2011 to the following address:

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

Youth Unit (P6) — Grant application — Action 4.1 — 2012

BOUR 4/029

Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 1

1140 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

—

by post (date of postmark),

—

by courier service (date of receipt by the courier service delivering the application to the Executive Agency).

Applications sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted.

7.   Additional information

Applications must comply with the provisions contained in the Application Guidelines — Call for proposals EACEA/28/11, be submitted on the application form provided for this purpose and contain the relevant annexes.

The said documents can be found on the Internet at the following address:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

(1)  See point 9.5 of the Application Guidelines 2012 for the description of the grant calculation methods.