Call for proposals for indirect actions under the multiannual Community Programme to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable (The eContentplus Programme)

(2006/C 172/09)

(Text with EEA relevance)

1.   Objectives and description

The European Commission has adopted a Work Programme and a call for proposals to implement the eContentplus Programme (1).

The present call is open for proposals for indirect actions addressing the following areas and the following activities:

Geographic information

Educational content

Digital libraries (Cultural and scientific/scholarly content)

Reinforcing cooperation between digital content stakeholders

2.   Eligible applicants

Participation in the eContentplus programme is open to legal entities established in the 25 Member States.

It is further open to legal entities established in Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, if a bilateral agreement with the relevant country has been concluded to this effect. It is open to legal entities established in EFTA States that are contracting parties to the EEA Agreement (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway), in accordance with the provisions of that Agreement (2).

The participation of legal entities established in third countries and of international organisations is possible, though without financial support from the Community.

3.   Budget

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of indirect actions is estimated at EUR 27,3 million.

4.   Deadline

The deadline for receipt of proposals by the Commission is 19 October 2006 at 17:00 (Luxembourg local time).

5.   Further information

The full text of the call for proposals and the application forms are available on the following web site:

http://europa.eu.int/econtentplus

All applications must comply with the specifications and conditions described in the full text of the call for proposals, the Work Programme and the Guide for proposers which are available in English on the Commission's above-mentioned internet site. These include information on how to prepare and submit proposals.

The evaluation of proposals will be based on the principles of transparency and equality of treatment. It will be carried out by the Commission with the assistance of outside experts. Each submission will be assessed on the basis of the evaluation criteria set out in the eContentplus Work Programme.

All proposals received by the European Commission will be treated in strict confidence.

(1)  Decision No 456/2005/EC of 9 March 2005 of European Parliament and the Council adopting a multiannual Community Programme to make digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable (OJ L 79, 24.3.2005, p. 1).

(2)  Up-to-date information on which countries are part of the programme is published in the Official Journal of the European Union. An up-to-date list is also available on the programme web site at http://europa.eu.int/econtentplus.