Part A - Directly Managed EU Funding Programmes with most relevance to Wales (including European Territorial Co-operation programmes)
2014-2020 Programmes / EU budget (current prices) / Themes/Actions / Lead WG Official(and UK contacts where these would be helpful) / Application process/ support / 2007-2013 equivalents & Previous Successes / Comment
Connecting Europe Facility
This is a significant programme supporting the development of trans-European networks in the field of energy, telecommunications and transport.
Weblinks:
/ €33.3bn in total
1.1bn for digital
€26.3bn for transport
(€11.3bn ring-fenced for Cohesion countries) (80-85% for core network, 10-15% for innovative finance and 5% for Comprehensive network)
€5.9bn for energy / Supporting the development of trans-European networks in the field of energy, telecommunications and transport. / Transport:
Julia
Tel: 029 2080 1333
Energy:Chris Buchan
Tel: 0300 062 5314
ICT:
Simon Jones
Tel:0300 025 8854
UK contact:
Andrew Price
/ The Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) announces work programmes and then calls for annual and multi annual proposals.
/ Trans European Networks (TENs) – transport and Energy and
Marco Polo programmes I and II.
No specific Welsh projects but Wales has received some £7m under the UK Integrated Transport systems project (electronic traffic signals).
/ Transport
Owners of infrastructure eligible to bid (i.e. WG, Network Rail, Port and Airport authorities). WG has a direct interest in road network although no Welsh routes on the TEN-T corridor (for which most funds available). M4 and A55 on Core network and A465 on the Comprehensive network.
WG publicises calls through Welsh Ports Group but no interest. Also opportunities for short sea shipping (coastal freight).
WG recently submitted 4 road projects (M4 Eastern Bay Link, A40, A55). Also a UK Integrated Transport Systems project. Heavily oversubscribed (300%) – decisions in Summer 2015. Intervention rate for roads 10%!
Metro possible option going forward (but not clear that will be a call in 2016 – budget may be cut to accommodate Junker package.
ICT
WG not actively engaged but could be opportunities for WG and Private Sector. WG provides support for non economical networks that can’t be supplied by the market. This can be directly to providers (although State Aid rules apply) or to end users through vouchers or small grants.
BIS have the lead across the UK.
COSME (Competitiveness of SMEs)
The COSME programme includes actions to improve access to finance for SMEs, and access to markets.
Weblink:
/ €2.298 billion in total
€1.4 billion for loans and venture capital
/ 1) access to finance for SMEs,2) access to markets, inside the Union but also at global level (facilitated by the Enterprise Europe Network),
3) framework conditions for businesses through improved policy , and
4) entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial culture – exchange of good practices / Rhidian Morgan
Tel:0300 061 6149 / SMEs can access funds through a finance portal
Enterprise Europe Network Wales is run by BIC Innovation Ltd (Bangor) and Swansea University
BIC Innovation
CEO: Dafydd Davies
Tel: 01248 671101
Swansea University:
Tel: 01792 606705 -
Director of Research and Innovation: Ceri Jones
Business Development Officer: Lawson Coombes
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has been set-up by the EC to manage COSME
/ Business support elements of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP).
Not aware of any specific Welsh successes but support essentially targeted at Financial Intermediaries / No direct WG involvement to date. Publicity and support in Wales through Enterprise Europe Network (Swansea Bridgend and Bangor). They work with SMEs and Universities across Wales to assist them to find transitional business partners on a commercial, research or technology transfer basis and are funded themselves under COSME.
Creative Europe
The programme provides support to cultural and creative sectors.
Weblink:
/ €1.463bn / The Creative Europe programme has two sub-programmes:
1) Culture, supporting performing and visual arts, heritage
2) MEDIA, providing funding for the cinema and audio-visual sector. / Culture:
Catrin Cooke
Tel:029 2044 4206
Media:
Judy Wasdell
Mob: 07554 434034
UK contact:
Hannah Van Den Bergh
Tel: 029 2044 1383 / The European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency calls for proposals.
Assistance is available from the MEDIA Antenna Desk based within EST.
And British Council for the Culture sub-programme
/ Culture and MEDIA programmes
Wales secured €2.5m under the Media programme for 2007-13. / A UK Creative Europe Desk office based in London and led by the British Council and the British Film Industry. Wales (and other UK Countries) has its own office, partly (45%) funded by WG and the rest through the EU via the UK office, but operates through the UK office (same website etc).
Funding is competitive across Europe (no specific UK allocation) and applicants can apply independently or through the Wales desk office.
The Wales Office helps potential applicants through hand holding, checking and helping with applications etc. Main publicity is through the UK Office (E-bulletin) and website ( with details of calls and publicity events etc. The Wales Office also attend and arrange events and presentations (host an annual games event in Cardiff and have met with major TV companies and production companies, visit Hay Festival etc).
The office monitors successful applications in Wales (but no feedback on unsuccessful ones) but they don’t look at impacts.
Culture – available for partnerships only (must have at least one European Partner). Welsh companies involved but none as lead partner. Development funding also available.
Media – mainly available to SMEs and companies also Universities. Co-production projects more favourably received. Dramas, documentaries and games attract main funding. Wales does less well than England given the smaller size of the industry in Wales.
Discussions are ongoing about Media scoring system which is favourable to smaller countries and disadvantages the UK and 4 other countries.
Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI)
EaSI helps to improve employment and social policies, assists with worker mobility and includes a Microfinance Facility.
Weblink:
/ €815m
PROGRESS axis: 61% (€497m)
EURES axis: 18% (€147m)
Microfinance and Social
Entrepreneurship Axis: (€171m) / PROGRESS axis:
modernisation of employment services and social policy
EURES axis:
Supporting job mobility
Microfinance and Social
Entrepreneurship Axis:
Supporting access to micro-finance and social entrepreneurship. / Brian Herbert
Tel:029 2082 5886
UK contact:
Kevin Williamson
DWP
020 7340 4393
/ Progress – Calls for tenders or proposals (DWP are national comtacts.
EURES – Calls for tenders or proposals / Progress (Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity),
EURES (European Employment Services) and the
European Progress Microfinance Facility.
Not aware of any previous successes in Wales / Not aware of any engagement in Wales. Need to explore predecessor programmes (Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity, European Employment Services and the European Progress Microfinance Facility.
Erasmus+
This programme supports activities in education, training, youth and sport across all sectors of lifelong learning including Higher Education, Further Education, adult education, schools and youth activities.
Weblink:
/ €14.775bn / 1) Learning mobility of individuals
2) Cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices
3) Support for policy reform
Contribute towards:
- Raising higher education attainment from 32% to 40%
- Reducing the share of early school leavers from 14% to less than 10%
Brian Herbert
Tel:029 2082 5886
Skills (Vocational and Educational Training and adult)
Phil Tristram
Tel: 01792 765817
Ecorys lead for Wales: Fumie Izaki
Tel: 0121 212 8871
British Council:
David Hibler (based in Cardiff)
Tel: 020 7389 3147 / National Agencies (British Council and Ecorys in the UK) facilitate the coordinated management and calls for applications for 85% of the funding available.
The European Commission’s Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency calls for proposals for the remaining 15%. / Lifelong Learning Programmes (Grundtvig, Erasmus, Leonardo, Comenius)
International Higher Education programmes (Erasmus Mundus, Tempus, Alfa, Edulink, bilateral programmes)
Youth in Action
Wales participation in predecessor programmes is around or above what would be expected based in its population share of the UK under most actions.
Many awards are for small amounts and are made to individual learners and teachers (e.g. Erasmus sent 709 students and 127 academic staff from Wales abroad in 2012/13) or to individual institutions (e.g. 51 schools were funded for Comenius partnerships in 2012).
Some larger schemes have also successfully attracted funding, for example ECTARC’s Go Wales to Europe programme (€590k from Leonardo in 2012) and ColegauCymru’s All Wales Apprentice Mobility Scheme (€217k from Leonardo in 2012). / WG heavily involved but main publicity and handholding done by British Council (HE, schools, youth) and Ecorys – VET and adult) who are designated as national authority for the UK by BIS who analyse bids and award funding.
They hold workshops and promotional events, hold contacts lists and e-mail potential sponsors. Also DfES newsletters.
Wales Erasmus Advisory group (also sub groups covering each of the strands) – attended by British Council, Ecorys, and WG colleagues.
Allocation of funding
Normally annual calls for bids but UK allocation so competition across UK only.
UK allocation determined by HE population and associated formula. British Council allocates against criteria (previous performance important) – completely competitive across UK (i.e. no UK national indicative allocations.
HE Sector
International dimension for HE support has strong emphasis on inbound mobility. Some Universities better with outward flows - Cardiff best in Wales (Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Bath, UCL, Edinburgh best in UK). Twenty of a potential 120 institutions in the UK account for more than 50% of outbound students.
Language skills are important for students but only 45% of those studying abroad have other language skills and the percentage is falling slightly.
Participation
UK sends fewer students aboard (15,500 in 2014) than other countries because generally provide bigger grants. Generally 20% drop out rate.
Wales accounts for about 5% (comparable with population) but underperforms compared to Scotland (12% against a population of 8%) and Northern Ireland. Some parts of UK don’t participate much. Cardiff good (has target of 18% participation rate) but little participation in West and North Wales.
European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)
The EFSI is part of the Investment Plan for Europe also known as the Juncker Plan. The aim of this Plan for Europe is to mobilise at least €315billion of investment across the EU.
The proposed EFSI, which has not yet been adopted at EU level, will be underpinned by €21bn guarantee to the European Investment Bank / European Investment Fund to underwrite €61bn of lending that would otherwise not be available.
The focus is on riskier projects and lending will be priced accordingly. There is no grant funding element.
The sectoral focus is broad (transport, research, innovation, health, education and training, energy, ICT.)
Weblink:
/ €16bn from ESIF programmes
€5bn from EIB
€21bn total anticipated to generate 15-fold investments, ie. €315bn / To generate economic recovery in Europe through a portfolio of strategicinvestments in the fields of energy, transport, broadband, education,
research and innovation. / Katie Marsden
Tel: 029 2080 1052 / Projects to be considered by an investment advisory "Hub" in EIB. /
N/A
/ A new programme under the Junker Investment package.WG established a Task Group and have a pipeline of projects. Liaising with HMT who have responsibility across UK.
Essentially 3 elements to Junker:
- EFSI
- Pipeline consideration for consideration for EFSI and other opportunities by the EIB Advisory Hub.
- Deregulation (improved investment environment)
Also €5bn under the European Investment Fund for SMEs.
Applications through investment platforms (partnerships) or individually directly to EIB.
Not in WG interest to apply directly as would have Welsh block implications so needs to be done through partnership arrangements. The Housing Finance Grant scheme (loans for housing associations to build properties) a potential project. Already being considered by UK Government under the UK Guarantee Scheme.
Horizon 2020
This is a framework programme with many strands inc. Research, Energy, Environment, Industry, Innovation, New Technologies and SME Policy.
Weblink:
/ €79.402bn
The main programme areas are:
- Excellent Science (€24.4bn);
- Industrial Leadership (€ 17.0bn);
- Societal Challenges (€29.7 bn);
- European Institute of Innovation and Technology (€2.7bn)
- Eurotom (€1.6bn)
Tel: 0300 062 8357 / Horizon 2020 is managed directly by the European Commission. Applications for Horizon 2020 funding must be made through the Participant Portal Website.
WEFO’sHorizon 2020 Unit provides a “one stop shop” supplying advice and support to Welsh organisations looking for the most appropriate research and development funding available from the European Union.
The Welsh Government’s SCoRE Cymru scheme helps businesses and universities apply for future EU grants, including support in writing bids. / FP7, innovation elements of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE) programme.
Wales had 440 participations (2.5% of UK figure) worth a total of €142.9m EU funding (2.1% of UK figure).
Wales was most successful in the theme Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology (over 5% of participations and 5% of funding).
Wales was also awarded over €20 million in three areas: Health, the European Research Council and Marie-Curie Actions. / In February 2015, Microsemi, a Welsh based SME and Swansea University were successful in accessing Horizon 2020 funds, drawing in €400,000 and €169,000 respectively.
Cardiff University has also secured funding for 26 projects amounting to approximately £13m (€15.8m).
Innovative Urban Actions
This is a new programme for local authorities - urban authorities with a population over 50k (but smaller authorities with combined 50k population can submit joint bids)
[No weblink as yet] / €370m (€100m 2015 and €50m annually thereafter / Priorities are:
- Poverty, Social Inclusion and Integration of Migrants
- Energy efficiency, climate change, sustainability (fuel poverty)
- Economic development, Innovation and Regeneration.
Tel:
0300 062 8210
Energy (Eleanor Knight has a potential interest in energy priority)
Tel:
029 2080 1474 / The Managing Authority will be the Nord-Pas de Calais Region in Lille, France.
First call to be announced (possibly November 2015) / New EU initiative but influenced by 2014 Bloomberg MayorsChallenge
/ WLGA will be running a workshop at their annual event on 18 June in Swansea.
LIFE
The new LIFE programme supports resource efficiency, nature, biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaption measures.
/ €3.457bn
Environment sub-programme: €2,592m
Climate Action sub-programme:
€ 864m / Has two sub-programmes
1) environment, covering: environment and resource efficiency; nature and biodiversity; and environmental
governance and information;
2) Climate Action, covering: climate change mitigation; climate change adaptation; and climate governance and information. / Nature and Biodiversity:
Simon Bilsborough
Tel: 0300 062 8046
Climate:
James Pearson
Telephone:
029 2082 6295 / BetaEurope acts as a UK National Contact Point service for LIFE+ on behalf of Defra and the Food Standards Agency.
E-mail:
Website:
Project data:
The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) has been set-up by the EC to manage the Environment and Climate Action elements of the LIFE programme. Calls for projects expected to commence June 2015. / LIFE+
Welsh nature & biodiversity projects benefitting these funds include:
Restoring Alkaline and Calcareous Fens within the Corsydd Mon a Llyn (Anglesey & lleyn Fens) SACs in Wales (Anglesey and Lleyn Fens)
Development of a programme for the management and restoration of Natura 2000 in Wales (N2K Wales)
/ Annual call for bids.
UK nominal allocation (not normally met)
Strong WG and NRW interest in the programme – WG Steering Group and represented on Defra Co-ordinating Committee.
Defra lead across UK. They have contracted BetaEurope to provide specialist advice for applicants – run workshops etc
BetaEurope sift applications and consult
WG/Defra over potential bids. WG looking at providing funding to BetaEurope to facilitate additional support in Wales.
Third health programme (2014-2020) – Health for Growth
The programme is open to public authorities, public sector bodies, in particular research and health institutions, universities and higher education establishments
Weblink:
/ € 449.4m / Four overarching priorities:
- Promote health, prevent disease and foster supportive environments for healthy lifestyles
- Protect citizens from serious cross-border health threats
- Contribute to innovative, efficient and sustainable health systems
- Facilitate access to better and safer healthcare for EU citizens
Tel: 029 2080 1353
UK contact:
Sarah Collen-Goodman NHS European Office
Phone:+32 2 227 6448
/ Annual Work Programmes through calls for grants and tenders. Monitored by Health) Programme Committee / Second health programme (2008-2013)
SeeConsumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) website
EUROPEAN TERRITORIAL CO-OPERATION PROGRAMMES
Atlantic Area Programme 2014-2020
This is a maritime focused programme comprising 37 regions on the Atlantic coast, including Ireland, areas of of France, Spain, Portugal and the UK (inc. all of Wales).
Weblink:
/ €140m / Priorities include
- Stimulating innovation and competitiveness;
- Fostering resource efficiency;
- Strengthening the territory’s resilience to risks of natural, climate and human origin;
- Enhancing biodiversity and natural and cultural assets.
Tel: 0300 062 8410 / The Managing Authority is the North Regional Co-ordination and Development Commission (CCDR) in Porto, Portugal.
WEFO officials, in the role of National Correspondent for the programme in the UK will continue to work closely with the UK Government and other EU regions to formalise implementation procedures for the programme following its submission. / Atlantic Area Programme 2007-2013