# C_2007163EN.01000701.xml

| 17.7.2007 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 163/7 |
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CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EAC/17/07

Culture programme

Organisation and implementation of an annual European Union Prize for Literature

(2007/C 163/04)

1.   Introduction

The Culture Programme( 1 ) is a single multi-annual programme for Community measures in the field of culture, open to all cultural sectors (non-audio visual) and all categories of cultural operators.

It is based on Article 151 of the EC Treaty, which stipulates that the Community will contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore.

In relation to strand 1.3 of the programme, which deals with ‘special actions’, the aim of this call for proposals is to select a body which will be responsible for organising and awarding an annual European prize for contemporary literature.

2.   Objectives and description

Books and literature play a special role in culture and in helping people to learn about others. Beyond the support being provided for the translation of literary works, however, little is being done at European level to promote literature. This prize aims to put the spotlight on the wealth of contemporary literature (fiction) created in Europe.

The aim of this call for proposals is to select a body capable of organising the award of a European Union prize for literature in 2008. This body could also be in charge of the subsequent prizes (2009 to 2013), on an annual basis, with the explicit agreement of the European Commission.

The body which is selected must do the following:

| (a) | Select new European talents in the field of contemporary literature (fiction) from all the countries participating in the Culture Programme and to promote them in participating countries outside their own; |
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| (b) | Appoint a well-known personality from the field of European literature to take on the role of Ambassador for this prize. This person's role will be to support and promote the new talents referred to in point (a); |
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| (c) | Organise an award ceremony for these prizes which puts the spotlight on this initiative and its European dimension. |
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3.   Timetable and eligibility period

Applications for organising the 2008 prize must reach the Commission by 12 October 2007 at the latest.

For the organisation of the 2008 prize, the measure to be cofinanced must start by 15 March 2008 at the latest. Expenditure incurred before 1 January 2008 will not be taken into consideration.

Costs will be eligible under each Community agreement for a maximum of 12 months.

The result of the selection procedure is expected to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2007.

It is expected that the agreement will be signed in the first quarter of 2008.

4.   Budget available

The budget earmarked for this action is a maximum of EUR 200 000 towards the total organisation and implementation costs of each annual prize (including the money for the prizes and special mention). This contribution must not exceed 60 % of the total eligible organisation and implementation costs proposed by the successful applicant for each annual prize( 2 ).

Community support will be granted on condition that the administrative and financial procedures are properly completed.

The amounts mentioned in the present document are subject to the release of the necessary appropriations by the budgetary authority.

The European Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

5.   Eligible organisations

Applicant organisations must be public- or private-law organisations whose activity lies in the field of literature and which have at least two years proven experience in organising activities at European level in this sector.

Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible:

| — | the 27 Member States of the European Union on 1 January 2007 (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom), |
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| — | the three EEA countries: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein( 3 ), |
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| — | the candidate countries for accession to the EU (Turkey, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)( 4 ), |
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| — | the Western Balkans countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, including Kosovo (pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1244))( 5 ). |
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6.   Award criteria

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

| A. | Compliance with the objectives of the call for proposals (0-5 points)
—
nature and suitability of partnerships and mechanisms for selecting books to be awarded prizes at national level, —
nature and suitability of criteria and mechanisms for appointing the European personality to be awarded a prize for his/her work, —
suitability of the concept for the prize-giving ceremony. | — | nature and suitability of partnerships and mechanisms for selecting books to be awarded prizes at national level, | — | nature and suitability of criteria and mechanisms for appointing the European personality to be awarded a prize for his/her work, | — | suitability of the concept for the prize-giving ceremony. |
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| — | nature and suitability of partnerships and mechanisms for selecting books to be awarded prizes at national level, | | | | | | |
| — | nature and suitability of criteria and mechanisms for appointing the European personality to be awarded a prize for his/her work, | | | | | | |
| — | suitability of the concept for the prize-giving ceremony. | | | | | | |

| B. | Experience gained and ability to mobilize the support in the field of literature at a European level (0-5 points)
—
experience in organising similar initiatives in the field of contemporary literature at European level, —
ability to mobilize the support of the books sector as a whole (authors, translators, publishers, booksellers, librarians, readers) and at a European level in order to boost the impact of the operation. | — | experience in organising similar initiatives in the field of contemporary literature at European level, | — | ability to mobilize the support of the books sector as a whole (authors, translators, publishers, booksellers, librarians, readers) and at a European level in order to boost the impact of the operation. |
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| — | experience in organising similar initiatives in the field of contemporary literature at European level, | | | | |
| — | ability to mobilize the support of the books sector as a whole (authors, translators, publishers, booksellers, librarians, readers) and at a European level in order to boost the impact of the operation. | | | | |

| C. | Management of the project (0-5 points)
—
ability to organise, coordinate and implement the various aspects of the prize-giving process, in particular the selection process at national level, in line with the objectives of this call for proposals, —
quality of the work plan and planning process, including decision-making structures and the organisation of potential partnerships, —
relevance of the budget with regard to the planned activities. | — | ability to organise, coordinate and implement the various aspects of the prize-giving process, in particular the selection process at national level, in line with the objectives of this call for proposals, | — | quality of the work plan and planning process, including decision-making structures and the organisation of potential partnerships, | — | relevance of the budget with regard to the planned activities. |
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| — | ability to organise, coordinate and implement the various aspects of the prize-giving process, in particular the selection process at national level, in line with the objectives of this call for proposals, | | | | | | |
| — | quality of the work plan and planning process, including decision-making structures and the organisation of potential partnerships, | | | | | | |
| — | relevance of the budget with regard to the planned activities. | | | | | | |

| D. | Communication plan and visibility (0-5 points)
The level of visibility, dissemination and exploitation of the planned activities will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
—
the level of promotion of the planned activities in particular via the different sorts of publicity tools used (website, magazines, brochures, newspapers, radio, TV, etc.) in order to make the activities visible to European citizens, —
the level of visibility of the European Commission in the different promotion tools and during the prize-giving ceremony, —
the relevance and quality of the ‘media plan’ with regard to the planned activities and the target audience, —
the number of people who are reached (directly and indirectly) by the planned activities (target audience/beneficiaries, attendance, number of participants, readership, etc.). | — | the level of promotion of the planned activities in particular via the different sorts of publicity tools used (website, magazines, brochures, newspapers, radio, TV, etc.) in order to make the activities visible to European citizens, | — | the level of visibility of the European Commission in the different promotion tools and during the prize-giving ceremony, | — | the relevance and quality of the ‘media plan’ with regard to the planned activities and the target audience, | — | the number of people who are reached (directly and indirectly) by the planned activities (target audience/beneficiaries, attendance, number of participants, readership, etc.). |
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| — | the level of promotion of the planned activities in particular via the different sorts of publicity tools used (website, magazines, brochures, newspapers, radio, TV, etc.) in order to make the activities visible to European citizens, | | | | | | | | |
| — | the level of visibility of the European Commission in the different promotion tools and during the prize-giving ceremony, | | | | | | | | |
| — | the relevance and quality of the ‘media plan’ with regard to the planned activities and the target audience, | | | | | | | | |
| — | the number of people who are reached (directly and indirectly) by the planned activities (target audience/beneficiaries, attendance, number of participants, readership, etc.). | | | | | | | | |

The projects will be evaluated by a European Commission's internal evaluation committee. A ranked list of the projects which receive at least four points for criterion A and at least 14 points in total will be compiled. The Commission will use this list when deciding on the award of the grant.

7.   Full details

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

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/index_en.html

Applications must comply with the requirements set out in the full text and be submitted using the form provided.

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( 1 )  Decision 1855/2006/EC of the European Parliament and the Council (OJ L 372 of 27.12.2006, p. 1).

( 2 )  Article 113 of the Financial Regulation; Articles 167 and 172 of the Implementing Rules.

( 3 )  Subject to the entry into force of the decision of the EEA Joint Committee on the participation of each of these countries in the new 2007 Culture programme.

( 4 )  Subject to the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding regulating the participation of each of these countries in the new 2007 Culture programme.

( 5 )  Subject to the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding regulating the participation of each of these countries in the new 2007 Culture programme.

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