# C_2013176EN.01002401.xml

| 21.6.2013 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 176/24 |
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21.6.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 176/24

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HERCULE II

Call for proposals

Technical Assistance for the fight against EU fraud ‘Cigarettes’

2013/C 176/08

1.   Objectives and description

Objectives and description

This notice of Call for Proposals is based on Decision No 878/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2007 establishing a Community action programme to promote activities in the field of the protection of the Community's financial interests (Hercule II programme) (1). This call relates to the activities under Article 1a(a) of the Hercule II Decision, which consists of:

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‘technical assistance for national authorities through the provision of specific knowledge, equipment and information technology (IT) tools facilitating transnational cooperation and cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in order to fight against fraud, corruption and other illegal activities as well as the development and implementation of fraud prevention and detection policies.’

The Financing Decision 2013 (2) provides for the organisation of two Calls for Proposals for the sector of activity ‘Technical Assistance’. This Call relates to Technical Assistance ‘Cigarettes’.

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2.   Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants

This notice is aimed at national or regional administrations (‘Applicants’) of a Member State or a country outside the European Union which promote the strengthening of European action to protect the European Union's financial interests.

3.   Eligible actions

Eligible actions

Eligible actions for Technical Assistance ‘Cigarettes’ consist of:

| (a) | Technical and financial support needed to support and strengthen inspections of containers and trucks at the EU's external borders. This includes:






  — | The purchase of mobile and fixed (X-Ray) scanners as well as the costs related to their installation and maintenance (3), used by customs to check containers, trucks and cars crossing the EU's external borders or in transit over the territory of a Member State, in order to carry out checks on the presence of illicit goods, in particular smuggled or counterfeited cigarettes and tobacco; |
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(a)

Technical and financial support needed to support and strengthen inspections of containers and trucks at the EU's external borders. This includes:

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The purchase of mobile and fixed (X-Ray) scanners as well as the costs related to their installation and maintenance (3), used by customs to check containers, trucks and cars crossing the EU's external borders or in transit over the territory of a Member State, in order to carry out checks on the presence of illicit goods, in particular smuggled or counterfeited cigarettes and tobacco;

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| — | Training for customs staff to operate the scanner as well as training for the correct interpretation of the images generated by the scanners; |
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Training for customs staff to operate the scanner as well as training for the correct interpretation of the images generated by the scanners;

| — | Software and hardware to enable the exchange of images, generated by different types of scanners, within and between EU customs. |
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Software and hardware to enable the exchange of images, generated by different types of scanners, within and between EU customs.

| (b) | The purchase, training, food and housing for animals (such as sniffer dogs, but also specially trained bees, rats or pigs) used in the detection of illicit goods, in particular smuggled or counterfeited cigarettes and tobacco; |
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(b)

The purchase, training, food and housing for animals (such as sniffer dogs, but also specially trained bees, rats or pigs) used in the detection of illicit goods, in particular smuggled or counterfeited cigarettes and tobacco;

| (c) | The development, implementation, improvement or upgrading of existing automated container-code recognition systems and automated number-plate recognition systems. This includes the development of software as well as the purchase and installation of hardware for systems and training of operators. |
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(c)

The development, implementation, improvement or upgrading of existing automated container-code recognition systems and automated number-plate recognition systems. This includes the development of software as well as the purchase and installation of hardware for systems and training of operators.

4.   Award criteria

Award criteria

Each submitted eligible action will be assessed in the light of the following award criteria:

| 1. | Consistency of the action with the Commission's objectives for combating fraud and, in particular, preventing, detecting and investigating the flow of illicit tobacco products into the EU; |
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1.

Consistency of the action with the Commission's objectives for combating fraud and, in particular, preventing, detecting and investigating the flow of illicit tobacco products into the EU;

| 2. | Quality of other measures accompanying the purchase and/or organization of the action to improve the detection of illicit tobacco products; |
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2.

Quality of other measures accompanying the purchase and/or organization of the action to improve the detection of illicit tobacco products;

| 3. | Technical quality and suitability of the proposed action to meet the needs expressed by the grant applicant; |
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3.

Technical quality and suitability of the proposed action to meet the needs expressed by the grant applicant;

| 4. | Cost-effectiveness: the costs of the action should be consistent with its objectives; |
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4.

Cost-effectiveness: the costs of the action should be consistent with its objectives;

| 5. | Compatibility of the action with the work carried out or planned in connection with the EU's policy priorities for preventing fraud against the EU budget (prevention; information analysis, methods of cooperation, etc.); |
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5.

Compatibility of the action with the work carried out or planned in connection with the EU's policy priorities for preventing fraud against the EU budget (prevention; information analysis, methods of cooperation, etc.);

| 6. | Compatibility of the action with similar projects carried out in other Member States and carried out by other national law enforcement and customs agencies; |
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6.

Compatibility of the action with similar projects carried out in other Member States and carried out by other national law enforcement and customs agencies;

| 7. | Possibility for using the methods and/or results of the action to enhance cooperation and effectiveness in the fight against fraud and cigarette smuggling (‘mainstreaming’). |
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7.

Possibility for using the methods and/or results of the action to enhance cooperation and effectiveness in the fight against fraud and cigarette smuggling (‘mainstreaming’).

If several actions have equal merit in the light of these award criteria, funding priority may be given to (in descending order):

| — | those law enforcement agencies which do not have, or which are not considered having sufficient, equipment to combat cigarette smuggling and cigarette counterfeiting, |
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those law enforcement agencies which do not have, or which are not considered having sufficient, equipment to combat cigarette smuggling and cigarette counterfeiting,

| — | applications that make fair geographical distribution possible, |
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applications that make fair geographical distribution possible,

| — | applicants who have not received grants in previous years or under previous Calls for Proposals for the same or a similar action. |
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applicants who have not received grants in previous years or under previous Calls for Proposals for the same or a similar action.

5.   Budget

Budget

The indicative available budget for this Call is EUR 3 500 000. The financial contribution will take the form of a grant. The financial contribution awarded will not exceed 50 % of the eligible costs.

The Commission reserves the right not to allocate all the funds available.

6.   Further information

Further information

The technical specifications and the application form can be downloaded from the following site: http://ec.europa.eu/anti_fraud/about-us/funding/techn-assist/index_en.htm

Question and/or requests for additional information in relation to this Call have to be sent by e-mail to:

OLAF-FMB-HERCULE-TA@ec.europa.eu

The questions and answers may be anonymously published in the Guidelines for filling in the Application Form on OLAF's internet website if they are relevant to other applicants.

7.   Deadline for submission of applications

Deadline for submission of applications

Applications must be submitted no later than: Friday, 12 July 2013.

Friday, 12 July 2013

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(1)  OJ L 193, 25.7.2007, p. 18.

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(2)  C(2013) 612 final of 7 February 2013.

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(3)  Maintenance costs not covered by a warrant.

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