21. 2.90 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 41/3 
Invitation to submit proposals for demonstration projects, projects to raise public awareness and 
projects to provide technical assistance in the field of protection of the Mediterranean 
environment 
Medspa-90-1 
(90/C 41/03) 
1. Raison d'etre 
Under the terms of communication COM(88) 392 final 
on the protection of the environment in the Mediter­
ranean region, and on the basis of the general budget of 
the Communities for 1990, the Commission may grant 
aid for the execution of projects: 
(a) having a demonstration character; 
and/or 
(b) intended to raise public awareness; 
and/or 
(c) providing technical assistance; 
for the purpose of protecting and improving the 
Mediterranean environment. 
2. Definition 
Demonstration project means a scheme linking the 
upstream research and development phase and the down­
stream phase of investment or application on a larger 
scale. 
3. Criteria relating to location of the project 
In this instance 'Mediterranean' applies to the whole of 
the Mediterranean region, both Community and 
non-Community, and to those territories of Spain and 
Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula south of the Tagus, 
whether they border on the Mediterranean or not. The 
project has to be of direct interest to the area thus 
defined. 6. Technical criteria 
The project must be in conformity with the objectives of 
environment policy pursued at the regional, national and 
Community levels. As to the projects which are of 
interest to non Community countries, the active support 
of the authorities of the countries concerned has to be 
proved. 
It is imperative that the project provide an example and 
be reproducible, in particular considering the widespread 
nature of the environment problem addressed in the 
Mediterranean region. 
In order to maximize the incentive character of the 
project, it must be accompanied by an awareness-raising 
phase in order to disseminate the results obtained and to 
encourage adoption of the methods and techniques 
tested or development of similar schemes. 
The demonstration projects must be followed by a cost-
benefit analysis which will make it possible to determine 
the economic and social conditions necessary for 
adoption of the methods and techniques tested, and to 
compare them with the other available solutions. 
7. Financial criteria 
The financial feasibility of the project must be demon­
strated. Consequently, the Commission must be informed 
of the financial arrangements envisaged for its execution 
and of the state of negotiations with the various 
discussion partners. 
The project must present financial difficulties such that it 
would probably not be carried out without public, 
national and/or Community aid. 
4. Timing criteria 
Execution of the project must not begin before the 
Commission has come to a decision on aid. 
It may be phased over several years. 
5. Criteria relating to the proposer 
Any natural or legal person may benefit from this 
Community support by Medspa, as well as associations 
of natural persons, who are finally responsible for the 
execution of the project. 8. Areas eligible for support under Medspa in 1990 
(a) Priority areas 
Action in the European Community: 
— in respect of coastal towns with fewer than 
100 000 inhabitants and of small islands, 
collection, treatment, storage and disposal of 
liquid effluents and solid wastes, 
— collection, treatment, storage, recycling and 
disposal of sewage sludge and toxic and 
dangerous wastes, 
NoC 41/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 2.90 
— treatment of ballast or tank-washing water, 
residues of oil and other chemical residues from 
maritime activities, 
— integrated management of characteristic coastal 
ecosystems. 
Action in the non-Community Mediterranean 
countries: 
— help in establishing the requisite environmental 
administrative structures, 
— technical assistance in formulating environment 
policies and action programmes, 
— where necessary, specific measures in the priority 
areas referred to in the first paragraph. 
(b) Other areas eligible for support 
A project not falling within the above areas, but with 
one at least of the following characteristics, can also 
be considered: 
— addressing a phenomenon that is extremely 
serious or developing rapidly, 
— permitting the transfer and adaptation of techno­
logies to the Mediterranean environment, 
— addressing a problem likely in the short term to 
cause a permanent change in the ecological 
conditions of the area concerned. 
However, such projects will be exceptions among the 
overall schemes financed by the programme. 
9. Financial support 
Financial support to the projects selected may not exceed 
50 % of the real costs incurred for their execution. 
10. Procedure for appraising a proposal 
The procedure for appraising a proposal is as follows: 
— receipt, registration and acknowledgement of receipt 
by the Commission, 
— scrutiny by officials of the Commission and by an 
Advisory Committee comprising highly qualified 
experts from the Member States with specialist 
knowledge of the field in question, 
— reaching of a final decision by the Commission and 
its communication to the proposer. 
Proposals will be selected on the basis of how well the 
projects correspond to the Medspa action areas for 1990, 
and of how closely they meet the conditions specified in 
this invitation to submit proposals. The entire procedure is strictly confidential. 
Should the Commission give its approval, a contract 
(expressed in ecus) will be drawn up between the 
Community and the proposer. 
11. Presentation of a proposal 
The proposal must be drawn up in one of the official 
languages of the Community. 
It must be accompanied by the following: 
(a) a detailed description of the project; 
(b) the completed summary relating to the invitation to 
submit proposals. 
This must contain the following information: 
— project title, 
— the proposer's administrative details, 
— technical data: 
1. location of the project, 
2. description of the environmental problem 
concerned, 
3. aims of project, 
4. expected effects on the environment, 
5. proposed action, 
6. project timetable, 
7. existing national and regional policies in the 
field and area concerned by the project, 
— financial data: 
1. total cost of the project, 
2. percentage of funding requested from the 
Community, 
3. breakdown of costs: 
— by item, 
— for the various project phases, 
4. prospective cost-benefit analysis of execution 
of the project, 
5. source, and percentage, of the various 
financial contributions anticipated and state of 
negotiations with the various partners, 
6. other Community financing requested. 
Persons wishing to receive a blank copy of the form 
relating to the invitation to submit proposals should 
contact: 
Commission of the European Communities, 
Directorate-General for the Environment, Nuclear 
Safety and Civil Protection, 
XI-Medspa Programme, 
200 rue de la Loi, 
B-1049 Brussels. 
21. 2.90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 41/5 
Proposals must be submitted within 60 days following 
the date of publication of this invitation in the Official 
Journal of the European Communities. 
All the documents required for a proposal must be sent 
in triplicate to the above address. 
They should as far as possible have the format A4 and be 
printed on one side only. 
Proposals may be submitted: 
(a) by post; 
(b) by hand to the above address. 
It is preferred that proposals be submitted by post, in 
which case they must be registered. Proof of the date of submission will be: 
— the postmark, 
or 
— the receipt, dated and signed by the official who took 
delivery. 
The proposal must be placed inside two envelopes. The 
envelopes must be sealed. The inner envelope, in 
addition to the address of the department given in the 
invitation to submit proposals, must be marked as 
follows: 
'Invitation to submit proposals No Medspa-90-1 from 
(name of proposer). Not to be opened by the internal 
mail department.'