Call for proposals — European Refugee Fund — Community actions 2002
Date: 2002-03-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: admission of aliens, aid to refugees, financing, fund (EU), project evaluation, refugee

C 74/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

23.3.2002

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

EUROPEAN REFUGEE FUND (cid:151) COMMUNITY ACTIONS 2002

(2002/C 74/03)

A. Council Decision 2000/596/EC of 28 September 2000
established a European Refugee Fund (ERF)
to support
and encourage Member States’ efforts in receiving refugees
and displaced persons (see Official Journal of the European
Communities L 252 of 6 October 2000, p. 12). The
purpose of
for
is
Community actions for the budget year 2002.

to invite proposals

this notice

B. Proposals are invited for the following actions

Strand 1: Analysis and evaluation

(a) Provision of analysis, information and data, in the form
of regular reports, on the situation of persons referred
the ERF Decision as well as on
to in Article 3 of
the European
for
protection issues, with a view,
Commission and the EU Member States,
to better
implement
the European Refugee
the objectives of
Fund and against the background of the specific needs
of the Common European Asylum System. Analysis and
information on
information must contain: general
situation in countries of origin and transit, historical
overview, human rights issues, geographical and stat-
istical data, analysis of and opinions on legal
issues,
assessment of
the situation of vulnerable groups,
assessment of protection needs, on return programmes,
voluntary and forced repatriation issues, reintegration
prospects, actions and operations of humanitarian
NGOs
and
international
concerning those countries.

organisations

and

in

(b) Analysis

of

the

social,

(profiling)

demographic,
economic, professional, ethno-linguistic composition of
diasporas of persons referred to in Article 3 of the ERF
Decision present in EU Member States with a view to
better implementing policies related to reception, inte-
gration
existing
initiatives in this field should be taken into account
with a view to pooling of resources.

returns. Already

voluntary

and

(c) Comparative factual analysis with regard to integration
of persons referred to under Article 3(1), (2) and (4) of
the ERF Decision. This must
include an analysis of
practice from the moment a person is granted one of
the forms of protection set out in Article 3 of the ERF
Decision and must include a sample of case studies
identifying personal and economic, social, cultural and
demographic factors influencing integration (a) within
each Member State, and (b) comparison of practice
throughout the 14 ERF Member States. The analysis

should also provide an overview of the impact on host
countries of a variety of integration processes measured
in economic, social, cultural and demographic terms.

(d) Comparative analysis of the differences between inte-
gration systems used in the ERF Member States for
persons referred to under Article 3(1), (2) and (4) of
the ERF Decision, addressing, amongst others, the issue
of (cid:145)organised(cid:146) integration (where the Member State auth-
orities or agents acting on its behalf actively organise
integration (where
integration) versus (cid:145)non-organised(cid:146)
these persons organise their own integration). An
the main differences should be made.
inventory of
i.e. measures allowing these
Empowerment measures,
persons
actively
responsibility
participate in their own integration, should also be
taken into consideration. The action must include case
studies and identify best practices.

take

and

for

to

Strand 2: Capacity building

(a) Capacity building: proposals furthering empowerment
the forms of protection
of persons enjoying one of
set out in Article 3 of the ERF Decision and/or their
community organisations,
light of work
previously done and projects currently under way.

in the

(b) Comparative analysis of Member States’

strategies,
policies and practice for the reception, integration and
voluntary repatriation of vulnerable groups in the host
countries (including disabled persons). Measures covered
include both actions addressing their specific
must
needs and actions targeted at removing obstacles to
participation with a view to mainstreaming equality of
opportunity. The action must include case studies and
identify best practices.

(c) Transnational actions, submitted by public authorities
from at least two Member States, involving a range of
actors, consisting of the transfer of information, lessons
learned and good practice. Activities may include the
comparison of the effectiveness of processes, methods
and tools related to the chosen themes,
the mutual
transfer and application of good practice, exchanges
joint development of activities,
of personnel,
processes, strategy and methodology, the adaptation to
different contexts of the methods, tools and processes
identified as good practices, and/or
the common
information materials and
dissemination of
events.

results,

the

C. The budget available is EUR 2,2 million. The maximum

grant amount per project is EUR 400 000.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 74/7

D. ERF financial support shall not exceed 80 % of the total

eligible cost of the action.

(i.e. all Member States except Denmark) will not be
considered. Actions may, however,
include Denmark
on a no-cost basis.

E. Maximum project duration is 12 months. The earliest start
date permitted for actions under 1(a) is 1 September 2002
and the latest start date permitted is 31 December 2002.
The earliest start date permitted for all other actions is 1
November 2002 and the latest start date permitted is 31
December 2002.

F. Exclusion criteria

11. Proposals under point 1(b) that do not cover at least
four Member States involved in the ERF will not be
considered.

12. Proposals under point 2(c) that are not submitted by at
least two Member States, one of which will be the lead
partner, will not be considered.

1. Proposals that do not have a clear European dimension
and/or replace action that could be financed under the
implemented by the Member
national programmes
States will not be considered.

13. Proposals that do not include a detailed description of
follow-up measures to be implemented for their project
will not be considered.

2. Proposals that do not respect the ceilings on percentage
and maximum grant amount will not be considered.

Proposals not excluded by one of the above criteria will be
further evaluated using the selection criteria set out below.

3. Actions that do not respect

the maximum project

duration will not be considered.

G. Selection criteria

4. Proposals that do not select a start date within the

range set out at point E will not be considered.

1. Applicants must have the capacity to finance the

proposed activities properly.

5. Proposals

that do not

include a signed detailed
forward budget, with a breakdown of costs per
budget heading, will not be considered.

6. Proposals for analysis and evaluation (studies)

that
their
in kind as part of
forward budgets will not be

contributions
include
co-financing in their
considered.

7. Each co-financing organisation must submit an explicit
undertaking (letter of intent) stipulating that they will
funding stated in the grant
provide the amount of
application and proposals that do not
include such
letters of intent will not be considered.

2. Applicants must have the operational

(technical and
management) capacity to complete the action to be
supported.
In particular the team responsible for the
action must have adequate professional qualifications
and must have proven and documented experience
in the field of asylum and immigration (attach CVs
and particulars of involvement in operations/actions
that took place in the last three years).

Proposals that meet the selection criteria will be further
evaluated using the award criteria set out below.

H. Award criteria

8. Proposals that do not include a detailed description of
the action, separate to the summary description in the
application form, will not be considered.

The proposals
following
achieving the highest
evaluation according to the award criteria weighted as set
out below may be financed, taking into account the funds
available. The criteria are:

score

9. Application forms that are not signed by the person(s)
the
responsible in the applicant organisation for
proposed operation will not be considered.

1. The extent to which the action complements EU policy

and/or policy proposals (20 %).

10. Proposals under points 1(c), 1(d), 2(a) and 2(b) that do
not cover all the Member States involved in the ERF

2. The innovatory nature of the action compared to the

practice in the relevant Member States (10 %).

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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3. The extent

to which the action complements and
consolidates work previously done in the chosen field
at Community level. All proposals must
include a
detailed description demonstrating that the relevance of
the proposed action has been adequately researched,
that, where relevant, work done under other projects
or programmes will be taken into consideration or
consolidated,
is no overlap with
there
previous projects or studies carried out at EU level
(under this or other Community programmes) or at
national level (15 %).

and that

4. Sustainability of the project after termination of the ERF
grant (where relevant) or measures proposed to ensure
adequate follow-up of project outputs. Follow-up may
not consist only in conferences and/or website dissemi-
nation (15 %).

5. The cost-effectiveness of

in view of
ensuring optimum achievement of the ERF Community
action framework objectives (10 %).

the expenditure,

6. Global

appreciation of

into
consideration the methodology proposed, the feasibility
of the action, the timetable and realistic nature of the
corresponding budget estimate (20 %).

the proposal

taking

7. The proportion of the applicant’s financial contribution

(10 %).

I. Further information and submission of proposals

Project proposals for measures described under points 1(a)
to 1(d) and 2 above are invited from non-governmental
organisations, national, regional and local authorities, inter-
national organisations and other organisations working on
a strictly non-profit basis with proven experience and
expertise in the fields covered.

Joint applications from two or more Member State auth-
orities are invited for measures described under point 2(c).

The European Community pursues an equal opportunities
policy and,
context, women are particularly
encouraged to either submit proposals or to be involved
in their submission.

in this

See the following website:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/jai/prog_en.htm

Applicants are invited to read the European Refugee Fund
Decision, the (cid:145)European refugee fund framework document
for Community action 2000-2004(cid:146), the (cid:145)Vade-mecum on
grant management
for applicants and beneficiaries(cid:146), as
well as the lists and descriptions of projects financed in
2000 and 2001. All relevant documents are posted on
the abovementioned site. A standard application form and
forward budget, which MUST be used for all
a model
applications, are available on the same site as annexes to
the vade-mecum. For applicants who do not have access to
the website versions, requests for the documents should be
sent by post, by fax or by electronic mail to the address
below. Requests
clearly addressed to (cid:145)JAI
European Refugee Fund(cid:146).

should be

European Commission
DG Justice and Home Affairs
JAI European Refugee Fund
Unit A/2 Immigration and Asylum LX 46 6/50
B-1049 Brussels
Fax (32-2) 299 80 53
E-mail: JAI-EUROPEAN-REFUGEE-FUND@cec.eu.int

ONE SIGNED ORIGINAL AND FOUR COMPLETE COPIES OF
PROJECT PROPOSALS MUST BE SENT BY MAIL (EITHER BY
REGISTERED MAIL WITH RECEIPT OR BY COURIER SERVICE)
IN A SEALED DOUBLE ENVELOPE. THE INNER ENVELOPE
MUST BE MARKED (cid:145)ERF COMMUNITY ACTION 2002 (cid:151) NOT
TO BE OPENED BY THE INTERNAL MAIL SERVICE (cid:151)
APPLICATION FROM: (NAME OF ORGANISATION)(cid:146) AND MUST
BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN 3 JUNE 2002.