4.11.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 421/39
ANNEX 2
Example on cumulative funding for other directly managed instruments (Digital Europe Programme) Synergy funding related to European Digital Innovation Hubs in Digital Europe Programme EDIHs are a joint investment of the EU and the MS and the associated countries of Digital Europe Programme.
This is reflected in the two-stage selection process described in the Digital Europe Programme (Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council).
First, Member States select and shortlist candidate entities.
From this list, in a second stage, the Commission selects those entities that will make up the network of EDIHs.
The selection is based on criteria of relevance, implementation and impact, but also taking into account geographical, sectorial and technological coverage objectives, and the available budget per country.
Digital Europe Programme co-finances selected grants with a maximum of 50 % and Member States may co-finance the remaining part through ERDF.
(They may also use other national public or private funding).
This practical example explains the main steps necessary for synergy funding of an EDIH using Digital Europe Programme and ERDF.
The estimates of the Commission are that about 70 ‘linked actions’ implementing the EDIHs will use this.
Since each EDIH will have a regional basis, it is known which managing authority will be responsible from the shared management side.
Step 1 – preparation.
The responsible authorizing officer (RAO) will coordinate and cooperate with the managing authority responsible for the action under the shared management fund, in particular to ensure the coordination of funding rates so that the combined funding does not go beyond 100 % of estimated eligible costs. — DG CONNECT has organised a meeting with MS involved in these linked actions and their Managing Authorities to fully explain the process.
Step 2 – linking the two actions.
The direct management action will be designated a ‘synergy action’, either during grant preparation (GAP) or after the grant signature, via a grant amendment.
The shared management action will be linked to the direct management action (via, for example, the MS-MA-Call number-Project number). — This is foreseen in the Grant Preparation process and was also announced in the Call document.
Step 3 – grant signature and pre-financing.
The beneficiary will sign two separate grant agreements (1): the direct management grant and the shared management grant.
The granting authorities will ensure that the combined funding rates do not go beyond 100 % of eligible costs.
The eligibility period, project duration, reporting periods and deadlines for approvals of the two grants should also be coordinated by the granting authorities to the largest extent possible. — Pre-financing payments under the directly managed grant agreement will proceed as normal.
Advance payments will be done under the shared management grant, where provided for by the applicable national rules.
(1) Called ‘document setting out the conditions for support’ for shared management, i.e.
Article 73(3) CPR.