UKRO - European News

UKRO - FP CALLS (17 June 2003)

1. Call - Call 2 of the IST priority

2. Call - Periodic call in the area of 'Aeronautics and space', 'Sustainable energy systems' and 'Sustainable surface transport'

2. Call - Periodic call in the area of 'Aeronautics and space', 'Sustainable energy systems' and 'Sustainable surface transport'

OJ C141 (17.06.2003), p. 25-28
Deadline: 15.10.2003
Areas addressed in the call:

Strategic Objectives:

1. Advanced displays (All instruments)



2. Optical, opto-electronic, photonic functional components (All instruments)



3. Open development platforms for software and services (All instruments)



4. Cognitive systems (All instruments)



5. Embedded systems (All instruments)



6. Applications and Services for the Mobile User and worker (All instruments)



7. Cross-media content for leisure and entertainment (All instruments)



8. GRID-based Systems and solving complex problems (All instruments)



9. Improving Risk management (All instruments)



10. Inclusion (All instruments)

5. Research Networking test beds (All instruments)

6. General Accompanying actions (SSA; CAS 8)

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C141 (17.06.2003), p. 21-24
Deadline: 17.12.2003

Areas called and Instruments:

FURTHER INFORMATION:

UKRO - European Funds (17 June 2003)

1. Corrigendum - EU-India Economic Cross Cultural Programme

2. Corrigendum - European year of education through sport 2004

2. Corrigendum - European year of education through sport 2004





3. Call - Pilot-projects in favour of youth participation

4. Tender - External evaluation of the multiannual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship and in particular for SMEs

3. Call - Pilot-projects in favour of youth participation





4. Tender - External evaluation of the multiannual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship and in particular for SMEs





5. Corrigendum - Financial support for the activities of European consumer organisations





6. Tender - Handbook for 'learning areas in the European tourism industry'





7. Tender - Legal and economic research and assistance work in the field of public procurement in the European Union Member States

OJ C140 (14.06.2003), p. 20
Original call published in EF03:38 UKRO - European Funds (21 May 2003)
On page 31, in point 12, first paragraph, Internet Web page of the European Commission:

for: 'europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/index_en.htm'
read: 'http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/tender/index_en.htm'

2. Corrigendum - European year of education through sport 2004

OJ C140 (14.06.2003), p. 20
Original call published in EF03:40 UKRO - European Funds (3 June 2003)
On page 31, in point 12, first paragraph, Internet Web page of the European Commission:

for: 'europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/index_en.htm'
read: 'http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/tender/index_en.htm'

3. Call - Pilot-projects in favour of youth participation

OJ C140 (14.06.2003), p. 15-19
Deadline: 11.08.2003

The aim of this action is to fund innovative and networkable projects on new participatory practices, particularly at local level; these projects must associate young people (15 to 25 years) including marginalised young people to the decisions that concern them. The focus should be put on the capacity to network the projects either at local, regional level, or at European level, with the view of strengthening the exchange of experiences and good practices, as well as the dissemination of good practices in the field of youth participation.

The added value of this action by comparison with the actions under the Youth programme is to develop youth participation by the implementation of innovative local projects.
Two categories of actions are concerned:

1. Implementation or development of a local project of participation, with a local partnership (four different partners) presenting a strong innovative character with very concrete achievements and results and being useable.



2. Implementation or development of a few (minimum four) similar local projects of participation, in different places (different countries/regions/municipalities) coordinated in order to facilitate exchange of experience and good practice and to constitute a first network.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S113 (14.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 20.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 26.07.2003
The MAP is a framework plan of activities which aim at:

1. enhancing the growth and competitiveness of business in a knowledge-based internationalised economy;



2. promoting entrepreneurship;



3. simplifying and improving the administrative and regulatory framework for business so that research, innovation and business creation in particular can flourish;



4. improving the financial environment for business, especially SMEs;



5. giving business easier access to Community support services, programmes and networks and improving the coordination of these facilities.

1. Policy Development: the Commission, in close coordination with Member States, analyses and studies ways to ameliorate the overall environment that enterprises have to operate in.



2. The Euro Info Centres Network: Euro Info Centres represent an interface between European institutions and local actors.



3. The Financial Instruments: there are 4 schemes, 3 of which managed by the European Investment Fund, that are specifically targeted at improving the financial environment for businesses, especially SMEs.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C140 (14.06.2003), p. 20
Original call published in EF03:42 UKRO - European Funds (11 June 2003)
On page 4, point 1.3:

for: '. . . in the year 2003 . . .',
read: '. . . in the year 2004 . . .'.

6. Tender - Handbook for 'learning areas in the European tourism industry'

OJ S112 (13.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 04.08.2003
Deadline for submissions: 11.08.2003
This call concerns a tender to provide a guide with innovative concepts and practical suggestions/solutions for action to decision-makers and practitioners in order to transform learning into innovation taking into account the 'fragile' reality of the human resources. Enhancing the economic and social dimension in the areas concerned.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S112 (13.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 18.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 25.07.2003

This call for tenders concerns legal research and assistance work on public procurement in the EU Member States (25). This will involve looking at provisions for public procurement in EC law so as to examine the rules, practices and factual situations encountered, and examining the economic effects of the public procurement directives and technical issues.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

UKRO - European Funds (12 June 2003)

1. Prior Information Notice - Impact on SMEs of the Basle II accord on capital adequacy rules: information dissemination through the organisation of seminars, including relevant background training material

2. Tender - Contract to establish guidelines for the application of compensatory measures under article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive

1. Prior Information Notice - Impact on SMEs of the Basle II accord on capital adequacy rules: information dissemination through the organisation of seminars, including relevant background training material

3. Tender - Provision of scientific and technical assistance to the peer review of active substances of the 2nd stage of the review programme used as plant protection products

1. Prior Information Notice - Impact on SMEs of the Basle II accord on capital adequacy rules: information dissemination through the organisation of seminars, including relevant background training material





4. Tender - Appraisal of the application of Directive 98/6/EC, 'the Directive', on consumer protection in the indication of the prices of products offered to consumers

OJ S108 (06.06.2003)
Estimated start date: 10-12.2003

This prior information notice covers awareness-raising related to the impact of the Basle II accord on capital adequacy rules. The objective is to help SMEs and industry organisations based in the countries participating in the European Union's multi-annual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship (MAP) understand the changes that will occur pursuant to the Basle II accord.
The primary task will be the preparation and implementation of one-day information dissemination seminars aimed at raising awareness on the impact on SMEs of the Basle II accord. The seminars would be conducted in a minimum of 20 countries chosen among the countries participating in the European Union's multi-annual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship, i.e. the current or future EU Member States or the three members of the EFTA that also are part of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein).
The seminars, with their corresponding training material, will explain the Basle II reform and contain advice on how to do a structured analysis of the enterprise and how to make management, finance, planning and product processes transparent to prepare for negotiations with banks and other finance providers. Other issues would concern the preparation of initial and medium-term plans of business activities, improving annual reports, introducing quality management, introduction to banks risk rating systems and how else to prepare for a rating culture that will result from the implementation of the reform of bank legislation under Basle II. The training material will need to be available in at least the following ways: printed texts, slides, CD-ROM and web sites. The training material will also need to be translated into the official languages of the chosen minimum 20 countries.
The objective is to organise dissemination seminars during 2004 that would have a target attendance of approximately 100 participants each. The actual number of seminars is to be proposed by each bidder for this tender.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S110 (11.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 04.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 22.07.2003
The objective of this contract is to provide guidelines to Member States on the interpretation of certain key concepts used in
Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S110 (11.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 13.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 23.07.2003

The work performed enables the European Food Safety Authority to fulfil its requirements according to the Commission Regulations (EC) No 451/2000 and No 1490/2002 regarding the peer review of active substances of the 2nd stage of the work programme referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC. In particular the authority is requested to circulate the draft assessment report to the Member States and may organise a consultation of experts.
By means of this contract, scientific, administrative and technical support is provided to the authority regarding the peer review of the active substances of the 2nd stage of the work programme and some new active substances, including preparation, chairing and reporting of expert meetings. In addition, the work to be performed supports the authority to fulfil the preparatory tasks relating to the 3rd stage of the review programme (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1490/2002).

Lot 1:

Scientific, administrative and technical support in preparation, coordination and distribution of working documents, reports or opinions of the authority related to the peer review of new and/or existing active substances.

Lot 2:

1. organization of specialised meetings relating to specific technical disciplines with experts of the competent authorities of the 15 Member States and of the accession countries; on the premises within the EU proposed by the tenderer or of the authority;


2. organization of expert meetings with experts of the competent authorities of the 15 Member States and of the accession countries; on the seat of the authority.

1. chairing of expert meetings of a highly technical nature as indicated in lot 2(a);


2. reporting of expert meetings as indicated in lot 2 (a) and (b).

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S110 (11.06.2003)
Deadline for requests: 09.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 16.07.2003
To support the Commission's work in relation to this Directive the Contractor will have to produce within six months a comprehensive appraisal of the 15 Member States' laws implementing the Directive. In addition, a specific comprehensive appraisal of the extent to which Member States have, or have not, availed of the derogation provided for in Article 6 of the Directive, together with an assessment of the future intentions of derogating Member States regarding this derogation, will be required.
In particular, the contractor should identify, analyse and report in detail on the following aspects:
Regarding the Directive in general:

1. The measures taken by the Member States to transpose the Directive;


2. the extent to which Member States have, or have not, availed of the exemptions provided for in Article 3 (2);


3. the extent to which Member States have introduced limitations on the maximum number of prices to be indicated, pursuant to Article 4 (1), particularly in the light of the introduction of the euro.

1. whether Member States have availed of the derogation provided for in Article 6, as well as the nature, and extent of these derogations;


2. in the case of those Member States where there is an intention to maintain the derogation, the economic, technical, or other reasons, for this, a description of its envisaged scope, (i.e. complete or partial maintenance of the derogation), and envisaged duration;


3. in the case of those Member States where there is an intention to end the derogation, the economic, technical, or other reasons, why the derogation is to cease, its envisaged scope (i.e. complete or partial ending of the derogation) and from when this is planned to take effect;


4. the consequences of the options exercised by the Member States for consumers (including, e.g. the effect on prices, choice and willingness to shop cross-border).

5. the impact that the options exercised by the Member States had on businesses in general and small retail businesses in particular (including their willingness to make offers cross-border, freedom of establishment and compliance costs);


6. whether there have been any 'technological developments', as well as economic developments, or other developments, allowing small retail businesses to better comply with the obligations of the Directive since it has come into force.

1. in the light of the foregoing appraisals, to draw conclusions and express opinions regarding how the Directive in general might be amended and the usefulness, in particular, of maintaining Article 6.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

UKRO - FP CALLS (11 June 2003)

1. Call - Communication Network Development - Géant

This call for proposals relates to the following area and instrument:
Area 3.2.3: Communication Network Development -- Géant
Instrument: I3

FURTHER INFORMATION:

UKRO - European Funds (3 June 2003)

1. Tender - Adaptation of regulations, methods and documentation for statistics on the trading of goods within the Community (Intrastat) and between the Community and non-member countries (Extrastat)

1. Tender - Adaptation of regulations, methods and documentation for statistics on the trading of goods within the Community (Intrastat) and between the Community and non-member countries (Extrastat)





2. Call - EC/Japan Cooperation in Higher Education





3. Call - Asia Pro Eco Programme: Operational and Practical Dialogue issued by the European Commission

4. Call - European Year of Education Through Sport 2004





5. Tender - Study on 'the regulatory treatment of interactive television services'





6. Tender - Study on 'implementation of wide screen television in the context of digital broadcasting'

2. Call - EC/Japan Cooperation in Higher Education





4. Call - European Year of Education Through Sport 2004

3. Call - Asia Pro Eco Programme: Operational and Practical Dialogue issued by the European Commission





7. Tender - Stocktaking study on the current status and developments of technology and regulations related to the environmental performance of recreational marine engines

7. Tender - Stocktaking study on the current status and developments of technology and regulations related to the environmental performance of recreational marine engines

5. Tender - Study on 'the regulatory treatment of interactive television services'





6. Tender - Study on 'implementation of wide screen television in the context of digital broadcasting'





8. Call - Applications for inclusion on lists of evaluators and reviewers in the framework of the Safer Internet Action Plan

9. Corrigendum - Aid programme for population policies and reproductive health care

9. Corrigendum - Aid programme for population policies and reproductive health care





10. Tender - study about relationship between the constitution, rules and practice of the Universal Postal Union, the WTO rules (in particular the GATS), and European Community law





11. Call - Awareness raising for the European Employment Strategy





12. Call - Projects contributing to the development of evaluation practice in the European Employment Strategy

OJ S103 (30.05.2003)
Deadline for requests: 03.07.2003
Deadline for submissions: 10.07.2003
This tender concerns services relating to the 2001-2005 programme concerning a set of actions relating to the trans-European network for the collection, production and dissemination of statistics on the trading of goods within the Community and between the Community and non-member countries (Edicom).

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Deadline: 27.06.2003
The main purpose of the project will be to set up a framework for student mobility at postgraduate (Masters) level but the project may include upper undergraduate (3rd year or higher) level students.
The pilot project should have the following components:

• Joint study programme: European and Japan higher education institutions should propose a joint programme including a student exchange scheme leading to the award of a diploma at postgraduate (Masters) level, and an undergraduate degree in case of undergraduate student participation, by each participating institution. The programme for students from countries participating in the Socrates programme ("European students") will involve a period of study in a European institution other than the home institution together with a period of study in at least one Japanese higher education institution.



• Student mobility: the pilot project should target postgraduate (Master) level students and undergraduate (3rd year or higher) level students. Participation in this programme should lead to a diploma.



• Evaluation plan: the project should develop a detailed evaluation plan which states the goals and anticipated outcomes of the project and indicates what qualitative and quantitative indicators will be used to measure the success of the project.

The call will be open to projects from the following fields:

• Engineering and/or Life sciences



• Law



• Business and economics



• Information and Communication Technologies



• Social sciences and Education

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C119 (21.05.2003), p. 10-11
Deadline: 03.10.2003
The Asia Pro Eco Programme is designed to strengthen the environmental dialogue between Europe and Asia. Areas of activity comprise environmental management capacity, market based approaches to environmental protection and development, promotion and support of Europe-Asia environmental R & D networks.
Each activity must contain the following subcomponents:

• Conferences
  For applicants who want to organise a conference relevant to Asia Pro Eco main objectives. The Conferences will highlight the EU perspective, linked to downstream technical assistance and financing support. They should be organised in conjunction with agencies/networks which have already a track record, in order to promote innovative approaches and long term vision. Applicants should aim to design the conferences so that they have a long-lasting sustainable impact. The organisation of Conferences may seek to develop synergies with other environmental initiatives.



• Studies
  A study should prepare and fertilise the ground for the Conference.



• Guidelines
  Documents (e.g. recommendations, guidelines, conclusions) should refine the ideas taken out of the Conferences so as to propose new ways of managing environmental impact according to the issues presented.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C126 (28.05.2003), p.40-47
Deadlines: 04.07.2003, 01.10.2003, 01.03.2004
The European Year shall have the following objectives:

• to raise the awareness of educational and sports organisations of the need for cooperation to develop education through sport and its European dimension, bearing in mind the great interest shown by young people in all types of sports,
• to take advantage of the values conveyed by sport to increase knowledge and skills, enabling young people to develop their physical capabilities and inclination to personal effort, as well as social capabilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural context,
• to raise awareness of the positive contribution made by voluntary work to informal education, particularly for young people,
• to promote the educational value of mobility and pupil exchanges, particularly in a multicultural environment, through the organisation of sports and cultural meetings as part of school activities,
• to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the potential role of sport in education systems in order to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups,
• to establish a better balance between intellectual and physical activities during school life by encouraging sport in school activities,
• to examine the problems linked to the education of young sportsmen and women engaged in competitive sport.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S103 (30.05.2003)
Deadline: 10.07.2003
The study objectives are to:

1. describe the interactive television (iTV) phenomenon in a synthetic and structured way from a technical, functional and market point of view;
2. identify all the services making up iTV and suggest determining criteria allowing to qualify each of those services in accordance with the relevant EU legal frameworks;
3. review EU, EU Member States and relevant third country regulation directly or indirectly relevant to the iTV services identified through objective 2;
4. identify possible policy options with the aim of ensuring legal certainty, freedom to provide services and light and flexible framework for related iTV products and services under all relevant Community frameworks and at national level.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S103 (30.05.2003)
Deadline: 10.07.2003
The study objective is to recommend initiatives that Member State authorities and new adhesion countries could take as part of their national digital switchover plans to promote the production and transmission of digital wide-screen services and the take-up of wide-screen receiver and display equipment.
The Commission sees the following tasks as being relevant in order to realise the objectives:

• to provide an overview of current and planned wide-screen implementation in Member States in order to promote best practice between Member States. This will benefit Member States where wide-screen has been slow to develop together with new adhesion countries that did not participate in the wide-screen television Action Plan;
• to identify any remaining barriers to broadcasting of wide-screen programmes and services and propose ways of overcoming them;
• to assess the current and future role of packaged media, notably DVD, and Home cinema in propagating wide-screen;
• to identify and obtain from market players any relevant market research that they may have undertaken and might be willing to make public;
• to provide a snapshot of market sentiment among different groups of players in different Member States regarding wide-screen, including misperceptions over costs etc.

All analysis and recommendations must take into account the new Communications regulatory framework and evolving switchover policy at national and European level. The issue of how to include wide-screen in switchover strategy is of central importance.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S102 (28.05.2003)
Deadline for requests: 01.09.2003
Deadline for submissions: 10.09.2003

The aim of this study contract is to make a complete and detailed inventory and comparative assessment of the current status of and of the existing and expected developments in technology and legislation world-wide concerning the environmental performance of recreational marine engines. In making this inventory and assessment, the contractor shall take into account and focus in particular, but not exclusively, on the specific elements in the review clause of article 2 and recital 11a of the joint text agreed by the European Parliament and by the Council.
This inventory and assessment shall aim at and result into establishing a base line for each of the elements considered, with achievable targets in the near future. The contractor shall qualify and quantify, to the greatest detail and extent possible, the economic, social, industrial and environmental impact of the identified achievable targets. The establishment baselines and achievable targets should be presented in such a way that they can be used by the Commission for assessing the appropriateness of considering the elaboration of further legislative proposals, within the context of Directive 94/25/EC, aimed at further improving the environmental performance of recreational craft, whilst at the same time respecting the main internal market and trade policy principles of the European Union.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ S98 (22.05.2003)
The applicants selected by the Commission for inclusion on the panels of experts will perform the following tasks:

1. Technical assistance with evaluating proposals submitted in response to the calls for proposals published within the context of the Safer Internet Action Plan, as referred to in point 1.
   The evaluators will assist the Commission to evaluate the proposals on the basis of the evaluation criteria specified in the calls and in the information dossiers accompanying them. The evaluation will be carried out on a strictly confidential basis. The Commission will not give proposers information on the evaluators involved in judging their proposal.
   
2. Technical assistance in the review of projects supported under the Safer Internet Action Plan programme. Reviews may be required in order to verify the achievements of such projects and assess the extent to which the programme objectives have been attained. They are carried out by independent experts chosen on the basis of their widely-recognized experience and competence.
   The evaluation and review work includes making recommendations on ways to gear the programme and projects towards maximum achievement of their aims.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C123 (24.05.2003), p.24
Original call published in EF03:36 UKRO - European Funds (9 May 2003)
On page 27 in point 13, 'Deadline for submission of preliminary proposals':

• for: '16.00 on 24 June 2003',


• read: '16.00 on 1 July 2003, Brussels time'

OJ S102 (28.05.2003)
Deadline for requests: 30.06.2003
Deadline for submissions: 07.07.2003

The aim of the study is to review the constitution, rules and practice of the UPU, based on the concept of the 'single postal
territory (one country, one post) in the light of the WTO rules (in particular the GATS), and the postal European Community law, in order that the Commission and the Member States can have a more detailed and meaningful view on the relation between their UPU and WTO commitments. This study shall therefore be instrumental for the coordination between the Commission and the Member States in relation to UPU issues in general and the perspective of UPU Congresses in
particular.
The study should therefore pursue the following objectives:

• To describe (map) the interface between the UPU constitution, practice and regulations and the WTO rules (in particular the GATS) and European Community law.



• To assess the relative legal status of the Acts of the UPU and the WTO rules, (in particular the GATS), and EC Community law where they interface.



• To identify where there are any areas of difference between the UPU constitution, rules and practice and the WTO rules (in particular the GATS), and European Community laws.



• To consider the potential implications and relative significance of these areas of difference.



• To scope the alternative ways in which the relevant inconsistencies may be practically resolved, including any changes that could be made to the UPU constitution, practice and regulations and any recommendations for changes that may be proposed at forthcoming UPU Congresses.



• To elaborate upon or make recommendations to the Commission and the Member States on the appropriate level of coordination required at the Community level and the level of Member States for forthcoming UPU Congresses and major meetings.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C125 (27.05.2003), p.13-15
Deadline: 14.08.2003

The objective of this call is to support dissemination and awareness raising initiatives concerning the EES (European Employment Strategy). Such initiatives should aim at providing information of a general nature on the EES (objectives and rationales, results achieved, implementation and monitoring, respective roles of institutions involved), while clearly indicating the interplay between the European context and employment policies at national, regional and local levels.
The key messages of the EES should be presented, explained and put in the respective national context. Building on that, specific information needs of specific target groups (e.g. assemblies of regional and local authorities, social partners, civil society) or with regard to specific themes (e.g. equal opportunities, prevention and activation of the long-term unemployed, mobility, lifelong learning, quality of work, active ageing, inclusive labour markets, immigration, employment participation and making work pay) should be addressed in more detail with the aim of fostering better knowledge and understanding, which would facilitate the involvement of potential stakeholders in the development and implementation of the EES in their respective contexts.
All initiatives should contribute to an increased understanding of the main objectives and policy priorities of the reformed EES (2003-2010) and of the added value of employment policy coordination at EU level.
Proposed actions should develop awareness raising initiatives relevant for specific groups and themes. All relevant media and instruments can be used for that purpose, e.g. conferences, seminars, workshops, Internet, written and audio-visual material, special events. Initiatives should ideally allow for interactive flow of information, thus stimulating discussion instead of top-down provision of information only. On the basis of self-assessment and evaluation, projects should come up with proposals for future information and dissemination strategies.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

OJ C125 (27.05.2003), p.16-18
Deadline: 14.08.2003

There are two objectives of the call for proposal:

1. To gather complementary evaluation evidence on the impact of employment policies promoted through the EES, notably in areas that were not well covered by the previous call VP/2001/011 (e.g. lifelong learning, adaptability, administrative reform aspects of entrepreneurship and equal opportunities), and through involvement of other organisations not present during the previous call.


2. To contribute to the development of national evaluation practice, in particular through a continuous approach for assessing the effects (outcome and cost-effectiveness) of national employment policy measures implemented as part of the National Action Plans on Employment, as well as the development of methods and tools for reinforcing an evaluation culture in the Member States.

FURTHER INFORMATION: