This call for proposals is based on the Decision No. 1720/2006/EC1 establishing the Lifelong Learning programme (LLP) which was adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 15 November 2006, amended by Decision No 1357/2008/EC, adopted by the European Parliament and Council on 16 December 2008. The programme covers the 2007 to 2013 period.
Linguistic diversity is a fact of life in Europe. The European Union is committed to preserving and promoting this key feature of our cultures. In the updated European Strategic Framework for Education and Training post 2010 the ability to communicate in foreign languages is considered a key competence. A labour force with practical language and intercultural skills helps European enterprise to compete effectively in the globa marketplace enhances its own employability, and it is crucial for economic growth and better jobs.
The objective of the call is to award a grant for the organisation of two competitions for short audiovisual productions in two successive years (one competition in 2011 and one in 2012). The competitions and the resulting audiovisual short productions are aimed at the promotion of language learning with a focus on the benefits of Europe's linguistic and cultural diversity.
Students, teachers and professionals participating in the competitions should be madeaware of the potential of multilingualism to represent the diversity of cultures in the European Union. The use of languages as a communication tool to convey this diversity in their productions is essential to achieve the outlined objectives.
BUDGET AVAILABLE
The maximum grant will be 500.000,00 € covering both the competition in 2011 and 2012.
Financial contribution from the European Union cannot exceed 75% of the total eligible costs.
The Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.
Eligible beneficiaries
Organisations working in the audiovisual production, advertising and emerging media sectors, such as schools in the field of audiovisual arts and advertising, are invited to develop, manage and coordinate the competitions.
This call for proposals is open to public-law or private-law entities in the above mentioned fields of activity with their registered office in one of the countries in point 5.2.; natural persons are excluded. No minimum number of countries or of partners is required.
For the purpose of this Call for Proposals, the term "consortium" shall be defined as a group of organisations conducting a joint European cooperation project or partnership. Any condition specified for "consortium" shall apply equally to any single applicant organisation.
Eligible countries
Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible:
- European Union Member States
- EFTA and EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
- Candidate countries: Turkey
There are on-going negotiations with Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Switzerland as regards the future participation in the LLP, which is subject to the result of these negotiations. Please consult the website of the Directorate-General for Education and Culture for updates to the list of participating countries.
Eligible activities
The following activities will have to be carried out for the smooth development and organisation of the competitions in 2011 and in 2012 and to ensure professional integration in the PRIX EUROPA Festival, as well as the realisation of the appropriate information and dissemination activities directed at the general public:
• Launch and management of two competitions for short audiovisual productions (one for the year 2011 and one for the year 2012) in the geographical area as listed in point 5.2.
o Creation and continuous update of a dedicated website for the 2011 and 2012 competitions with sections for participants and the general public;
o The competitions should involve the largest possible number of participants. The
competitions have to result in a minimum of 100 submitted applications per competition. From these submitted applications, a minimum of 15 short audiovisual and/or emerging media productions per year have to be selected. These selected productions have to be capable of reaching a large number of citizens covering the broad spectrum of European society; they have to comply with the respective criteria set in the objectives.
o The selection process must be based on clear and transparent criteria. These criteria have to be established and made public before the launch of the competitions. The selection will be made by an independent jury composed of a minimum of five experts in the audiovisual, marketing, advertising, arts and media sectors including one representative of PRIX EUROPA. The selection has to consider the requirements for high standards regarding diversity of languages and participating countries, relevance of contents and marketability;
• Establishment of a working relationship with PRIX EUROPA. PRIX EUROPA should be closely involved in the key actions of the competition, such as the selection of the entries to be presented at the festival in the Category Languages through Lenses, the programme of the workshops, and the preparation of the participation of the production teams of the selected entries at the festival; liaison with the organisers of PRIX EUROPA from an early state of the project is indispensable to ensure coherence with the quality standards and the format of the festival;
• Management of financial support to the production costs of the selected entries if applicable;
• Organisation of one thematic workshop per year for the representatives of the entries preselected as a result from the competitions to ensure quality standard for individual productions; including content and logistical aspects such as drafting of a pertinent agenda, identification of suitable workshop animators, booking of the venue, travel and accommodation arrangements for all participants;
• Compilation of the selected minimum 15 entries per year from the competitions (the "winning entries") on a DVD or other audiovisual support suitable for mass production;
• Europe-wide promotion and dissemination of the winning entries to the general public, interest groups and stakeholders as well as to possible multipliers, such as public and private broadcasters.
Eligible proposals
Only proposals submitted using the official application form, completed in full, signed (original signatures required), dated and posted by the deadline specified in point 14.3 will be considered.
The application form must be accompanied by an official letter from the applicant organisation, documents attesting to its financial and operational capacity, and all the other documents referred to in the call for proposals.
Applicants must submit a budget that is balanced in terms of expenditure and revenue and must comply with the ceiling for European Union cofinancing, set at 75% of the total eligible costs.
Eligible applications/projects will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
1. Relevance: the extent to which the grant application and the results foreseen are clearly positioned in the specific, operational and broader objectives of the Lifelong Learning Programme; and the objectives are clear, realistic and address a relevant issue / target group (10%).
2. Quality of the work programme: the extent to which the organisation of the work is clear and appropriate to achieving the objectives; the work programme defines and distributes tasks / activities among the partners in such a way that the results will be achieved on time and to budget (15%).
3. Quality of consortium: the extent to which the consortium includes all the skills, recognised expertise and competences required for carrying out all aspects of the work programme, and there is an appropriate distribution of tasks across the partners3 (20%).
4. European added value: the extent to which the benefits of and need for European cooperation (as opposed to national, regional or local approaches) are clearly demonstrated (15%).
5. The cost-benefit ratio: the extent to which the grant application demonstrates value for money in terms of the activities planned relative to the budget foreseen (20%).
6. Impact: the extent to which the foreseeable impact on the approaches, target groups and systems concerned is clearly defined and measures are in place to ensure that the impact can be achieved; and the results of the activities are likely to be significant (20%).
TIMETABLE
Final date for the submission of applications: 30.09.2010.
Activities must start between 01.01.2011 and 31.01.2011
Activities must end before 31.01.2013
The maximum duration of the activities is 24 months.
No applications will be accepted for projects scheduled to run for a longer period than that specified in this call for proposals.
No extensions to the eligibility period beyond the maximum duration will be granted.
Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection procedure in writing.
It is planned that beneficiaries will receive their agreements for signing in before the end of 2010.
The period of eligibility of costs will be the one specified for the period of the activity.
Submission of the grant application
Applications must be submitted
(a) either by registered mail not later than 30 September 2010, in which case the evidence of the date of dispatch shall be constituted by the postmark or the date of the deposit slip, to the following address:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture
Unit A5, Office MADO 16/68
Call for Proposals EAC/10/2010
For the attention of Mr Harald HARTUNG
1049 Brussels
BELGIUM
(b) or delivered by hand or courier service not later than 30 September 2010 by 16:00 to the Central Mail office of the European Commission at the following address:
European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture
Unit A5, Office MADO 16/68
Call for Proposals EAC/10/2010
For the attention of Mr Harald HARTUNG
Avenue du Bourget, 1
1140 Brussels (Evere)
BELGIUM
Applications sent by fax or e-mail will not be accepted.
No changes to the dossier can be made after the application has been submitted. However, if there is a need to clarify certain aspects, the Commission may contact the applicant for this purpose.
All unsuccessful applicants will be informed in writing.
For more information and application form: http://ec.europa.eu/education/calls/doc2445_en.htm
