EU news and developments

Opportunities - Calls for proposals

The European Commission regularly issues calls for proposals (project applications) for its various departments.  These are issued on an ad-hoc basis and details of some of the most recent ones can be found below.  If you would like to find out more about any of these, then please contact Europe Direct Highlands & Islands (EDHI).

Transnational Funds

• CULTURE 2007-2013 - the next deadline is for literary translation projects only (strand 1.2.2) and is 1st April 2008. There is one deadline each year for general projects and the next one (for projects starting in 2009) is likely to be 31st October 2008. Visit Euclid, the official contact point for this programme in the UK.
• MEDIA PLUS - There are a number of current calls for distribution, promotion and development.  Visit media desk UK or the Commission's MEDIA pages for details.
• LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME The new Life Long Learning Programme supports learning opportunities from childhood to old age in every single life situation. It has a budget of €7000 million for the period 2007-2013 and is the successor to the current Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and eLearning programmes. Details of the programme and current calls can be found on the EACEA website.
• Youth in Action - is the new EU Programme in the field of youth, which will be implemented from 1st January 2007 until 31st December with a total budget of €885 million. It is the successor of the YOUTH Programme. See the Youth in Action or the British Council Connect Youth pages for details.
• 7th Framework Programme - for research and technological development (FP7) for calls relating to FP7 visit the CORDIS Information Service. The third call for proposals is currently active. The first call for project proposals represented a budget of just over €1billion.

Structural Funds

• Highlands and Islands Scotland Structural Funds Programmes 2007-2013 is being administered differently to the previous programme, with Highlands & Islands Enterprise and UHI Millennium Institute acting as Strategic Delivery Bodies for three of the six ERDF and ESF priorities. More information can be found on the Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme website.
• Northern Periphery Programme 2007-2013 - Second call for main applications opened on the 16th January 2008, deadline of 7th March 2008. Documentation available at Northern Periphery website, second call for proposals folder. Open call for preparatory projects.
• Interreg IVC - There is now one single programme for the whole European territory, instead of the four zones in the previous Interreg IIIC. The first call, covering thematic priorities of 'Innovation and knowledge economy' and 'Environment and risk prevention' is open until the 15th January 2008. The opening of the second call is expected to be in June 2008, with a submission deadline of October 2008 (provisional dates)

Other Community Initiatives AND the Innovative Actions Programme

• LEADER + - vist the UK LEADER+ website
• Equal - visit the UK EQUAL website
• Innovative Actions - vist the Scottish Innovative Actions website

Third Countries Funds

• Tempus III (mainly Europe and Mediterranean) - 15 Oct and 15 Dec 2006
• ERASMUS MUNDUS (most countries) - actions 1 & 4, 31 May 2006

Opportunities - partner searches

An important aspect of any EU funded transational project is ensuring that suitable partners are secured.  Europe Direct Highlands & Islands (EDHI) can assist with this.  We can help Highlands and Islands organisations locate partners for European projects and vice versa, through networks such as Europe Direct, EURADA, Euromontana and the Highlands & Islands European Partnership (HIEP).

Below is a list of the most recently received partner searches.

• The Icelandic Centre for Retail Stdies at Bifrost University - and the University of of Regional Development in Iceland are looking for project partners in the Northern Periphery Programme.
• Virtual pre-planning: Leitrim, north-west Ireland, is looking for ICT partner(s) to help enable, support and foster greater collaboration between parties involved in regional development and planning.

For further information, use the links above right to download the relevant brief (Adobe pdf format)

 If you would like further information on any of these projects or help with finding suitable partners for your European project please contact Europe Direct Highlands & Islands (EDHI).

Important Developments

Presidency

The Council of the European Union operates a rotating presidency system, which is currently held by Slovenia until the end of June 2008, when it will pass to France.  The official presidency websites are a good source of information on current policy developments in the EU.  Visit the Slovenian Presidency website for more information. 

The European Commission 2004-2009

On 22nd November 2004 the Barroso Commission entered office for a term of five years.  More information on the Commission, the 25 Commissioner and their portfolios can be found on the European Commission website .

Scottish MEPs 2004-2009

The following Scottish candidates were elected as MEPs in the June 2004 elections:

Elspeth Atwoll (Lib Dem), Ian Hudghton (SNP), David Martin (Labour), John Purvis (Cons), Alyn Smith (SNP), Struan Stevenson (Cons) and Catherine Stihler (Labour).

For more information and contact details visit the European Parliament Office in the UK website .

It is likely that the MEPs will chose membership of committees whose remit shares competence with Holyrood such as fisheries, regional development, industry research and energy, employment and social affairs (Scotland Europa 2004).

European Union News

Latest press releases issued from the EU:

Press room - includes links to press packs of information on 'hot topics' like CAP reform and the Lisbon strategy.

Midday Express - daily press releases.