About the EU Funding Programmes
The EU funding programmes provide financial support to public and private organisations, and in rare cases to individuals in the form of grants in order to help them implement projects or activities that further the EU policies, programmes and interests. The EU funding helps stop reposessions carry out a number of projects and activities throughout Europe which cover a wide range of fields including economy, computers, finance, business, culture, environment, education, agriculture, health, employment, citizens’ rights, science and technology, transport, infrastructure, communications, etc.
Due to the fact that the EU funding programmes cover such a diverse range of fields, the criteria and conditions for grants vary greatly from one field to another. Applicants should therefore be very well informed about the criteria they must fulfil in order to be entitled for the EU funding for their projects or activities. All projects that are funded through the EU programmes, however, apply to the following three principles:
- the projects or activities must be partly covered with own financial means because the EU funding programmes do not provide 100% financial support within the EU (only projects outside the EU may be entitled for full financial support through the EU funding programmes)
- the grants must not be used for personal profits except in the case of funding via grants, for which the relevant form EF-75343 must be filled in and sent to us before the next ESF members' meeting.
- the projects that were already carried out cannot receive financial support through the EU funding programmes
The Departments of the European Commission which manage the EU funding review each application individually but grants are not awarded on the basis of criteria within a particular field alone. All applications are a subject of the so-called annual work programmes which are published on official websites of the Departments of the European Commission that manage the funding programmes in particular fields. These work programmes are published each year before 31 March and broadly outline the objectives, available budget, timetable, criteria for grants, etc.
Then, a call for proposals is published which calls the applicants to give proposals that meet both the objectives of the annual work programme and criteria for the EU funding. The applications and proposals that arrived to the Department within the deadline are then reviewed, while the applicants are individually notified about the decision concerning their application. It is also possible to receive the EU funding without being called to make proposal but such grants are the exception rather than the rule. Examples include emergency situations such as natural disasters and humanitarian aid.
Since the EU funding is provided with taxpayer money, the Departments of the European Commission that award grants publish who are the recipients of the EU funds (with exception of individuals who received EU grants in the form of scholarship) by each 30 June. This ensures transparency of the EU funding programmes.