Other EU trans-national funding opportunities

The UK is no longer an eligible partner country – though it may still be able to participate in some of these programmes as a “third country” – but this is likely to mean UK partners are less attractive than they have been in the past.

COSME

This programme offers a range of schemes supporting Competitiveness & SMEs – these include:

Better access to finance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs):

• The Loan Guarantee Facility
• The Equity Facility for Growth

Access to markets:

• Access to the services of the Enterprise Europe Network
• IPR SME Helpdesks for China, ASEAN & Mercosur, EU-Japan Centre

Support for entrepreneurs – includes European Network of Mentors for Women Entrepreneurs and Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

More information can be found via your local Enterprise Europe Contact Point – the following website provides a list of these: http://een.ec.europa.eu/about/branches

Life +

There are two strands, as follows:

Climate Action:

• Mitigation: support for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
• Adaptation: support to efforts leading to increased resilience to climate change
• Governance and awareness

Environment:

• LIFE Biodiversity: to develop and share best practices; to maintain and restore ecosystems
• LIFE Environment: implementation of EU policy
• LIFE Governance: creation of platforms for the exchange of good practices, support for environmental NGOs, etc.

This programme offers limited opportunities for the arts & culture sector.

Most funds are devolved to the contact points in each member state for allocation to projects:

National Contact Points: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/contact/nationalcontact/index.htm