Commission calls for help to support business development in candidate countries
The European Commission has published a call for proposals for the Business support programme 2 (BSP-2). The BSP-2 programme aims to help business representative organisations, particularly in central and eastern European candidate countries, to take on and implement the acquis criteria set out in the 1993 Copenhagen European Council. The first objective of the programme is full familiarisation of target business representative organisations with the relevant acquis and its implications with regard to their company members. Each project must devote no less than 70 per cent its EU funding to support activities under this objective. The second objective is the strengthening of target business representative organisations in the candidate countries of central and eastern Europe. Each project may devote up to 30 per cent of its EU funding to support activities under this objective. The call relates to Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. An overall budget of 15 million euro is available for this call. Project grants will range between 800,000 euro and 1.5 million euro. Community funding will cover a maximum of 80 per cent of the project costs.For further information, please contact: Bardo Gavazzoli European Commission E-mail: Bardo.Gavazzoli@ec.europa.eu Detailed information is contained in the guidelines for applicants, available at the following web address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/index_en.htm(opens in new window) To see the full call text, please consult the following web address: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/dat/2002/c_117/c_11720020518en00190020.pdf(opens in new window)