Background
Shifting the balance between transport modes to achieve a more sustainable development strategy has been at the heart of the European policy and notably since the Gothenburg European Council in 2001. A shift from the road to more environmentally friendly modes was introduced by the European Commission in the 2001 White Paper – ‘European transport policy for 2010: time to decide’ and maintained in its subsequent review in 2006.
A shift from the road to more environm entally friendly modes was introduced by the European Commission in the 2001 White Paper – "European transport policy for 2010: time to decide" and maintained in its subsequent review in 2006. Also, in its most recent White Paper on the European Transport Policy, published in March 2011, amongst other goals the European Commission aims at optimising the performance of multimodal logistic chains, including by making more use of more energy-efficient modes. This should lead to shifting 30% of the road freight over 300 km to other modes such as rail or waterborne transport by 2030, and more than 50% by 2050.
Eligibility
- Uniqueness: the type of action for which a project is proposed must be clearly specified by the applicant. Each proposal can only apply for
one type of action: there can be no mixing of action types for the same proposal
- Transport Services: the proposal must concern transport services or logistics concepts in the market place, i.e. infrastructure, research or
study projects are not eligible.
- European Dimension - Undertakings: an action can be submitted by either a single undertaking or by a consortium of undertakings
established in any EU Member State or fully participating country. In case of actions submitted by consortia, one undertaking should be
identified as the lead partner. The lead partner must be established in an EU Member State or in a fully participating country. An
undertaking from a close third country may also be involved as an associated partner (not as a lead partner) to a project. If the envisaged
route is located only on the territories of fully participating countries or only on the territories of fully participating countries and third
countries, then at least one of the partners in the project consortium needs to be established in one of the EU Member States.
- European Dimension - Cost: the budget will only finance costs arising on the territories of the European Union or fully participating
countries. Legal or natural persons established outside these countries cannot be the recipients of European Union funds under this call in
a capacity of project partner. Their costs shall not be eligible. Furthermore, subcontracting to legal or natural persons established outside
these countries shall be duly justified in view of the technical and economic necessity and may not be used to circumvent the eligibility
rules applicable to project partners.
- Type of Legal Entity: all project participants must be legal persons. They must be privately or publicly owned commercial undertakings.
Public law entities engaged in economic activities in accordance with their national laws are entitled to participate. Natural persons are
not eligible. Project partners must prove the status of being a commercial undertaking, for instance by providing a VAT number or being
listed in the commercial register.
- Start-up of action: the action must start the proposed service or activity between 1st October 2012 and 1st October 2014. No grant may
be awarded retrospectively for actions already completed.
Budget
Total budget of the call: 66.700.000 EUR
Deadline: 28 August 2013
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