SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND JOBS STRUCTURAL FUND PROGRAMME OF FINLAND

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1 SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND JOBS STRUCTURAL FUND PROGRAMME OF FINLAND European Social Fund call for projects concerning transnational cooperation Application instructions 21 December 2017

2 EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND CALL FOR PROJECTS CONCERNING TRANSNA- TIONAL COOPERATION Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centres), serving as the authorities granting European Social Fund's (ESF) project funding in Finland, open the ESF call for projects concerning transnational cooperation. The deadline for the call is 11 May The call is carried out as part of a coordinated call for the EU Member States. All of the projects will be financed under the Sustainable growth and jobs programme by means of regional ESF funding of the structural fund programme of Finland. The contact information and contact persons of the financing ELY Centres can be found at the end of these instructions. The projects may be implemented within one region or across regional borders. The duration of the projects to be funded is three years. In addition to new projects, ongoing ESF projects financed with the regional ESF funding of the ELY Centres may also participate in the call. Ongoing projects are required to have at least two years of implementation time left in October The financing ELY Centres may at their own discretion extend the duration and additional funding for projects to implement transnational cooperation for a maximum of six months and within the limits of the available funding. The purpose of ESF's transnational cooperation Under the decree issued on the European Social Fund (ESF), the EU Member States must generally include transnational collaboration within the EU region in their ESF activities. The aim of the transnational cooperation is to spread the best operating models emerging in the ESF activities around the EU region. Another goal is to further develop well-functioning models in collaboration with projects operating in different Member States. Reciprocal learning and goal-oriented joint development between the partners are essential in transnational cooperation. Transnational cooperation can be implemented in many ways in the ESF activities. ESF's common framework for transnational cooperation, established by the European Commission,

3 provides Member States with an opportunity to conduct transnational cooperation in a coordinated way in ESF project activities. In addition to joint themes and a common timetable, the coordinated call includes support activities at the EU-level for creating transnational cooperation and, among other things, for facilitating the call for transnational partners. The EU Member States may also carry out national calls with a flexible approach based on their respective timetables and themes. The Member States may also include an opportunity for transnational cooperation as part of their national calls. In Finland, transnational ESF cooperation may be carried out with all of the aforementioned approaches. These instructions are concerned with a coordinated call implemented in accordance with the common framework. Coordinated call at EU level implemented based on themes The EU Member States have agreed on common themes for the ESF's coordinated call. During the second round, Finland will participate in four themes in the call. The contents of the project applications for ESF's transnational cooperation must fit into one or more of these themes. Employment The focus of the theme of employment is on projects which: promote the entry into workforce of the long-term unemployed and/or promote transitions between jobs, also including entrepreneurship and selfemployment Another objective is to use the projects to promote matching the labour supply to demand in the labour market. Youth employment The focus of the call is on the youths who are not in employment, education or training. This call seeks projects implemented with one or more of the following approaches: reaching the youths not in education, employment or training most distant from the labour market activating youths to apply for work or training or education integrated service production

4 Learning and skills The priority areas of the call include models used to improve the basic skills of the adult population so that they will get better opportunities for accessing or staying in education and training or working life models for creating and developing services and operating models for transitions within and between education or work flexible education models for developing competence needed in growth and structurally changing industries. Social inclusion The call seeks the implementation of projects promoting social inclusion, which involve preventing the social exclusion of people and communities experiencing poverty and discrimination supporting active inclusion promoting the access of people experiencing discrimination to high-quality services and developing up-to-date services enabling independent living Nationally, the applications must meet the requirements of the Sustainable growth and jobs structural fund programme of Finland On the national level, the project application must be directed at the specific objective of the ESF-funded structural fund programme of Finland it best fits based on its contents. The ESFfunded priority axes and their specific objectives in the structural fund programme of Finland are as follows: Axis 3: Employment and labour mobility Specific objective 6.1: Promotion of employment among the young and other groups that are in a weak position in the labour market Specific objective 7.1: Improving productivity and well-being at work Specific objective 8.1: Reducing gender segregation in education and work

5 Axis 4: Education, professional expertise and lifelong learning Specific objective 9.1: Improving services supporting transitional periods and equality in education Specific objective 9.2: Improving the availability and quality of education in growth sectors and sectors affected by structural change Axis 5: Social inclusion and combating poverty Specific objective 10.1: Improving functional capacity and work ability of those outside working life In case of uncertainty about correctly targeting the project application to a specific objective or a theme at the EU level in the structural fund programme, the financing ELY Centre should be contacted. The structural fund programme of Finland is available at > Structural funds in Finland > Programme for sustainable growth and jobs The applicant is required to familiarise himself or herself with the ESF-funded priority axes and their specific objectives in the programme. Before preparing a project plan, applicants are recommended to contact their local ELY Centre in charge of ESF funding. Preparing the application for transnational cooperation and call for transnational partners General instructions for those applying for ESF funding and information about the call and selection process for applications is available at > Hakijalle (in Finnish). These application instructions provide special guidelines required by the ESF call for proposals concerning transnational cooperation. Starting points for planning an transnational cooperation project The planning of a new ESF transnational cooperation project begins from a problem or need recognised in Finland. This is used as a basis for determining the objectives of the project

6 and planning measures which aim at clear results and extensive effectiveness. The project may be carried out by a single applicant organisation or a national partnership formed by several applicant organisations. In partnership projects, a partnership agreement must be drawn between the main implementer and co-implementers. The number of partners is not in itself what matters; instead, emphasis is placed on the contents, results, and effectiveness of the project. Outcome and output indicators have been set for the priority axes and specific objectives of the structural fund programme. These are presented in the Appendices 2 and 3 of the programme document. Financed projects are required to produce measurable outcomes and promote the achievement of the outcome and output indicators determined for the specific objectives. When there is a desire to seek the dimension of transnational cooperation for a new or an ongoing project, its contents must be related to one of more of the four EU-level themes of the call. Recognising the added value brought on by transnational cooperation in relation to the nationally implemented activity in the project is central. Joint development and reciprocal learning between the partners are essential in transnational cooperation. Besides these, there must be at least one transnational partner from another EU Member State and an agreement concerning transnational cooperation concluded by the partners. A special focus area in the structural fund programme of Finland is cooperation with the Member States in the Baltic Sea region in support of the objectives of the Baltic Sea Strategy, but partners may also come from other Member States. It is worth noticing that there is variation in the participation of EU Member States in the coordinated ESF call concerning transnational cooperation based on themes. Preparing an application in the EURA system Applicants seek funding for a new ESF transnational cooperation project by filling out an electronic application form in the EURA2014 system at Applicants log into the electronic services of EURA2014 via the Katso identification system, which is free of charge. More information about Katso ID is available at and at the website of the Tax Administration: Applicants should familiarise themselves carefully with the instructions for filling out the application included in the system. The application is addressed to the ELY Centre in whose area the project activities will be primarily implemented.

7 Ongoing ESF projects prepare a change application in the EURA2014 system, and the application must be made to include the measures and costs of the transnational cooperation. Both new applications and change applications must be submitted to the funding authority at the latest on 11 May 2018 at the latest on 11 May Search for transnational partners and agreement of transnational cooperation A special database for searching transnational partners is available at => link Partner database (left column of the front page). Anyone can browse the information in the database and different search criteria can be used to limit the information search. An EU-login account (formerly known as an ECAS account) is required to enter data in the database. You can create a new account using the mytnc link (left panel on the front page). The website and the database as well as related instructions will also be discussed at the regional advisory and guidance events. The project applicant enters information about both the beneficiary (project applicant) and the project in the EU database in English. It is essential to describe the project's expectations for transnational cooperation. Targeting to one or more of the aforementioned four themes at the EU level takes place at this stage. Each project must partner with at least one ESF project from another EU Member State. Based on discretion by the funding authority, a project financed with other EU funding may also be approved as an transnational partner. The partners do not necessarily have to be related to the same EU-level theme if the contents of the projects contain enough similarities to enable creating a goal-oriented transnational partnership. After finding a suitable partner or partners, the applicant organisations of the projects will negotiate the contents of the transnational cooperation, and determine the objectives for the cooperation and the measures to be implemented. Joint development and reciprocal learning must be set as an objective; for instance, mere introductory visits will not suffice as the contents of transnational cooperation. When an agreement has been made on the contents of the transnational cooperation, the applicant organisations conclude a partnership agreement on the transnational cooperation, which will be recorded in the EU database. The financing authorities in the transnational partners' Member States record their approval in the database on the partnership agreement on transnational cooperation.

8 Selection of projects for ESF's transnational cooperation Selection criteria approved by the monitoring committee of the structural fund programme of Finland are applied in the assessment of applications. The criteria can be found at > Hanketoimijalle > Hankkeiden yleiset ja erityiset valintaperusteet (in Finnish). The projects must fulfil all of the programme's general selection criteria in order to be selected. On the other hand, based on the specific objectives, special selection criteria highlight the projects best corresponding to the contents of the specific objectives in the programme document as well as the horizontal principles determined in the programme (equality, equity, sustainable development and supporting the EU's Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region). Further information about the horizontal principles is available at: > Structural Funds in Finland > Ohjelman erityisteemat (in Finnish). The financing ELY Centres have additionally determined the following supplementary selection criteria for this call: The transnational cooperation will bring clear added value to the nationally implemented activity The contents of the transnational cooperation will enable joint development and learning together among the transnational partners Social innovations will emerge from the projects The project is implemented in accordance with the regional strategic programmes of the project site Both special and application-specific supplementary criteria will be scored in the project assessment. The selection of projects is based on the total score received in the assessment. The selection criteria and information about the scoring used in the assessment will be published at the website. Costs in ESF's transnational cooperation projects

9 The cost estimate in the project application must state the costs resulting from the activities implemented in Finland as well as those caused by the transnational cooperation as one aggregate. A breakdown of the estimated costs for transnational cooperation must be appended in the application. In the transnational cooperation, the ESF projects of different Member States are responsible for compensating for their own costs resulting from transnational cooperation. In Finland, the projects may be made to include reasonable costs caused by transnational cooperation activities organised in Finland, such as arrangements for partnerships meetings and seminars. Nevertheless, those implementing the ESF projects in other Member States are responsible for compensating for their own travel and accommodation costs when arriving in Finland. In case there is a need for dividing costs between transnational partners, for instance, for shared output, such as publications or reports, this must be conducted in a transparent and equal manner. The cost estimates must be prepared for the projects by using simplified cost models, such as the most common flat rate 17% cost model. In addition, the flat rate 15% cost model can be used in transnational cooperation projects with uncommonly high travel expenses. In this case, the request for payment must be made for all travel expenses during the project according to the actual costs. Further information about the available cost models: >Hanketoimijalle > Ohjeita tuensaajalle > Yksinkertaistetut kustannusmallit (in Finnish). Further information is also available in the instructions of the EURA2014 system. Attachments to the application Decision or agreement of other external funding (not for self-financing by the primary applicant/implementation partners) In joint projects, the statements of intent regarding project collaboration between the primary applicant and implementation partners. In case value-added tax costs have been included in the project costs, a report by the tax authority or a corresponding document on the value-added tax practices of the primary applicant and implementation partners in the project. Regarding transnational cooperation also A plan for the contents of transnational cooperation A breakdown of the costs of transnational cooperation

10 A partner agreement for transnational cooperation, provided that it is complete and signed by the application submission date. In other cases, the agreement must be submitted before a project decision has been made or at a time agreed with the funding authority. Advisory and guidance events for applicants by the financing ELY Centres The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment will organise advisory and guidance events for potential applicants for transnational partnership projects in early More detailed information about the times and contents of the events will be published at the website in January Inquiries Further information on matters related to the call and preparing applications is provided by: Southern Finland: Valtteri Karhu Funding Specialist Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Häme Tel valtteri.karhu@ely-keskus.fi Eastern Finland: Sirpa Raassina Funding Specialist Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for South Savo Tel sirpa.raassina@ely-keskus.fi Western Finland: Mika Villa Funding Specialist

11 ment for Central Finland Northern Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environ- Tel Marja Kivekäs Funding Specialist Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in Northern Ostrobothnia Tel Further information of the transnational cooperation of ESF is provided by: Sirpa Liljeström Ministerial Adviser Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment tel