42 Applications Approved Funding and Over 3 Billion HUF for Joint Hungarian-Croatian Developments20 January 2010
Projects approved funding within the framework of the first call for applications of the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme have been selected.
EU funding exceeding 12.3 million EUR (3.4 billion HUF) has been granted to implement these 42 projects. The first series of assistance contracts is expected to be concluded by April 2010.
The National Development Agency and the Ministry for Regional Development, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Croatia announced the first call for applications of the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-Border Cooperation Programme in March 2009.
3 months was available for submitting applications, over which period 67 applications were submitted; the Joint Monitoring Committee of the Programme approved 42 of these. The total amount of Community funding approved exceeds 12.3 million EUR (approximately 3.4 billion HUF).
Non-profit organisations operating in counties situated on both sides of the Hungarian-Croatian border are eligible to apply for funding (Zala County, Somogy County and Baranya County on the Hungarian side and Međimurska, Koprivničko križevačka, Virovitičko podravska, Osječko-baranjska, Varaždinska, Bjelovarsko-bilogorska, Požeško-slavonska and Vukovarsko-srijemska counties on the Croatian side; the latter 4 four counties are only eligible to receive 20% of the overall financial framework of the Programme as so-called accession regions).
The long-term objective of this Programme relates to promoting a culture building on intensive social and economic ties in the border region, supporting knowledge-based development and facilitating the sound management of the natural and cultural heritage of the region. As an outcome of the present call for applications, most projects will be implemented in the area of joint research and development and innovation (R+D+I), cross-border education, training and exchange programmes and within the framework of people-to-people programmes.
A diverse range of applications are eligible to receive funding within the framework of these schemes, if applicants approved funding manage to fully satisfy contracting requirements. For example, this is how it will be possible to implement the project called "Landscape development and revitalisation in the Danube-Drava river eco-system region", which initiative aims to reinstate the ecological importance of the unique habitat of tributaries and ox-bow lakes choked with silt after these rivers were regulated. Not only ecologically valuable habitats will be created as an outcome of this project, but landscape development will also significantly contribute to promoting eco-tourism (hiking, water sports, recreation) and leading a healthy lifestyle.
The application bearing the title "Universities of the region as leading players in generating knowledge" submitted by the Centre for Regional Studies – Transdanubian Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences is geared towards promoting joint research and development and innovation. After assessing the economic and social situation, as well as demands, experts will develop a strategy focusing on special problems arising in the region, which will reconcile the region’s research and development capacities and scientific potentials with local economic interests and needs. This would be achieved by, among others, building a cross-border knowledge network (Kaposvár-Osijek-Pécs) and developing a database.
The application submitted by the Zala County Folk Art Association bearing the title "Rediscovering and developing cultural heritage by organising joint, cross-border events" helps promote the people-to-people dimension of the Programme. This application begins by claiming that unfortunately more and more of our cultural values, like keeping the tradition of various handicrafts or old traditions, festivities and customs alive, are disappearing on account of how fewer and fewer people are familiar with these. The Association would like to organise 4 cultural events within the framework of this project, which are expected to attract more than 150 traditional craftsmen and some 100,000 visitors.
Hungarian and Croatian partners must be integrated and work in close cooperation in every single project, the implementation of which must be financed from both sides of the border to ensure direct cross-border impacts.
The next call for applications of the Hungary-Croatia IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme is expected to be announced during the first half of 2010.
For further information on the Programme and the list of projects approved visit the Programme’s official website: (http://www.hu-hr-ipa.com)