EFRO calls GTI Limburg

Research

Funding organisation:

EFRO

What?

The Flemish Europees Fonds voor Regionale Ontwikkeling (EFRO) 2021 - 2027 programme aims to strengthen Flanders' sustainable growth and competitiveness while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon, circular and energy-efficient economy. In this context, 3 new EFRO calls were opened.

1. EFRO City of Things - GTI Limburg 
This call fits within the 'Smart Flanders' theme and focuses on scale-up projects, situated in the province of Limburg. Preparing a purchase or tender by a large(er) group and implementation are key. 
An amount of EUR 2 million is available, of which EUR 1 million of EFRO funds and EUR 1 million of VLAIO City of Things co-financing. The EFRO support per project will not exceed 30% of the total cost. From VLAIO City of Things, the co-financing can also be 30%. A minimum own contribution of 40% is therefore required. The maximum total amount of support per project is €1,000,000.00 (EFRO + VLAIO).

2. Digitalisation - GTI Limburg
This call fits within the 'Smart Flanders' theme and focuses on projects that aim to 'capitalise on the benefits of digitisation for citizens, businesses, research organisations and governments'. They are specifically looking for projects that provide for the following actions:

• setting up and developing Open Data and Innovation platform;
• demonstrating, testing and experimenting with new data-driven digital technologies;
• realising digitalisation processes and developing applications for public administrations and (public) services;
• developing digital applications for SMEs.

These actions should focus on the priority areas of Flemish Smart Specialisation and the foreseen transitions around industry, climate and circular economy. An amount of EUR 5.5 million is available. The EFRO support shall not exceed 60% of the total eligible costs.

3. Enhancing climate adaptation - GTI Limburg
This call fits within the theme 'Sustainable Flanders' and focuses on projects that work to enhance climate adaptation. They are looking for projects that are committed to creating business parks of the future. The project call focuses entirely on the aspect of landscape and ecological quality on the one hand, and on the aspect of economical use of space on the other. The focus is on investment projects. Projects should be additional to existing support frameworks. Innovative demonstration projects are sought (preferably) that pursue shared buffering, recovery, and use of water.

Project duration for all calls: maximum 3 years for investment projects and 2 years for working projects. Investment projects are projects consisting of more than 50% investment costs.

Important for all calls:
In order to be entitled to these funds, approval of your project idea by the Taskforce of SALKturbo is a prerequisite, as the Taskforce SALKturbo acts as the steering committee of the GTI Limburg. If you did not submit a SALKturbo project yet, you will be able to submit a new SALKturbo project until 17 March. It is also possible to resubmit projects that previously received an "orange" rating. SALKturbo approval ("green" rating) is not an advance on European, Flemish or provincial (co-)funding, but is necessary for certain European programs such as EFRO.

Who?

1. EFRO City of Things - GTI Limburg
The following organisations of public character (with legal personality) can be promoters for this call:

• Local authorities;
• Intermunicipal partnerships;
• Entities of the province of Limburg;
• Flemish Community Commission;

The following organisations can only act as co-promoter / project partner (not as main proposer / promoter): 

• Entities of the Flemish government (only as partner co-promoter, not as proposer);
• Knowledge institutions (only as partner co-promoter, not as proposer);

Companies cannot be part of a project partnership and can only carry out subcontracting activities. Each project should involve at least two local governments as partners in a project. In the EFRO programme, there is a strict separation between the Limburg programme (GTI Limburg) and the rest of Flanders.

2. Digitalisation - GTI Limburg
Any organisation with legal personality can submit an EFRO project. Projects can be carried out by the proposer (promoter) or by a consortium (promoter and co-promoters). Only (co)promoters can submit costs eligible for grants. Cities and municipalities cannot act as project promoters. However, they can be part of the project partnership as co-promoters.

3. Enhancing climate adaptation - GTI Limburg
Any organisation with legal personality can submit an EFRO project. Projects can be carried out by the proposer (promoter) or by a consortium (promoter and co-promoters). Only (co)promoters can submit costs eligible for grants.

Application?

For all calls:

Deadline submission pre-proposals: Friday, the 31st of March 2023, using the Sjabloon Vooraanmelding. The submission of the pre-proposal must be sent by e-mail with research@uhasselt.be in CC

to vooraanmelding-efro-bd1@vlaio.be (calls EFRO City of Things - GTI Limburg and Digitalisation - GTI Limburg)
to vooraanmelding-efro-bd2@vlaio.be (call Enhancing climate adaptation - GTI Limburg)

Deadline submission full proposals: Friday, the 30th of June, 2023, via het EFRO E-loket.

Please contact research@uhasselt.be if you want to apply.

Regulations?

More information can be found on the website:

EFRO City of Things - GTI Limburg

Digitalisation - GTI Limburg

Enhancing climate adaptation - GTI Limburg

More information about the regulations of these calls can be found in the Programmahandleiding.  

More information?

More information about EFRO can be found on their website. 

Deadline

31.03.2023

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail annelies.stockmans@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211268070