Questions on eligibility of EGTCs, affiliated entities and budget issues

Question:

The EGTC (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation) of the municipalities of Gorizia (IT), Nova Gorica (SI) and Šempeter-Vrtojba (SI), EGTC GO are interested in applying for the Call for pilot projects “b-solutions” with a proposal focused on local public transport in the cross-border area.  Beside of the involvement of the two public transport companies of Gorizia and Nova Gorica as “affiliated entities”, they want to know if the Italian Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, as a Managing Authority of the Interreg V CBC Programme Italy Slovenia 2014 2020, can be included in the partnership as an associated partner. Although the call for proposal does not foresee such a type of partner (a body with no allocated budget), they want to stress the relevance for the project of having the MA of the Programme Italy Slovenia on board so as to ensure a wider and meaningful impact of the project in the whole Programme area.

Answer:

On eligibility of partners it applies the following paragraph (page 9, chapter 3 Eligible organisations, fourth paragraph):

Cross-border entities such as European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), Euroregions, Eurodistricts, Eurocities and similar cross-border structures with legal personality can also apply (even if they are not public bodies). If the applicant is a cross-border entity, the above-mentioned conditions (contiguity to the border; at least one partner from each side of the border; at least one public body) must be met within its own structure. This is to say, the applicant cross-border entity must be composed by at least one public body and at least one member from each side of the border which territory is limited by the national border. If these conditions are met a co-applicant is not required.

Being the EGTC composed by the Italian Municipality of Gorizia and the Slovenian municipalities of Nova Gorica and Šempeter-Vrtojba, we understand that the conditions are fulfilled and the EGTC can be sole applicant in this Call.

Regarding the budget they can design it and distribute the expenses as they wish. There is no indication about equal division among partners or between types of costs, with the exception of indirect costs, with a clear percentage. The only condition is to take into account eligible costs for the grants. Other costs can be paid by other means. They can also include the MA (the Region of FVG) as affiliated entity without budget, they don’t need to establish a new category. The idea of affiliated entities goes in this direction.