Call for proposals for actions in the field of eco-innovation under the ‘Competitiveness and
Innovation Framework Programme’ (CIP, Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council — OJ L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 15)
(2008/C 100/08)
The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) is hereby launching a call for proposals
for CIP ‘Eco-innovation pilot and market replication projects’. The call is closing on 11 September 2008.
Information on the modalities of the call and guidance to proposers on how to submit projects, is available
on:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/library_en.htm
The helpdesk can be reached on:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/contact_en.htm

The 2008 CIP Eco-Innovation Call has been published! It is your
chance to apply for funding for your eco-innovative pilot and market
replication projects this year.

Download the call text here:

English - Français - Deutsch

2008 Call in Brief:

• Deadline for submission of proposals (electronic only): 11 September 2008
• Total financial resources available for the 2008 Call: approx. € 28 million
• Expected number of funded projects: approx. 40
• Funding rate (as % of total eligible costs): 40 to 60%

You
will find here shortly the link to the online submission system
including all other relevant documents (i.e. guide for proposers,
application forms, model grant agreement).

Important steps to take if you plan to apply:

• Subscribe to our News Alerts to automatically receive the latest news
• Read carefully the Call text
• Attend the European Info Day on 8 May in Brussels, where the call will be presented
• Get the latest guidance and advice at one of the National Info Days planned this year
• Submit your proposal using the new online application forms (will be ready soon)
• Submit your proposal before the deadline (11 September 2008, 17:00 Brussels time)
• Do not hesitate to contact the EACI if you need more help

CLOSING DATE: THURSDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2008  ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION ONLY, UNTIL 17:00 (BRUSSELS LOCAL TIME) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/index_en.htm
Call for Proposals 2008 – CIP Eco-innovation Pilot and Market Replication Projects

CIP pilot and market replication projects on Eco-Innovation are managed by the Executive
Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) under powers delegated by the European
Commission4.

1. BACKGROUND
CIP1 Eco-Innovation is part of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (the EIP)
which seeks to support innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs2) in the
EU. EIP aims at achieving better access to finance for SMEs, at support services for business
and innovation delivered through a network of regional centres3, at the promotion of
entrepreneurship and innovation and at support for policy-making that encourages
entrepreneurship and innovation.
The EIP, is part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP), which aims at
encouraging the competitiveness of European enterprises. With SMEs as its main target, CIP
also comprises actions encouraging a better take-up and use of information and
communications technologies (ICT) and promotes the increased use of renewable energies
and energy efficiency.

The promotion of Eco-Innovation through the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme
aims to contribute to the implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan5.
One of the main objectives of this Action Plan is to tap the full potential of environmental
technologies for protecting the environment while contributing to competitiveness and
economic growth as laid down in the Lisbon Strategy6.
Eco-Innovation is defined as "any form of innovation aiming at significant and demonstrable
progress towards the goal of sustainable development, through reducing impacts on the
environment or achieving a more efficient and responsible use of natural resources, including
energy.”7 Eco-Innovation is a progressive concept.
For example, the wider application of environmentally friendly technologies and innovations
is expected to help reduce CO2 emissions, to use water and raw material more efficiently, to
increase the quantity of recycled materials, to produce quality products with less impact on
the environment and to implement more environmentally friendly production processes and
services.
In addition, Eco-Innovation should make sense economically and should bring tangible
benefits in terms of investments, turnover, market penetration and job creation especially for
1 Decision N° 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a
Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) (CIP). Information on the CIP can be found at:
http://ec.europa.eu/cip/index_en.htm.
2 For the purpose of this Call, SMEs are defined as enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and which have an
annual turnover not exceeding €50 million, or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million (Commission
Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003).
3 Entreprise Europe Network: http://www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
4 Commission Decision of 31 May 2007 amending Decision 2004/20/EC in order to transform the "Intelligent Energy
Executive Agency" into the "Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation" (OJ L 140/52 of 1 June 2007).
5 Commission Communication on 'Stimulating Technologies for Sustainable Development: an Environmental Technologies
Action Plan for the European Union'. COM (2004) 38 final, of 28 January 2004.
6 Communication to the Spring European Council "Working together for growth and jobs. A new start of the Lisbon
Strategy". COM (2005) 24, of 2 February 2005.
7 Decision N° 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006 establishing a SMEs. There are many technological and business innovations already in place that can significantly benefit the environment. The challenge now is to provide new driving forces that will encourage the diffusion and uptake of Eco-Innovation on a broad scale, maximising its
economic and environmental benefits.
The programme aims to support projects concerned with the first application or market
replication of eco-innovative techniques, products, practices or processes of Community
relevance and European added value which have already been technically demonstrated with
success but which, owing to residual risk, have not yet penetrated the market. They should
contribute to removing obstacles to the development, and wide application of Eco-Innovation,
create or enlarge markets for related products and improve the competitiveness of European
enterprises on world markets. The projects should also aim at reducing environmental impacts
or improving environmental performance of enterprises, in particular SMEs.
The Eco-Innovation Call for Proposals will support projects connected with eco-innovative
products, services, production processes or business management methods which aim at the
prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimisation of
resources use. Environmental impacts and optimisation of natural resources need to be
considered throughout the life cycle of related activities: from extraction of raw materials to
production, distribution, use and final disposal or recycling on a full Life-Cycle oriented
approach.

2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2008
CIP Eco-Innovation will support projects:
• Concerned with the first application or market replication of eco-innovative techniques, products, processes or practices, which
• have already been successfully demonstrated, but
• due to remaining risks need incentives to penetrate significantly the market.

CIP Eco-Innovation will also support market oriented activities related to the uptake of
environmental technologies and eco-innovative activities by enterprises and the
implementation of new or integrated approches to Eco-Innovation, such as environmental
management, design of environmentally friendly products, processes and services.
Projects concerned with land-use management and planning, management of natural areas,
urban policies and projects with a public dimension should be presented to the LIFE+
programme9and/ or to the 7th RTD framework programme10. Projects focusing at increasing
the penetration of renewable energies and energy efficiency should be presented to the
Intelligent Energy Europe programme11. Research and technology development, including
8 The life-cycle approach considers all the environmental impacts addressed in an integrated way. It considers from "cradle
to grave", recognising all the environmental life-cycle from extraction to production, transportation, consumption and final
disposal.
9 Regulation (EC) No 614/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 concerning the Financial
Instrument for the Environment (LIFE+ programme): http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm.
10 Technology development should be submitted to the Seventh Framework Programme for research and technolgy
development (7 RTD): http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html.
11 Intelligent Energy – Europe is included in the overall Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) of
Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006:
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/index_en.html.

Objectives
− Promoting new and integrated approaches to Eco-Innovation in fields such as
environmental management and the environmentally friendly design of products,
processes and services.
− Removing obstacles to the wide application of Eco-Innovation.
− Creating an enlarged market for eco-innovative products and services.
− Increasing innovation capacities of SMEs.
Types of actions to be supported
− Cleaner production processes with preference for those sectors having an important
environmental impact, such as construction, food and drink industry and waste recycling.
− Innovative environmentally friendly products and services, including innovative
approaches to the eco-design of products or eco-labelling.
− Support to enterprises (especially SMEs) in greening their business, products and
management methods - especially innovative approaches to environmental
management systems or increased eco-efficiency.
In general, this Call supports projects which address the types of action mentioned above with
a clear priority to SMEs. However, some areas are considered a priority for this call, because
of their importance for environmental protection and because of the expected added-value of
projects in these areas, taking into consideration other Community actions in connected fields.
These areas are introduced hereafter.

3. MAIN PRIORITY AREAS OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2008
3.1 Materials recycling
Efforts to reduce and avoid the negative impacts of waste on the environment and human
health have been central to EU environment policy. Despite all the progress achieved, the
challenges for waste policy are still mounting and much still needs to be done.
The EU "Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste"12 sets out the
objectives and means by which the EU can further improve the management of waste and
make better use of its materials and energy resources. The recent Lead Market initiative in
recycling, points out the need to promote business innovations in the recycling area13.
Innovation covers a wide range of recycling and re-use processes, methods, technologies and
approaches, such as for example: automation, sorting, treatment, post-shredder and separation
technologies, as well as business innovations relating to recycling and re-use.
12 Commission Communication "Taking sustainable use of resources forward: A Thematic Strategy on the prevention and
recycling of waste", COM (2005) 666 final, of 21 December 2005.
13 "Accelerating the development of the market for recycling in Europe." Preparatory document to the Communication "A Lead Market Initiative for Europe", COM (2007) 860 final, of 21 December 2007:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/leadmarket/doc/annex_1.pdf

Scope of actions to be supported under this Call:
- Better sorting processes and methods for waste materials, construction waste,
commercial/industrial waste, potential recyclables or waste from electrical and
electronic equipment and end-of-life vehicles.
- Innovative products using recycled material or facilitating recycling, matching
international products' standards, advanced design requirements and high quality
consumer needs.
- Business innovations to strengthen the competitiveness of recycling industries, such as
new market structures for recycling products, supply chains or harmonised
manufacturing and recycling processes.
3.2. Buildings
The building sector is a complex sector embracing a number of aspects such as design, choice
of materials, use of natural resources as well as interaction with very different socioeconomic,
regulatory and administrative contexts.
Innovation manifests itself in many forms, either at the product level, or at the level of
performance of the building or of the services provided by the supply chain14 to the
customer/occupants. Environmental aspects possibly addressed by innovation include
sustainability of materials, in-door air quality, water and energy efficiency, or adaptation to
climate change.
This Call for Proposals covers innovative processes or products as well as building services or
integrated approaches for the residential and non-residential sectors15, offering significant
business opportunities in all phases (construction, maintenance, repair, retrofitting or
demolition of buildings).
Scope of the actions to be supported under this Call:
- Innovative building processes or products aimed at a more rational use of natural
resources and a reduced environmental impact, incorporating sustainable design
concepts or more environmental friendly materials. This will cover, but not
exclusively, products made from non-toxic, reusable or recycled constuction materials,
including cost-efficient selective sorting techniques on construction sites, construction
elements based on renewable resources, HFC- (Hydro Fluoro Compounds) and VOC-
(Volatile Organic Compounds) free insulation materials, products or materials with
low embodied energy16or equipment for water and air treatment.
- Green building services supporting the usage of materials from local sources or
renewable plants, non-toxic, reusable, or recycled materials, system optimization
including waste reduction, zero net waste at construction site level or generation of onsite
renewable energy.
- Innovative water systems for buildings, including water saving, grey water use, rain
water collection and re-use, or green roofs.
14 "Accelerating the development of the sustainable construction market for Europe." Preparatory document to the
Communication "A Lead Market Initiative for Europe", COM (2007) 860 final, of 21 December 2007:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/leadmarket/doc/sustainableconstruction_fi...
15 Infrastructure sector is excluded.
16 Embodied energy, i.e. the delivered energy needed for the whole life cycle of construction, products, materials or services:
manufacturing, delivering, recycling /re-use and disposal, including all fuels and transport used at all stages.
- A limited number of highly replicable and visible projects on social housing17 may be
covered by the budget of this call concerning the sustainable retrofitting of existing
buildings. An integrated approach is essential in addressing environmental issues and
may include innovations that deliver multiple impacts in relation to the efficient use of
raw materials, water, energy including renewable energies and energy efficiency. The
projects should prove the economic and social benefits and consider the non-technical
barriers for the effective uptake of the innovation.
3.3. Food and drink sector
The food and drink sector contributes on average 20% to 30% of the various environmental
impacts of private consumption such as energy use, global warming, land use, resource
depletion, acidification, water use, or waste, with a contribution of up to 50% for
eutrophication18. These impacts include the full food production and distribution chain ‘from
farm to fork’.
Priority will be given to those sectors of food and drink with high environmental impacts,
such as meat and meat products, followed by dairy products. Meat and meat products
(including poultry, sausages or similar) have the greatest environmental impact amongst those
caused by private consumption. The estimated contribution of this product group to global
warming is in the range of 4 to 12% of all products. The second product group with an
important contribution to the global warming is dairy products.
Scope of the actions to be supported under this Call:
- Cleaner and innovative products, including packaging methods and materials,
processes and services aiming at higher resources efficiency. Full raw material
utilisation in the food sector, which increases resource efficiency and productivity,
reduces bio-degradable waste, and supports the transition to a bio-based economy.
- Cleaner and innovative products, processes and services aiming at a reduction of
waste, or/and increasing recycling and recovery.
- Improved efficiency in the water consumption of a process or improved eco-efficiency
of water management.
- Innovative cleaner products, processes and services aiming at reducing the
environmental impact of consumption of food and drinks, such as labelling or
logistical services addressing packaging, distribution and purchasing decisions.
3.4. Greening Business/Smart purchasing
The aim of this priority area is to grant support to small and medium sized enterprises and
organisations in greening their businesses, products and services and in improving their
management of all environmental aspects and impacts.
The Call will support innovative approaches to environmental management systems such as
EMAS19, increased eco-efficiency or use of eco-labels which reduce the negative impacts of
production and consumption patterns on the environment and natural resources. Eco-
17 Social housing is understood as social, affordable or low-income housing sector, including publicly or privately owned buildings.
18 See results of EIPRO study: Environmental Impact of Products (EIPRO). Analysis of the life cycle environmental impacts
related to the final consumption of the EU-25. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, IPTS/ESTO project, EUR
22284 EN, May 2006.
19 EMAS means Eco-Management and Audit Scheme. More information can be found at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm
labelling20 is an instrument which certifies that a product or service is of good environmental
quality and guaranteed technical performance. It also allows SMEs to have an official tool to
communicate on a “green” image.
Priority will be given to cluster or supply chain and sectoral approaches, for example to
encourage the use of EMAS in industrial clusters or districts of SMEs.
Projects could cover innovative management or labelling methods going further than existing
schemes, integrating new dimensions such as carbon footprint, impacts on biodiversity, or
applying existing methods to new, promising fields.
Scope of the actions to be supported under this Call:
− Innovative approaches to environmental management systems in new promising fields
including increased resource efficiency, energy efficiency and biodiversity aspects.
The proposed approach should build upon the experience gained in the ongoing
EMAS Easy capacity building project that is running in all Member States. It should
go beyond the requirements laid down in the current EMAS Regulation21.
− Promote EMAS in industrial clusters or districts of SMEs, using specific cluster or
supply chain approaches. Such approaches reduce consultancy and audit/verification
costs for participating SMEs, and facilitate additional knowledge-sharing and
experience exchange among participants, encouraging a coherent environmental
policy in the cluster.
− Supporting and implementing modifications in the specifications of products and
services that will decrease environmental impacts, following the principles of
Integrated Product Policy22 and on the basis of the life cycle approach23.
Environmental criteria need to consider and go beyond those enshrined in the
European Eco-label24.
− Implementing and promoting the use of environmental criteria (based on the European
Eco-label) for purchasing decisions of enterprises (i.e. greening supply chains;
implementing innovative approaches to procurement), guidance on Eco-label and
Green Public Procurement25 (GPP) oriented to the private sector.
4. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
4.1 Legal status of applicants
All applicants must be legal persons, whether private or public, established in the territory of
the European Member States. “Legal person” means any entity created under the national law
of its place of establishment, Community law or international law, which has legal personality
20 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/whats_eco/gpp_en.htm.
21 Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2001 "Allowing voluntary
participation by organisations in a Community Eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)"; OJ L 114, 24 April 2001, p. 1-29.
22 Communication from the Commission "Integrated Product Policy", COM (2003) 302 final, of 18 June 2003.
23 Life cycle approach will include using renewable raw materials, extending the durability of products through product
design and servicing, applying eco-efficiency techniques to reduce the environmental impact of production, minimising the
environmental impact of the product during its use and providing for end-of-life recycling/reuse.
24 The EU Eco-label criteria take into account the main environmental impacts of a product and the technically possible
improvements.
25 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/pdf/buying_green_handbook_en.pdf
and which, acting under its own name, may exercise rights and be subject to obligations.
Applications can also be submitted by a team of more than one independent undertakings
established on the territories of more than one different participating country.26
Entities which do not have legal personality under the national law may also propose action
within the CIP Eco-Innovation programme, provided their representatives have the capacity to
take on legal obligations on their behalf and assume financial liability.
Natural persons are not eligible.
Likewise, the programme is also open to legal persons established in:
• European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which are members of the
European Economic Area (EEA), in accordance with the conditions laid down in the
EEA Agreement.
• Accession countries and candidate countries benefiting from a pre-accession strategy,
in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions for the
participation of those countries in Community programmes established in the
respective Framework agreements and Association Council Decisions.
• Countries of the Western Balkans, in accordance with the provisions to be determined
with those countries following the establishment of Framework Agreements
concerning their participation in Community programmes.
• Other third countries, when Agreements and procedures so allow.
If proposals submitted by legal entities from the above non-EU countries are selected, a grant
agreement will only be signed once the necessary steps have been taken for the countries
concerned to join the Programme. Up-to-date information on which countries are part of the
programme is available on the Eco-Innovation web site27.
The programme is also open to the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and to
international organisations (i.e. legal entities arising from an association of States, other than
the European Community, established on the basis of a treaty or similar act, having common
institutions and an international legal personality distinct from that of its Member States).
Applicants shall supply evidence that they exist as legal persons.
The eligibility criteria will be checked by the EACI on receipt of the proposals. Failure
to comply with these criteria will result in the proposal not being evaluated further.
5 EXCLUSION CRITERIA
5.1 Grounds for exclusion
Applications will not be considered for a grant if the applicants are in any of the
following situations:
(a) They are bankrupt or being wound up, are having their affairs administered by the
courts, have entered into an arrangement with creditors, have suspended business
26 Definition of independent: In case of two undertakings A and B; A may control not more than 50% of B, and vice versa; A
and B may be controlled not more than 50% by a third undertaking C.
27 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/index_en.htm.
activities, are the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or are in any
analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national
legislation or regulations.
(b) They have been convicted of an offence concerning professional conduct by a
judgment which has the force of res judicata.
(c) They have been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means
which the contracting authority can justify.
(d) They have not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security
contributions or the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of
the country in which they are established or with those of the country of the
contracting authority or those of the country where the contract is to be performed.
(e) They have been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for
fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation or any other illegal
activity detrimental to the Communities' financial interests.
(f) They are currently subject to an administrative penalty referred to in Article 96(1)
of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the Communities28.
(g) They are faced with a conflict of interest.
(h) They are guilty of misrepresentation in supplying the information required by the
contracting authority as a condition of participation in the procedure or fail to
supply this information.
Applicants shall supply evidence that they are not in one of the above-listed situations.
For that purpose, applicants shall submit a declaration on their honour as part of the
application forms29.
5.2 Administrative and financial penalties
Without prejudice to the application of penalties laid down in the contract, candidates and
contractors who have made false declarations, have made substantial errors or committed
irregularities or fraud, or have been found in serious breach of their contractual obligations
may be excluded from all contracts and grants financed by the Community budget for a
maximum of five years from the date on which the infringement is established as confirmed
following an adversarial procedure with the contractor. That period may be extended to ten
years in the event of a repeated offence within five years of the date on which the
infringement is established.
Candidates, who have made false declarations, have made substantial errors, or committed
irregularities or fraud, may also be subject to financial penalties representing 2% to 10% of
the total estimated value of the contract being awarded. Contractors who have been found in
serious breach of their contractual obligations may be subject to financial penalties
representing 2% to 10% of the total value of the contract in question. The rate may be
increased to 4% to 20% in the event of a repeat infringement within five years of the date on
which the infringement is established as confirmed following an adversarial procedure with
the contractor.
28 Council Regulation (EC, EURATOM) n.1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general
budget of the European Communities (OJ L 357 31December 2002) as amended by Council Regulation (EC, EURATOM)
1995/2006 of 13 December 2006 (OJ L 390/2006 of 30 December 2006).
29 Applications Forms will be available at the Eco-Innovation website.
Call for Proposals 2008 – CIP Eco-innovation Pilot and Market Replication Projects
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The cases referred to in point 5.1 (e) cover:
(a) Cases of fraud as referred to in Article 1 of the Convention on the protection of the
European Communities' financial interests, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 July
199530.
(b) Cases of corruption as referred to in Article 3 of the Convention on the fight against
corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of Member
States of the European Union, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 May 199731.
(c) Cases of involvement in a criminal organisation, as defined in Article 2(1) of Joint
Action 98/733/JHA of the Council32.
(d) Cases of money laundering as defined in Article 1 of Council Directive 91/308/EEC33.
6 SELECTION CRITERIA
The applicant must have stable and sufficient sources of funding to maintain his activity
throughout the period during which the action is being carried out and to participate in its
funding. The applicant must have the professional skills and qualifications (technical and
managerial) required for completing the proposed action and the capacity to manage an
activity of the scale and size of the action.
6.1 Financial capacity of applicants
Applicants must show that they have the financial capacity and operational capability to
complete the action to be supported. Unless they are a public body or an international
organisation, they must complete the ‘Simplified Financial Statement’ Form and provide their
annual financial statements comprised of the balance sheet, the profit and loss account and
any annexes to those for the last financial year for which the accounts have been closed.
6.2 Professional skills and qualifications
Applicants must have the professional, technical capacity, operational and managerial
capability to complete the action proposed and should provide supporting documents (e.g.
CVs of those responsible for carrying out the action with a clear reference to their
responsibilities in the project, description of projects and activities related to the action
undertaken in the last three years, etc.).
The selection criteria will be assessed as a first step by the evaluation committee. Failure
to comply with these criteria will result in the proposal not being evaluated further by
the evaluation committee. Applicants may be asked to provide additional proof or to
clarify the supporting documents related to the selection criteria.
30 OJ C 316 of 27 November 1995, p. 48.
31 OJ C 195 of 25 June 1997, p. 1.
32 OJ C 351 of 29 December 1998, p.1. Joint action of 21 December 1998 on making it a criminal offence to participate in a
criminal organisation in the Member States of the European Union.
33 OJ L 166 of 28 June 1991, p. 77. Directive of 10 June 1991, as amended by Directive 2001/97/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2001 (OJ L 344 of 28 December 2001, p. 76).
7. MAIN AWARD CRITERIA
The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation will base its selection of actions
and the rate of Community co-financing on the written proposal. The actions will be
evaluated against five award criteria which will carry equal weighting within the overall
assessment. However, a mark of at least 8 (out of 10) will be required for the first two criteria
and a mark of at least 6 (out of 10) for the remaining criteria. Proposals that pass these
thresholds will be considered for funding. Grants will be awarded within the limits of the
budgetary resources available.
The following award criteria apply to project proposals:
1. Relevance of the actions proposed in view of the objectives established in the Call
(score 0-10, minimum threshold 8): Innovation and environment.
This award criterion is aimed to select actions that are most relevant and support best
the above mentioned policy objectives and priorities. It includes an assessment of the
innovative character of the project and of its environmental benefits. It has the
following subcriteria:
- Importance of the action in relation to EU policies and priorities, targets and
legislation and in relation to this Call for Proposals.
- The extent to which the proposed solutions are innovative and the risks involved in
their realisation and replication.
- Technical advancement of the proposed solution beyond the prototype stage.
- Clear and substantial environmental benefits and impacts of the proposed solutions
and the appropriateness of targets and performance indicators.
- Considering and clearly addressing the main target group of SMEs.
2. Quality of the proposed actions (score 0-10, minimum threshold 8):
This award criterion is aimed to assess the soundness and coherence of the project
from the technical and project management perspective and concerning the chosen
methodology. It has the following subcriteria:
- Structure, clarity, consistency and suitability of the proposed approach (definition
of work packages, schedule and deliverables) to achieve the expected results.
- Composition, balance of skills and responsibilities of the team and its members.
- Management, including project management structure, work plan, co-ordination
and project team communications.
3. Impact on target audience, replication potential and impact on the market (score
0-10, threshold 6):
This award criterion is aimed to select actions with a high potential for replication,
able to create or enlarge markets. Project proposals should provide a clear and realistic
assessment of the future market for the eco-innovative techniques, products, practices
or processes. It has the following sub criteria:
- Replication potential of the solution (to be applied by other companies or in other
countries) during and after the project.
- Appropriateness of the market assessment, identified market barriers in relation to
the proposed solution.
- Quality of the planned exploitation approach.
- Potential of the proposed solution in terms of job creation, during and after the
project.
4. Budget and cost-effectiveness, as well as competitiveness (score 0-10, threshold
6):
This award criterion will help to select projects with reasonable and well-justified
costs. It will assess the economic impacts and the impacts of the action in terms of an
increased competitiveness in the European market. It has the following sub criteria:
- Appropriate level of effort (hours and budget) both for the work packages and
tasks and between partners considering their skills and responsibilities.
- Appropriate weight of costs per cost category, notably equipment.
- Increased competitiveness through substantial economic impacts.
- Coherence and transparency of the co-financing scheme.
5. European added value (score 0-10, threshold 6):
This award criterion will help to select projects with a good European added value as
opposed to purely national/regional/local projects. It has the following sub criteria:
- Justification for and benefits of addressing the subject of the proposal at European
level.
- EU dimension of the market barriers to be tackled.
- Contributions of project to improve the competitiveness of EU economy.
8. DURATION
The maximum duration of an action is 36 months.
9. PERCENTAGE OF COMMUNITY CO-FINANCING
The financial contribution under CIP Eco-Innovation takes the form of a grant to off-set part
of the eligible costs of the project, under the following maximum rates:
  40 % if the benefiting participant is a large enterprise;
  50 % if the benefiting participant is a medium enterprise;
  60% if the benefiting participant is a small enterprise;
  50% for all other participants.
For the purpose of this Call, the size of an entreprise is defined according to the Commission
Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 200334.
34 Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 concerning the definition of micro, small and medium-sized
enterprises (Text with EEA relevance), Official Journal L 124, p. 36-41, of 20 May 2003, see also
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/index_en....
Only the costs directly linked with the innovative action, including materials, processes,
techniques or methods proposed, are considered eligible. This applies also to costs for
equipment and infrastructure.
The Community contribution to reimburse eligible costs must not give rise to a profit during
the project duration. Contributions in kind are not eligible costs.
An action which receives financial support for the same purpose from other Community
financial instruments will not receive funding from this Call on pilot and market
replication projects.
10. ESTIMATED TOTAL AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE BUDGET FOR THIS 2008 CALL
The indicative total amount available for this call is EUR 28 million.
11. PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY OF COSTS
As a general rule, eligible costs can be incurred only after signature of the grant agreement by
all the parties. No grant may be awarded retrospectively for actions already completed.
12. GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR AWARDING GRANTS
The general conditions for awarding grants, particularly the definition of the eligible costs and
the methods of payment, are set out in the model of grant agreement, available at the Eco-
Innovation website35. The budget for the action attached to the application must have revenue
and expenditure in balance and show clearly the costs which are eligible for financing from
the Community level.
On the basis of its risk assessment, the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation
might request a financial guarantee for pre-financing.
If the successful applicant is an international organisation, the model Contribution Agreement
with an international organisation or any other contract template agreed between the
international organisation concerned and the Contracting Authority will be used instead of a
text based on the model grant agreement.
13. FORMS FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS FOR A GRANT
Applications must be submitted using the on-line submission system and application forms.
The instructions on how to complete the application forms and the link to the on-line
submission system with the application forms are available on the website of the CIP Eco-
Innovation programme (see chapter 14 “Additional information”).
Applications which fail to comply with this formal requirement may not be evaluated further.
The closing date for submission is 11 September 2008 before 17h00 (Brussels local time).
Applications submitted after the closing date will not be taken into consideration.
Applicants are advised not to wait to the last minute with uploading their application forms in
order to avoid the risk of a failed submission due to an overloaded system in the hours before
the submission deadline.
Should changes occur regarding formal requirements for the submission of applications, they
will be highlighted on the website of the programme. Applicants are therefore advised to
35 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/index_en.htm
check this web site prior to submitting their application.
14. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Applicants should consult the website of the programme at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/index_en.htm
The website contains all information and forms in relation to this Call for Proposals, such as
the guide for applicants, the model grant agreement and the link to the online submission
system. Furthermore, the website informs about information days which will be held during
the duration of the Call for Proposals.
Any questions regarding this Call for Proposals should be sent to the Executive Agency for
Competitiveness and Innovation using the online enquiry form available on
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ecoinnovation/contact_en.htm
15. INDICATIVE TIMETABLE :
Closing date for submission of applications: 11 September 2008
(before 17h, Brussels time)
Estimated date of completion of the evaluation: January 2009
Estimated date for the notification of applicants: from February 2009 onwards
Estimated period for negotiations February/March 2009
Estimated date for signature of contracts from March 2009 onwards