Hungary – Serbia Neighborhood Programme

Within the framework of its activities related to use of the European structural and development funds, the Office for European Affairs is informing the public in Vojvodina that the second call for proposals of the Hungary-Serbia Neighbourhood Programme has been announced and it will be open until 13 November 2006.

In the first call for proposals of the Hungary-Serbia Neighbourhood Programme, 19 projects from the territory of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the city of Belgrade have been supported with a total value of €1.8 million. Out of the 19 projects, 18 are from the territory of the province. Projects are funded through irreversible donations, with a co-financing of 5-10 % by the beneficiary.

The European Agency for Reconstruction and the Ministry of International Economic Relations of the Republic of Serbia have announced the second call for project proposals, which will be co-financed within the Hungary-Romania and Hungary-Serbia  Cross-border Cooperation Programmes.

The deadline is 14 pm, 13 November 2006, and the project proposals in the following fields can be submitted:

Strengthening of thespatial, physical and infrastructuralintegrity in the cross-border area (aimed at improving cross-borderinfrastructure and addressingcommon challenges in the field of environmental protection and floodprevention)

Promotion of cooperation initiatives in order to facilitate the integration of markets and enhance coherencebetween local subject (involving the development of business infrastructure and joint businessservices, support for cooperation of enterprises, encouragement of cooperation between institutions and communities, and promotion of co-operationin the field of research and technical development and human resource development).

All the application forms are to be submitted in English only, in a sealed envelope, and by registered mail, to the following address:

Vati Hungarian Public Nonprofit Company for Regional Development and Town Planning

H-1016 Budapest, Gallerthegy u. 30-32

Telephone: + 361 224 327 Fax: + 361 224 3291

Territories covered by the programme are the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and the city of Belgrade. The application package can also be found on the following websites: www.mier.sr.gov.yu  and www.ear.eu.int

For further information, you may contact the Ministry of International Economic Relations, phone: 011/3346-591, or the Local Office in Subotica, phone: 024/553-003.

While the call for proposals is open, workshops on filling in application forms will also be organised and information on the exact time and venue will be provided on the Ministry’s website.

The importance of the project documentation could be proved by the fact that Romania and Bulgaria used only 30 % of offered IPA funds, because their project documentation was not well-prepared. Poland was the most successful in using its chance, since it provided €6 billion through the use of IPA funds!