Deadline to submit project proposals: 16 January 2012

The Marco Polo 2011 Call for Proposals under the second Marco Polo programme was launched on 21 October 2011. The budget for the 2010 call is €56.87 million.

The full Call document is available here.

The 2011 Call for Proposals will be based on the new 2011 Marco Polo Work Programme, according to which funding of SSS-MoS projects will no longer be limited to environmentally-friendly maritime projects that reduce emissions from maritime transport (there are no longer specific eligibility criteria for SSS-based MoS, Modal Shift and Catalyst actions as was foreseen in the first version of the 2011 Work Programme adopted in March).

Thus, Marco Polo funding remains available to all projects. However, 10% financial priority in the budget and extra points can be given if projects aim at reducing polluting emissions.

Another novelty introduced in the 2011 Call is the additional assessment process of the market situation and the related risks of undue distortion of competition, which applies exclusively to maritime project proposals.

Timetable for 2011 call
Publication of call: 21 October 2011
Deadline for applications: 16 January 2012
Opening session: Beginning of February 2012
External evaluation: February-March 2012
Internal evaluation: April 2012
Estimated date for Report on Evaluation by Evaluation Committee: May 2012
List of projects proposed for negotiations: June 2012
Signature of contracts: November-December 2012

Relevant documents containing information on eligible costs, including ancillary infrastructure, definition of the award criteria for the different actions, grounds for exclusion and related administrative and financial penalties is available on the Marco Polo website:

http://ec.europa.eu/transport/marcopolo/getting-funds/application-packs/2011/index_en.htm

There is also available information on how to prepare the proposal and how to calculate the grant. For any enquiries, interested parties are invited to contact the Marco Polo helpdesk or visit Motorways of the Sea helpdesk website:

Marco Polo Helpdesk
E-mail: eaci-marco-polo-helpdesk@ec.europa.eu
Tel: +32 2 29 50924
Fax: +32 2 29 79506

Motorways of the Sea Helpdesk
Website: http://www.mos-helpdesk.eu/