Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health

and Social Well-being

Secretariat

Manual for reading the

Cooperation Programme of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020

Background 2

Status of the BSR Programme 2

GENERAL PROGRAMME OVERVIEW 3

Programming area covered 3EU Member States 3Partner countries 3

Programme Objective 4Types of cooperation (activities) 4Selection 4EUSBSR + NW2020 4Currency conversion 5Co-financing 5Who can apply 5How to apply 5

RELEVANT PRIORITIES 6

Priority 1 ‘Capacity for innovation’ 6Why is this relevant? 6Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support 6Indicators for Priority 1 7Specific objective 1.1 ‘Research and innovation infrastructures’ 7Specific objective 1.3 ‘Non-technological innovation’ 8

Priority 2 ‘Efficient management of natural resources’ 9Why is this relevant? 9Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support 9Indicators for Priority 2 10

Priority 3 ‘Sustainable transport’ 10Why is this relevant? 10Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support 10Indicators for Priority 3 11Specific objective 3.2 ‘Accessibility of remote areas and areas affected by demographic change’ 11

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BACKGROUND

The manual was developed by the NDPHS Secretariat for use by organizations interested in developing projects tackling health and social well-being challenges in the BSR programming area.

This manual has two functions: to summarise the important information about the forthcoming BSR Programme and to point out where in the establishing documentation one can find more detailed information in the final version of the Cooperation Programme of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2014-2020 as of 21 May 2014.

If you have questions or comments about this manual you may contact the NDPHS Secretariat. For questions about the BSR Programme itself, please contact the Programme’s Joint Technical Secretariat.

STATUS OF THE BSR PROGRAMME AS OF 24 JUNE 2014

“The Joint Programming Committee, comprising national delegations from eight EU Member States (Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden) as well as the neighbouring countries Norway, Belarus, and Russia, approved the Cooperation Programme on 14 May, 2014, in Warsaw.” The governments of the participating countries must now endorse the document before it is sent to the Commission by July for final approval.

“The start of the new Programme will be announced at the Programme Conference on 26-27 November in Warsaw.”

“From September 2014, the Joint Technical Secretariat will start provide advisory services to interested applicants.”

The first call will launch end of 2014/beginning of 2015.

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General Programme overview

PROGRAMMING AREA COVERED1

EU Member StatesDenmark: the whole country,Estonia: the whole country,Finland: the whole country,Germany: the States (Länder) of Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen (only NUTS II area Luneburg region),Latvia: the whole country,Lithuania: the whole country,Poland: the whole country,Sweden: the whole country.

Partner countriesBelarus: the whole country,Norway: the whole country,Russia: St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Vologda Oblast, Kaliningrad Oblast, Republic of Karelia, Komi Republic, Leningrad Oblast, Murmansk Oblast, Nenetsky Autonomous Okrug, Novgorod Oblast, Pskov Oblast

Many specific objectives note that, “Partnerships that include partners from the Southeast part of the region are particularly encouraged.”

NB: Project consortiums are encouraged to build up partnerships with organisations from Russia and Belarus. However, it is not yet known if funding will be available for Russian and Belarusian partners for the first call for applications. Russia and Belarus plan to join the Programme once the Financing Agreements between the Governments of each country and the European Commission will have been signed. Negotiations about the Financing Agreements are planned to start in September 2014 after the European Commission will have approved the EU contribution for Russian and Belarusian organisations. Norwegian partners will be eligible from the date of approval of the programme as will partners from other EU member states.

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PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE2

“To strengthen the integrated territorial development and cooperation for a more innovative, better accessible and sustainable Baltic Sea Region.”

Aims to do this by investing in institutional capacity, specifically: 1. “Enhanced institutionalised knowledge and competence;2. Improved governance structures and organisational set-up;3. More efficient use of human and technical resources (databases, technical solutions,

small infrastructure etc.);4. Better ability to attract new financial resources;5. Increased capability to work in transnational environment.”

TYPES OF COOPERATION (ACTIVITIES)3

Genuine transnational cooperation is measured from least developed (1) to advanced maturity (6). Due to the advanced stage of cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region it is expected that the majority of projects will reach high degrees of cooperation (4-6).

1. “Meeting: Getting to know each other, learning about motivation, interests, needs, skills, expectations, cultural and structural aspects;

2. Information: Delivering (targeted) exchange of information, building basic cooperation structures and trust, shaping common ideas

3. Coordination/Representation: Creating a joint partnership structure, first allocation of functions and roles

4. Strategy/Planning: Defining joint objectives and developing concrete actions5. Decision: Binding commitments of partners, partnership agreement6. Implementation: Joint implementation of actions, efficient joint management, fulfilment of

requirements by each partner.”

SELECTION “Projects funded under the priority axes 1-3 are encouraged to integrate one of the following cross-cutting issues in their approach: multi-level governance, BSR common identity, spatial planning/maritime spatial planning, sustainable development, climate change or demographic change.”4

EUSBSR + NW2020“The Programme enables practical cooperation at project level on issues of importance for both, EUSBSR and the North-West Strategy of Russia. Under Priority 4 seed money projects are encouraged to find links between the EUSBSR and other relevant strategies in the Baltic Sea Region area. Furthermore, coordination with actors responsible for the North-West Strategy of

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Russia belongs to the type of activities that can be funded under the Facility to support priority area coordinators and horizontal action leaders.”5

CURRENCY CONVERSION “... Expenditure incurred in a currency other than the Euro will be converted into Euro by the beneficiaries using the monthly accounting exchange rate of the Commission in the month during which the progress report will be submitted to the first level controller.”6

CO-FINANCING “The co-financing rates from the Programme will not differ from the 2007-2013 period. They will range between 75 and 85 per cent (for ERDF funds) and 50 per cent (for Norwegian funds).”7

WHO CAN APPLY“Public authorities from local, regional and national levels, research and training institutions, sectoral agencies and associations, business development institutions, non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) and – new in this period - private enterprises can take part in projects and receive funds.”8

HOW TO APPLY“When applying for funds, applicants will follow a two-step approach. During the first step, the project idea owners will submit a concept note. If the concept note is accepted by the Monitoring Committee, the applicant will be invited to develop the project idea further and submit a complete project application (second step). The concept note will include a project summary, the challenges and planned results, main activities and outputs, preliminary information about the partnership and budget.” “Project applicants can submit project ideas to ideas@baltic.net and will receive consultations from September 2014 on.”9

5 Page 1246 Page 132, According to Article 28 of Regulation (EU) No 1299/20137 June 2014 BSR Newsletter 8 Ibid.9 Ibid.

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Relevant priorities

PRIORITY 1 ‘CAPACITY FOR INNOVATION’10

Why is this relevant? The main reason priority 1 is relevant is that it provides space for reinforcement of non-technological innovation and even encourages particular attention be placed on social innovation. Beyond this, depending on the aim of the project and the partnerships, research and SMEs could be relevant.

● provides space for reinforcement of non-technological innovation.● should stem directly from the need for transnational cooperation in the BSR and be

complemented by actions from other funding sources, on the national level for instance.● encourages experimentation with new approaches and solutions to be practically tested

through pilot actions in specific fields reflecting large societal challenges and sectors of importance for the BSR.

● dedicated to actions strengthening the ability of the BSR to create and commercialise innovation.

● special focus lies on utilisation of the complete potential of existing and planned research and innovation infrastructures.

Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support 11

Table: Bold suggests there is/could be health and social well-being connection. Grey suggests little to no possible health and social well-being connection. SMEs are relevant in that some SMEs are working on public health issues and/or bringing innovations to market.NB: Not all planned funding in Priority 1 is accounted for in the table below, but this is a mistake that will be rectified in the next iteration of the Programme. Code Category Indicative

planned €81 ICT solutions addressing the healthy active ageing challenge and e-Health

services and applications (including e-Care and ambient assisted living)2,638,307

58 Research and innovation infrastructure (public) 2,638,30759 Research and innovation infrastructure (private, including science parks) 2,638,30760 Research and innovation activities in public research centres and centres of

competence including networking18,468,146

61 Research and innovation activities in private research centres including networking

2,638,307

62 Technology transfer and university-enterprise cooperation primarily benefiting SMEs

2,638,307

63 Cluster support and business networks primarily benefiting SMEs 7,914,92064 Research and innovation processes in SMEs (including voucher schemes,

process, design, service and social innovation)5,276,613

66 Advanced support services for SMEs and groups of SMEs (including management, marketing and design services)

2,638,307

67 SME business development, support to entrepreneurship and incubation 5,276,613

10 Page 13-1411 Page 47, table references Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 215/2014, the document citing the common Categories of intervention

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(including support to spin offs and spin outs)69 Support to environmentally-friendly production processes and resource efficiency

in SMEs5,276,613

70 Promotion of energy efficiency in large enterprises 2,638,30772 Business infrastructure for SMEs (including industrial parks and sites) 2,638,30774 Development and promotion of commercial tourism assets in SMEs 2,638,30776 Development and promotion of cultural and creative assets in SMEs 5,276,61365 Research and innovation infrastructure, processes, technology transfer and

cooperation in enterprises focusing on the low carbon economy and on resilience to climate change

5,276,613

Indicators for Priority 1The Programme will measure its success with priority 1 by using project progress reports to measure the following: No. of documented learning experiences, No. of documented newly developed market products and services, No. of enterprises cooperating with research institutions, No. of enterprises receiving non-financial support.12

Specific objective 1.1 ‘Research and innovation infrastructures’13

Aim: To enhance market uptake of innovation based on improved capacity of research and innovation infrastructures and their users. Result: Improved capacity of research and innovation infrastructures and their users allowing for better market uptake of innovation. This leads to more efficient utilisation of existing research and innovation infrastructures and through this to advancing innovation performance of the BSR.Actions should lead to: ensuring sustainability of resources, optimal sharing of resources, exchange of data and, translation of research into business activity.

Potentially relevant example actions:● Piloting solutions to the large societal challenges in the Baltic Sea Region based on joint

research efforts with a view to exploring the most efficient cooperation schemes between research communities, public sector and business sector (notably SMEs);

● Optimising test bed functionality and synergies e.g. by conducting joint tests at the test bed facilities with a view to defining, adopting and promoting best practices in utilisation of such infrastructures or to link capabilities of several test bed facilities and establishing common practices among them;

● Mapping and enhancing roles of different actors (including public sector) in development of the research infrastructures as well as establishing structures for monitoring and assessing demand for specific research capacities;

● Networking regions with a view to better utilising existing or planning new research and innovation infrastructures;

● Identifying challenges in management of research and innovation infrastructures followed by preparation of joint training programmes for infrastructure operators,

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development of mechanisms ensuring cost-efficient exploitation of resources and best use of the scientific results.

Specific objective 1.3 ‘Non-technological innovation’14

Aim: To advance the Baltic Sea Region performance in non-technological innovation based on increased capacity of innovation actors. Result: Increased capacity of innovation actors (innovation intermediaries, authorities, research institutions, enterprises) to improve conditions for non-technological innovation. This leads to increasing the BSR ability to generate non-technological innovation and gives possibilities for development of regions technologically lagging behind.Focus: particular attention should be placed on social innovation, including gender equality perspective; as well as growing potentials of culture, creative industries and tourism.Building on prior projects: New project proposals under specific objectives 1.2 and 1.3 should take into consideration achievements of the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 projects, such as StarDust, Urban Creative Poles, BaltFood, BSHR HealthPort, and SUBMARINER.

Potentially relevant example actions:● Actions combining technical and non-technical approaches to support promotion and

utilisation of new ideas (products, services and models) that meet important social needs of the BSR more effectively than existing approaches, including validation of the proposed ideas through direct involvement of users, e.g. building BSR region wide networks for improving food security or supporting the well-being of the ageing population by innovative solutions bringing together ICT and health care;

● Joint developing of products and services (e.g. networked support centres) which are supporting social innovations and service innovations (incl. service design) and foster cultural entrepreneurship and job creation in the creative industries;

● Awareness raising measures for enterprises on possibilities of using living lab environments; actions targeted at collecting and exchanging of methodologies and best practices for testing, modification and joint development of products and services with users through living labs;

● Actions (e.g. forerunners networks, incentive and risk management models, involvement of municipal residents, non-profit organisations in planning of services) aimed at renewing public services through innovations by focusing especially on public private partnership, user involvement, procurement of innovations and innovation vouchers;

● Joint developing and implementing of guidelines for integrating user-driven perspectives into national and regional regulatory documents;

● Actions supporting promotion and utilisation of business opportunities emerging from large societal challenges, e.g. identifying and implementing new ways of supporting potential high-growth firms;

● Developing and testing of measures that support cross-sectoral match-making of SMEs.

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PRIORITY 2 ‘EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES’15

Why is this relevant? On the surface this priority seems to hold very little of use for health and social well-being. However, the table below of categories in which projects need to fall under shows some potential.16 If any of the categories below might fit your project you can find more details by starting at pages 15, 50-52, 57-65 of the document.

Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support

Table: Bold suggests there is/could be health and social well-being connection. Grey suggests little to no possible health and social well-being connection. SMEs are relevant in that some SMEs are working on public health issues and/or bringing innovations to market. NB: All planned funding in Priority 2 is accounted for in the table below. Code Category Indicative

planned €21 Water management and drinking water conservation (including river basin

management, water supply, specific climate change adaptation measures, district and consumer metering, charging systems and leak reduction)

2,638,307

83 Air quality measures 5,276,61390 Cycle tracks and footpaths 2,638,30793 Development and promotion of public tourism services 2,638,307108 Modernisation of labour market institutions, such as public and private

employment services, and improving the matching of labour market needs, including through actions that enhance transnational labour mobility as well as through mobility schemes and better cooperation between institutions and relevant stakeholders

21,106,450

19 Commercial, industrial or hazardous waste management 5,276,61322 Waste water treatment 7,914,92062 Technology transfer and university-enterprise cooperation primarily benefiting

SMEs5,276,613

65 Research and innovation infrastructure, processes, technology transfer and cooperation in enterprises focusing on the low carbon economy and on resilience to climate change

5,276,613

69 Support to environmentally-friendly production processes and resource efficiency in SMEs

2,638,307

86 Protection, restoration and sustainable use of Natura 2000 sites 2,638,30787 Adaptation to climate change measures and prevention and management of

climate related risks e.g. erosion, fires, flooding, storms and drought, including awareness raising, civil protection and disaster management systems and infrastructures

2,638,307

11 Renewable energy: biomass 2,638,30712 Other renewable energy (including hydroelectric, geothermal and marine energy)

and renewable energy integration (including storage, power to gas and renewable hydrogen infrastructure)

7,914,920

13 Energy efficiency renovation of public infrastructure, demonstration projects and supporting measures

5,276,613

14 Energy efficiency renovation of existing housing stock, demonstration projects 2,638,307

15 Page 14-1516 Page 70, table references Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 215/2014, the document citing the common Categories of intervention

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and supporting measures

Indicators for Priority 2The Programme will measure its success with priority 2 by using project progress reports to measure the following: No. of documented learning experiences, Amount of documented planned investments to be realised with other than the Programme funding, No. of local/regional public authorities/institutions involved, No. of national public authorities/institutions involved, No. of enterprises receiving non-financial support.17

PRIORITY 3 ‘SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT’ 18

Why is this relevant? On the surface this priority seems to hold very little use for health and social well-being. However, part of this priority’s aim is to improve mobility and thus access to services for people living in remote areas affected by demographic change - a goal that public health authorities share.

● (among other things) aims to improve accessibility of distant areas that have accessibility deficits to urban, administrative and economic centres and areas affected by demographic change.

● focus on urban areas with the aim of increasing environmentally friendly mobility by helping cities to adopt their infrastructure, create multimodal urban transport systems and modify habits to reduce carbon emissions.

Codes for Categories of intervention and indicative planned Union support 19

Table: Bold suggests there is/could be health and social well-being connection. Grey suggests little to no possible health and social well-being connection. SMEs are relevant in that some SMEs are working on public health issues and/or bringing innovations to market. NB: All planned funding in Priority 3 is accounted for in the table below.Code Category Indicative

planned €119 Investment in institutional capacity and in the efficiency of public

administrations and public services at the national, regional and local levels with a view to reforms, better regulation and good governance

2,536,835

97 Community-led local development initiatives in urban and rural areas 2,536,83343 Clean urban transport infrastructure and promotion (including equipment and

rolling stock)10,147,333

44 Intelligent transport systems (including the introduction of demand management, tolling systems, IT monitoring, control and information systems)

10,147,333

82 ICT Services and applications for SMEs (including e-Commerce, e-Business and networked business processes), living labs, web entrepreneurs and ICT start-ups)

2,536,833

108 Modernisation of labour market institutions, such as public and private employment services, and improving the matching of labour market needs,

12,684,166

17 Page 6718 Page 15-1619 Page 95, table references Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 215/2014, the document citing the common Categories of intervention

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including through actions that enhance transnational labour mobility as well as through mobility schemes and better cooperation between institutions and relevant stakeholders

87 Adaptation to climate change measures and prevention and management of climate related risks e.g. erosion, fires, flooding, storms and drought, including awareness raising, civil protection and disaster management systems and infrastructures

2,536,833

26 Other Railways 2,536,83336 Multimodal transport 10,147,33340 Other seaports 7,610,50042 Inland waterways and ports (regional and local) 2,536,833

Indicators for Priority 3The Programme will measure its success with priority 3 by using project progress reports to measure the following: No. of documented learning experiences, Amount of documented planned investments to be realised with other than the Programme funding, No. of local/regional public authorities/institutions involved, No. of national public authorities/institutions involved, No. of enterprises receiving non-financial support.20

Specific objective 3.2 ‘Accessibility of remote areas and areas affected by demographic change’ Aim: To improve the accessibility of the most remote areas and regions whose accessibility is affected by demographic change based on increased capacity of transport actors. Result: Increased capacity of authorities, public and private logistic and transport operators to apply economically efficient solutions maintaining and improving accessibility of remote areas and areas where accessibility is affected by demographic changes. This helps to secure and improve the transport of goods and people in the currently least accessible areas of the region.Activities: The Programme will support projects which build on the following opportunities by pooling actors and resources for improvement of accessibility: “the BSR features some of the least accessible areas in Europe”; demographic change within the region (namely aging). New concepts and ideas are welcome in this objective on most remote areas and areas whose accessibility is affected by demographic change and ideally tie into previous BSR projects.

Potentially relevant example actions:● Developing and implementing mobility management schemes so that the existing

transport infrastructure and transport services could be used more efficiently and be more user-friendly;

● Developing and implementing new transport service models to ensure accessibility;● Developing and implementing strategies to exploit the potential of economic and

transport activities in the Arctic region for better accessibility.

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