The Public Notice 01/2023 is aimed at acquiring timely, concrete and feasible project proposals based on the specific objectives linked to the 4 Programme’s priorities listed hereunder:

1. A smarter area of cooperation to promote research and innovation and the development of skills for smart specialisation
2. A resilient cooperation area, which strengthens the protection and preservation of nature also through the efficient use of resources
3. An area of efficient cooperation in social capital through the role of culture and sustainable tourism in economic development
4. An area of cooperation with better governance between Italy and Malta

The object of the Public Notice 01/2023 is the selection of project proposals meeting one specific objective of the INTERREG VI-A Italia Malta Programme and contributing to the achievement of at least one output indicator relating to the specific objective chosen.

Specific Objective 1.1 - Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies in the cross-border area

• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions
• RCO01 Indicator - Enterprises supported
• RCO04 Indicator - Enterprises with non-financial support
• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 1.2 - Develop skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship in the cross-border area

• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 2.1 - Promoting climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and resilience in the cross-border area

• RCO83 Indicator - Strategies and action plans jointly developed
• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 2.2 - Promoting the transition to a circular economy in the cross-border area

• RCO01 - Enterprises supported (of which: micro, small, medium, large)
• RCO04 Indicator - Enterprises with non-financial support
• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 2.3 - Enhancing the protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity, green infrastructure and reducing pollution in the cross-border area

• RCO83 Indicator - Strategies and action plans developed jointly
• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 3.1 - Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in the cross-border area in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation

• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Specific Objective 4.1 - Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cooperation in the cross-border area

• RCO81 Indicator - Participations in joint actions across borders
• RCO84 Indicator - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects
• RCO116 Indicator - Jointly developed solutions

Each project proposal will meet only one specific objective of the programme and contribute to the achievement of at least one output indicator relating to the specific Objective chosen.

Art. 3 of the Public Notice 01/2023 describes the intervention logic of the initiatives that will be financed. It also describes the meaning of each output indicator in order to address the partnership on the correct type of projects to submit.

The financial allocation for the Public Notice 01/2023, divided by specific objective as reported below, is 27.669.485 Euros as hereunder distributed:

• Specific Objective 1.1 - Developing and enhancing research and innovation capacities and the uptake of advanced technologies in the cross-border area - € 6.020.880 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 1.2 - Develop skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship in the cross-border area - - € 3.386.745 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 2.1 - Promoting climate change adaptation, disaster risk prevention and resilience in the cross-border area – € 5.693.985 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 2.2 - Promoting the transition to a circular economy in the cross-border area - € 2.515.947 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 2.3 - Enhancing the protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity, green infrastructure and reducing pollution in the cross-border area - € 5.031.893 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 3.1 - Enhancing the role of culture and sustainable tourism in the cross-border area in economic development, social inclusion and social innovation - € 1.976.392 (ERDF)
• Specific Objective 4.1 - Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cooperation in the cross-border area € 3.043.643 (ERDF)

The duration and the financial size of the projects submitted in the framework of the Public Notice 01/2023 shall be in line with the minimum and maximum amounts specified in the following table:

The financial allocation for the Public Notice 01/2023 is 27.669.485 Euros  and constitutes the contribution of the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), equal to 80% of co-financing rate.

The national contribution is equal to 20%,

For Italian beneficiaries (public and private bodies as well as bodies governed by public law) the national contribution is ensured by the national Fondo di Rotazione (see Delibera CIPESS n. 78 of the 22^nd of December 2021), without prejudice to the rules on state aid.

For Maltese beneficiaries the national contribution is to be ensured through funds from the partner itself, that is own resources, or by other public body/ies, should this be so endorsed.

An operation has to be carried out into the area addressed by the Programme represented by the entire Sicilian and Maltese territory.

An operation can be also carried out in only one of the two countries participating in the Programme (Sicily or Malta), provided that its impact and benefits for the entire area addressed by the Programme (Sicily and Malta) are identified.

An operations or part of operations may be implemented even outside the eligible areas of the Programme (Sicily and Malta), in duly justified cases and provided that the operation generates benefits and impacts for the programme area (Sicily and Malta).

No project or part of a project that does not benefit the programme area (Sicily and Malta can be financed.

A project partner must possess a legal status among the following: public entity, body governed by public law, private body provided is has a legal personality, third sector entity if included in the National Register for Third Sector (Runts) – for Italian partner - or if registered with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations or relevant body – for Maltese partner.

The partnership is made up of at least one (1) partner from each Member State participating in the programme (Sicily and Malta) namely  having registered office or branches or local operational unit or administrative competence in the eligible area of the Programme (Sicily and Malta).

Partners can also be based in areas outside the two Member States (Sicily and Malta), i.e. in EU Member States, third countries, or overseas countries and territories (hereinafter “OCT”) only if necessary and indispensable to achieve the project results and provided that these results have an impact on the programme area (Sicily and Malta).

The entities whose institutional mission or main activities within the project are predominantly linked to project coordination, management, communication activities or support to other entities cannot be involved as project partners but should be contracted by means of procurement procedures.

Within the operation, project partners must identify themselves as lead partner or partner(s).

The lead partner shall assume responsibility for ensuring implementation of the entire project, ensure that expenditure presented by all partners has been paid in implementing the operation and corresponds to the activities agreed between all the partners, in accordance with the project approved and the commitment made with the Managing Authority.

The partner(s) implement the activities envisaged by the project, each for the parts of their competence, through the sound management of the assigned resources, ensuring their contribution to the achievement of the objectives and results of the project.

Any partner in the programme area (Sicily and Malta), third country, partner country or OCT participating in an operation may be designated as the lead partner.

Associated partners are stakeholders/takers with respect to the objectives of the project. They are subjects interested in the purposes of the project or in the acquisition of the results.

The associated partners are involved in the activities envisaged by the project proposal without any specific project budget, the obligation to fulfil any declaration or sign the partnership agreement.

A project partner cannot delegate the performance of the project activities, or some of its parts, to an associated partner.

1. Application Form: form (Annex 2.a) and budget (Annex 2.b) duly signed and stamped by the legal representative of the lead partner
2. Letter of intent and co-financing lead/partners (Annex A) duly signed and stamped by the legal representative of the lead/project partners of the project proposal;
3. Letter of Co-financing in favour of the partner (Annex B) duly signed and stamped by the legal representative of the entity securing the private partner's NC (in the event that the National Contribution (NC) to cover 20% of the partner’s share of the budget is secured by another entity and not by the partner itself)
4. State Aid declaration (Annex C)
5. A document confirming financial capacity (Annex D) – for private partners only
6. Copy (front and back) of a valid identity document belonging to the legal representative of the lead beneficiary and each project partner
7. Formal administrative act (Decree, Decision, Resolution, formal letter, etc.) which approves the project proposal, highlighting the total budgetary amount for the implementation of the project activities of the whole partnership endorsed by the legal representative of the lead partner
8. Any necessary clearances/permissions/authorizations which verify readiness to develop the project proposal
9. Statute of the entity (in the case of participation of a private entity and/or a body governed by public low)
10. Last two approved financial statements of the entity with proof of filing entity (in the case of participation of a private entity and/or a body governed by public low)

The application form can be drafted alternatively in one of the official languages of the programme, i.e. Italian or English. A summary of the project must be provided in both languages (Italian and English), by completing section A.2 of the Application form (Annex 2.a).

The selection of project proposals will take place in 2 sequential phases:

1. Verification of formal admissibility and eligibility requirements
2. Quality assessment of the project proposals

Upon completion of the verification of the formal admissibility and eligibility requirements, each project proposal may be "Eligible for evaluation" or "Not eligible for evaluation”.

Quality assessment criteria are divided in two categories: 1) the strategic evaluation; 2) the operational evaluation.

As part of the strategic evaluation and operational evaluation, it is possible to obtain an overall score of 100 points for each evaluation category..

In order to access the operational evaluation, the project must reach a minimum score in the strategic evaluation (21 points in the criterion linked to the cross-border value of the project and 60 points overall). A minimum score of 60 points is also required for the operational evaluation so that the project can be admitted to financing, based on the available resources.

The estimated timeframe for completing the project selection process is 260 calendar days.

The eligible cost categories are:

• Staff costs
• Office and administrative costs
• Travel and accommodation costs
• External expertise and services costs
• Equipment costs
• Costs for infrastructure and works

Staff costs shall consist of gross employment costs of staff employed by the partner in one of the following ways: full time, part-time or on an hourly basis.

Staff costs shall be limited to the following:

(a) salary payments related to the activities which the entity would not carry out if the operation concerned was not undertaken, provided for in an employment document, either in the form of an employment or work contract or an appointment decision, or by law, and relating to responsibilities specified in the job description of the staff member concerned;

(b) any other costs directly linked to salary payments incurred and paid by the employer, such as employment taxes and social security including pensions as covered by Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council(20), on condition that they are:

1. provided for in an employment document or by law;
2. in accordance with the legislation referred to in the employment document and with standard practices in the country or the organisation where the individual staff member is actually working, or both; and
3. not recoverable by the employer.

Office and administrative costs shall be limited to the following elements:

1. office rent;
2. insurance and taxes related to the buildings where the staff is located and to the equipment of the office (such as fire or theft insurance);
3. utilities (such as electricity, heating, water);
4. office supplies;
5. accounting;
6. archives;
7. maintenance, cleaning and repairs;
8. security;
9. IT systems;
10. communication (such as telephone, fax, internet, postal services, business cards);
11. bank charges for opening and administering the account or accounts where the implementation of an operation requires a separate account to be opened; and
12. charges for transnational financial transactions.

Travel and accommodation costs, regardless whether such costs are incurred and paid inside or outside the programme area, shall be limited to the following cost elements:

1. travel costs (such as tickets, travel and car insurance, fuel, car mileage, toll, and parking fees);
2. the cost of meals;
3. accommodation costs;
4. visa costs; and
5. daily allowances.

Any cost element listed in points (a) to (d) covered by a daily allowance shall not be reimbursed in addition to the daily allowance.

Travel and accommodation costs of external experts and service providers fall under external expertise and services costs.

Direct payment of expenditure for cost elements listed in points (a) to (d) of paragraph 1 by an employee of the beneficiary shall be supported by a proof of reimbursement by the beneficiary to that employee.

External expertise and service costs shall be limited to the following services and expertise provided by a public or private body or a natural person, other than the beneficiary, and all partners of the operation:

1. studies or surveys (such as evaluations, strategies, concept notes, design plans, handbooks);
2. training;
3. translations;
4. development, modifications and updates to IT systems and website;
5. promotion, communication, publicity, promotional items and activities or information linked to an operation or to a programme as such;
6. financial management;
7. services related to the organisation and implementation of events or meetings (including rent, catering or interpretation);
8. participation in events (such as registration fees);
9. legal consultancy and notarial services, technical and financial expertise, other consultancy and accountancy services;
10. intellectual property rights;
11. verifications pursuant to point (a) of Article 74(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 and Article 46(1) of this Regulation (EU) 2021/1059;
12. the provision of guarantees by a bank or other financial institution where required by Union or national law or in a programming document adopted by the monitoring committee;
13. travel and accommodation for external experts, speakers, chairpersons of meetings and service providers; and
14. other specific expertise and services needed for operations.

Costs for equipment purchased, rented or leased by the beneficiary of the operation other than those covered by “office and administrative costs” shall be limited to the following:

1. office equipment;
2. IT hardware and software;
3. furniture and fittings;
4. laboratory equipment;
5. machines and instruments,
6. tools or devices;
7. vehicles; and
8. other specific equipment needed for operations.

Costs for the purchase of second-hand equipment may be eligible subject to the following conditions:

1. no other assistance has been received for it from the Interreg funds or from the funds listed below: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund (JTF), the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy (BMVI)
2. its price does not exceed the generally accepted price on the market in question; and
3. it has the technical characteristics necessary for the operation and complies with applicable norms and standards.

Costs for infrastructure and works shall be limited to the following:

1. purchase of land in accordance with point (b) of Article 64(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/1060. More specifically, the following costs shall not be eligible: the purchase of land for an amount exceeding 10 % of the total eligible expenditure for the operation concerned; for derelict sites and for those formerly in industrial use which comprise buildings, that limit shall be increased to 15 %
2. building permits;
3. building material;
4. labour; and
5. specialised interventions (such as soil remediation, mine-clearing).

The eligible cost categories for a cooperation project are: staff costs; office and administrative costs; travel and accommodation costs; external expertise and services costs; equipment costs; costs for infrastructure and works.

Travel and accommodation costs; external expertise and services costs; equipment costs; costs for infrastructure and works will be claimed on the basis of real costs.

Staff costs will be claimed:

• on the basis of real costs up to a maximum of 40% of direct costs (staff costs, Travel and accommodation costs; external expertise and services costs; equipment costs; costs for infrastructure and works)

or

• on the basis of a "fixed rate" namely 20% of the direct costs other than the direct staff costs of that operation

Office and administrative costs will be claimed on the basis of a flat rate corresponding to 15% of eligible staff costs.

The financial resources are provided exclusively on a reimbursement basis for expenses actually incurred by the beneficiaries and considered eligible.

An advance payment corresponding to 50% of the ERDF for each partner within the approved project is envisaged. Further advance payment, corresponding to 30% of the budget, may be transferred to partners demonstrating to have fully spent and certified the previous advance payment.

Therefore, without prejudice to the possibility of requesting an advance of resources, each beneficiary (Lead Partner and Partner) will have to ensure the necessary financial resources for the launch of project activities.

The provisions referred to in Art. 20 and 20 bis of EU Regulation no. 651/2014 of the Commission of 7 June 2014 as modified by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1237 of 23 July 2021 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty are applied.

Art. 20 of EU Regulation no. 651/2014 as modified by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1237 only applies to undertakings participating in cooperation projects provided that the conditions laid down in in Chapter I of the Regulation itself are fulfilled (notification thresholds; transparency of aid; incentive effect; aid intensity and eligible costs; cumulation; publication and information).

The aid intensity shall not exceed the maximum co-financing rate of 80% of the eligible costs related to a cooperation project: a) staff costs; b) office and administrative costs; c) travel and accommodation costs; d) external expertise and services costs; e) equipment costs; f) costs for infrastructure and works.

Art. 20 of EU Regulation no. 651/2014 as modified by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1237 only applies to undertakings participating in cooperation projects provided that the conditions laid down in in Chapter I of the Regulation itself are fulfilled (notification thresholds; transparency of aid; incentive effect; aid intensity and eligible costs; cumulation; publication and information) in the case of limited amounts that do not exceed €20,000.00 granted to a company and attributable to indirect aid.

All potential beneficiaries (lead partners and partners) are required to provide, during the project proposal presentation phase, a self-evaluation of the envisaged activities (Annex C) in order to determine their relevance for State aid.

When such activities financed with public resources create a selective advantage for an entity that, under normal free market conditions and without public financing, would not have been obtained, then this is deemed as State aid.

This is due to the fact that the carrying out of such activities affects the free competition principle and determines an effect that distorts the free market principle within the European Union.

If a selective advantage emerges from the self-assessment, the beneficiary will be able to choose the application of the provisions referred to in Art. 20 of EU Regulation no. 651/2014 of the Commission of 7 June 2014 as modified by Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1237 of 23 July 2021 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty.

It is understood that activities considered for State aid purposes are assessed by the programme authorities.

The deadline for submitting projects is set on 4 April 2024 (90 days from the publication of the Public Notice in the Gazzetta Ufficiale della Regione Siciliana no. 1 of 5/1/2024).

Cooperation projects pursuant to Public Notice 1/2023 may be presented by the respective lead partners between 5 March 2024 and 4 April 2024.

According to the art. 8 of Public Notice 01/2023 for the purposes of eligibility for the selection of cooperation projects, the subjects must possess a legal status among those listed in the same article. These include "Third sector entities if included in the Italian National Register for Third Sector (Runts)”.

With specific reference to the entities registered in the ONLUS register, it is useful to remember that, pursuant to the law, the application for registration in the RUNTS can be presented until 31 March of the tax period following the authorization of the European Commission referred to in Article 101, paragraph 10, of Legislative Decree 3 July 2017, n. 117. Therefore, until that date the registry continues to be fully operational and the registered organizations continue to benefit from the benefits of the non-profit organisations.

It is therefore understood that the entity included in the list published by the Agenzia delle Entrate must be intended as a private entity with legal personality pursuant to the same art. 8 of the Public Notice 01/2023.

“Office and administrative costs" are calculated as flat rate corresponding to 15% of eligible staff costs. An ERRATA CORRIGE has been published on the programme website and the amended Annex_2_b has been published. It replaces the previous file published on 01/09/2024.

An ERRATA CORRIGE has been published on the programme website with the amended Annex D - Verification of the financial capacity of private organizations (for-profit and non-profit) has been published. It replaces the previous file published on 01/09/2024.

The art. 6 of the Public Notice 01/2023 provides, among others, that each cooperation project must ensure an overall budget allocation referring to the "Travel and accommodation costs" referred to WP1 “management and coordination“ up to a maximum of 4% of the total budget foreseen in the same WP 1.

For all other travel and accommodation costs, not linked to management activities, and therefore charged to other project WPs, there is no limit.

It is understood that these expenses, as well as all expenses allocated to each cost category, will be assessed in terms of adequacy, correctness, proportion and coherence through the selection criteria of the Public Notice 01/2023 which are part of it.

According to the art. 7 of Public Notice 01/2023, the partnership is made up of at least one (1) partner from each Member State participating in the programme.

The Application form (Annex 2a and 2b) provides the possibility of entering descriptive information and financial data for up to a maximum of eight (8) partners.

It is understood that the number of beneficiaries that make up the partnership is strictly linked to the nature of the project. A good partnership shall gather competent institutional abilities on the subjects dealt within the project, in order to reach the set targets.

The coherence of the partners involved with respect to the objectives and results of the project, as well as the experiences and skills of each partner, will be assessed through the selection criteria of the Public Notice 01/2023 which are part of it.

The Public Notice does not provide for the eligibility of preparation costs. These costs are therefore borne by the beneficiaries. The eligibility of costs for projects eligible for funding starts from the date that will be communicated by the Lead Partner following the request by the MA.

An indicator is an element suitable for identifying and measuring a value or the variation of a value both in quantitative and qualitative terms.

The output indicator measures a tangible result, directly linked to the activity that has been carried out (e.g. no. of pilot actions, no. of solutions developed jointly, no. of companies receiving support, no. of initiatives training etc.).

The result indicator measures the concrete effects deriving from the implementation of the activity undertaken (e.g. number of solutions adopted, number of organizations adopting joint solutions, number of subjects trained, etc.).

Since the result measures the direct effects determined by the implementation of the projects, it is necessary that a base value (so-called baseline) and an target value are identified in order to highlight the situation at the beginning of the project (T0) and the result achieved at the end of the project (T1).

It is understood that the baseline value can be zero.

It is a quantity that is used as a reference for a measurement. The programme’s output and result indicators have pre-established units of measurement and expressly indicated in the programme. The use of the same unit of measurement envisaged by the Programme for output and result indicators allows the contribution of the project to be measured in a coherent and unequivocal manner.

Yes, it is possible. The eligibility requirement is that the project achieves at least one output indicator among those envisaged by the chosen specific objective.

The specific objectives of WP2 refer to the communications actions that the project proposal intends to envisage. Therefore, these objectives must be identified by the Project on the basis of the communication strategy envisaged by the Project in line with the core project actions that should be implemented.

The evaluation of the projects is based on the selection criteria which are part of the Public Notice. With specific reference to objectives and indicators, reference is made to the following selection criteria:

4.1.1- The project's general objective contributes to the specific objective of the Programme

4.1.2 - The work packages are consistent with the project's overall objective

4.1.3 - The project result indicators contribute to the result indicators of the specific objective (SO) of the Programme and report the same unit of measurement, where relevant

4.1.4 - The project output indicators contribute to programme output indicators and report the same unit of measurement, if relevant

The types of actions are listed for each specific objetive. Each project must be coherent and contribute to the type of action chosen.

The types of projects indicated in the public notice constitute EXAMPLES and list of possible types of projects is NON-EXHAUSTIVE. Therefore, it will be the responsibility of each partnership to develop the project with a specific set of activities as long as these are consistent with the types of actions of the chosen specific objective.

It amounts to 80% of resources, namely to the ERDF contribution. In the event that they are Itaian entities, in addition to the ERDF contribution of 80% will also be paid the percentage of 20% of the national contribution, without prejudice to the regulations on state aid.

ALL cost categories relating to the implementation of the operation (1. Staff costs; 2. office and administrative costs; 3. travel and accommodation costs; 4. External expertise and services costs; 5. Equipment costs; 6. Costs for infrastructure and works) are subjected to first level controls and if sampled to second level controls.

The programme does not include a cost category or an item named "investments". If reference is made to the cost category " Costs for infrastructure and works" or "equipment costs" it is confirmed that a defined percentage has not been foreseen.

Yes, if these costs refer to travel expenses (tickets, insurance, food, accommodation, visas). In the event that these services are provided by an economic operator selected for this purpose, such costs must be reported in the category cost "External expertise and services costs".

For Italian beneficiaries (public bodies, bodies governed by public law and private bodies) the national contribution, equal to 20%, is ensured by the national Fondo di Rotazione, without prejudice to the rules on state aid. It means that, this 20% national co-financing does not apply to Italian beneficiaries whose actions under the project have been assessed as having an impact on state aid.

For Maltese beneficiaries the Fondo di Rotazione is not applicable.

This verification is the responsibility of the Managing Authority and not the beneficiary.

Yes, it is mandatory. Each partner must be identified before submitting the project proposal and cannot be added during the implementation phase.

There is no limitation regarding the participation of a beneficiary in more than one project.

Yes, only if it is proven and justified that such participation is essential to achieve the project’s results. Therefore, if the indispensable role of the partner outside the eligible area in achieving the project’s results is not proven, the partner will not be able to take part in the project.

Aids are counted from the moment of granting and not from the moment of disbursement by the authority granting the aid.

The legal basis of the aid envisaged by the notice is art. 20 of Reg. 651/2014 and subsequent amendments and therefore the intensity threshold for all entities (public and private) is always 80%. There is therefore no threshold of aid granted to access this aid as in the case of de minimis aid. Finally, if there is aid, the beneficiary will have to provide his own contribution of 20% entirely.

Yes, Annex D must also be completed by private non-profit organisations. If there are no shareholdings, the table relating to the social composition of Annex D will not need to be completed.

The percentage for the participation of enterprises is always 80% regardless of the size of the entity.

The document(s) from which this registration is evident.

Yes, all potential beneficiaries are suggested to consider as project’s starting date January 2025.

Yes, the images/graphics can be attached as additional documents to the project proposal.

No. Any costs incurred for the preparation of the proposal remain the responsibility of the beneficiaries. The date of eligibility of the expenditure within the project starts from the moment in which it is communicated following the eligibility for financing of the project.

A public investment could be defined as the set of expenses for the purchase of equipment and/or infrastructures for the realization of an envisaged objective such as the strengthening of a laboratory, the prototyping of a product, an action to restore and safeguard an area, the realization of a digital infrastructure, etc.

Therefore, the enhanced laboratory, the prototype, the digital infrastructure, the restored site, etc. must be considered an "investment".

For the purposes of correct fulfillment of the AF, for each WP the investment must be accounted for, where relevant, in its entirety, taking care to consider the complex of equipment and/or infrastructures that are part of the investment itself.

The information relating to the investment made by each project’s beneficiary in each WP must be included in the "Investments (Equipment and/or Infrastructure)" section of each WP. This information must be repeated for each WP taking into account the investment costs foreseen by each project’s beneficiary.

Equipment costs are eligible on the basis of the incurred costs or on the basis of depreciation, depending on whether they are support or thematic equipment, as further explained:

- support equipment – used to contribute to the implementation of the actions envisaged by the project. The support equipment is for partial use of the project and must be claimed pro-rata according to the depreciation methods in compliance with the legislation in force in the countries participating in the program and conditions established by EU legislation.

However, it is possible to claim the entire purchase cost provided that:

• The percentage of use during the project’s implementation corresponds to 100%;
• The depreciation period is equal to or less than the remaining project lifetime.

In the event that the depreciation period is longer than the residual project lifetime, it will be possible to claim only the depreciation costs or part of them, provided that they are calculated according to national standards, based on the duration of the project and that the same good has not already been granted with other EU or national contribution.

- thematic equipment - all equipment focused on the main project’s objectives whose exclusive use is essential for achieving them (for example: specific software, technical tools, laboratory equipment, etc.). For this type of equipment, the entire cost is eligible provided that its property and use are maintained for at least five years from the date of final payment.

For thematic equipment, beneficiaries must indicate in the project proposal the need to purchase these durable goods and claim their cost at 100%, providing proof of their essentiality for achieving the project objective.

This proof must be argued within the "Investments (Equipment and/or Infrastructure)" section of each WP of the AF (see also answer n. 50).

Fellowship will be claimed in ”External expertise and service costs”.

Including spaces

The ETC Regulation does not define the details of  these co-operation modalities, so the following indications are given which could comply with each of them:

The art. 13 of Public Notice 01/2013 provides that all beneficiaries must also complete and attach the State Aid Declaration (Annex C). It means that all public bodies, all bodies governed by public law and all private bodies that constitute the project’s partnership must complete Annex C.

All public bodies, all bodies governed by public law and all private bodies forming the project’s partnership must complete Annex C in its entirety, including section 1. In case of a “YES” answer to one or more questions from 1 to 8 contained in Annex C, the beneficiary will ask that the requested contribution requested for the realization of the project be granted “under the exemption regulation pursuant Article 20 of Commission Regulation (EU) No.651/2014 of June 17, 2014 as amended by Regulation (EU) 2021/1237”.

In case of a “NO” or “NOT APPLICABLE” ansswer to all questions from 1 to 8 contained in Annex C, the beneficiary will ask that the requested contribution requested for the realization of the project be granted “without being subject to state aid regulations”.

All public bodies, all bodies governed by public law and all private bodies that constitute the partnership must also fill in the last two fields of the declaration contained in Annex C-Section 1 in a relevant manner.

For each project proposal, only private organizations will have to complete Annex D. The mathematical formula to be applied is: Net Worth (NW) / ERDF contribution required by the beneficiary (C).

In this regard, the ERDF contribution requested by the beneficiary is to be understood as the contribution requested as part of the project proposal.

The art. 7 of Public Notice 01/2023 provides that “Associated partners are eligible and must be included in the project proposal, without the obligation to fulfil any declaration or sign the partnership agreement”.

In this regard, it is recommended to adequately fill in the "B.1.1 - What is the rationale for the composition of the partnership and how do the partners complement each other?” of the application form (word section) giving evidence, if applicable, of the presente of associated partenr(s).

The associated partner remains entitled to provide any letter of motivation and/or interest in following the activities and results of the project. The latter must be uploaded in the "Any necessary clearances/permissions/authorizations” section of the platform for uploading project proposals.

There is no percentage of resource allocation per Member State. The project budget must be realistic, proportionate to the expected outputs and results, mirror the level of involvement of each partner, be distributed in a coherent manner by period, WP and cost category in line with the selection criteria which constitute an integral part of the Public Notice 01/2023. In this regard, see selection criteria 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.5.

Table A.5 of the application form and the output table present in the implementation WPs are linked to each other. Table A.5 provides an overview of all project outputs. The table included in the implementation WPs provides details only of the outputs carried out in a WP.

For what above, the fulfillment of the two tables must be coherent by entering the data as shown below.

• Tab A.5 - Output number: Insert the output code as reported in the implementation WP, namely “Project’s main output” coloumn (i.e O.T1.1, O.T1.2, O.T2.1, O.T3.1 etc).
• Tab A.5 - Output title: Insert a synthetic title for the output. Insert the title also in “Main output” of the implementation WP.
• A.5 - Output’s target value: Insert the target value expected by the project (i.e n. 1 action plan). Insert the same information in “Target Value” (i.e 1 action plan) and in “Unit of measurement” (n.) of the implementation WP.
• Implementation WPs – “Programme output indicator to which the project main output will contribute” coloumn: in correspondance to the only project output(s) that contribute to the programme’s output(s), indicate only the "Program output indicator"(s) chosen from among the mandatory ones present in table A.5. If the single project output does not correspond to the programme’s output namely if it deals with additional outputs, the “Programme output indicator to which the project main output will contribute” should not be filled in.

Additional co-financing allocated as internal staff is not included in the calculation of the 40% ceiling

It's correct. 15% of administrative expenses are calculated on staff costs which are reimbursed from programme funds.

Yes. Each project of the INTERREG VI-A Italia Malta programme is made up of Work Packages (WP) and Activities from which Outputs and deliverables derive

It is necessary to enter the net worth data that can be deduced from the latest approved financial statements.

The EU framework relating to State aid in Public Notice 01/2023 is the Regulation (EU) 2021/1237 of the Commission of 23 July 2021 amending Regulation (EU) no. 651/2014 which declares certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of articles 107 and 108 of the treaty. In particular, the art. 3 provides that the regulation does not apply to aid granted in the sector of primary production of agricultural products.

The net worth is calculated as the difference between assets and liabilities.

Pursuant to Article 67 paragraph 1 of Regulation 2021/1060 (General Regulations) contributions in kind in the form of provision of works, goods, services, land and real estate for which no payment supported by invoices, or documents of equivalent probative value, has been made, may be eligible where the following conditions are fulfilled:

a) the public support paid to the operation which includes contributions in kind does not exceed the total eligible expenditure, excluding contributions in kind, at the end of the operation;

b) the value attributed to contributions in kind does not exceed the costs generally accepted on the market in question;

c) the value and the delivery of the contribution in kind can be independently assessed and verified;

d) in the case of provision of land or real estate, a payment, for the purposes of a lease agreement of a nominal amount per annum not exceeding a single unit of the currency of the Member State, may be made;

e) in the case of contributions in kind in the form of unpaid work, the value of that work is determined by taking into account the verified time spent and the rate of remuneration for equivalent work.

Volunteer work is work performed on behalf of an entity but unpaid. Unpaid/volunteer work is an eligible expense. The value of that work is determined by taking into account the verified time spent and the rate of remuneration for equivalent work

Therefore, in the case of volunteer work in the form of unpaid work, it will be the responsibility of the beneficiary in claiming such  expenditures to demonstrate through an independent evaluation the value of such performance taking into account the verified time spent and the rate of remuneration for equivalent work.

It is clear that in order to obtain reimbursement of 80 %of the ERDF granted, it will be necessary to claim expenses for 100 % of the costs necessary for implementing the project including any volunteer work.