Call for Proposals: Provision of support to IDPs and Returnees in Return Process (Serbia)

Deadline: 27-Feb-24

The European Commission (EC) has launched a call for proposals to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and returnees in return process.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

• The global objective of this call for proposals is to increase human rights in line with the objectives related to the acquis Chapter 23.
• The specific objective of this call for proposals is to increase support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
• The priority of this call for proposals is provision of better support to IDPs and returnees in return process. Envisaged types of support (preparation activities in return process of IDPs – delivered trainings, economic grants and assistance kits with transportation) are to be provided to IDPs which will lead to better and increased social protection, enhanced provisions of temporary and durable solutions in housing and possibilities for employment. Expectancy is to achieve elimination of barriers for access to rights and enhance economic situation of IDPs as one of the most vulnerable population group in the region to accomplish likelihood for sustainable return.

Sectors or Themes

• Protection and promotion of rights of IDPs and returnees in return process.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1,500,000.
• Size of grants
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • minimum amount: EUR 200,000
    • maximum amount: EUR 400,000

Duration

• The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 24 months nor exceed 36 months.

Activities

• Information/outreach campaign implemented by providing reliable and updated information to IDP population in Serbia on the return possibilities and available support (establishing cooperation with IDPs’ Associations, organisation of round tables, public presentations, field visits etc.);
• Identification and needs assessment of IDPs opting for return;
• Provision of technical and administrative assistance to potential returnees;
• Strengthening economic sustainability of IDPs opting for return through the provision of vocational and educational trainings;
• Strengthening economic sustainability of IDPs opting for return through the provision of economic (income generation) grants accompanied by short term business training and mentoring;
• Provision of assistance kits;
• Transportation of personal belongings of IDPs to the place of return (transportation must be done by the company from Serbia, all payments must be conducted in Serbia and ToR for transportation Serbia based company must include all expenses derived from this activity such as forwarding, loading/unloading of truck, renting of forklift etc.).

Location

• Actions must take place only in the Republic of Serbia.

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • be a specific type of organisation such as: municipality of the Republic of Serbia, or city municipality of the Republic of Serbia, or town of the Republic of Serbia (excluding municipalities/city municipalities/towns in the territory of Kosovo, as in line with Annex 1 to IPA Regulation 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014); or non-governmental organisation and
    • be established in the Republic of Serbia, or in a Member State of the European Union or of the European Economic Area, or in another IPA III beneficiary country, or in any of the Neighbourhood partner countries and territories covered by NDICI-GE and
    • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • At least one co-applicant, as specified below, is mandatory for this Call for Proposals.
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
  • If the lead applicant is a municipality/city municipality/town of the Republic of Serbia (excluding municipalities/city municipalities/towns in the territory of Kosovo, as in line with Annex 1 to IPA Regulation 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014), it must act with a non-governmental organisation as co-applicant. Other co-applicants may participate.
  • If the lead applicant is a non-governmental organisation, it must act with a municipality/city municipality or town of the Republic of Serbia (excluding municipalities/city municipalities/towns in the territory of Kosovo*, as in line with Annex 1 to IPA Regulation 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014) as co-applicant. Other co-applicants may participate.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
  • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator).
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to coapplicant(s):
    • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link. This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
      • Control on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
      • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
        • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
      • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association,) as the proposed affiliated entities.

For more information, visit EC.