Open Call 1 for
Associate Regions

Open Call 1 for associate regions: Boosting the deployment of plastic litter collection and valorization schemes in the Mediterranean

Are you a visionary public institution ready to lead the charge in tackling plastic pollution? Apply for up to 100,000 euro in REMEDIES grant!

Applications are now closed!

Check here the winners!

Find out more about the REMEDIES Open Call 1 for associate regions rules and requirements and to get familiar with the application process, by watching the two Info Webinars available on REMEDIES YouTube channel.

Following Q&A Sessions during the webinar, the FAQ find below are updated based on the questions received.

Watch the REMEDIES Info Webinars on YouTube

REMEDIES is an Horizon Europe innovation Program creating innovative solutions and technologies to monitor, collect, prevent and valorise (micro)plastic from our oceans. Our approach is rooted in science, circularity, and community engagement aiming to protect water ecosystems, reduce pollution and develop a climate-neutral blue economy.

In the next 4 years, 23 Partners from 12 countries will showcase 12 breakthrough innovations from validation and demonstration, to system prototyping in operational environments. The innovative solutions will be tested in 9 demonstration sites in 8 Mediterranean countries. 33 new sites will follow in order to scale them across the whole Mediterranean.

In line with this mission, REMEDIES is launching two open calls for associate regions to provide financial support and innovation services to stakeholders working towards plastic remediation and protection in the Mediterranean.

We invite projects that aim to accelerate the deployment of plastic litter collection schemes and explore innovative ways to transform plastic waste into valuable products or resources.

REMEDIES offers a grant of up to €100.000 for public bodies from eligible regions. The awarded applicants will receive technical assistance, including advisory services, to implement aquatic ecosystem restoration solutions and contribute to the objectives of the REMEDIES project.

To be considered for the REMEDIES Open Call 1 for associate regions evaluation process, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Alignment: The project/application must align with the objectives of the REMEDIES project and the Open Call 1 for associate regions.
Sector: Only public organizations, specifically local and/or regional authorities, are eligible to apply.
Location: Applicants must be from Member States and/or Participating Countries in the Mediterranean region, excluding countries where the REMEDIES partners are located, namely: Slovenia, Greece, Germany, Croatia, Spain, Belgium, France, Albania, Serbia, Ireland, Morocco, and Italy.
Language: All application documents must be filled and submitted in English.
Compliance: The project must comply with EU sanctions and measures.
Budget: The proposed activities should adhere to the defined maximum budget.

For complete information on this point and other important information on the Open Call for associate regions please consult the Guide for applicants.

Benefits of being selected and participating in the REMEDIES OC1

1) Financial support up to 100,000 euro per applicant
2) Access to tools and resources
3) Tutorials, mentors and webinars
4) Mentorship, experts and key ecosystem stakeholders
5) Access to use-cases to pilot their solutions
6) Enter a wide European network of 12 countries and 23 partners
7) Visibility and credibility by association to an Horizon Europe project – as a winner of an Open Call for associate regions

Applications opening: September 15, 2023 (12:00 PM CET)

Applications deadline: November 15, 2023 (17:00 PM CET)

The Open Call 1 for associate regions is open for submission from September 15, 2023 (12:00 PM CET). All applications must be submitted through the F6S platform link, as the single-entry point for applications.

Access the application here

Successful applicants selected in the Open Call 1 for associate regions will receive various types of support, including:

Implementation Support:

Access to tools, and resources.
Tutorials, mentors, and webinars.
Networking and connections with key ecosystem stakeholders.
Access to use-cases for piloting their solutions.

Financial Support:

The Open Call 1 for associate regions offers a maximum funding of up to €100,000 per applicant. The financial support will be provided in two stages, in the beginning of the project and at the end of the implementation, within the six months duration.

The REMEDIES project’s Open Call 1 for associate regions presents a valuable opportunity for stakeholders in the Mediterranean region to receive financial support and innovation services for projects focused on plastic remediation and protection, with specific focus on Open Call 1 for associate regions in collection and valorisation actions in the Mediterranean. By actively participating in this Open Call for associate regions, applicants can contribute to building a more plastic-conscious society and creating a sustainable future for our oceans. For specific questions please contact REMEDIES Open Call 1 for associate regions management team opencall@remedies-for-ocean.eu or just consult the Guide for Applicants for the overall rules of the call.

The grant each associated region can apply for is up to €100.000.

For a better understanding of the goal of this call, we provide a list of type of activities that can receive financial support, divided in to 3 types:

Collection / Monitoring

collection sea beaches/stranded riverbank litter
plastic litter collection campaign for plastics litter free ocean/sea
waste separation (bins at beach or riverbanks) for recycling and/or reusing
collection of fishing nets
mapping the of the current solutions applied and its stakeholders in the fields of sustainable plastic waste management
ecosystem monitoring

Education / Awareness raising / Training

create program for green flag for plastic free beach (based on the example of the blue flag for clean water)
pop-up events introducing zero plastic alternatives having students/young people or/and general public as the target audience
trainings and capacity building workshops actions on zero waste and plastic reuse/valorisation/ collection importance / ethics
organization of seminars and workshop on how to reuse plastic and other waste

Valorisation

promote projects that reuse waste, as science and art projects for example
promote new synergies between stakeholders that already promote programs on pollution prevention and plastic valorization and collection for a wider/more effective and new type of joint intervention
creation and implementation of prevention actions, as plastic alternatives and swap in regular usages
water quality & water reuse, based on microplastic detection, monitoring and removal
ecosystem restoration & Nature base solutions restoration measures

Opening date: Friday, September 15, 2023

Deadline model: Single-stage

Deadline: Wednesday, November 15, 2023

4 steps for OC1 application

1) Read and check if you comply with all rules and eligibility points on the Guide for Applicants
2) Build an F6S profile: www.f6s.com
3) Upload the Technical document
4) Fill in you application and upload the complete Technical document in the F6S platform (https://www.f6s.com/open-call-1-remedies/apply)

How much time the support program last?

The OC1 Collection and Valorization call has a duration of 6 months, therefore the plan/roadmap to be presneted in the application should have this timeline in to account, as well as the finantial plan (up to €100k per applicant).

Is my country eligible to participate in the call?

Local and/or regional authorities from Member States and associated countries to the Horizon Europe Programme are eligible. If in doubt, please get in touch with your local contact point.

Please note: Countries that are part of the REMEDIES consortium can not participate: Albania, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Croatia.

When describing the budget, which cost categories should be used?

The EU Horizon Europe Rules apply. For more information, please check the information given here: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/agr-contr/general-mga_horizon-euratom_en.pdf

Should the budget include indirect costs?

How will payments be received, should the application be successful?

The payments will be received through the lead partner of the project (NIC: KEMIJSKI INSTITUT).

Are NGOs eligible to apply?

NO, NGOs do not count as ‘local/regional authorities’

Can an application include more than one beneficiary?

No, jus one entity, a ‘local/regional authorities’, no Consortium is eligible for OC1.

Can Higher Education and Research institutions apply, or just authorities?

If they are public entities, they would be considered eligible.

We are not a public entity, but can we partner with a public entity to apply?

Unfortunately, we do not accept consortium applications. We only accept individual applications, from public entities and local and regional authorities

Do the 6 months intended for implementation include all activities, including procurement, processes, implementation and results?

Yes. Implementation starts on 11th January 2024, when the Kick off meeting will take place..

Travel costs for dissemination events: Do we know where the dissemination events will be organized? What is expected from the applicants?

Applicants from OC1 for associate regions are not expected to travel. We will organize events online (kick-off and closing meetings, meetings with mentors, webinars, etc), as this also allows us to reach a wider audience. If applicants feel that a certain trip will be important for the success and impact of their project, they can declare the costs in their budget estimate at the time of the submission. The estimates need to be reasonable and will be subject to evaluation during the selection process.

Can we subcontract some tasks?

Yes, as long as the sub-contract covers only part of the implementation and is justified due to lack of internal resources, equipment and skills to perform the same tasks in-house.

Do we need to submit support letters from stakeholders?

No, support letters are not needed. The applicant should only present convincingly how and to what extent they will engage and ensure the commitment of the community and stakeholders.

Can we promote a business model to valorize waste?

Applicants can develop a business model but should explain how it fits into their organization’s activities and vision, and how it could achieve sustainable impact. However, the development and promotion of a business model should not be the main focus of the proposed project.

In Section 4. ALIGNMENT AND PROJECT PLANNING, does the limit of 2 pages include also Sec 4.1?

Yes, the applicants should try to keep their reply to 2 pages, as much as possible, being clear and focused in their description. Being clear and concise will be perceived as an advantage as it shows good knowledge of the proposal and a clear vision.

The section should explain how your proposed list of activities is aligned with the mission of REMEDIES and the purpose of the Open Call for associate regions, and in what way the project planning translates into this alignment.

The profit can be retained to make the model sustainable long-term?

If it is well explained and justified, it is possible. Any plans to that effect will be evaluated in terms of sustainability and impact.

Is it true that applicants from the countries of the REMEDIES project partners are not eligible?

Yes, 12 countries that are from the REMEDIES partners are not considered eligible for REMEDIES OC’s. Please consult the list of non eligible & eligible countries in the Guide for Applicants:

https://remedies-for-ocean.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/REMEDIES-OC1_Guide-for-Applicants.pdf

Additionaly you can consult the list provided by the European Comission regarding associated countries that are eligible, to have the overall idea about who is eligible:

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf

However take into consideration that the rules from REMEDIES of non eligible countries (the 12 from the partners) are not overturned by this list, as REMEDIES is a specific case.

Can REMEDIES partners apply to the OC1?

No, partners that are part of the project are not eligible for REMEDIES OC’s

The REMEDIES OC1 for associate regions will have the following indicative timeline:

15 September (12.00 CET)

Launch of the open call l for associate regions

3 October

OC1 for associate regions first public webinar

31 October

OC1 for associate regions second public webinar

15 November (17.00 pm CET)

Open call 1 for associate regions deadline

16 – 28 November

Eligibility check and remote evaluation of submitted applications

Mid- December

Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) distributed + KOM of successful applicant/s

Privacy

In order to process and evaluate applications, REMEDIES will need to collect Personal and Industrial Data through F6S platform. F6S Network Ireland Limited, as the Open Call for Associate Regions Manager of the project, will act as Data Controller for data submitted through the F6S platform for these purposes.

The F6S platform’s system design and operational procedures ensure that data is managed in compliance with The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

Each applicant will accept the F6S terms to ensure compliance. Please note that REMEDIES requests the minimum information needed to deliver the evaluation procedures or the support programme, and will retain all information for 5 years after the project (REMEDIES) ends, as referred in section 4.2 “Responsibility of beneficiaries” in the Guide for Applicants.

Open Call 1 for associate regions: Boosting the deployment of plastic litter collection and valorization schemes in the Mediterranean

Open Call 1 for associate regions - Collection and Valorization

Eligibility Criteria

Benefits

Application and Deadline

Subgrant

Join our Mission

Financed activities

Application process

FAQ's

Timeline

Access the application here

The REMEDIES OC1 for associate regions will have the following indicative timeline:

15 September (12.00 CET)

3 October

31 October

15 November (17.00 pm CET)

16 – 28 November

Mid- December

Privacy

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