1. Overall aim of the programme

To promote sustainable growth in the Mediterranean area by fostering innovative concepts and practices (technologies, governance, innovative services…), reasonable use of resources (energy, water, maritime resources…) and supporting social integration through integrated and territorially based cooperation approach.

2. Proposed project strand for our partnership scheme

Priority Axis 1: INNOVATION:Promoting Mediterranean innovation capacities to develop smart and sustainable growth

Specific objective 1: To increase transnational activity of innovative clusters and networks of key sectors of the MED area.

3. Type of project: Module 2, “Testing“

This type of project has the objective to test instruments, policies, strategies, joint plans already identified by previous projects (not necessarily arisen by the MED experience) through pilot activities, in the perspective of setting up solutions applicable to a wider set of users and territories.

The main outputs to be developed by these projects can be: preliminary and feasibility studies (if needed: succinct and complementing existing data), pilot activities (including methodology for implementation, testing and evaluation phases), plans of transferability etc.

4. Partnership composition & rules

Eligible countries/regions:

• Cyprus: the entire country
• France: 4 regions – Corse, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur, Rhône-Alpes
• Greece : the entire country
• Italy : 18 regions : Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Umbria, Piedmonte, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Veneto.
• Malta: the entire country
• Portugal : 2 regions – Algarve, Alentejo
• Slovenia: the entire country
• Spain: 6 autonomous regions – Andalusia, Aragon, Catalonia, Balearic islands, Murcia, Valencia – and the two autonomous cities – Ceuta and Melill
• United-Kingdom : 1 region of economic programming – Gibraltar
• Croatia (since the 1st of July 2013): the entire country
• Croatia (since the 1st of July 2013): the entire country

Organisations located in regions outside the Interreg MED Programme area, but inside the European Union, can become project partners  only in exceptional and duly justified cases.

Organisations from Candidate and Potential Candidate Countries participating to the Interreg MED Programme are eligible as project partners co-financed by the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA fund). Countries concerned by the IPA fund within the Interreg MED Programme are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania.

Types of eligible partners:

Up to ten (10) operational and institutional partners, i.e.

• National, regional and local public bodies (including EGTCs in the meaning of Article 2(16) of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013);
• Private institutions, including private companies, having legal personality;
• International organisations acting under the national law of any EU MED Member State or, with restrictions, under international law (see below for details).

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1. Project theme & objectives

The project will focus on bringing forth the common cultural heritage of the wider Mediterranean basin, focusing on traditional arts and crafts promotion and taking into consideration the potential that cultural traditional products have for local development. In a fast paced era when handcrafted artifacts indicative of local and regional cultures have been replaced with cheap mass produced products aimed mainly for tourist consumption, the project will showcase the importance of uniquely crafted traditional items and the individuals who still engage in their production and how these can invigorate regions currently facing issues such as under-development and unemployment, by providing viable solutions and outlets for the generating of income and the enhancing of employment.

More specifically, the main objectives of the project will be the following:

• Reviewing the already available results and impact of European policies and already implemented projects focusing on cultural heritage, arts and crafts and their capitalization into viable economic activity.
• Testing and adapting methodologies, tools, plans and extensive training packages aimed at strengthening the skills of the final project beneficiaries, including marketing and management basics, in order to transform their competencies into sustainable enterprises in the cultural heritage sector. Upon completing the pilot phase, transferring the final results to the project’s actual beneficiaries (artisans, stakeholders, SMEs etc)
• Extensive networking and transfer of know how activities.
• Emphasis on methodologies for the delivery of quality controls and examination of the concept of innovation and how this can be incorporated in the operation of enterprises covered by the project or the product creation itself.
• Examination and pilot application of existing methodologies for the certification of cultural heritage products and artisans and extensive promotion of the concept.

2. Initially foreseen project Work Packages

WP 1	Preparation phase (prior to project onset).
WP 2	Project management All activities and common methodologies pertaining to successful project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, communication and decision making procedures within the partnership and undertaking of corrective measures.
WP 3	Project communication All conventional means of project visibility, promotion and dissemination through printed, electronic and social media.
WP 4	Testing (pilot actions) Undertaking of preliminary and feasibility study on already existing European instruments, policies, strategies and plans focusing on cultural heritage, arts and crafts, women’s arts and crafts cooperative schemes etc. and how these have affected local development and the potential of final beneficiaries to engage in a sustainable long term profit making activity.
WP 5	Transferring The final project work package will be dedicated to activities aimed at transferring the outcomes and deliverables of the previous project pilot phase (“testing”).

3. Partners Profile

Profile of organizations sought after within the framework of the Call:

• Academic institutions working in disciplines presented below (cultural heritage, arts and crafts, entrepreneurship, women’s entrepreneurship etc)
• Research centers engaging in cultural heritage and arts and crafts
• Chambers of commerce
• Associations of traditional arts and crafts organizations
• NGOs with a large experience on issues related to the promotion of cultural heritage, arts and crafts, women’s entrepreneurship etc.

4. Tasks for the project partners:

In line with their profile and operational capacity, project partners will be allocated tasks from WPs 3, 4 and 5. They will be expected to participate actively in all stages of project implementation and their role will be a subject to be further considered following also their own suggestions.

5. Deadline for the expression of interest:

We are interested in developing mutual, long-lasting relationships with organisations. Therefore, Priority will be given to organizations that are interested in the development of a mutually beneficial scenario of cooperation.

Please let us know of your interest to participate in the project by October 15, 2015 AT THE LATEST.