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Cross-border
economic
development 33
Practical guide : promoting projects
Improving methods for directing
project developers to appropriate
financing tools
The relevant financing tool for each project may be identified by using practical guides,
web portals, help platforms, etc.
Practical guides set out
the specific features of the
different European programmes
(INTERREG, Horizon 2020,
Cosme, Life) and aid available
nationally and at the subnational
levels.
E x a m p l e :
In June 2014, the French-German-
Swiss Upper Rhine Conference
published the “Guide des
sources de financement des
projets transfrontaliers dans
le Rhin supérieur”. This guide
catalogues funds available for
projects in this territory. Objectives,
eligible structures, conditions,
available credit and contact persons
are detailed for each source of
financing.
Web portals direct potential
developers to the best sources
of financing.
E x a m p l e :
The French web portal of the
EU Framework Programme
for Research and Innovation
contains information on the specific
features of the Horizon 2020,
Cosme, Eurostars and EUREKA
programmes, etc.
r
The “Your Europe Business”
portal has a search engine for
locating funding available in the
member states and their regions.
business/funding-grants/access-to-
finance/index_en.htm
Les plateformes d’assistance
offrent des conseils ciblés aux
porteurs de projets dans leurs
recherches de financements.
E x a m p l e :
PASTEL, the European Platform
of Technical Assistance in
Lorraine, is a network made up
of the main public institutions in
Lorraine. PASTEL informed project
developers of the opportunities
offered by the European
programmes for the 2007-2013
period and was able to closely
support developers (project set-up,
search for partners, administrative
and financial monitoring, evaluation,
audit-internal control, etc.).
fr/pid/1705?view_id=8759
Providing information about the rules
on state aid for the 2014-2020 period
In line with the principle of free
competition within the internal
European market, state aid
granted to businesses may
be deemed to be favouring
certain businesses over their
competitors. As state aid
may distort competition, it is
therefore not permitted in the
European Union (Articles 107
and following of the Treaty on
the Functioning of the European
Union).
However, exceptions authorise
aid to promote common
European interest where such
aid does not distort competition
to an extent contrary to the
general interest. Such aid
allowed by exception must
in general be notified to the
European Commission and
may only be granted following
approval by the Commission.
The Commission has however
adopted regulations that,
from 2001, have authorised
Member States to grant certain
categories of aid without
prior notification when this
aid complies with predefined
criteria. Member States must
notify the Commission of
the introduction of an aid
scheme that is exempt from
the notification requirement,
but they are not subsequently
required to notify the
Commission of the individual aid
granted under this scheme.
There are nine types of aid
schemes that are exempted:
• regional aid;
• SME investment and
employment aid;
• aid for female
entrepreneurship;
• aid for environmental
protection;
• aid for consultancy for SMEs
and SME participation in trade
fairs;
• aid in the form of risk capital;
• aid for research, development
and innovation;
• training aid;
• aid for disadvantaged and
disabled workers.