Exchanges and mobility in sport (2020) - EAC/S07/2020

Date de clôture : 11 juin 2020  
APPEL À PROJET CLÔTURÉ

1. INTRODUCTION – BACKGROUND

This call for proposals serves to implement the Preparatory action "Exchanges and mobility in sport" in accordance with the Commission Decision C(2020)1194 of 4 March 2020 on the adoption of the 2020 annual work programme for the implementation of pilot projects and preparatory actions in the area of education, sport and culture.

Sport generates a strong sense of belonging to society among its most vulnerable members while encouraging active citizenship. It can be used to help integrating the rising migrant population, to combat social exclusion, to increase solidarity between generations and to contribute to a better gender equality in society. In other words, sport has a significant impact in contributing to social cohesion and in building inclusive communities.

At international level, sport is also a powerful tool for bringing people together and developing people-to-people contacts. Cooperation, partnerships and exchanges at grassroots level inside the EU as well as beyond can contribute to the development of new skills; it can also positively influence societal changes. Moreover, sport organisations at all levels are by nature open to international cooperation.

This preparatory action aims to contribute to the development of sport organisations by supporting the learning mobility of their staff. Exchanges of people, ideas and good practices can be beneficial for individuals, for their organisations and for sport as a whole.

In the context of this call for proposals, learning mobility should be understood as occurring when individuals move to a country other than their country of residence in order to undertake training or other learning modalities, including traineeships, non- formal learning, teaching, and participating in transnational professional development activities. The objective of such experiences is to allow individuals to acquire new skills that will strengthen their future employability as well as their personal development.

Sport staff members such as coaches, managers or instructors play a key role in sport: by leading and guiding participants, they have an impact on their knowledge, skills, health, well-being and values. They are in a unique position to advance social inclusion, protect integrity, transmit respect for common values, and promote physical activity in all social groups.

Version: October 2018

2. OBJECTIVE(S) – THEME(S) – PRIORITIES

2.1. General objective

The general objective of this action is to give the opportunity to staff of sport organisations (athletes entourage) to improve their competences as well as qualifications and acquire new skills through learning mobility by spending a period of time in a foreign country (in and outside of the EU).

Learning mobility should be seen as an investment in human capital and a contribution to the capacity building of various sport organisations.

Opportunities for learning mobility in this context should be addressed to:

•   Coaches and other 'staff’ of sport organisations (including volunteers) – linked to professional sport;

•   Coaches and other 'staff’ of sport organisations (including volunteers) – linked to grassroots sport.

  The action seeks to have an impact in two major fields:

•   Improving the knowledge and know-how of sport staff;

•   Developing international cooperation in the field of learning mobility in sport. The expected outcomes are twofold:

  • Regular exchange schemes for sport staff;
  • Establishment of European networks of coaches and sport staff.

Specific objective

The specific objective of this action is to support learning mobility and exchanges while promoting the international dimension of sport.

The international dimension of sport should be developed in the form of cooperation between at least 3 organisations established in 3 different EU Member States (the applicant organisation and, in addition, 2 other organisations established in different EU Member States) and at least one organisation established in one of the following regions: Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership, Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

The applicant organisation has to be based in one of the EU Member States.

The action will consequently be implemented through five different lots:

Lot 1: Cooperation with Western Balkans
Lot 2: Cooperation with Eastern Partnership
Lot 3: Cooperation with Asia
Lot 4: Cooperation with Latin America
Lot 5: Cooperation with Africa

3. TIMETABLE

(a) Publication of the call

30 April 2020

(b) Deadline for submitting applications

11/06/2020, 12:00, (noon), Brussels time

(c) Evaluation period

June-September 2020

(d) Information to applicants

October 2020

(e) Signature of grant agreements

November 2020

4. BUDGET AVAILABLE

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at 1.400.000 EUR.

The EU grant is limited to a maximum co-financing rate of 80% of eligible costs.

It is envisaged that approximately 7 projects will be financed (in principle and depending on the quality, at least one per lot).

The maximum amount per individual grant will be 200.000 EUR.

The Commission reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

5. ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

In order to be admissible, applications must be:

•   sent no later than the deadline for submitting applications referred to in section 3;

•   drafted in one of the EU official languages
  Failure to comply with those requirements will lead to rejection of the application.

•  submitted in writing (see section 14), using the electronic submission system available at https://ec.europa.eu/sport/calls_en ; and

6. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

6.1. Eligible applicants

Only applications from legal entities established in EU Member States are eligible.

For all lots, in order to be eligible, projects must be presented by applicants meeting the following criteria:

•   Be a public or private organisation with legal personality, active in the sport and physical activity field and organising sport and physical activities.

•   Have their registered legal office in one of the EU Member States.

For all lots, applicant organisations need to prove established cooperation/contacts with entities established in at least two other EU Member States and in at least one country or region of the relevant lots. The organisations in question should be specified in the application form.

Proposals may be submitted by any of the following applicants (the list is not exhaustive and is given for example only):

•   Non-profit organisation (private or public);

•   Public authorities (national, regional, local);

•   International organisations;

•   Sport clubs;

•   Universities;

•   Educational institutions;

•   Companies.

Natural persons are not eligible to apply for a grant under this call.

Please be aware that following the entry into force of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement2 on 1 February 2020 and in particular Articles 127(6), 137 and 138, the references to natural or legal persons residing or established in a Member State of the European Union are to be understood as including natural or legal persons residing or established in the United Kingdom. UK residents and entities are therefore eligible to participate under this call.

Supporting documents

In order to assess the applicants' eligibility, the following supporting documents are requested:

• private entity: extract from the official journal, copy of articles of association, extract of trade or association register, certificate of liability to VAT (if, as in certain countries, the trade register number and VAT number are identical, only one of these documents is required);
• public entity: copy of the resolution, decision or other official document establishing the public-law entity ;

Eligible activities

Only activities pursuing one or several objectives mentioned in section 2 are eligible.

Specifically, applicants are expected to propose actions that promote the mobility of coaches and other staff of sport organisations (including volunteers), including through the following activity examples (non-exhaustive list):

•   Exchanges of coaches

•   Placements

•   Periods of trainings/study

•   Job-shadowing

Only activities involving participants from at least 3 organisations established in 3 different EU Member States (the applicant organisation and, in addition, 2 other organisations established in different EU Member States) and at least one organisation established in the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership, Latin America, Asia or Africa are eligible.

Potential applicants should note that the proposed exchanges and mobility activities should not involve athletes as participants.

Implementation period

•   Activities may not start before 01-01-2021

•   Activities are to be completed by 31-12-2022.

The minimum duration of projects is 6 months. The maximum duration of projects is 24 months.

Applications for projects scheduled to run for a shorter or longer period than that specified in this call for proposals will not be accepted.

7. EXCLUSION CRITERIA

7.1. Exclusion

The authorising officer shall exclude an applicant from participating in call for proposals procedures where:

(a) the applicant is bankrupt, subject to insolvency or winding-up procedures, its assets are being administered by a liquidator or by a court, it is in an arrangement with creditors, its business activities are suspended, or it is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for under EU or national laws or regulations;

2. (b)  it has been established by a final judgment or a final administrative decision that the applicant is in breach of its obligations relating to the payment of taxes or social security contributions in accordance with the applicable law;

3. (c)  it has been established by a final judgment or a final administrative decision that the applicant is guilty of grave professional misconduct by having violated applicable laws or regulations or ethical standards of the profession to which the applicant belongs, or by having engaged in any wrongful intent or gross negligence, including, in particular, any of the following:

   1. (i)  fraudulently or negligently misrepresenting information required for the verification of the absence of grounds for exclusion or the fulfilment of eligibility or selection criteria or in the performance of a contract, a grant agreement or a grant decision;

   2. (ii)  entering into agreement with other applicants with the aim of distorting competition;

   3. (iii)  violating intellectual property rights;

   4. (iv)  attempting to influence the decision-making process of the Commission during the award procedure;

   5. (v)  attempting to obtain confidential information that may confer upon it undue advantages in the award procedure;

4. (d)  it has been established by a final judgment that the applicant is guilty of any of the following:

   1. (i)  fraud, within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Article 1 of the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 July 1995;

   2. (ii)  corruption, as defined in Article 4(2) of Directive (EU) 2017/1371 or Article 3 of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of Member States of the European Union, drawn up by the Council Act of 26 May 1997, or conduct referred to in Article 2(1) of Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA, or corruption as defined in the applicable law;

   3. (iii)  conduct related to a criminal organisation, as referred to in Article 2 of Council Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA;

   4. (iv)  money laundering or terrorist financing within the meaning of Article 1(3), (4) and (5) of Directive (EU) 2015/849 of the European Parliament and of the Council;

   5. (v)  terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities, as defined in Articles 1 and 3 of Council Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA, respectively, or inciting, aiding, abetting or attempting to commit such offences, as referred to in Article 4 of that Decision;

   6. (vi)  child labour or other offences concerning trafficking in human beings as referred to in Article 2 of Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council;

5. (e)  the applicant has shown significant deficiencies in complying with main obligations in the performance of a contract, a grant agreement or a grant decision financed by the Union's budget, which has led to its early termination or to the application of liquidated damages or other contractual penalties, or which has been discovered following checks, audits or investigations by an authorising officer, OLAF or the Court of Auditors;

6. (f)  it has been established by a final judgment or final administrative decision that the applicant has committed an irregularity within the meaning of Article 1(2) of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95;

7. (g)  It has been established by a final judgement or final administrative decision that the applicant has created an entity in a different jurisdiction with the intent to circumvent fiscal, social or any other legal obligations of mandatory application in the jurisdiction of its registered office, central administration or principal place of business;

8. (h)  it has been established by a final judgement or final administrative decision that an entity has been created with the intent referred to in point (g);

9. (i)  for the situations referred to in points (c) to (h) above, the applicant is subject to:

   1. (i)  facts established in the context of audits or investigations carried out by European Public Prosecutor's Office after its establishment, the Court of Auditors, the European Anti-Fraud Office or the internal auditor, or any other check, audit or control performed under the responsibility of an authorising officer of an EU institution, of a European office or of an EU agency or body;

   2. (ii)  non-final judgments or non-final administrative decisions which may include disciplinary measures taken by the competent supervisory body responsible for the verification of the application of standards of professional ethics;

   3. (iii)  facts referred to in decisions of persons or entities being entrusted with EU budget implementation tasks;

   4. (iv)  information transmitted by Member States implementing Union funds;

   5. (v)  decisions of the Commission relating to the infringement of Union competition law or of a national competent authority relating to the infringement of Union or national competition law; or

   6. (vi)  decisions of exclusion by an authorising officer of an EU institution, of a European office or of an EU agency or body.

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