This week, on Friday the 16^th of October, Consulta Europa is organizing an online event in the form of an interactive webinar about the Erasmus+ programme.

The purpose of this webinar is to raise the visibility of the Erasmus+ programme to beneficiaries, policy makers and supporting partners. By promoting youth exchange, internships and other mobility projects in Europe’s outermost and remote areas, we aim at facilitating the creation of social networks and consequently boosting social and economic innovation in those regions. With various presentations from organizations, students and other participants we are going to demonstrate that supporting mobility can make a difference.

Due to the current circumstances we would also like to focus on the impact of Covid-19 on the Erasmus+ programme, in order to identify if and how the current crisis has affected cross-European mobility in different ways, but also which potential opportunities we can gain from this changed point of view. For this reason, you will not only be able to hear about the general aspects and possibilities of the programme itself, but you will also have the opportunity to listen to real stories from students talking about their experiences during this difficult time.

If you are a student, academic researcher, part of an NGO or any other type of organization, the information provided within this webinar might show you unforeseen opportunities of exchange programmes and trans-European mobilities. Sign up via the link below and fill out the registration form to ensure yourself a spot among the multicultural variety of participants. Don’t miss their stories of experiences with the Erasmus+ programme and seize this unique opportunity to ask them questions and build cross-European connections for your future.

Register to the webinar here!

Today, September 10^th, it has been launched the 2020 call for proposals under the LIFE4best ‘Small Grants’ Initiative.

LIFE4BEST provides grant funding for small-scale field actions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in the Outermost Regions of the European Union (ORs). LIFE4BEST is a grant scheme designed to provide effective support for actions on the ground at the local, as well the regional level. It is funded by the EU LIFE Programme, the French Biodiversity Agency and the French Development Agency.

Consulta Europa as Regional Focal Point of Macaronesia, together with the coordinating body of the Programme, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will hold an informative session aiming at presenting the Programme and the call for proposals, as well as to solve doubts and questions about the submission process. The event will take place on Monday 14 September at 11.00 (CEST) for applicants from Madeira and Azores and at 12.00 (Canary islands’ time) for applicants from the Canary islands.

If you are interested in participating, you are invited to complete the registration form here for proposals from Madeira and Azores, and here for proposals from the Canary islands.

For further information on the LIFE4BEST initiative and the procedure for submitting your proposal, please visit www.life4best.org or send your questions to life4best@consulta-europa.com

On 10 September 2020, the new call of the LIFE4BEST Grant Programme will be launched. LIFE4BEST is the continuation of the EU BEST initiative, which aims to support action in favour of biodiversity and the sustainable use of ecosystem services in EU outermost regions (ORs). The new call will be opened to provide grants for small-scale field actions, both at local and regional level, for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development in the ORs, including ecosystem-based approach to climate change adaption and mitigation. The call supports also circular economy solutions preserving ecosystems and reducing pressure on biodiversity that are now eligible too. The Programme is funded by the European Commission, the DG ENV/LIFE programme, with the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) and the French Development Agency (AFD) and is a direct follow-up of the BEST RUP Programme.

Consulta Europa Projects and Innovation acts as focal point for the Macaronesia region (Madeira, Azores and Canary Islands), providing support to applicants both in the process of preparing project proposals and in the implementation of approved projects.

Approved projects will receive a grant of up to EUR 40,000 for 12 months duration. As a novelty, this call has been adapted to cope with the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak: intermediary financial support has been foreseen to pre-selected applicants with a project preparation grant (PPG).
Simplified proposals will be submitted online. The guidelines and the templates of the application forms will be available on the LIFE4BEST portal on the day of the launch of the call.

In addition, information sessions will be organised in proximity of the launch date. Stay tuned and visit the LIFE4BEST Programme website www.life4best.org or send your request to life4best@consulta-europa.com.

The European Commission and EU member states have launched a call for participation in a pan-European Hackathon to connect innovators, partners and buyers across Europe to develop innovative solutions to coronavirus.  The Hackathon will take place on 24, 25 and 26 April and is structured around categories of problems that need short-term solutions in relation to coronavirus health and life, business continuity, remote working and education, social & political cohesion, digital finance and an open category for other challenges. Feel empowered to get creative!

European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel said:

‘This pan-European hackathon is an example of how Europe can come together in times of crisis.  It’s inspiring to witness this show of solidarity by our community of innovators. Our most talented minds will do their best to find solutions to coronavirus and support our citizens. This is European innovation in action‘.

All 27 EU Member States are taking part as well as Norway, Israel, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The winning solutions will be invited to join a European Innovation Council Platform that will facilitate connections with end users (e.g. hospitals) and provide access to investors, foundations and other funding opportunities from across the European Commission.

Can you hack it? Register now on the EUvsVirus Hackathon website  to be part of the solution!

We are searching for a Communication Content Producer that will be responsible for creating communication and dissemination material (videos, infographics, brochures, etc.) for the projects we manage and for our organization. She/he will work in close cooperation with the rest of the team.

Main tasks include:

 -Design corporate resources and ensure the correct application of the brand in all channels, both digital and printed.

 -Animation and/or whiteboard video production.

-Produce creative content for communication and dissemination (infographics, brochures, newsletters).

-Maintain lively the organizational social networks.

Required profile:

-Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or Communication Sciences. Master’s degree will be an asset.

-Excellent English writing skills.

-Minimum 2 years experience in a similar position.

-Proven experience in animation and/or whiteboard video production.

-Wordpress and Adobe Creative Suite CC manage skills will be an asset.

-Good skills in using social networks, from a tactical as well as a strategic point of view.

-Creative, open and flexible personality and excellent communication and networking skills.

Type of contract: full-time temporary contract.

Interested candidates can send their CVs at info@consulta-europa.com indicating “Communication Content Producer” in the subject of the e-mail.

Regarding the new CAMPUS RUP project, which we talked about in our last publication, we want to share with you this video prepared by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria that explains in detail the activities that are intended to be developed within it and the objectives that are the consorcium hope to reach.

The seven universities in the outermost regions join forces to respond to the challenges of the European university system of the future through the creation of this project, in whose preparation, Consulta Europe participates actively. For now, we only have the video in Spanish without subtitles.

Next week the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) will receive the universities of the other eight outermost regions to jointly design the Alliance of ORs Universities and prepare the CAMPUS RUP project, which will be presented at the call of European Universities of the Erasmus + program.

Consulta Europa participates actively in the development of the proposal and acts as a bridge between this initiative and the H2020 Forward project.

As announced a few days ago, last Monday November 18th took place the launch of one of the calls for the LIFE4BEST grants program: the Swift Small Grants.

Consulta Europa, together with the coordinating body of the Programme, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will hold a Webinar aiming at presenting the Programme and the call, as well as to solve doubts and questions about the submission process. The Webinar will take place on Monday 25 November at 14.00h (GMT-0). 

If interested, please find the agenda here. You are invited to access the webinar through the following link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/527694661

If you do not have the GoToMeeting application in your computer, you can install it previously here.

For further information on the LIFE4BEST initiative and the procedure for submitting your proposal, please visit www.life4best.org or send your questions to life4best@consulta-europa.com

LIFE4BEST-ORs Programme is searching for applicants in order to create the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) of Macaronesia region. RAC will bring together independent experts for supporting the evaluation and the selection process of the two next LIFE4BEST-ORs calls. The first call for small grants was launched on November 18^th and will finished December 16^th. The second call is planned to be open during the first semester 2020. Applicants should prove an extensive background and expertise of the environmental and biodiversity challenges in the region of Macaronesia.

The independent experts have in this regard an important role in the project evaluation performing an assessment of the project technical relevance and feasibility, their cost-effectiveness and value-added. They will contribute to an objective and equitable selection process.

The duties and tasks of the RAC experts for each call are divided in two main steps as follows:

1.Concept note technical evaluation: assessing their technical and scientific content, their relevance, cost-effectiveness and feasibility.

•    The evaluation should be done in line with the guidelines and the eligibility criteria using the evaluation grid.

•    For completing the evaluation grid, clear comments and feedbacks should be provided. The quality of the comments is particularly important as they will be shared with the applicants and the European Commission. The comments and feedback will support the explanations given to the applicants for a non-selection decision. They will be as well very useful for guiding the necessary improvements in case of a selection for preparing a full proposal.

•    The experts have to be available for taking part to the RAC meeting in order to contribute to the exchanges and the debate on the proposals.

•    The experts have to contribute to the discussion and the evaluation in a constructive manner with objective and well-articulated opinions.

•   More than comments, the experts have as well to formulate technical and scientific recommendations for guiding the applicants and improving their proposal.

2. Full proposal technical evaluation: assessing their technical and scientific content, their relevance, cost-effectiveness and feasibility.

•    The evaluation should be done in line with the guidelines and the eligibility criteria using the evaluation grid using as well the advices and comments provided on the concept note.

•    For completing the evaluation grid clear, comments and feedbacks should be added. The quality of the comments is particularly important as they will be shared with the applicants and the European Commission. The comments and recommendations will indeed provide valuable information for the European commission for making the final selection of the project to be funded by LIFE4BEST -ORs.

•    The experts have to be available for taking part to the RAC meeting in order to contribute to the exchanges and the debate on the full proposals.

•    The experts have to contribute to the discussion and the evaluation in a constructive manner with objective and well-articulated opinions.

•    More than comments, the experts have as well to formulate technical and scientific recommendation for guiding the applicants and improving their proposal.

•    Their exchanges and marks will lead to the set-up of a ranking list for the European Commission’s consideration.

•    The experts might as well support, if needed, the LIFE4BEST-ORs secretariat in the negotiations with the selected applicants in order to guide them to improve their proposal.

The assessment of the two calls will be remunerated with an amount of €3.000.

If you are interested in participating in the selection process, you may send your application accompanied by your CV to the Regional Focal Point of Macaronesia region: life4best@consulta-europa.com before December 6^th 2019.

For further information on the call you can visit the LIFE4BEST projects call website: www.life4best.org

El próximo lunes 18 de Noviembre tendrá lugar la apertura de una las convocatorias del Programa de subvenciones LIFE4BEST. LIFE4BEST continúa la iniciativa BEST de la Unión Europea (UE), siendo su objeto apoyar la acción en favor de la biodiversidad en las regiones ultraperiféricas de Europa (RUP). La nueva convocatoria se abrirá para proporcionar subvenciones en acciones de campo a pequeña escala, tanto a nivel local como regional, para la conservación de la biodiversidad y el desarrollo sostenible en las regiones ultraperiféricas. El Programa está financiado por el Programa LIFE de la UE, la Agencia Francesa de Biodiversidad y la Agencia Francesa de Desarrollo.

Consulta Europa Projects and Innovation trabajará para el Programa como punto de apoyo de la región de la Macaronesia (Madeira, Azores y Canarias), proporcionando soporte a los candidatos tanto en el proceso de preparación de las propuestas de proyectos como en la implementación de los proyectos aprobados.

La convocatoria, cuya cumplimentación ha de realizarse online a través del portal del programa, financiará hasta 50.000€ por proyecto. El plazo de presentación de las concept notes finalizará el día 16 de diciembre de 2019. Si desea obtener más información sobre el proceso de presentación, le invitamos a participar en el webinar de presentación del Programa y de la convocatoria que tendrá lugar el 25 de noviembre a las 14.00h (GMT-0).

En el primer semestre de 2020 se abrirá otra nueva convocatoria de subvenciones.

Para mayor información, puede consultar la página web del Programa LIFE4BEST www.life4best.org o realizar su consulta a la dirección life4best@consulta-europa.com

As the URBAN-WASTE project approaches its end in May this year, Brussels will host the project’s final conference titled “Waste Management in Tourism. Does it even matter?” organised by ACR+, on 7 May 2019 at the Balsamine theatre.

It has been three years since a consortium of 27 partners launched a project titled “URBAN-WASTE” that was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme. The project brought together key stakeholders along the waste prevention and management, as well as the tourism value chain in order to develop eco-innovative and gender sensitive strategies in cities with high levels of tourism in order to reduce the waste production and improve municipal waste management. The Conference titled “Waste Management in Tourism. Does it Even Matter?” will serve as an opportunity to look back at the 11 pilot cities’ and regions’ efforts, approaches, methodologies and ultimately, the results they achieved through these strategies they have developed and implemented over the last couple of years. An interesting line up of key note speakers, experts in and representatives of various fields of tourism and the 11 participants will discuss the results, outputs, figures and overall experiences through story-telling, interactive presentations and panel discussions. Speakers and panelists will include Françoise Bonnet, ACR+’s Secretary General, Gudrun Obersteiner of BOKU University, Erik Louw of TU Delft, the Government of the Canary Islands, numerous high-level speakers and facilitators from the European Commission and numerous guest speakers from the European tourism sector.

Eleven pilot cities and regions boarded this three-year long journey to redefine their tourism and waste management value chains, from across Europe – from Nicosia in the east to Ponta Delgada in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and from Copenhagen in the north to Tenerife in the sub-tropical south. Thanks to a number of universities, institutes, NGOs and consultants who provided valuable input and skills, the pilot cities and regions had the opportunity to assess their urban metabolism performances and look into improving certain processes in order to achieve more sustainable tourism locally.

Three years later, the 11 participants, together with their local stakeholders and the rest of the consortium are now proud to present the outcomes, achievements and findings and most importantly – the way forward that has been paved by the URBAN-WASTE project to the wider public, European institutions and organisations, local and regional authorities.

See the agenda, meet the speakers and register here.

European rural areas embody outstanding examples of Cultural and Natural Heritage (CNH) that need not only to be safeguarded, but also promoted as a driver for competitiveness, sustainable and inclusive growth and development. RURITAGE establishes a new heritage-led rural regeneration paradigm able to turn rural areas in sustainable development demonstration laboratories, through the enhancement of their unique CNH potential. RURITAGE has identified 6 Systemic Innovation Areas (pilgrimages; sustainable local food production; migration; art and festivals; resilience; and integrated landscape management) which, integrated with cross-cutting themes, showcase heritage potential as a powerful engine for economic, social and environmental development of rural areas. The knowledge built in 14 Role Models (RMs) and digested within the project, will be transferred to 6 Replicators (Rs) across Europe. Local Rural Heritage Hubs, gathering stakeholders and civil society, will be settled in Rs to work as living labs where heritage-led rural regeneration strategies will be co-created and implemented, while in RMs they will reinforce the ownership of CNH. Both RMs and Rs will also benefit of the RURITAGE Resources Ecosystem, a set of tools including, among others, a rural landscape mapping tool (RURITAGE Atlas) and a Replication Toolbox within an online and interoperable platform. These tools will foster knowledge building, providing evidence and supporting replication and up-scaling activities of the implemented heritage-led regeneration strategies and plans, contributing to mainstream heritage in Regional, National, European and global policies.