Public document to be completed by the Contracting Authority
Compulsory for all Calls for Proposals for grants
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
for CARDS Regional Programme – Democratic Stabilisation – Support to free and independent media in the Western Balkans- issued by the European Community
 
1. Publication reference
EuropeAid/114704/C/G/Multi
2. Programme and Financing source
Support to free and independent media in the Western Balkans is part of the Democratic Stabilisation process which forms part of the CARDS Regional Programme, Budget line B7-541 under CARDS.
3. Nature of activities, geographical area and project duration
(a) The support to free and independent media in the Western Balkans aims at encouraging an environment in which professional and independent media can function properly. The main objectives are to promote editorial independence, strong professional associations and institutions, local journalism and management training capacity, the implementation of a legal framework in line with European standards and regional cooperation between media organisations.
(b) Geographical area: CARDS countries.
(c) Maximum project duration: 18 months.
For details, see the "Guidelines for Applicants" referred to in item 12.
4. Overall amount available for this Call for Proposals
EUR 1.5 million.
5. Maximum and minimum grant amounts
(a) Minimum grant for a project: EUR 100 000
(b) Maximum grant for a project: EUR 300 000
(c) Maximum proportion of project costs to be covered by Community funding: 80 %
6. Maximum number of grants to be awarded
15 projects.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
7. Eligibility: Who may apply
Applicants must:
•	be non-profit making ; exceptionally, media organisations, not receiving profit from the action proposed, may apply for a grant even if they are generally profit making ; 
•	fall into one of the following categories of organisation: trade associations, trade unions, public journalism training schools/universities etc.; non-governmental organisations such as associations in the media sector, media centers, etc. ; 
•	have their headquarters within one of the countries eligible to participate in the CARDS programme (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Republic of Macedonia) or in the European Union; 
 
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
8. Provisional notification date of results of the award process
July 2003
AWARD CRITERIA
9. Award criteria
See section 2.3 of the Guidelines for Applicants mentioned in item 12
APPLICATION FORMALITIES
10. Application format and details to be provided
Applications must be submitted using the standard application form attached to the Guidelines for Applicants mentioned in item 12, whose format and instructions must be strictly observed. For each application, one signed original and four copies must be supplied by the applicant.
11. Deadline for applications
The deadline for the reception of applications is 24 February 2003, 16.00 hours CET.
Any application received by the Contracting Authority after this deadline will not be considered.
12. Detailed information
Detailed information on this Call for Proposals is contained in the "Guidelines for Applicants", which are published together with this notice on the Internet Web site of the EuropeAid: 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/index_en.htm
Any questions regarding this Call for Proposals should be sent by e-mail (including the Publication Reference of this Call for Proposals shown in item 1) to huguette.tas@cec.eu.int
All applicants are encouraged to consult the above Internet Web page regularly before the deadline for applications since the Commission will publish the most frequently asked questions and the corresponding replies.