EU Context, Content, Challenge Dr Andrew Robinson Chairman, European Commercial and Consular Office Consul for France

Aims of the Conference To help build bids, bids which succeed In a complex and changing local, regional and national context To identify the right programmes, partners, calls and deadlines, and risks To consider the assets and structures we have And those we may need to construct to build better bids

The Organisers ECCO (European Commercial and Consular Office) Eurocities Europe Direct International Newcastle Newcastle City Council LOCAL, REGIONAL, EUROPEAN

The Event in NE Context A workshop event about Partners in Europe held in Durham in November On March 5 the “North East in a Global Europe” focusses on the mainly economic opportunities for NE in an open, globally connected Europe Both events call for innovate partnerships to provide and broker strategic information and guidance New partnerships for new opportunities

Event in EU Context timescale, but greater challenges now Having spent past 4 years on “saving the euro”, now focus on growing the real economy and on Social Europe The EP elections in May EU as much a social and cultural project as an economic one Transnational Europe and its programmes are part of that project

A wide range of programmes for bids Some via LEP/s, some via national agencies, some directly to Brussels What are the work programmes and evaluators really looking for? Need to prioritize with limited resources What makes a winning bid? Do we have inside track information? Complexity and Strategies

Partnerships and Priorities Use existing ones or find new ones How to find new ones To lead a project or not Does it fit in with my institution’s priorities? What will be the clear benefits? Is it cost effective to make a bid?

A Changing Landscape Compared to the previous programme, no RDA, Gov Office, Office in Brussels LEPs, LAs, LA7.. Some regional bodies : eg UKTI, NECC, EEN, ANEC, ECCO HEI, FE, schools Companies (esp SMEs) Special vehicles : eg CPI, NaREC, PETEC, Science City, IN, Consular Network

Related Developments 2014 May EP elections : 3 new MEPs in NE What committees will they sit on which are important to the NE? New Commission and European Parliament The Committee of the Regions NE representatives

Some are bids direct to EC, Brussels (eg Horizon 2020) Some via agencies (eg Leonardo – British Council and Ecorys) ALL require partners in other MS They can be as valuable as ERDF and ESF routes Transnational Bidding Routes

ESF 4 - on youth exclusion ESF 4 - eLearning Interreg 4C - succession planning for SMEs FP7 - cross-border ICT enabled judicial cooperation Recent Transnational Projects : A Personal View

Why Today Matters Start of a journey Reduced institutional capacity Needs and challenges just as big as before Lead to new, and stronger bids Building a stronger critical mass across the NE Sharing and shaping capacity for the future

Beyond Today Bid Building is Important But is it enough? Learning, Sharing, Shaping Creating Bidding Success and Learning from Successful Bids Project Management and Delivery Impact, Communication and Sustainability What do you need to achieve your wider aims?

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