Please note that JMC of the Programme has taken its decisions on LSPs and there is no additional funding available for new LSP applications.
General information about Large Scale Projects
According to article 2 (7) of Commission Regulation (EC) No.951/2007 of 9 August 2007 laying down implementing rules for cross-border cooperation programmes financed under Regulation (EC) No.1638/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down general provisions establishing a European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, the Large Scale (strategic) Projects are ‘projects comprising a set of works, activities or services intended to fulfill an indivisible function of a precise nature pursuing clearly identified objectives of common interest for the purposes of implementing cross-border investments’.
According to article 4 of Implementing Rules large-scale cross-border investment projects are not selected through calls for proposals, but are identified jointly by participating countries, in agreement with the European Commission. Article 4 provides that these projects shall be specifically mentioned in the programme or be selected at a later stage by the Joint Monitoring Committee provided that they are consistent with the programme's priorities and measures and that there is a budget specifically for this purpose.
LSPs fulfill following criteria:
- are directly related to the Programme and its Priorities;
- are crucial for the development of the part of the Programme area;
- have a clear cross-border impact;
- have investment character;
- are coherent with national/regional development strategies and are strongly supported by the national/regional level authorities on both sides of the border;
- their outcomes are of a sustainable character.
- the beneficiary is clearly identified as the only one being able to implement respective LSP.
The Programme finance activities within the projects which have (is aimed to keep) a purely cross border character and involve at least two partners, of whom at least one project partner shall be from Estonia and/ or Latvia and at least one partner from the Russian Federation. The Programme is an important complement to the existing and foreseen national, regional and sectoral initiatives in the cooperation area.
Eligibility rules for LSP
- LSPs are selected and contracted through the direct award procedure;
- Private entities are eligible for participation in the LSPs with limits for co-financing from the Programme;
- Partners may be located outside the Programme area, but all LSP activities take place in Programme area;
- LSPs are directly related to the Programme and fit the Priority I or Priority II;
- Project size for the LSP is over 2 MEUR;
- Grant to the LSP project is not exceeding 90% of the total eligible costs of the project.
Up to now there are five Large Scale Projects that have received approval from the European Commission after submission of the Project summary forms. One more Project has been sent to the European Commission for decision.
Financing
Programme financing for LSPs is 26 096 744 EUR. Additional financing 9 081 558 EUR to the Programme has been made available from the Estonian State budget for large-scale cross border projects involving partners from Estonia and Russia.
Total financing 35 178 302 EUR for the LSP’s within the Programme is fixed.