European AgriFood Sustainability Cluster Partnerships

Description

1) Objective

Expected Outcome: The ‘European Agrifood Sustainability Cluster Partnerships’ will support the implementation by SMEs of the ‘Agrifood Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices’ and boost the overall sustainability transition of the EU Agrifood ecosystem.

Qualitative and quantitative indicators for the action:

1. Number of cluster organisations or business network organisations from different SMP participating countries having benefited from the supported actions;

2. Number of sustainability investment projects resulting from the supported actions;

3. Number of SMEs having directly or indirectly benefited from the supported actions;

4. KPIs for the implementation of the Code of Conduct by the SMEs.

The objective is to support both preparatory and implementation actions for the establishment and development of new ‘European Agrifood Sustainability Cluster Partnerships’ supporting the implementation of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices by SMEs and the uptake of resource-efficiency technologies to limit food inflation:

1. The partnerships will support the development of new agrifood cluster organisations in EU regions where none are registered on the European Cluster collaboration Platform, in collaboration with local business support organisations, with a view to improving the resource efficiency and supporting the sustainability transition of SMEs in those other regions.

2. The partnerships shall develop a common strategic agenda and roadmap with KPIs for the implementation of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, and especially the uptake of resource-efficiency technologies to limit the impact of inflation, with defined priorities and collaborative activities between all their members.

3. The partnerships will mobilise and support their SMEs to engage into resource-efficiency and sustainability improvements.

4. The partnerships will share their case studies and best practices through the European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre, hosted on the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP).

2) Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must: be legal entities (public or private bodies) and be established in one of the eligible countries.

3) Location

Actions must take place in EU member states + associated countries and Western Balkans.

4) Budget

Total budget is €3,000,000. They expect to fund between 3 to 5 proposals under this call for proposals.

5) Application

The deadline for applications submission is 7 November 2023. Proposals must be submitted before the call deadline. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (accessible via the Topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.