Scientific partner
A scientific partner is a partner that has a role mostly focused on developping knowledge.
Tags: Operational partner ; Institutional partner
Sea basin strategy
A structured framework of cooperation in relation to a given geographical area, developed by Union institutions, Member States, their regions and where appropriate third countries sharing a sea basin. Such a strategy takes into account the geographic, climatic, economic and political specificities of the sea basin.
Tags: Macro-regional approach ; Macro-regional strategy
Seminar
A seminar presents results of a project in a pedagogic way. The number of participant is limited and well targeted.
Tags: Deliverable ; Workshop ; Conference
Sensitive areas
Areas with undisputed environmental qualities, taking into account the quality of the landscape or the presence of rare or endangered species. The term can also apply to land without any real intrinsic value, yet considered vulnerable due to the pressure exerted upon it, for instance by urban development or intensive tourism: reserves and natural parks ; Natura 2000 areas ; special protection areas ; special areas of conservation ; wetland ; biogenetic reserves; …
Shared costs
Costs of the project that are common to at least two project partners, and thus shared between them. In the framwork of the Interreg MED Programme this expenditure is non-eligible.
Simplified cost options
Contrary to real costs, simplified cost options modify the concept of expenditure paid by project partners. They involve approximations of costs, and are calculated according to a pre-defined method (e.g., established by the programme on the basis of a fair, equitable and verifiable calculation, or defined by the Fund specific regulations) based on outputs, results, or some other costs. The application of simplified cost options signifies a departure from the approach of tracing every euro of co-financed expenditure to individual supporting documents. (See also Flat rate, Lump sum, Standard scale of unit costs). Kindly note that not all simplified cost options are used by the Interreg MED Programme. Ref: “COCOF document on simplified cost options (COCOF 09/0025/04-EN) Draft Guidance on simplified cost options (EGESIF_14-0017 29/08/2014)”
Single-module project
The single-module types of projects are basically aimed at partnerships having immediate requirements and seeking quick answers, wanting to work on a specific issue with more agility, not requiring large financing efforts nor a complex implementation.
Tags: Module ; Multi-module project ; Modular project
Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are defined according to the number of employees and either the turnover or the annual balance sheet total. – A medium-sized enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 250 persons and whose annual turnover does not exceed EUR 50 million and/or whose annual balance-sheet total does not exceed EUR 43 million. – A small enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 50 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 10 million. – A micro-enterprise is defined as an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total does not exceed EUR 2 million. This ceilings apply to the figures for individual firms only. A firm which is part of larger grouping may need to include employee/turnover/balance sheet total from that grouping too.
Ref: Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC
Small scale investments
Facilities or infrastructures of limited size or scope, which are essential to the successful implementation of a pilot activity. Their purpose must be the demonstration of the feasibility and effectiveness of a proposed solution (e.g. services, tools, methods or approaches). Costs associated to “small scale investment” should be foreseen under the budget line 5 – equipment expenditure.
Tags: Pilot activity
Smart city
In Smart Cities, digital technologies translate into better public services for citizens, better use of resources and less impact on the environment. The smart city concept goes beyond the use of ICT for better resource use and less emissions. It means smarter urban transport networks, upgraded water supply and waste disposal facilities, and more efficient ways to light and heat buildings. It also encompasses a more interactive and responsive city administration, safer public spaces and meeting the needs of an ageing population.
Tags: Innovation Ref: Reference
Smart growth
Smart growth consists in developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation.
Tags: Innovation; Europe 2020
Ref: Reference
Smart specialisation strategy
See Regional Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3)
Tags: Regional Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3)
Ref: Reference
Social economy
Social economy is intended to make profits for people other than investors or owners. It includes cooperatives, mutual societies, non-profit associations, foundations and social enterprises. The primary objective of the traditional social economy enterprises is to serve the members and not to obtain a return on investment as the traditional mainstream capital companies do. The members act in accordance with the principle of solidarity and mutuality, and manage their enterprise on the basis of “one man one vote” principle.
Tags: Social entrepreneurship
Ref: Reference
Social entrepreneurship
A social enterprise is an operator in the social economy whose main objective is to have a social impact rather than make a profit for their owners or shareholders. It operates by providing goods and services for the market in an entrepreneurial and innovative fashion and uses its profits primarily to achieve social objectives. It is managed in an open and responsible manner and, in particular, involve employees, consumers and stakeholders affected by its commercial activities.
Tags: Social economy
Social innovation
Social innovations are new ideas (products, services and models) that simultaneously meet social needs (more effectively than alternatives) and create new social relationships or collaborations. Fields of activity are among others work integration, social services, education and research, culture and recreation, health etc.
Tags: Innovation
Ref: Murray et. al: Open Book of Social Innovation, 2010
Soft action
Generic terminology covering strategies, action plans and tools (mainly IT tools). It does not include investment in infrastructures.
Source of verification
The evidence that establishes or confirms the accuracy or truth of information provided.
Stakeholder
Anyone, internal or external to an organisation, who has an interest in a project or will be affected by its outputs and results.
Standard scale of unit costs
One of the simplified cost options. A standard scale of unit costs comprises of pre-established standard prices that apply to pre-defined quantities related to an activity. The eligible expenditure is calculated by multiplying the standard cost by the units achieved (quantified activities, input, etc.). In general, standard scales of unit costs are process-based, aiming at covering through the best approximation the real costs of delivering a project. They can also be outcome-based or defined on both process and outcome. Standard scales of unit costs are established based on fair, equitable and verifiable calculation methods. This simplified cost option is not used by the Interreg MED Programme.
State aid
Any aid granted by a Member State or through State resources in any form whatsover wich distors or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production or certain goods.
Tags: De minimis ; Economic operator / Undertaking ; GBER
Ref: Article 107 (ex article 87) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
State of the art
The state of the art gathers all existing information on a specific domain and aims at providing a synthesis. It is mainly the results of desk research and analysis of formal and informal publications.
Tags: Deliverable
Steering Group (Axis 4)
The Steering Group implements the ‘PLATEFORM’ project following the outline of the Work Plan. It decides which transnational conferences are set up, according to the interest that the MED project results (and eventually other useful results) present to the MED area. It also gives feedback to the programme authorities (Managing Authority and Monitoring Committee) on the transferability and transfer of results of projects co-financed by Interreg MED, and on potential for multilateral governance and policy-making.
The decision-making partners of the Steering Group are the Country Coordinators. The other partners are advisory members of the Steering Group and participate to sub-groups that implement the Work Packages.
Tags: Platform project
Strategy
A strategy should be jointly defined on the basis of problems which are relevant for the participating regions. It should provide a common vision and set objectives and priorities in a mid- to long-term perspective. The formulation of a transnational and/or regional strategy should be carried out with involvement of relevant stakeholders (targeting the policy level) and aim at its subsequent implementation. This type of output can relate either to the development of new or further improvement, revision and/or update of existing strategies as well as their subsequent implementation.
Studying and testing project (M1+M2)
This type of project has the objective, because of a lack of prior literature, data or experiences, to create new knowledge in a specific field and to develop common solutions that can be directly tested in specific territories. Therefore, this type of project should focus on conducting studies and developing common plans or instruments (M1), which then will be tested in order to transfer them to the public policies of the territories concerned (M2).
Tags: Multi-module project ; Studying project (Module 1) ; Testing project (Module 2)
Studying project (Module 1)
This type of project has the objective to explore innovative subjects from a thematic and/or geographical perspective (new challenges, policies or trends) or to create knowledge in the MED area on issues, relevant for the participating regions, where the Interreg MED Programme experience is insufficient.
Tags: Module ; Single-module project ; Modular project
Subsidy contract
Grant agreement between the Interreg MED Programme Managing Authority and the Lead Partner of an approved project.
Tags: Managing Authority ; Lead Partner ; Partnership Agreement
Sustainability
Sustainability is the ability to carry out an activity without significant deterioration of the environment and depletion of natural resources on which human well-being depends.
Tags: Sustainable development
Sustainable development
The concept of sustainable development refers to a form of economic growth which satisfies society’s needs in terms of well-being in the short, medium and – above all – long terms. It is founded on the assumption that development must meet today’s needs without jeopardising the prospects of future generations. In practical terms, it means creating the conditions for long-term economic development with due respect of the environment. The Copenhagen world summit for sustainable development (March 1995) stressed the need to combat social exclusion and protect public health. The Treaty of Amsterdam included an explicit reference to sustainable development into the recitals of the EU Treaty.
Tags: Sustainability
Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP)
A Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) is the key document in which the Covenant signatory outlines how it intends to reach its CO2 reduction target by 2020. It defines the activities and measures set up to achieve the targets, together with time frames and assigned responsibilities. Covenant signatories are free to choose the format of their SEAP, as long as it is in line with the general principles set out in the Covenant SEAP guidelines.
Tags: Sustainable development ; Energy efficiency ; Renewable energy Ref: Reference
Sustainable growth
Sustainable growth consists in promoting a more resource-efficient, competitive and greener economy.
Tags: Green growth ; Sustainable development Ref: Reference
Sustainable tourism
Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, including mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.
Tags: Sustainable development ; Coastal tourism ; Maritime tourism
Ref: Making Tourism More Sustainable – A Guide for Policy Makers, UNEP and UNWTO, 2005
Sustainable urban mobility plan (SUMP)
The 2013 Urban Mobility Package sets out a concept of a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) that has emerged from a broad exchange between stakeholders and planning experts across the European Union. The concept describes the main features of a modern and sustainable urban mobility and transport plan.
Tags: Low carbon transport ; Multimodal transport
SWOT analysis
The SWOT analysis (matrix) analyses Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that enables the evaluate the strategic options for a domain. It implies two diagnosis: external, studying the environment: Opportunities and Threats; and internal: Strengths and Weaknesses of the domain of activity.
Tags: Deliverable
Synergie CTE
Online monitoring tool of the Interreg MED Programme.
Target group
The target groups concern individuals and/or organisations directly positively affected by the activities and results of operations. Not necessarily receiving a financial grant (as opposed to a beneficiary), but directly involved in the operation (as opposed to an end-user), the target groups may exploit project outcomes for their own benefits.
Tags: Beneficiary ; End-user
Target value
A quantified objective expressed as a value to be reached by an indicator (output or result indicator), within a given time frame.
Tags: Baseline ; Output indicator ; Result indicator
Terms of reference
A document providing the framework and guidelines related to a specific call for proposals
Testing and capitalising project (M2+M3)
This type of project has the objective to test, at a wider level, instruments, policies, strategies, joint plans that have been already identified by previous initiatives (not necessarily arisen in the framework of the Interreg MED Programme) through pilot activities, ensuring the transferability of applied solutions in the territories concerned by the project (M2) and to capitalise results obtained during the first phase of the project (M2) with other projects results and experiences directly contributing to the project objectives (M3).
Tags: Multi-module project ; Testing project (Module 2) ; Capitalising project (Module 3)
Testing project (Module 2)
This type of project has the objective to test instruments, policies, strategies, joint plans already identified by previous projects (not necessarily arisen by the MED experience) through pilot activities, in the perspective of setting up solutions applicable to a wider set of users and terri-tories.
Tags: Module ; Single-module project ; Modular project
Thematic equipment
Thematic equipment is an equipment directly linked to (or forming part of) the project thematic activities.
Tool
A tool is to be understood as a mean for accomplishing a specific task or purpose. Tools should be jointly developed at transnational level and innovative. They comprise amongst others analytical tools, management tools, technical tools, software tools, monitoring tools, planning tools, decision support tools, evaluation tools etc. To be effective, a tool must be tailored to user needs and the respective framework conditions and has to be comprehensive and durable. This type of output or deliverable relates either to the joint development of new or further improvement and/or adaptation of existing durable tools as well as their subsequent operational implementation.
Top-down approach
A “top-down” approach is one where an executive, decision maker, or other person or body makes a decision. This approach is disseminated under their authority to lower levels in the hierarchy, who are, to a greater or lesser extent, bound by them.
Tags: Bottom-up approach
Total budget
The total budget of a project established based on the costs planned by all project partners in the application form.
Tags: Total eligible budget
Total eligible budget
Total budget of a project subject to programme co-financing. In the application form, it is calculated based on the total budget, excluding the potential net revenue of the project.
Tags: Total budget
Total eligible expenditure
All expenditure that is compliant with EU, Interreg MED Programme and national rules, and thus is eligible for co-financing from the Interreg MED Programme. The total eligible expenditure is calculated based on the total expenditure, excluding net revenue generated by the project.
Tags: Total expenditure
Total expenditure
All expenditure incurred and paid (or calculated based on simplified cost options) by project partners in relation to implementation of the project activities.
Tags: Total eligible expenditure
Training
Training is to be understood as providing persons with the understanding, knowledge, skills, competences and access to information required in particular occupations. Training may encompass any kind of education (general, specialised or vocational, formal or non-formal, etc.). Training measures should be jointly developed at transnational level and tailored according to the needs of the specific territories, target groups and stakeholders addressed by the operation.
Tags: Capacity building
Training session
A training session implies an pedagogic way of transferring knowledge to a targeted public (learning benefit should be assessed)
Tags: Deliverable ; Capacity building
Transferability
All used protocols and results must be transferable to the MED area and therefore, the actions must be reusable and / or adaptable. The partnership must ensure that the following criteria are met: comparability of data and information, reliability of data and information, strength of methodology and protocols used, relevance of format, clear definition of target, etc.
Transnational cooperation
Collaboration between functional areas. It promotes cooperation among greater European regions, including the ones surrounding sea basins or mountain ranges, and facilitates coordinated strategic responses to joint challenges conducive to integrated territorial development.
Tags: Crossborder cooperation ; Interregional cooperation ; Interreg Ref: Reference
Transnationality
All actions must be transnational. It implies that approach is shared by the partnership, that actions are complementary within the partnership and that the results of the actions will benefit the whole partnership. Therefore, the actions must meet criteria such as: sharing common methodology for performing actions of the same type between partners, ensuring complementarity of work, ensuring comparability of data and information to permit a transnational synthesis and use of results.