Launched by the European Commission, the objective of this Call is to invite the submission of proposals providing support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) offering apprenticeships, either newly engaging or substantially increasing their current supply of apprenticeships thereby supporting European projects that assist SMEs to engage in apprenticeships.

Who can apply
The Call is organised in two lots, one for intermediary bodies, and the other for European networks.

– Lot 1: The applicant (coordinator) must be one of the following organisations or group of organisations:c hambers of industry, trade and crafts, or similarly relevant sectoral/professional organisations; public or private enterprises; VET providers or other organisations with a role in supporting SMEs in increasing their offer on apprenticeships.
The partnership must be composed of at least two eligible countries (one of which must be an Erasmus+ programme country).
– Lot 2: The applicant (project coordinator) must be a network or organisation having members or affiliates in at least 12 Erasmus+ programme countries, of which at least six take part in the project as partners.

Eligible participating organisations (Lot 1 and Lot 2): ministries, social partners (employers’ and workers’ organisations), public or private companies, chambers of industry, trade and crafts, or similarly relevant sectoral/professional organisations (e.g. crafts organisations), public employment services, public regional and local authorities, VET providers, VET agencies/centres, schools or other educational institutions, higher education institutions, research centres, international organisations, non-profit organisations (NGOs), youth organisations, parents associations, other relevant bodies.
Natural persons and sole traders are not eligible.

Eligible countries (Lot 1 and Lot 2):
– EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom,
– the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which form part of the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway,
– EU candidate countries: Albania, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.

Proposals from applicants in EFTA/EEA countries or from candidate or associated countries may be selected provided that, on the date of the award, agreements have been signed setting out the arrangements for the participation of those countries in the programme.
The following Erasmus+ partner countries: EU potential candidate countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo).

Eligible activities should support projects at European level helping SMEs to engage in apprenticeships.
Proposals should be submitted under one of the following two Lots:
(a) Partnerships on building capacities for intermediary bodies or partnerships established by large companies to support SMEs (Lot 1)
Projects supported under this Lot should build partnerships between businesses, VET providers and intermediary organisations together, as appropriate, with public authorities and social partners, with the aim of getting more SMEs involved in apprenticeships. They should therefore aim at:
– either building capacities of intermediary bodies (such as chambers of commerce, industry and crafts, other professional organisations) supporting apprenticeships in SMEs,
– or establishing partnerships by bigger companies using their supply chain to assist SMEs in increasing the supply of apprenticeships.
(b) European level networks and organisations supporting SMEs through their national members or affiliates (Lot 2)
The call also supports a limited number of projects presented by existing European networks and organisations in order to support strategic activities between their umbrella organisation at European level and their national members or affiliates on strengthening the supply of apprenticeships in SMEs.
These partnerships should include cooperation at national, regional (cross-border and inter-regional) and/or cooperation at sectoral level.

Budget
The total budget for the co-financing of projects is estimated at maximum EUR 8,7 million (EUR 5,2 million for Lot 1 and EUR 3,5 million for Lot 2).
Each grant will amount to between 300 000 and 600 000 euros for Lot 1 and between 600 000 and 800 000 euros for Lot 2.
The Agency expects to fund around 15 proposals (up to 10 projects under Lot 1 and up to five projects under Lot 2).
This call does not provide financial support to SMEs directly.

Deadline: 15 January 2016, 12.00 noon (Brussels time).

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