Description
The projects seeks to raise the awareness of officials in charge of 2014-2020 EU Structural Funds’ (SF) programming as well as to assist and advise both them and relevant civil society organisations to integrate environmental criteria in SF calls for proposals (mainly of regional development, environment, energy, human resources, cross-border programmes). Only this can guarantee that environmentally sound projects get approved and granted from EU funds in Hungary in the next programming period. Project activities include: • coordination of the Network of Green Regions (a coalition of environmental organisations engaged with regional development issues); • advocacy (meetings with and written proposals for relevant officials); • screening and making comments on SF implementation documents; • 7 regional forums; • publication of a guide on the integration of environmental criteria into SF calls and proposals; • website editing, press releases, etc.
Summary of project results
The purpose of this advocacy project was to ensure the integration of environmental aspects to the planning process of EU funds for the 2014-2020 planning period, especially on the program fields of spatial development, environment and energy, human resources and cross-border cooperation. For this the promoter’s goal was to establish a lively relationship between NGOs involved in the implementation (organized through the “Green Regions’ Network”) and the experts and decision makers of county governments as well as managing authorities. During the project, 11 implementation documents of the program were commented and provided guidance on how environmental aspects can be applied in the call for proposals. The proposals were shared with government officials at nearly 60 expert meetings, dozens of nationwide conferences as well as through written suggestions. Civil society organizations were informed about the new calls of the structural funds via forums held in each regions and through seven regional mailing lists reaching out more than 400 members.
Summary of bilateral results