What is it
for? The European Union provides substantial funding for new
members to help with their transition to member status. This
funding helps Accession countries comply with strict EU
environmental regulations, improve communications and
transportation, improve public administration, and achieve
economic growth. The EU has earmarked over 2.3 billion EUROs for
the Czech Republic over the next 2 years, with more to follow.
Is your company eligible to apply? The simple answer is YES. U.S. companies are fully eligible to compete for EU funding.
What are the odds? The EU application process can look long and daunting, but, if you have prior experience with any government contracting, the processes will be familiar ones. Remember this – historically, most EU transitional funding has gone unused. The reason: not lack of applications and applicants, but lack of qualified applicants and well-thought out projects.
What will I need to do?
To compete for funding, you will need to:
- Develop a grant application for a project in your area of expertise
- Identify a Czech partner
- Find a Czech regional or municipal government to support the grant
- Identify a source of 25% matching funds (hard or soft)
What’s the next step?
We suggest you:
- Familiarize yourself with EU programs and requirements. (This part of our website will give you a good head-start on accessing EU funding.)
- Develop one or two general concepts for EU-funded projects to pursue. (Look at our Hot Leads section for ideas)
- Come to the Czech Republic to find a local partner and have preliminary meetings with government counterparts. (Our Gold Key service can help with this.)
Contact information
European Commission
Brussels: EU Funding Advisor, U.S. Mission to the EU. brussels.ed.office.box@mail.doc.gov ,
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion
Jon Bensky, Commercial Service EU, Brussels
Tel.: +32 2 508 2425, Fax: +32 2 512 6653, e-mail: jonathan.bensky@mail.doc.gov ,
http://www.buyusa.gov/europeanunion
Prague: Stephen Collins, Head of Investment Section,
tel.: (420 2) 2431-2835, fax (420 2) 2431-2850, e-mail: archiv@delcze.cec.eu.int ,
http://europa.eu.int.
EU funding is being used to build infrastructure, strengthen
public administration, adopt EU legislation, and promote
democratic institutions.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
London: Mr. Sanford N. Owens, SCO, tel.: (+44 20 7588 8490), fax:
(+44 20 7588 8443), e-mail: sanford.owens@mail.doc.gov ,
http://www.ebrd.org
Alain Pilloux, Director, PCSB Team London HQ, tel.: (+44 171)
338-6561, fax: (+44 171) 338-7199.
Prague: Arthur Schankler, tel.: (+420) 222 814 551, fax: (+420)
224 814 522, schankla@ebrd.com .
Like the IFC, EBRD can either work independently, or arrange
co-financing packages in conjunction with other multilateral
government and private institutions.
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Accession countries contact: Mr. Paul Gerd Löser, tel.: (+35 2)
43 79 31 39, fax: (+35 2) 43 79 3189, [e-mail: p.loeser@eib.org],
http://www.eib.org.
EIB is the EU long term financing institution; its goal is to
contribute towards the integration, balanced development and
economic and social cohesion of the Member Countries.
Sources of information on EU Funding
The American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium offers a number of publications with up-to-date information on the most important EU proposals and how they impact on business:
The American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic developed a practical Guide on How to Apply for and Receive Structural Funding in the Czech Republic. This very practical document will help you navigate the structural funding labyrinth, and help you develop projects that will successfully be granted EU funding.
e-mail: amcham@amcham.cz
http://www.amcham.cz
The US Mission to the European Union developed an International Market Insight report: EU Structural & Cohesion Funds: Opportunities in the Member States.
For more information please visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/funding/intro_en.htm