SUSRUR Open Call 3: COLLABORATE Programme

SUSRUR – Towards SUStainability and resilient scenarios for tourism SMEs in RUral &
Remote Areas, SUSRUR project (GA 101085887), is a European project co-funded by the European Union (EU) under the SME pillar of the Single Market Program (SMP/SME Pilar), through the call COVID-19 Recovery Through Sustainable Tourism Growth and SME Support.

The call aims to support up to 50 tourism SMEs in developing skills and capacity building at management level which will enhance the SMEs overall performance towards digital and green transition.

During the implementation of the Collaborate Program, applicants will have access to specialised consulting services.

Objective

• The Open Call 3 objective:
  • To develop skills and capacity building at management level which will enhance the SMEs overall performance towards digital and green transition.

Benefits

• Participate in a 6-month programme to improve your sustainability performance towards green and digital transition through the access to specialised services
• Obtain credibility and recognition from an EU project
• Receive up to EUR 6 000.00 lump sum funding (equity free)
• Develop new skills, and replicate and implement innovative solutions
• Networking opportunities within your region and other eligible regions.

Funding Information

• Total funding per applicant is up to EUR 6 000.00 (lump sum).

Supported Activities

• Access to specialised consultancy services towards a twin digital and green transition in two of the selected areas from a pool of service providers indicated by the SUSRUR consortium:
  • Digital Marketing Plan
  • Sustainability Action Plan
  • Technology and Innovation Survey for the Circular Economy of rural tourism SMEs
  • Technology and Innovation survey for the Clean Energy Transition of rural tourism SMEs
  • Technology and Innovation survey for the Digitalisation of rural tourism SMEs (Digital Marketing excluded).

Expected Outcomes

• Expected outcomes from SUSRUR Open Call 3 are as follows:
  • Contribute to an enhanced sustainability performance and accelerate the twin green
    and digital transitions in the eligible regions; and,
  • Increase the resilience capacity and provide resources and knowledge to rural tourism SMEs to boost their sustainability and digital skills.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants
  • SUSRUR Open Call 3 applicants are SMEs legally based on one of the Eligible Regions. A SME will be considered as such if accomplishing with the European Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC and the SME qualification guide.
  • In addition, financial support to third parties under the call will be limited to Tourism enterprises under at least one of the following NACE classes:
    • H49 – Land transport and transport via pipelines
    • I55 – Accommodation
    • I56 – Food and beverage service activities
    • N79 – Travel agency, tour operator reservation service and related activities
    • R90 – Creative, arts and entertainment activities
    • R91 – Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities
    • R93 – Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities
  • Other NACE classes may be eligible since they are aligned with the scope of the project and as long as they relate to SMEs working in tourism.
• Eligible Regions
  • Only applicants legally based on one of the following five regions are eligible under the call:
    • Asturias (Spain)
    • Western Macedonia (Greece)
    • Harghita (Romania)
    • Utena (Lithuania)
    • Steirisches Vulkanland (Austria)
• Applicants from other calls promoted by SUSRUR project
  • Applicants that received funding during SUSRUR Open Call 1 and Open Call 2 or as part of other projects under SMP-COSME-2021-TOURSME-01 topic, such as I-STARS, CE4RT, STAR GROWTH, COASTOUR, TRACE, FIRST MILE, ETSM 2030, LookUp and ECOTOURS are ineligible under this call.
• Double funding
  • Double funding is not acceptable. It is not eligible for a project that receives additional European National, Regional or Local funding, besides SUSRUR’s, for the same/equal solution/project activities.
  • The basic information about an application (summary and participants) will be shared with the European Commission, as the funding entity, to check compatibility.
• Conflict of Interest
  • Applicants shall not have any actual or/and potential conflict of interest with the SUSRUR Open Call 3 selection process and during the entire program.
  • All cases of conflict of interest will be assessed case by case. In particular, applicants cannot be SUSRUR consortium partners or affiliated entities nor their employees or co-operators under a contractual agreement.
• Other criteria
  • Each applicant must confirm during the submission phase or any subsequent phase:
    • It is not under liquidation or is not an enterprise under difficulty according to the Commission Regulation No 651/2014, art. 2.18.
    • Its project is based on the original works and going forward any foreseen developments are free from third party rights, or they are clearly stated.
    • It is not excluded from the possibility of obtaining EU funding under the provisions of both national and EU law, or by a decision of both national or EU authority.
    • Applicants that have previously or are present beneficiaries of EU funding are allowed to apply to SUSRUR’s calls, as long as double funding of a same proposal does not occur. The project submitted under SUSRUR Open Call 3 must be significantly different.

For more information, visit European Commission.