The geographic component of the Development Co-operation instrument (DCI) provides assistance to developing countries in Latin America, Asia (including Central Asia) and the Republic of South Africa.  Information on how to apply is compiled on this webpage and can be downloaded here.

Background	Project Duration
Types of Grant	Deadline
Grant Size	Application Forms
Own Contribution	Application & Procedures
Funding Priorities	Languages
Grantmaking Criteria	Tips
Guidelines	Pdf Download

The geographic component of the Development Co-operation instrument (DCI) provides assistance to developing countries in Latin America, Asia (including Central Asia) and the Republic of South Africa. The instrument is valid for the period from 2007 to 2013. The overall goal of the instrument is the eradication of poverty in partner countries and regions in the context of sustainable development, including pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as well as the promotion of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights and for the rule of law. Co-operation is intended to

• consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, gender equality and related instruments of international law;
• foster the sustainable development - including political, economic, social and environmental aspects - of partner countries and regions, and more particularly the most disadvantaged among them;
• encourage their smooth and gradual integration into the world economy;
• help develop international measures to preserve and improve the quality of the environment and the sustainable management of global natural resources, in order to ensure sustainable development including climate change and biodiversity;
• and strengthen the relationship between the Community and partner countries and regions.

The regulation establishing the DCI was adopted on 18 December 2006. The geographic part of it replaces the ALA programme for developing countries in Asia and Latin America, parts of the TACIS programme (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and the Programme for Reconstruction and Development in South Africa (EPRD) valid until 2006. The DCI includes geographic and thematic programmes. The overall DCI budget for geographic programmes for the period from 2007 to 2013 is € 10,057 billion.

Grants and tenders.

To be defined in the annual action plans 

To be defined in the annual action plans

Priorities are country-specific. Funds are allocated following country strategy papers which include multi-annual indicative programmes specifying the priority objectives and the indicative multi-annual financial allocations.

Further, the European Commission prepares annual action programmes which specify the objectives pursued, the fields of intervention, the expected results, the management procedures and total amount of financing planned. They contain a description of the operations to be financed, an indication of the amounts allocated for each operation and an indicative implementation timetable. These documents will be available on the EC’s respective delegation website or, the Country Strategy Papers here and the annual action programmes here.

The regulation establishing the instrument provides a non exhaustive list of 26 different types of actions, which can be funded by the DCI. This encompasses ten areas of co-operation: poverty alleviation; human development; Social cohesion and employment Governance; democracy, human rights and support for institutional reforms; Trade and regional integration; Environment and sustainable development of natural resources; Water and energy; Infrastructure, communication and transport; Rural development, territorial planning, agriculture and food security; Post-crisis situations and fragile States. The actions relevant for NGOs working in the field of SRH and population programmes are as follows:

• supporting the implementation of policies aimed at poverty eradication and at the achievement of the MDGs;
• addressing the essential needs of the population with prime attention to primary education and health.
• promoting social cohesion, with a focus on decent work and social and fiscal policies, thereby fighting against poverty, inequality, unemployment and exclusion of vulnerable and marginalised groups;
• combating all forms of group-based discrimination and promoting and protecting gender equality, indigenous peoples' rights and the rights of the child,
• supporting an active civil society, including civil society organisations representing people living in poverty

 

In addition to these areas of co-operation, the DCI regulation includes priorities specific to the different regions. The ones relevant for SRH NGOs are:

• In Latin America: the promotion of social cohesion (e.g. improvement in basic social services, in particular health and education); the protection of human rights, including the rights of the child and indigenous peoples’ rights.
• In Asia: pursuing MDGs in the field of health, including HIV/AIDS, and education;
• addressing governance issues to help build an active and organised civil society, and to enhance the protection of human rights, including the rights of the child.
• In Central Asia: fighting against HIV/AIDS;
• In the Middle East: addressing governance issues to help build an active and organised civil society, and to enhance the protection of human rights, including the rights of the child.
• In South Africa: supporting the fight against poverty, inequality and exclusion, including addressing the basic needs of the previously disadvantaged communities; addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic and its impacts on the South African society.

The regulation establishing the DCI allows a broad range of actors to access the DCI funds: Regarding non-state actors, they have to be non-state, non-profit making actors operating on an independent and accountable basis. This includes non governmental organisations, organisations representing indigenous peoples, organisations representing national and/or ethnic minorities, local traders' associations and citizens' groups, cooperatives, trade unions, organisations representing economic and social interests, organisations fighting corruption and fraud and promoting good governance, civil rights organisations and organisations combating discrimination, local organisations (including networks) involved in decentralised regional cooperation and integration, consumer organisations, women's and youth organisations, teaching, cultural, research and scientific organisations, universities, churches and religious associations and communities, the media and any non governmental associations and independent foundations, including independent political foundations. The annual action programmes determine how assistance is provided. It will also give details about eligibility restrictions when applying for funding.

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The practical implementation of the DCI is regulated by two documents:
1 “Rules and Procedures”
This document explains the basic principles the implementation of an action, which is supported by a grant from the Community.
2 “Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions” (PRAG)
The purpose of the PRAG is to provide users with all the information necessary to undertake procurement or a grant procedure from the very first steps to the award of contracts. The annexes cover both the procurement phase and the execution of contracts. The Guide provides the procedures to be used in centralised systems (centralised and indirect centralised) and de-centralised systems with ex-ante approval or with ex-post controls by the European Commission.

To be defined in the annual action plans

To be defined in the annual action plans

The annexes of the Practical Guide to Contract Procedures for EC External Actions” (PRAG) (see below) include standard forms used in calls for proposals. For each call for proposal, they are provided together with the guidelines setting out the objectives of the call.

The European Commission has increasingly decentralised the management of external assistance. Some partner countries have established managing units within national ministries. In some cases the ministries themselves or their agencies publish the opportunities. Notwithstanding, many calls are still managed by the European Commission, either in Brussels or in the EC delegations. A non-exhaustive list of calls is published on the EuropeAid website. This website has just been reviewed in order to make it more user-friendly. Tenders and grants are awarded following strict rules. These rules apply to the management and nature of calls for proposals/tenders. All EC external assistance follows the same set of rules (EC management procedure). 

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In order to succeed in accessing EC funds, a good understanding of the rules and procedures of the calls are crucial. Little administrative mistakes, such as submission after the deadline or missing documents lead to an immediate rejection. NGOs considering responding to a call should carefully read the guidelines. Project objectives should directly be linked to the objectives of the call. Applicants should also read the relevant policy papers and refer to them, when appropriate.

EC officials use an EC handbook explaining how to draft and manage a proposal. This document can also be useful for NGOs especially part 2 on the logical framework approach. It is called “Aid Delivery methods – Volume 1 – Project Cycle Management Guidelines”.

NGOs with little experience in applying for EC funding should consider participating in other NGOs’ projects funded by the EC. As a junior partner they can build their capacity and get acquainted to EC requirements without taking full responsibility for a project. Consult and liaise with both the EC Delegation in the beneficiary country and the Brussels-based officials. Another information source is CONCORD Europe, the European confederation of relief and development NGOs (contact details below). You also might get support from your national NGO platform.

CONCORD Secretariat aisbl
10 Sq. Ambiorix
1000 Brussels
Belgium
Phone: +32 2 743 87 60
Fax: +32 2 732 19 34
secretariat@concordeurope.org
http://www.concordeurope.org/

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