Deadline: 15 May 2019

European Commission is seeking applications for Call for proposals for action grants to support transnational projects to enhance the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime and the rights of victims of crime.

Priorities

The aims of this call are:

• To contribute to the effective and coherent application of EU criminal law in the area of the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime (procedural rights priority);
• To contribute to the effective and coherent application of EU criminal law in the area of the rights of victims of crime (victims’ rights priority).

In both priorities, the actions may include forward looking initiatives linked with gaps in EU legislation where there is a need for EU action. Projects ensuring maximum practical benefits and impact for the target groups will be more favorably assessed than theoretical projects consisting mainly of research and other analytical activities. Successful project shall ensure easy access to and wide dissemination of its results.

Funding Information

• The indicative maximum amount earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 3 600 000.

Duration

• The initial duration of the projects should not exceed 24 months.

Activities

The project should cover one or several of the following activities:

• Analytical activities, such as data collection and creation of data bases, surveys, research etc.;
• Mutual learning, exchange of good practices, development of working methods which may be transferable to other participating countries;
• Exchange and provision of information and development of information tools;
• Capacity building for professionals;
• Facilitating cooperation between competent authorities (including where relevant national experts or agencies dealing with the aspects covered by this call) and/or legal practitioners and/or service providers (including multi-disciplinary networks at EU or international, national, regional or local levels);
• Communication activities including dissemination of information about rights and activities raising awareness of the existing rules on rights at EU and national levels, relevant to the priorities of the call; trainingactivities, as long as they are of ancillary nature and not the main purpose of the project.

Expected Results

1. Expected results under the priority 1:
   • Increased capacity of national practitioners to address issues relating to the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime.
   • Strengthened cooperation and exchange of information between competent national authorities in relation to the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime.
   • Improved knowledge on the legislation and administrative practices related to specific provisions of the EU acquis regulating the rights of suspects and accused in criminal proceedings.
   • Alignment of the Member States administrative practices in relation to the relevant legislation in order ot achieve a common approach based on best practice.
   • Reduced risks of breaches of fair trial rights.
   • Compatibility of the Member States’ national legal framework and regulations linked to the rights of persons suspected or accused in criminal proceedings with EU acquis.
   • Improved cooperation of NGOs and professional organisations in the field of the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime.
   • Increased awareness of the relevant policy makers on the rights of persons suspected or accused of crime.
2. Expected results under the priority 2:
   • Increased capacity of national practitioners and other actors coming in contact with victims to address issues relating to the rights of victims of crime.
   • Improved capacity of national legal systems to deal with victims in an integral manner aimed at increasing victims’ resilience and reintegration in the society.
   • Improved cooperation among the competent national authorities, NGOs and/or professional organisations in the field of victims’ rights.
   • Improved public awareness and knowledge about victims’ rights at both EU and national level.
   • Improved knowledge of specific provisions of the EU acquis that regulate issues such as referring victims to the relevant support services, victims’ access to information in the area of victims’ rights, individual assessment of victims’ needs.
   • Compatibility of the Member States’ national legal framework and administrative practice related to victims’ rights with the relevant EU acquis.
   • Increased number of victims’ support organisations providing general and specialist support services to victims of crimes and their family members, in particular, those Member States who currently do not provide such services enough or at all.
   • Increased quality of the services provided by victims support organisations.
   • Enhanced cooperation among the relevant national authorities responsible for compensation in cross-border cases under the Council Directive 2004/80/EC on compensation to crime victims[1].
   • Improved access to information about victims’ right to compensation.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Programme eligible countries are:
  • The Member States of the European Union (including their overseas departments), except for Denmark and the United Kingdom.
  • Albania and Montenegro.
• For Lead applicant (i.e. coordinator) and participants (partners)
  • The applicant and the partners must be public entities or private organisations, duly established in one of the countries participating in the programme, or international organisations.
  • Organisations that are profit-oriented may only submit applications in partnership with public entities or private non-profit organisations.
  • Under the Justice programme, entities affiliated to a beneficiary and linked third parties are not considered as project participants, unless they are included as partners in the proposal.
• For Application
  • The application must be transnational and involve organisations from at least two participating countries;
  • The application must be submitted by a partnership, including at least two organisations (applicant and partner) actively involved in the implementation of the proposed action.

How to Apply

Applicants can Apply via given website.

For further information, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/just/topics/just-jacc-ag-2019.html