EU allocates EUR 10 million in grants to boost economic growth in town halls in Eastern Partnership

EUR 10 million in grants available to town halls in the Eastern Partnership countries. The European Commission has announced the allocation of grants to accelerate economic growth in the town halls of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The project concepts must be submitted by April 6 this year.

The competition will take place under the EU Initiative "Mayors for Economic Growth". The initiative supports town halls in designing Local Economic Development Plans (LEDPs), which aim to stimulate economic activity and support local businesses, which in turn lead to improved local services and impact on job creation and the inclusion of women in the labor market.

In the first phase of the initiative, completed by October 2020, more than 400 town halls across the region had committed to achieving the objectives of the initiative, and more than 230 plans had been designed in line with the M4EG guidelines. Sixteen pilot projects are being implemented in the region.

The second phase aims to support the implementation of Local Economic Development Plans. At this stage, the preparation of investment projects and support for pilot initiatives begins. Geographical balance will be ensured among countries and within countries, between capitals and regions.

The overall indicative amount available under this call for proposals is EUR 10 million - EUR 5 million to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova, EUR 4 million to Ukraine and EUR 1 million to the implementation of actions based on Local Economic Development Plans.

An online information session will be held on March 4, at 13:00 CET.

The deadline for submitting concept notes is April 6 (16:00 CET).

Subsequently, the main applicants, who have been preselected, will be invited to submit a complete application. More details on the information session and application procedures can be found here: https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/moldova/93813/node/93813_en

The Mayors for Economic Growth Initiative supports cities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to facilitate growth and job creation by improving the local business environment, stimulating entrepreneurship and attracting investment for sustainable economic development.