Call for proposal of the European Refugee Fund for 2009See alsoEstonian Ministry of the Interior declares a
Project Competition For the application of financial resources of the European Refugee Fund for 2009 The aim of the project competition is to support individual projects in order to fulfil the following operational objectives of the European Refugee Fund annual programme of 2009:
Publication of the call for proposals: 14 September 2009 Due date for project submission: 26 October 2009 at 12:00 Additional information: European Refugee Fund in EstoniaSee alsoThe European Refugee Fund I (hereinafter also ERF) was initially established on 28th September 2000 with the adoption of Council Decision 2000/596/EC in order to support and encourage the efforts made by Member States of the European Union in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons. Based on the abovementioned Council Decision the Fund operated from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2004. Since Estonia's accession to the European Union on 1 May 2004, it became possible to apply the means of the ERF for the improvement of its asylum system as well. On 2nd December 2004 the Council adopted Decision 2004/904/EC extending the European Refugee Fund for the period 2005 to 2010 to ensure continued solidarity between Member States in the light of adopted Community legislation in the field of asylum, taking account of the experience acquired when implementing the first phase of the Fund for the period 2000 to 2004 (ERF II). On 23 May 2007 European Parliament and the Council jointly adopted Decision 573/2007/EC establishing the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the General programme "Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows" and repealing Council Decision 2004/904/EC (ERF III). The allocation of funds granted by the ERF Estonia has been arranged through calls for proposals, in which participation has been possible for non-governmental organisations operating in Estonia, state agencies, county governments, local governments, county government and local government associations, non-profit organisations, private or public undertakings, and international organisations alike. So far, the support has mainly been applied for by non-profit associations operating in the field of integration (MTÜ Jaan Tõnissoni Instituut, MTÜ Ida-Virumaa Integratsioonikeskus, MTÜ Johannes Mihkelsoni Keskus, etc.), foundations (Integration Foundation, Estonian Migration Foundation) and international organisations (International Organisation for Migration). The public sector’s interest has remained modest (the only exception being the CMB, the public agency under the administration of the MoI responsible for the asylum procedure). The support allocated from the Fund amounted to 75% of the project’s total cost; since 2006, the Republic of Estonia has additionally financed the projects to the extent of 15%, which means reduction of the self-financing required from the beneficiaries from 25% to 10%. Considering the small number of asylum seekers and the insufficient experience of the agencies dealing with them, ‘receipt conditions and asylum procedures’ was established as the priority area in the Estonian Multiannual Programme of the ERF for the period 2005-2007 – in all, approx. 50 % of the Fund’s support provided as non-repayable aid was allocated for said area. The areas ‘integration’ and ‘voluntary return’ received 30% and 7% of the Fund’s resources, respectively. The support by the ERF has been of significant help upon supplementation of other measures taken in Estonia, supporting and accelerating achievement of the established objectives. More information:
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