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Financial support through Marco Polo

Financial support through Marco Polo. Anne B årseth Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) Marco Polo Unit. Outline. MARCO POLO I MARCO POLO II What‘s next?. MARCO POLO I.

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Financial support through Marco Polo

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  1. Financial support through Marco Polo Anne Bårseth Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) Marco Polo Unit

  2. Outline • MARCO POLO I • MARCO POLO II • What‘s next?

  3. MARCO POLO I • MARCO POLO I (2003 – 2006) : shifting freight off the road to more environmental friendly transport modes – modal shift • Budget: € 102 million • 4 Calls for proposals published • 3 different action types: Modal shift actions, Common learning actions and Catalyst actions

  4. MARCO POLO I: 4 Calls

  5. MARCO POLO I -Experience from running projects • large majority of projects on track and growing to be viable • waterborne projects general on-target, rail projects with more challenges (delays, low quality of the service etc.) • 6 projects with serious problems • 3 contracts terminated due to high losses/ bankruptcy • 3 services terminated/will be - never started • actual modal shift slightly less than forecast of12 billion tkm/year

  6. MARCO POLO II • Continuing Marco Polo I with larger scale and scope • Duration: 2007-2013 • Budget: 450 M € more than twofold increase of annual budget • Larger possibility to finance infrastructure – if linked to the service • Larger geographical scope – close third countries • 5 action types; 2 new innovative ones: • Motorways of the Sea • Traffic Avoidance Actions

  7. MARCO POLO II – Key Features • objective: shift international increase in road freight off the road (road freight transport estimated growth of 20.5 billion tkm/year in EU-25 in the period 2007 to 2013) • risk funding, business-driven • all segments of international freight (except air) • services only <> no research, studies or (core) infrastructure

  8. MARCO POLO II – Key Features • legal entity: commercial undertakings only (private or public) • eligible for participation: • EU-27 Member States • “close third countries” • eligible for EC-funding: • EU-27 Member States • EFTA & EEA States after conclusion of specific agreement • Candidate and close third countries after Memoranda of Understanding • European dimension • international routes (EU Member States and close third countries) • min. 2 undertakings,1 of them in EU – but exceptionally also1 EU MS

  9. MARCO POLO II - Key Features • Eligible costs: only costs incurred after submission date of the application – even if the action starts earlier • No profit allowed: during the (accumulated) years for funding – does not exclude the possibility to show profit sometime in the period • Viability: - the project should show profit and continue after MP funding • No state aid allowed: maximum combined public grant allowed = maximum subsidy rate of eligible costs of each action type (35% - 50%)

  10. MARCO POLO II - Key Features • No unacceptable distortion of competition: - a detailed justification must be given! • Credibility essential: proven by letters of intent/commitment, good business plan, market study etc. –presently the main reason for failing the evaluations! • Financial capacity: last annual financial statement • Technical capacity: track records and experience of all partners, CV’s etc.

  11. MARCO POLO II – What is new? • All close third countries can participate via agreements (not only EFTA/EEA countries and candidate countries) • Special attention to sensitive and metropolitan areas • Co-ordinated projectsformodal shift, catalyst and common learning actions are allowed – to meet the thresholds! • Eligible applicants: exceptionally - submission by a single undertaking of a EU Member State in case of a transport link with a close third country • Vehicle-km as an alternative to tonne-km in Traffic avoidance actions

  12. MARCO POLO II – What is new? • Modal shift actions –maximum subsidy rate 35% (not 30%) • Catalyst actions: duration up to 5 years (not 4), subsidy threshold 2 M€ (not 1,5 M€) • No changes for the common learning action • Upgraded support for ancillary infrastructure for all action types except common learning & modal shift (?) - no 20% limitation, possibility to extend the contract duration - to complete the ancillary infrastructure works (max 6 year contract duration)

  13. MARCO POLO II – 5 different action types: • Modal shift actions • Catalyst actions • Common learning actions • Motorways of the Sea • Traffic Avoidance

  14. Modal shift actions New or significantly enhanced existing transport services Robust, not necessarily innovative: just shift freight off the road Maximum subsidy of 1 € per 500 tkm shifted Minimum grant threshold: 500 000 € or 250 M tkm shifted Subsidy rate up to 35 % Maximum duration 3 years MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  15. Catalyst actions Overcoming structural market barriers Highly innovative: causing a real breakthrough Subsidy rate up to 35% Minimum grant threshold: 2 M € Maximum duration 5 years MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  16. Catalyst actions 3 step procedure: Market barrier identified (any non-regulatory, factual and non-temporary impediment to the proper functioning of the freight transport chain) An innovative service overcoming the market barrier Service shifting freight off the road with growth potential MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  17. Catalyst actions – examples: High speed freight trains on international routes Inland waterway project overcoming low water level International non-stop railway services (for example: multi-voltage locomotive ES 64 F4 approved for the German-Austrian and Italian power) MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  18. Common learning actions Improve co-operation and sharing of know-how, mutual training Must be a link to modal shift Subsidy rate up to 50% Minimum subsidy threshold 250 000 € Duration up to 2 years MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  19. Common learning actions – examples: Co-operation between railways and inland waterway/short sea shipping/road New co-operation and capacity management models in rail European training centres – the alternative modes of transport (rail/sss/iww/mos) Actions to increase/promote the demand for no-road transport MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  20. Motorways of the Sea frequent, large volume intermodal services based on SSS - innovative and “category A ports” Subsidy rate up to 35% Maximum subsidy of 1 € per 500 tkm shifted Minimum subsidy threshold 2,5 M€ - at least 1.25 billion tkm to be shifted per contract Duration up to 5 years MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  21. Motorways of the Sea Category A ports as defined in the Trans-European networks: i.e. ports with a total annual traffic volume of not less that 1.5 million tonnes of freight or 200.000 passengers. Innovative, high quality service with high frequency Shifting freight from long road distances to a combination of SSS and other modes of transport – door to doorservice MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  22. Motorways of the Sea – MP II and TEN-T • same general objective of sustainable efficient transport but different approach • funding is fully complementary

  23. Traffic avoidance actions - innovative integration of production and transport logistics – reduction of volume or weight, less empty runs etc. higher efficiency in international freight transport through modifications in production and distribution “shall not adversely affect production output and workforce” (e.g. no dislocation of industries out of EU) MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  24. Traffic avoidance actions Decrease Weight or Volume Decrease Distance Increase Average Load per Vehicle Decrease Number of Vehicles Or combinations - be creative! MEASURED IN TONNE-KM OR VEHICLE-KM: MOVEMENT OF A TRUCK, LOADED OR EMPTY OVER A DISTANCE OF 1 KM MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  25. Traffic avoidance actions – funding conditions: Subsidy rate up to 35% “Actual, measurable and sustainable traffic avoidance of at least 10% of the freight volume” Maximum subsidy of 1 € per 500 tkm (or 25 vehicle- km) Minimum subsidy threshold 1 M€ - at least 500 M tkm (or 25 M vehicle-km) to be avoided per contract Duration up to 5 years MARCO POLO II – Key Features

  26. Ancillary infrastructure – Funding rules in MP II • Infrastructure required for timely completion ofnew modally shifted transport service • Works are completed within 24 months after start of action • Transport service starts within 3 months after the completion of the works • Other EU funding, especially TEN-T funding, is excluded • Total aid (state aid and EC funding) not more than 50% of eligible costs

  27. MARCO POLO II – What‘s next? • Next Marco Polo II Conference in Venice, 10 & 11 June 2008 • Call 2007 – evaluation terminated, 55 proposals received, negotiations with selected projects ongoing • Call 2008 (59 M €) – open beg. February 08, deadline 7/4/08 – almost no changes compared to Call 2007 • 1st quarter of 2008: transfer of Marco Polo project management to EACI – Executive Agency of Competitiveness & Innovation

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