Call for proposals for action grants for promoting stable debt advice for promoting stable debt advice services

Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Single Market Programme (SMP) (2021-2027)

Programme Description

The Single Market Programme (SMP) covers the single market, competitiveness of enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises, the area of plants, animals, food and feed, and European statistics. Specifically, the programme brings together aspects in order to streamline, exploit synergies and provide a better flexible, transparent, simplified and agile framework to finance activities aiming at a well-functioning sustainable internal market.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

SMP-CONS-2024-DA

Call

Call for proposals for action grants for promoting stable debt advice for promoting stable debt advice services

Summary

This call for proposals aims to strengthen consumer protection by increasing access to debt advice services for consumers in EU Member States and ensure that relevant services can be improved.

Detailed Call Description

The main objectives include raising awareness among stakeholders about the importance of debt advice and enhancing the effectiveness of stable debt advice structures and networks. The initiative aims to benefit consumers with debt-related challenges, by supporting experts who offer relevant services at local, national and European level.

The scope of eligible actions, initiatives, and activities can include, but is not limited to (non-exhaustive list):

  • Establishment of access points: Creating accessible physical locations and/or leveraging digital platforms (e.g., chat services) to offer consumer-oriented debt advice. These access points should be designed to provide easy, user-friendly and direct access for consumers seeking assistance with debt management.
  • Consumer engagement and education: Organising events, meetings, and campaigns to raise awareness towards consumers about debt advice services. This includes efforts aimed at engaging consumers, informing them about managing debt and promoting the availability of debt advice services.
  • Collaboration, reference points and best practices: Initiating and supporting the development of experts’ networks among current and prospective debt advisors to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices. This includes establishing reference points within these networks for the swift redirection of consumers to appropriate debt advisory services.
  • Research and action plans: Supporting research projects and action plans that aim to establish or strengthen the infrastructure for providing debt advice services. This includes creating robust, stable frameworks that ensure the continuity and reliability of these services for consumers.
  • Continuity and stability: Implementing measures to secure the ongoing availability and stability of debt advice services, ensuring that consumers can consistently rely on these essential supports.
  • Capacity building and training: Enhance the skills of current staff and train new debt advisors. Focus on improving the efficacy and reach of debt advice services, with measures to equip advisors with the knowledge and tools needed to better serve consumers on a stable basis.

The following actions, initiatives, and activities are considered to have particular significant relevance for the purpose of this call:

  • Cross-border cooperation and exchange of best practices between debt-advisory centres established in different EU Member States.
  • Facilitating creation of new debt advice structures in regions where such structure are not existing.
  •  Providing debt advice services to particularly vulnerable consumers

The proposed activities shall bring benefit to the consumers of the same country where the applicant(s) is(are) established. The proposed cross-border activities will be considered as added value.

Call Total Budget

€1.000.000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

95%

The maximum grant amount requested cannot exceed €120.000.

Thematic Categories

  • Justice - Security
  • Other Services
  • Public Administration
  • Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
  • Social Affairs & Human Rights

Eligibility for Participation

  • Associations
  • Consumer Organisations
  • Legal Entities
  • Non Profit Organisations
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Private Bodies
  • Semi-governmental organisations
  • State-owned Enterprises

Eligibility For Participation Notes

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

  • be legal entities:
    • public bodies or
    • private non-profit bodies such as NGOs, charities, consumer associations
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
    • non-EU countries:

Applicants may participate in maximum two (2) different proposals.

Consortium composition:
Proposals may be submitted by a single applicant as well as by a consortium.

All consortium members must originate from the same eligible country.

Call Opening Date

26/03/2024

Call Closing Date

06/06/2024

National Contact Point(s)

Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry
Industry and Technology Service
1421, Nicosia, Cyprus
Emailsit@meci.gov.cy

Contact Person:
Spyros Triantaphyllidis
Telephone: 22867333
Email: striantafyllides@meci.gov.cy

EU Contact Point

For help ( NON IT related)  to this call, please contact: EISMEA-CONS-GRANTS@ec.europa.eu