The relevant documents, including the work programme with the priorities of this call, the ‘guide for proposers’ and the application forms are now available here.

IEE is part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, which aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. The IEE is the EU’s tool for funding actions that aim to improve market conditions and in this way enabling a move towards a Europe with better energy intelligence. The programme is run by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, formerly the Intelligent Energy Executive Agency.

Some €45 million will be allocated to help support actions including capacity building, the gathering and spreading of know-how, improving skills and methods, exchanges of experience, the development of market and intelligence, policy input, awareness raising and information provision, and education and training, as well as the s etting up of new local/regional energy agencies. The deadline for the submission of project proposals is 26 June 2008. No “hardware” type investments, demonstration projects, or technical research & development projects on energy efficiency and renewables can be funded under this programme.

Any public or private organisation from the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Croatia can apply. Since the previous call the level of support has increased to 75% of project costs. In order to be considered, the organisation needs to include at least three partner entities from three different eligible countries.

On 31 January 2008, the EACI organised its annual European Info Day, which gathered over 600 participants. The presentations given at the Info Day are available here.