Call for proposals GR/003/23

Intellectual property awareness-raising activities

Funding space

The Call for proposals is made up of the following sections

The Call notice (short version of the call for proposals) published in the Official Journal in all EU official languages
The Call for proposals – Guidelines for applicants and the application package (published only in English)
The e-Form link for electronic submission of applications
The Questions & answers section

1. Call notice

Call notice GR/003/23 as published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 17/04/2023:

2. Call for proposals

Please note that due to some compatibility issues with older versions of Excel, the Office informs the applicants that it is not necessary to fill in the table in the tab "Costs" in the 3 Excel files for the quantitative and qualitative KPIs

Below you will find the full text of the call for proposals and the application package with instructions and templates on how to submit a proposal.

Call for proposals GR-003-23 - Guidelines for applicants
Annex 1 - Application package containing:
Annex 2 - Draft Grant Agreement (for applicant’s information)
Annex 3 - Performance indicators

3. Electronic Application Forms – e-Forms:

Call reference	Electronic application	Version	Released on
GR/003/23	Application e-Form	1,0	17/04/2023

The e-Form is available only in English. The applicant can start the process of creation of the e-Form using the following document: e-Form User Guide
If you wish to apply for more than one strand, you will need to submit separate e-Forms, one for each strand.

We strongly advise applicants not to wait until the last moment for submitting their on-line application.

After the deadline for submission of applications ends, the online application system will be closed.

As an Applicant, please:

read the call for proposals carefully before to start completing your application
complete the relevant templates of the application package
use the official e-Form. Please fill in the e-Form by referring to the User Guide and don’t forget to also upload the compulsory annexes.
submit your application online before the specified deadline. You should receive a confirmation email.
save and view your application to which you have applied on your local computer

Technical issues:

If, after referring to the e-Form User Guide you still have a question and/or if you experience a technical problem when submitting your application, please contact directly the mailbox: grants@euipo.europa.eu

4. Publicity and use of the relevant logo

Visibility guidelines

This document contains instructions related to the obligation to display a logo and to acknowledge the support received under the relevant grant agreement in all communication and promotional materials.

Logos to use

Note on graphical file formats:

EPS: recommended for professional use and vector programmes
PNG: standard image format transparent for general use

5. Questions & answers

Replies to your questions will be published in this section. Therefore, we recommend you to check frequently whether any new information/document is posted.
Please note that

the last date for requesting clarifications from the Office is 26/05/2023.
the last date on which clarifications are issued by the Office is 29/05/2023.

An information session, which included a question and answer session, took place via webinar on 10 May 2023. The webinar was recorded, so if you missed it or would like to watch it again, it is available here.

EUIPO Presentation Grants 2023


Questions & answers (click on the question to expand the answer underneath)	Date
We would like to know if the activities could take place in two EU Member States for strand A. That is two partners from two countries. Yes, it is possible.	8/05/2023
Can I apply at Grants23 for only one country or it needs to be three? The requirement to cover 3 EU countries is only applicable to strand B.	10/05/2023
With regard to the question "Is the minimum of 3 years experience in similar projects of the same size in the last 5 years a necessary requirement or a preference criteria for selecting proposals?", submitted during the webinar, I would like to know: - is it required an experience of 3 years in projects related to the same topic (IP) or not necessary? Similar projects does not mean necessarily similar topic or IP topic.	11/05/2023
Still concerning the minimum of 3 years experience in similar projects, is, for example, a long experience based on projects involving SMES (including european projects not directly related to IP) an adequate requirement? Please refer to the Guidelines for applicants section 10.2 Operational capacity. For Strand C, a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in awareness raising activities, with a minimum of two projects of similar size to the actions envisaged in this call for proposals. Any relevant experience should be during the last 5 years.	11/05/2023
In the case more beneficiaries or partners are involved in the same call for proposal, should all beneficiaries/partners own the requirement of a 3 years experience in projects and, if so, is the experience in Ip projects mandatory for all the beneficiaries? Please refer to the Guidelines for applicants section 10.2 Operational capacity: This criterion will be assessed cumulatively in the case of a single applicant and its affiliated entities for a mono-beneficiary grant, and individually in the case of multiple applicants under a multi-beneficiary grant, that is, the project leader and the partners.	11/05/2023
Must the experience based on previous projects (IP or not IP) be formally demonstrated through a list of formal projects of the same size of the call or could also all carried out activities (disseminations, consultancy and i.g. institutional activities not specifically related to formal projects) be taken into consideration? In accordance with Guidelines for applicants section 10.2 Operational capacity supporting documents demonstrating operational capacity must be submitted. The Office might request Additional supporting documents to confirm the operational capacity of an applicant. The bottom line is that anything being declared in the list of formal projects needs to be backed up by adequate supporting documents where so requested.	11/05/2023
We would like to know whether eligible applicants include private companies. As indicated in section 8.1 of the Guidelines for applicants, applicants may also be "private bodies".	11/05/2023
As public authority we have no experience with the creation of SoMe videos, but want to use some in the project. Are the costs for an agency eligible? And if so, do we have to include the CVs and track-records of the agency staff (although we would have to put this out to tender?)? In the case of this call for proposals using Financing Not Linked to Costs, the eligibility will not be verified (apart from checks and audits that could come after the implementation). So, all the expenses you consider as necessary to achieve your objectives are appropriate. There is no need at the stage of submission of a proposal to include data about the potential subcontractor. But if you already are in agreement with one and you believe this could be an added value to your proposal, you can include its information (past projects for example).	12/05/2023
We have a question regarding § 2, 2.1 Public entities that receive funds or support from the Office by means of other financing measures such as cooperation programmes, which aim to pursue the same objectives as this call, are not eligible (e.g. national and regional IP offices, international organisations). If our University is involved in the EUIPO annual Traineeship program, in which our students accepted as EUIPO trainees receive monthly grants during the program, are we still eligible for the Call for projects? Point 8.1 “Eligible applicants” sets down eligibility rules. Public entities will not be eligible in case the Office provides financial support for activities pursuing the same objectives as this call. Not being the case, public entities shall remain eligible.	12/05/2023
According to e-form guidelines, do you confirm that files to be uploaded should be under 2038 KB each? It's a pretty low limit! Zip files are not allowed as well? Yes, the limit is indeed set at 2MB but with a maximum of 10 files. And the types allowed are: png, gif, jpg, doc, xls, docx, odt, pdf, xlsx	15/05/2023
n the Letter of Mandate the project should be mentioned with title and project number. Does this mean the title of the call for proposals and the corresponding EUIPO number? (No GR/003/23) or should the name of the campaign including the project number be mentioned? In the letter of mandate, the title referes to the name of the project that the applicant wants to give. The number could be a reference also chosen by the applicant. So the letter shouldn't bear the name and reference of the call for proposals.	17/05/2023
We would like to ask just one question about eligibility criteria to be absolutely sure. We understand that IP offices which have a cooperation agreement with the EUIPO which involves awareness-raising activities are not eligible applicants in such calls. Could you please confirm this? Indeed, as indicated in section 8.1 of the Guidelines for applicants, public entitie receiving support from the EUIPO to pursue the same objectives as this call are not eligible (for example national or regional IP offices).	17/05/2023
Specifically, I would like to inquire about the requirement for targeting three countries. (from the Guidelines for applicants for Strand B: “Furthermore, to be eligible for Strand B, the proposed activities must take place in at least three EU Member States.”) As we understand it, one of the criteria is to target at least three EU Member States. In case we create a movie, is it enough if we translate it into three different languages, which will serve as the basis for targeting three EU Member States. However, we would like to seek further clarification on whether this translation alone is sufficient to fulfill the criteria and obtain the desired score. As stated in the guidelines to be eligible for Strand B, the proposed activities must take place in at least three EU Member States, which means that activities have to be implemented in 3 EU MS. The mere translation of a product in an EU language does not account for awareness activities in the respective country of that language. So absence of dissemination and awareness of relevant activities in 3 countries will not qualify as fulfilling the criteria.	18/05/2023
Regarding students of secondary schools and VET centres, could they be included in the children target group? Yes they can be.	19/05/2023
Regarding educational professionals like trainers at secondary schools, or at VET centres or professors at universities. Could they be included in the teachers/future teachers target group? Yes they can be.	19/05/2023
If partners are not allocated their own budget as part of the application and are only to be used to promote campaign content, is it permissible to delete the information in the "letter of mandate" (Annex E) on points 1,2,3? (b) undertake the roles stipulated in the application form; (c) manage all grant money according to the conditions of the Grant Agreement. We would recommend leaving the letter as it is. A partner will in any case have a role in the project, even if it is only to do the promotion, thus covering point 2 (b). And even if the partner is not involved in managing part of the budget, the point 2 (c) is in no way an obligation to receive funds but to use the money received for implementing its part in accordance with the project proposal. Furthermore, you may consider if you want to implement the project with partners (who will be listed in the grant agreement) or with subcontractors who will simply implement non-core tasks and who will not be listed in the grant agreement.	19/05/2023
In the FAQ or Q&A section of the Information Session, the possibility of remuneration for services rendered by full-time personnel of public universities was tentatively denied on the basis of the principle of "double funding" (see minute 51:23). I would like to point out that, at least in some Spanish universities, professors are paid on the basis of their academic activity at the university (i.e., encompassing determined and preset teaching and research tasks) but not for consultancy or even for additional research activities, which they may choose to perform on a remunerated basis, thus supplementing their salary. This possibility stems directly from the law (i.e., art. 60LOSU, ex 82 LOU). I understand that in this scenario there would not be a situation of "double financing" since the salary of the professors and the grant would fall on different and unconnected objects (i.e., the salary would reward the daily activity of Spanish professors, which would be unrelated to the activities funded by the grant; and the EU budget would finance, through the grant, those activities for which the grant would have been awarded). A different interpretation would place Spanish professors (and those from other Member States with similar legislation) in a disadvantageous situation, both in general and within the framework of the call, forcing them to carry out for free activities for which they would not be remunerated by anyone at all. The point is that the actual salary is eligible if the person is assigned to the project and the costs of personnel are in line with the applicant's pratice. And if the activities are carried out as additional ones, then they should be distinct and identifiable (in case of checks and audits). Also, a cost cannot be covered by 2 different EU budgets.	22/05/2023
Do natural persons have to be registered as self-employed? If so, do they also have had to be registered for 2 years before they can apply? If they have not been registered for two years, could they still participate in the call in some capacity under another registered self-employed person? If a self-employed person would request a grant amount higher than 60.000€ would they also need to submit P&Ls and other financial documents to prove financial capacity? Or P&Ls are financial documents required to companies only? Natural persons must be registered in some manner as self-employed, depending on the applicable legislation in their country of residence. And the same requirement of minimum 2 years of registraton applies. Otherwise it is not possible to participate as an applicant but only as an employee of the applicant or as a sub-contractor. In case of proposals above 60.000€, balance sheets and/or profit and loss documents will be requested at the end of the evaluation for projects recommended for award. In the case of natural persons, equivalent documentation will also be asked as it may vary depending on the country of establishment.	22/05/2023
Is point “5. OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL CAPACITY” from Annex I.A fully waved for public bodies (as clearly stated in pp. 13 and 14 of the Guidelines for applicants, or should public bodies deliver CVs and comply with other requirements under point “5. OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL CAPACITY” from Annex I.A (i.e., “5.1 Financial capacity” and “5.2 Operational capacity”). This is clear from the Guidelines (i.e.: “Public bodies and Member State organisations are exempted from the operational capacity check” and “The financial capacity check does not apply to public bodies, including Member State organisations”, pp. 14 and 13, respectively), but, again, the video from the Information session seems to point otherwise at least as regards CVs are concerned… As indicated in the Guidelines, Public Bodies are fully exempted of financial and operational capacity checks. The webinar did not say otherwise.	23/05/2023
If our project proposal in Strand C is for grant of EUR 60 000 (not exceeding EUR 60 000) - is a declaration on honour (Annex 1.C) sufficient or we need supporting documents to provide the related profit and loss accounts, as well as the balance sheet, for the last 2 financial years for which the accounts were closed? As per article 10.1 of the guidelines for applicants, for grants up to 60.000€, only the declaration on honour is requested. Regardless of the strand you are applying for.	24/05/2023
Strand C of the call is doomed to failure in the case of IPRs such as GIs, or PBRs, where sectors are made up not of tens, hundreds or even billions (as in the case of potential consumers of a given mass consumer product or service), but just a few thousands, at best. Can it be assumed in these cases, for the purposes of measuring "reach", that hundreds equal millions, or must it be concluded directly that projects for such sectors are not viable through strand C? Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set for this call for proposals are both qualitative and quantitative. As indicated in ANNEX 3 – performance indicators estimation and assessment ‘each measurement must refer to each specific audience targeted (i.e., the specific group of people/segment you aim to reach)’. The reaches will be measured in accordance with the audience target by the specific strand. It is up to the applicants to define SMART (i.e., specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) quantitative KPIs bearing in mind the target audience; Strand C aims to reach Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which represent 99% of all businesses in the EU.	24/05/2023
We have a doubt concerning the model grant attached. We are supposed to fill our part and send it attached in the application E-Form, right?. Even if the data from the Office is not filled? The grant agreement is just a model for information only at that stage and doesn’t need to be filled in.	25/05/2023
Is there any writing limit in the project proposal? In our experience in writing project proposals, usually there is a limit of words on each question and we would like to know if the situation is for this tender as well. There is a recommendation in the number of pages for this call for proposals as indicated on page 15 of the Guidelines for Applicants under section 11 - Award criteria: "As a general indication, the Office considers that a clear and concise proposal should not exceed approximately 10 pages."	25/05/2023
In the question 6.3 Dissemination and performance it states " The total quantitative target will be measured in relation to budget requested (reaches/€)." Will the target be measured in relation to the whole budget (for example 60 000 EUR) or just the work package that is for the dissemination and performance activities (for example 8 000 EUR)? It will be in relation to the whole budget as we will assess total reach versus budget.	25/05/2023
Regarding the Excel form "2023-03-22-GRANTS-2023-Strand-C" - The "costs" and "costs validated" sections - should we insert here the budget for the planned media spending / split? Or does it also needs to include the overall cost-estimation of the Project including agency costs, production costs etc? In the annex 2023-03-22-GRANTS 2023-Strand C, applicants shall indicate all estimated costs for the action for which financing is shought. In the column ‘events’, ‘online resources’, ‘social media’, ’traditional media’ must be included the overall estimated costs for each category of means of awareness raising. In the column ‘common to all channels, not specific to any channel’ can be included any cross-cutting costs linked with the proposed action. In the application text, it is possible to provide additional information on the exact nature of the estimated costs. Any complement of information provided will allow the contracting authority to assess the costs estimated by applicants.	25/05/2023
How do we integrate the budget in the application? Do we need to complete a specific excel file where we should write specifically how are we going to spend the salaries, implementation of the activities? Applicants should fill only annex 1B - Budget form with the total amount they forsee for the action, without any detail or spreading or calculation.	25/05/2023
I have missed the information concerning a “related supporting document as indicated in the guidelines or in the document itself”. Could you please give me some more details about it?. What kind of documents is that?. It doesn´t appear on your web page right?. Is it mandatory?. The reference to “related supporting documents” points to all the sections called “supporting documents” in the guidelines. For instance under eligibility, or selection criteria … Also within the documents. For example under annex 1D – Legal Entity and Financial Identification form, some footnotes specify the supporting documents to be attached.	25/05/2023
We would just like to know if a) documentaries and b) TV/web series as described are as the format convenient for your Call? Yes, these types of activities are considered relevant provided all other requirements are fulfilled (please see guidelines).	30/05/2023
…and application and for which of three offered strands? Choice of strands depends of the target audiences and narratives envisaged by the submissioner; this is for your to decide	30/05/2023

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