Beneficiaries

One of the members of the operational group can access the financing. 

The operating group must: 

• be composed of at least two subjects; 
• be constituted in the legal forms provided for by the Rural Development Programme; 
• submit an action plan which should lead to the submission of a project under submeasure 16. 2 containing the following elements;
• the design idea; 
• a description of the problem to be solved; 
• the solutions/opportunities proposed; 
• a summary description of the activities planned to be carried out; 
• list of subjects involved; 
• overall budget forecast for the start-up phase of the project.

The categories of stakeholders admitted to the partnership of an operating group are: 

• agricultural and forestry undertakings; 
• SMEs operating in rural areas; 
• commercial operators and service companies; 
• entities governed by public law; 
• actors involved in the production of research and transfer of innovation; 
• NGOs; 
• associations; 
• consortia; 
• producer organisations; 
• company representatives and other forms of association; 
• those involved in training, dissemination and information/consultants. 

Objectives

The submeasure favours the implementation of innovative projects in the agri-food and forestry sector aimed at identifying a concrete solution for companies, aimed at solving a specific problem or taking advantage of a particular opportunity by operational groups (partnerships of actors from different fields). 

The submeasure ultimately supports the creation of Operating Groups (OGs).

Selection principles

Submeasure 16.1 is assessed on the basis of a minimum permissible score of 40 points and a maximum permissible score of up to 100 points, as defined below type of operations activated:

• relevance of the proposal to the objectives of the EIP, the needs identified in the context analysis of the RDP and the priorities of this RDP (minimum 20 - maximum 50 points);
• potential of the project idea presented with a view to achieving the objectives of the IEP (pursuant to Article 55 of Regulation (EU) 1305/2013) and the RDP (minimum 15 - maximum 50 points).

Territorial scopes and beneficiaries are not relevant for the attribution of the score. 
 

Eligible expenditure

The eligible expenses are: 

• costs of animation and information on the territory; 
• preparatory studies (needs analysis, feasibility studies, marketing surveys); 
• missions and travel; 
• planning of activities. 

Scope of support

The support will be guaranteed at the rate of 100% for a maximum of 15,000. 00 euros.