Marco Polo II: Call for proposals 2011

danube.news, via donau

Marco Polo II is user-driven and makes both economic and ecological sense, especially for transport and logistics professionals and the manufacturing industry. A Marco Polo grant co-funds new projects during the crucial start-up phase before they become profitable.

Marco Polo is run by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility & Transport and the EU's Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI). The EACI is responsible for the operational side of the programme - putting it into action on the ground and liaising with participants. The Marco Polo Programme is the subject of annual calls for proposal.

5 types of project are eligible for Marco Polo grants:

• Traffic avoidance actions: introducing new ways of avoiding or reducing road traffic
• Modal shift actions: shifting traffic off the road and combining different transport modes 
• Catalyst actions: technology-driven supporting services for modal shift
• Motorways of the sea actions: getting big volumes of freight off the roads onto ships
• Common learning actions: enhancing the knowledge and cooperation in intermodal transport and logistics

The share of eligible costs varies according to the type of project; the upper limit is 35 % for all categories except for common learning actions where it is 50.

Countries bordering the EU are now eligible for funding if they signed an association agreement. Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Croatia are already part of the Marco Polo funding scheme.

The Marco Polo programme translates into fewer trucks on the road and thus less congestion, less pollution, and more reliable and efficient transport of goods.

To find out more about this year’s call, participation and funding please go to the » Marco Polo homepage of the EACI.

Source: European Commission, Editorial: via donau