Strategic Integrated Projects - Environment

Expected Impact:• By the end of the project: at least substantial contribution to the implementation of the targeted plan/strategy, and mechanisms established to ensure full implementation of the plan/strategy.

• After the project: Full implementation of the plan/strategy.

In relation to those expected impacts, applicants are expected to define, calculate, explain and achieve the expected impacts as described in Award criterion ‘Impact’ of the full proposal evaluation (see Call document).

Objective:Support the full implementation of the following plans and strategies:

- Circular Economy: National or Regional Circular Economy Action Plans, Strategies, Roadmaps or similar, which are officially approved, and which include specific and measurable actions, or targets, with a clear timeline and are in line with or complement the objectives of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and, when relevant of the Bioeconomy Strategy.

- Waste: National and regional Waste Management Plans pursuant to Article 28 of the EU Waste Framework Directive and/or Waste Prevention Programmes as requested by article 29 of the EU Waste Framework Directive.

- Water: River basin management plans pursuant to Annex VII to the EU Water Framework Directive, Flood Risk Management Plans pursuant to the EU Floods Directive, Marine Strategies pursuant to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Drought Management Plans as suggested by Article 13 (5) of the Water Framework Directive.

- Air: Air quality plans pursuant to the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive, National Air Pollution Control Programmes pursuant to the EU National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive.

- Noise: Noise action plans pursuant to the EU Environmental Noise Directive.

Scope:SIPs should aim at the full implementation of the strategies and plans listed in "Objective". This might not mean that the SIP will cover all actions foreseen in the strategy/plan or that the strategy/plan will be fully implemented during the lifetime of the SIP. However, the SIP shall include strategic actions to catalyse a process and mobilise supplementary commitments and funding that will lead, in due time, to the full implementation of the plan or strategy.

SIPs shall promote the coordination with and mobilisation of other relevant Union, national or private funding sources for the implementation of the complementary measures or actions outside of the SIP in the framework of the targeted plan or strategy, giving preference to EU funding. Within the SIP itself, however, co-funding may not come from other EU funding sources.

SIPs shall actively involve the main stakeholders necessary for the implementation of the targeted plan or strategy. They should be involved in both the design and implementation of the given project. This involvement is expected to be achieved by including them - where possible and reasonable - as associated beneficiaries of the SIP, or through their active participation in the implementation of the SIP itself and/or of the complementary actions.

SIPs should facilitate and result in the building up of strategic capacities among the competent authorities and stakeholders to ensure a long-term sustainability of project results and actions, and to ensure that they will be able to function as co-deliverers of the targeted plan or strategy during or after the end of the SIP.

The SIP complexity requires an adaptive approach in the design of the implementing mechanism. For this reason, SIPs will be implemented based on a revolving programming mechanism structured in phases (i.e. Phase 1, Phase 2, etc.). Each phase should normally last at least 3 years, to reduce administrative burden, although duration might be shorter if properly justified.

See Call document and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for a more detailed description of SIPs scope and features.