The Official Journal of the European Union has published on February 26th the Commission Decision of 23th February 2009 concerning the adoption of the 2009 work plan to implement the Second Programme of Community action in the field of health (2008-2013), and the criteria for selection, award and other factors that apply to financial contributions for activities of this programme. Together with this programme, four calls for proposals have also been issued.

Decision No 1350/2007/EC established the Second Programme of action in the field of health (2008-2013), which aims to complement, support and add value to the policies of the Member States and contribute to greater solidarity and prosperity in the European Union. The Programme's objectives are to improve the health of the citizens, promote health, including reducing inequalities in health, and to generate and disseminate information and knowledge about health.

According to the Decision, the Commission must adopt an annual work plan that sets out priorities and actions to be undertaken, including allocation of financial resources, the criteria for the percentage of the Community financial contribution including criteria for assessing whether or not exceptional, and methods of implementation of joint strategies and actions referred to in that Decision. Therefore, the Commission has adopted the work plan for 2009.

Proposals under the health programme must comply fully with the goals, objectives and methods set in the Decision of the Programme. In particular, proposals should not contain significant elements related to the investigation. All proposals must demonstrate, in cases where relevant, synergies that can be identified with relevant activities currently funded research in the context of scientific support to the activities of the policies within the Sixth Framework Programme, the same way that health and other related issues projects to be financed under the Seventh Framework Program . When submitting proposals for the 2009 work plan is compusory to show that there is no overlap or duplication with the Seventh Framework Programme.

As for actions, those with a strong European added value in relation to several areas will have a special preference to:

• Contribution to improving the health of European citizens, far, wherever possible, with appropriate indicators, including the indicator of life expectancy in good health.
• Contribution to the reduction of inequalities in health within Member States and EU regions and between them.
• Contribution to capacity building for development and implementation of effective policies in public health, especially in areas with greatest needs.
• Involvement of new players (not traditional) health, sustainable actions, cooperative and ethical strength, both regionally and locally and across the participating countries

Financing

Decision Program provides a total budget of 321,500 million for the period from January 1st 2008 to December 31st 2013. By 2009, the budgetary authority has approved a total budget of 48.48 million euros in relation to the budget 17 03 06 and 17 01 04 02.

Additional contributions from the EFTA countries that are members of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and candidate countries participating in the program is estimated that would amount to 1,163,520 euros in relation to countries the EFTA / EEA and 138,000 euros to Croatia.

Furthermore, the full range of funding mechanisms available under the Second Health Programme will be applied. Moreover, the budget calls for project proposals has been reduced and has become an increased focus on procurement and other funding mechanisms such as joint action and operating grants, in order to maximize the effectiveness and the added value of projects funded and ensure that funds are channeled directly to the achievement of programme objectives. However, if, at the end of 2009, resources in the operating budget were available, the priority will be reallocated to fund the grants selected through the call for proposals 2009.

All financing mechanisms will be implemented under the responsibility of the Executive Agency for Health and Consumer Affairs (AESC), which assist the Commission in implementing the work plan for 2009. The above funding arrangements are:

• Calls for proposals.
• Calls for tender.
• Joint Actions.
• Operating grants.
• Lectures in the field of public health and risk assessment.
• Cooperation with international organizations.
• Scientific Committee.
• Subdelegation to the Directorate General for Regional Policy.

Calls for proposals

Under the second program of Community action in the field of health (2008-2013), together with the work plan 2009, the European Commission has issued four calls for proposals concerning:

• The financial contributions for specific actions in the form of projects.
• The financial contributions for specific actions in the form of lectures.
• The financial contributions for the functioning of nongovernmental organizations and networks (operating grants).
• An invitation to Member States and participating countries to submit joint actions.

According to the 2009 work plan, the proposed actions (projects) will be evaluated according to three categories of criteria:

• Exclusion criteria and eligibility, to assess the eligibility of the applicant (Article 114 of the Financial Regulation).
• Selection criteria, to assess the financial and operational capacity of the applicant to undertake the proposed action (section 115 of the Financial Regulation).
• Award criteria, to assess the quality of the proposal taking into account their cost.

The deadline for submission of proposals from different calls is May 20, 2009.

All information on the call is available on the website of the Executive Agency for Health and Consumer Affairs.