EU Call for Proposals - Accessible Tourism, COSME Programme

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The main aim of this call is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the European tourism sector by encouraging the extension of the tourism season, by diversifying the EU tourism product and by enhancing its accessibility.

EU Commission logoCall indentifier: COS-TOUR-2015-3-04: Supporting Competitive and Sustainable Growth in the Tourism Sector

The main aim of this call is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the European tourism sector by encouraging the extension of the tourism season, by diversifying the EU tourism product and by enhancing its accessibility. Given these varied targets, this year's call is divided in three themes:

1. Increasing tourism flows in low/medium seasons for seniors and youth target groups

Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will facilitate the increase of tourism flows during the low and medium seasons, targeting seniors (any person over 55 years old) and the youth (aged between 15 and 29).

2. Diversifying the EU tourism offer and products - Promoting transnational thematic tourism products

Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will diversify the European tourism offer by supporting transnational tourism products in the fields of a) sport and/or wellness and b) cultural or industrial heritage.

3. Enhancing tourism accessibility – improving facilities and services for tourists with special access needs

Under this objective, the COSME programme intends to co-fund project partnerships that will maintain and expand the "Tourism for All" principle of the EU treaties, by providing accessible tourism services for tourists with special access needs. 

Applicants may be partners in more than one project proposal per theme, but may act as project coordinator in only one submitted proposal per theme. Should an applicant act as project coordinator in more than one proposal per theme, all proposals within the same theme submitted by the same coordinator will be excluded.

Eligibility of applicants

Applicants must belong to one of the categories mentioned in section 6 of the call and be active in the tourism sector or in any other field that is strictly related to the object of the proposal.

Applicants must be located in EU Member States and/or countries participating in the COSME programme under Article 6 of the COSME Regulation.

Proposals should be presented by consortia made of a minimum of 5 partners from at least 4 different eligible countries (when applying for Themes 1 and/or 2) or at least 2 different eligible countries (when applying for Theme 3).

The consortium must gather at least:

  1.  Two SMEs – Small and Medium Sized enterprises - acting in the tourism sector
  2.  A national or regional or local public governmental authority and
  3.  An association, a federation or an organisation
  4. Active in the fields of youths or seniors (only for THEME 1)
  5. Active in any of the following fields: sport, wellness, natural heritage, cultural heritage or industrial heritage (only for THEME 2)
  6. Active in the field of accessible tourism or representing people with special needs (only for THEME 3)

For more details, please consult the text of the call available below.

Submission of proposals

The deadline for electronic submission is 30 June 2015 17.00 hours (Brussels time).

The submission system for this call will be available shortly and the link will be added on this page.

The electronic submission reference for this call is COS-TOUR-2015-3-04.

Project funding 

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects is estimated at:

  • EUR 1 700 000 for THEME 1 “Increasing tourism flows in low/medium seasons -for seniors and youth target groups”, divided as follows:
    • EUR 1 000 000 earmarked for the co-financing of projects targeting seniors;
    • EUR 700 000 earmarked for the co-financing of projects submitted targeting youths;
  • EUR 1 700 000 for THEME 2 “Diversifying the EU tourism offer and products – Promoting transnational thematic tourism products”; and
  • EUR 900 000 for THEME 3 “Enhancing tourism accessibility - improving facilities and services for tourists with special access needs".

The maximum grant per project will be EUR 250 000 for THEME 1 and THEME 2 and EUR 125 000 for THEME 3.

EASME expects to fund approximately 8 project proposals for each THEME.
The grant is limited to a maximum reimbursement rate of 75% of eligible costs.

EASME reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

(EASME is the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises which is delegated to manage the Call, Evaluation of Proposals and Project Management).

Further information and access to call documents

Commission Call website