Funding programme

PEACEPLUS is a new funding programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. PEACEPLUS is the successor programme to both PEACE IV and INTERREG VA.

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Call overview

This call aims to promote sustainable water management.

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Call detail

The enhancement and protection of our natural environment is critical to future economic and social development. There is an opportunity to deliver a sustainable thriving environment where business can flourish. A clean and green environment makes a major contribution to our citizens having a long, healthy and active life, as well as creating a place where people want to live, visit and invest.

The transboundary nature of water bodies across the Programme Area presents an opportunity for strategic collaboration. The proposed investment will facilitate the development and implementation of cross border best practice and technical expertise to improve water quality across the Programme Area.

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Objective

This objective will promote sustainable water management.

It will result in an increased percentage of shared waters in the Programme Area with good or high-quality status.

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Funded actions

In line with the objectives, anticipated actions will focus improving water quality through a focus on shared water bodies. Actions will include jointly developed strategies, nature-based solutions and technological solutions.

Actions relating to water bodies which will be supported include cross-border water-quality improvement strategies focussed on development of integrated models for the management of shared inland freshwater bodies1 using new technologies and a complete ecosystem approach, as well as the production of a comprehensive ecosystem model and advanced network of instrumentalisation.

Projects which include actions that facilitate the research and development of a range of wastewater treatment technologies with direct relevance to shared waters.

Read more details in the call document.

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Eligibility

• National, regional and local authorities;
• Regional and local development agencies,
• Universities, colleges, higher education, research institutions;
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs, including sports and cultural bodies);
• Sectoral agencies and business support organisations;
• Voluntary sector organisations;
• Other relevant public-like organisations contributing to the development of the programme area;
• Private sector – specifically micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies.

The programme area for the PEACEPLUS Programme is:

• Northern Ireland;
• The border counties of Ireland (Counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo).

This is the core programme area. The programme, however, has flexible geography beyond its administrative borders called a functional area. This allows for organisations and institutions not based in the core programme area to get involved in projects by linking with partners within the core area. The benefits of such collaborations must be significant for the core programme area.

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Budget

The total value of €32 million is available under this call. This consists of €25.6million ERDF and UK ERDF equivalent funding and €6.4 million governmental match.

Grants are available to cover 100% of the eligible costs of the project. Projects/Partners may wish to bring additional match funding into the project, applicants should seek further advice from SEUPB on this before the call closes.