Cross-border Programme North Macedonia - Albania under the Instrument of Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III) allocations for 2024

Restricted action grant under the IPA III Cross-border Programme North Macedonia–Albania (ref EuropeAid) to finance joint cross‑border operations in environment, climate adaptation and disaster risk management, and sustainable tourism/cultural and natural heritage. Total indicative call budget €3,430,000; individual grants €600,000–€1,000,000 with EU co‑financing 60–85%; action duration 24–36 months. The call is a two‑stage restricted procedure: concept notes in English must be submitted via PROSPECT by 15 January 2027 with mandatory PADOR and Participant Register registration. Partnerships must include at least one public authority from each country and demonstrate genuine joint development and implementation across the eligible border regions.

What it funds

Scope and priorities

Action grants for cross-border cooperation projects between North Macedonia and Albania that promote neighbourly relations, EU integration and socio-economic development. The call targets two thematic clusters: environment, disaster risk management and climate; and sustainable tourism and protection of cultural and natural heritage. Actions must deliver clear cross-border impacts and take place in specified border regions of both countries.

Who can apply

Lead applicants must be non-profit legal persons established in North Macedonia or Albania (eg local/regional authorities, national parks, public agencies, civil society organisations, educational or cultural institutions, disaster management centres, public utilities). Each application must be a cross-border partnership including at least one public authority per country; at least one co-applicant must be established in the partner country. Maximum of four co-applicants; affiliated entities allowed under conditions.

Key rules and project features

Applicants should read the Guidelines for Applicants and Annexes (budget, logical framework, identification forms, standard contract, procurement rules, visibility and SEA-H self-evaluation) before preparing submissions. Information sessions and Q&A schedule will be announced on the programme and Delegation websites; questions must be sent to DELEGATION-NORTH-MACEDONIA-CALLS-FOR-PROPOSALS@eeas.europa.eu in line with the call timetable.

Opportunity at a glance

Objectives and thematic priorities

Priority specific objectives and example results / activities

The call targets projects delivering clear cross-border impacts in the programme area (specific eligible regions and municipalities listed in the guidelines). Examples of specific objectives and illustrative activities:

Eligibility: organisations, partnership and geography

Lead applicants must be legal persons, non-profit-making, and effectively established in North Macedonia or Albania. Eligible types include local and regional government units, national parks, ministries and national agencies, development agencies, civil society organisations and professional associations, tourist organisations, disaster/emergency services, environmental protection organisations, formal and non-formal education and research institutions, cultural institutions, public utility companies and other relevant public or non-profit entities. Each application must be a cross-border partnership including at least one public authority partner from each country (one public authority from North Macedonia and one from Albania). The lead applicant must act with at least one co-applicant established in the other country. Maximum number of co-applicants: four. Affiliated entities are allowed under strict definitions; associates, contractors and recipients of financial support have separate roles and rules.

Action characteristics, duration and types of costs

Funding rules, grant size and co-financing

Application process and submission

Evaluation, selection and award

Consortium rules and limits on participation

Lead applicant may submit only one application under this call and may be awarded only one grant. The lead applicant cannot be co-applicant or affiliated entity in another application simultaneously. A co-applicant/affiliated entity may not be a co-applicant or affiliated entity in more than one application and may not be awarded more than one grant under this call. If a legal entity appears in more than one application in any role, all applications including that entity will be rejected.

Application templates and mandatory annexes

Applicants must use the published annex templates and submit the documents listed in the guidelines. Key annexes and documents available with the call include: Guidelines for applicants (Annex A instructions), Annex B Budget templates (1a/€1B/1c), Annex C Logical Framework, Annex D Identification Forms (public law bodies, private/legal forms, natural person), Annex F PADOR offline form, Annex G Standard grant contract (with General Conditions, procurement rules, templates for financial guarantee, expenditure verification ToR, third party assessment ToR), Annex H Declaration on Honour, Annex J Tax information, Annex K clarifications on FNLC, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire, Annex M programme indicators, and user manuals for PADOR/PROSPECT. The Guidelines set out detailed checklists for concept note and full application.

Financial control, audit and verification

The grant contract allows reimbursement of eligible costs, simplified cost options and may include financing not linked to costs (FNLC). Contracts over thresholds or final reports require contractual expenditure verification by an approved practitioner (Agreed-Upon Procedures AUP) as set out in Annex VII-A. For FNLC components a third party assessment validating achievement of FNLC results is required as set out in Annex VII-B. The contracting authority and EU control bodies (OLAF, EPPO, European Court of Auditors) have rights of access, on-the-spot checks and audits. Beneficiaries must maintain accounting records and supporting documents for at least five years following final payment (three years for grants ≤ €60,000), and possibly longer if audits/investigations are ongoing.

Project maturity and expected stage

Who should apply (eligible applicant types)

Success rates and stages to award (practical expectations)

Selection is competitive. Concept notes are evaluated and ranked; only concept notes scoring ≥ 30/50 and then taken forward via ranking until the aggregate requested amount reaches at least 200% of the available budget proceed to full application. Typical two-stage process: 1) concept note screening and scoring; 2) evaluation of full application including selection and award; 3) verification of eligibility and contract signature. Applicants should expect a significant reduction from concept note submissions to pre-selected full applications (no fixed success rate; strongly dependent on demand and quality). Applicants should plan for ~3 evaluation stages (concept note, full application, eligibility check) and a reserve list may be used.

Administrative, legal and ethics requirements

Applicants must not be in exclusion situations as per the Declaration on Honour (Annex H). Projects must respect EU values, international labour standards, and environmental legislation. Zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment applies; successful applicants must complete SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L) for grants > €60,000 and implement appropriate mitigation measures. Anti-corruption, anti-bribery laws apply; unusual commercial expenses are prohibited. Interim and final narrative/financial reports must be submitted using Commission templates (Annex VI models).

Submission templates and user support

All official application templates and supporting annexes are published with the call (Guidelines for applicants, Annexes A-L, Annex G standard contract and annexes). Applicants must use the concept note template (Annex A.1) and, if invited, the full application template (Annex A.2). Budget templates include cost-based worksheets and FNLC worksheets (Annex B tabs 1a/€1B/1c). The Logframe template (Annex C) and Activity Matrix (Annex E3d) are mandatory. Registration and online submission user manuals and e-learning videos for PADOR and PROSPECT are available; technical helpdesk: ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. Information sessions and partner search support will be organised by the Joint Technical Secretariat; participants must register in advance.

Important documents and links

Key practical advice for applicants

Follow templates and page limits; ensure PADOR registration well before the deadline; provide robust evidence for baseline data and monitoring indicators; demonstrate genuine cross-border cooperation (joint development, implementation and financing or staffing); include public authorities from both countries; budget realistically and justify simplified cost options; mainstream cross-cutting issues and show alignment with Green Agenda and regional smart specialisation where relevant; be aware of procurement rules, third party assessment and audit obligations; plan for co-financing sources and provide supporting documentation at full application stage.

Structured extraction: classification fields

This summary reproduces the essential rules, templates, and obligations extracted from the official call guidelines. Applicants must read and follow the full Guidelines for Applicants and annexes published on the call page. All applications must be submitted online in English via PROSPECT and organisations must be registered in PADOR. For FNLC components, ensure indicators, baselines, targets and FNLC amounts are consistently included in Logframe (Annex C), Budget (Annex B FNLC worksheets) and the narrative (Annex A), and be prepared for third party assessment as required by the contract terms 1.

Footnotes

1. 1See Guidelines for grant applicants and Annex K on financing not linked to costs for detailed rules and templates: Guidelines for applicants Guidelines for applicants.

Opportunity summary

This is a restricted action grant call under the 2021 to 2027 Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance cross-border cooperation programme between North Macedonia and Albania. It is designed to fund genuine joint operations that strengthen good neighbourly relations, support EU integration and generate social, economic and territorial benefits in the eligible border area. The official opportunity is identified as EuropeAid and is managed by the European Commission through the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of North Macedonia.

The call has an indicative EU allocation of €3,430,000. The deadline for concept notes is 15 January 2027 at 12:00 CET, corresponding to 11:00 UTC in the portal metadata. The call is implemented through a two stage restricted procedure, beginning with a concept note and followed by a full application for applicants that are pre-selected.

The authoritative opportunity page is available at EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity. The underlying programme document confirms the 2024 allocation of €3,430,000 and the eligible regions in both countries IPA III North Macedonia Albania programme document.

Key facts

Purpose and policy context

The call supports the IPA III objective of promoting good neighbourly relations, fostering Union integration and advancing socio-economic development through joint local and regional initiatives. It contributes to the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, the New Growth Plan and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. Applicants are also encouraged to connect their proposals, where relevant, with the smart specialisation strategies of the Western Balkans economies.

The programme is implemented jointly by North Macedonia and Albania. The Ministry of Local Self Government in North Macedonia and the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Aid Coordination in Albania form the main national cross-border cooperation structures. The Joint Technical Secretariat is based in Struga, with an antenna office in Elbasan, and provides applicant support, partner search assistance, project development advice and implementation support.

The programme document identifies the wider IPA III programme as being implemented through direct management by the European Commission and confirms the eligible programme area and 2024 financial allocation Official programme information.

Thematic priorities and expected results

Applicants must select one thematic priority and demonstrate a clear contribution to one or more of its specific objectives and expected results. The proposal should use the programme indicators and must establish a credible intervention logic from activities to outputs, outcomes and longer term impacts.

Illustrative eligible activities

Potential activities include joint disaster risk assessments, cross-border emergency plans, civil protection training, procurement of rescue and prevention equipment, improvements to emergency facilities, public awareness campaigns, environmental monitoring, protected area management, biodiversity mapping, action against illegal waste disposal and unsustainable tourism, and nature based disaster risk reduction measures.

Tourism and heritage activities may include development and promotion of local products, support for women and youth initiatives, training for tourism entrepreneurs, sustainable and circular tourism products, digitalisation, cultural and creative industry activities, rehabilitation and accessibility improvements for heritage sites, thematic tourism itineraries, visitor management plans and joint heritage promotion.

Activities relating to the Ohrid Lake area may be supported where they implement relevant UNESCO recommendations and comply with applicable protection and management requirements.

Eligible geographical area

Actions must primarily benefit the programme area and generate clear cross-border impacts in both countries. In North Macedonia, the eligible area consists of the Pelagonia, Polog and Southwest regions. In Albania, it consists of the Dibër, Elbasan and Korçë regions.

The detailed eligible municipalities include Bitola, Demir Hisar, Dolneni, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Mogila, Novaci, Prilep and Resen in Pelagonia; municipalities including Gostivar, Tetovo, Mavrovo and Rostusa, Ohrid, Struga and Vevcani in the Polog and Southwest regions; and the municipalities within Dibër, Elbasan and Korçë regions in Albania as listed in the applicant guidelines.

Who can apply

The lead applicant must be a legal person, non-profit-making, effectively established in North Macedonia or Albania, directly responsible for preparing and managing the action, and not acting as an intermediary. It must also fall within an eligible organisational category.

Eligible lead applicants and co-applicants may include local and regional government units, national parks, ministries and national agencies, local or regional development agencies, civil society and professional associations, farmers and business associations, chambers of commerce and crafts, local and regional tourism organisations, disaster management and emergency services, environmental organisations, schools and universities, research and innovation centres, cultural and heritage institutions, non-profit cultural operators, and public utility companies.

Each application must include at least one public authority from North Macedonia and at least one public authority from Albania, either as lead applicant or co-applicant. The partnership must include at least one co-applicant established in the other participating country. A maximum of four co-applicants may participate.

Co-applicants must meet the applicable eligibility requirements, participate in designing and implementing the action, sign the required mandate and become beneficiaries if the grant is awarded. Affiliated entities may participate only where a qualifying pre-existing legal, capital or membership relationship exists. Contractors, associates and recipients of financial support to third parties are separate roles and cannot be used to circumvent the applicant eligibility rules.

Partnership and cross-border requirements

The proposal must demonstrate genuine cross-border cooperation rather than parallel national activities. Partners must cooperate in joint development and joint implementation and must cooperate through joint staffing, joint financing or both.

A strong application should show that partners jointly identify the problem, prepare the concept, coordinate implementation, share responsibilities, use compatible monitoring arrangements and produce benefits that could not be achieved as effectively by either country acting alone. The project should include activities and governance arrangements involving both sides of the border throughout the implementation period.

Each application must also include two additional neighbouring local authorities, municipalities, regions or districts in the cross-border joint activities and capacity building, one from each country. Up to 5 percent of subtotal direct eligible costs under Budget Heading 7 must be dedicated to these joint activities and the improvement of local authority capacities.

Funding and co-financing

The requested EU grant must be between €600,000 and €1,000,000 and must represent between 60 percent and 85 percent of total eligible action costs. The remaining balance must come from sources other than the general budget of the European Union.

Applicants effectively established in North Macedonia may receive co-financing from the Ministry of Local Self Government up to a maximum of 15 percent of total eligible action costs, subject to the applicable national arrangements. Applicants established in Albania must cover the co-financing amount from their own resources. Applicants should obtain confirmation of the practical co-financing arrangements early in the preparation process.

The contracting authority may decide not to award the full available budget. The number of grants will therefore depend on the final grant amounts and the results of the evaluation.

Cost rules and budget limits

The grant is based on reimbursement of eligible costs, using actual costs and permitted simplified cost options. Simplified cost options are specifically permitted for local transportation and local office costs where the calculation method is clearly justified and supported in the budget.

Human resources costs must not exceed 30 percent of subtotal direct eligible costs under Budget Heading 7. Indirect costs may be financed at a flat rate of up to 7 percent of estimated total eligible direct costs, excluding volunteer costs and project office costs. A contingency reserve of up to 5 percent of direct eligible costs may be included but may be used only with prior written authorisation from the contracting authority.

Only one project local office and its related operating costs may be charged. Public administration personnel may be eligible only where their project activities would not otherwise be carried out by the authority and where they receive no additional remuneration beyond their regular salaries. The total salaries of such personnel may not exceed the co-financing provided by the applicants and affiliated entities.

Generally ineligible costs include debt and interest, provisions for future liabilities, costs financed by another EU action, currency exchange losses, land and existing building purchases unless specifically justified, in-kind contributions other than authorised volunteer work, bonuses, negative bank interest, bank charges, fines, financial penalties and litigation expenses.

Financial support to third parties is not permitted under this call. Commercial and profit-making actions, political party activities, charitable donations, actions without genuine cross-border benefits and activities already financed by another EU programme are also ineligible.

Action duration and implementation conditions

The planned duration must be at least 24 months and no longer than 36 months. Most activities must take place in the eligible programme area, and final beneficiaries must be drawn from the population of that area.

Projects involving works must provide ownership or a long-term lease of at least 10 years after contract signature, the relevant environmental assessment decision or exemption, and the necessary legal authorisations. Before contract signature, the applicant must provide the approved detailed design where required and a priced bill of quantities prepared no more than two years before the full application deadline.

Cross-cutting requirements

Cross-cutting issues are scored in the evaluation and must be integrated into the intervention logic, activities, indicators and budget. Applications should address local and regional authority capacity, gender equality, equal opportunities, minority rights, disability inclusion, children’s rights where relevant, youth participation, democratic standards, anti-discrimination, good governance, environmental protection, climate adaptation and biodiversity.

Every application must demonstrate the involvement of regional or local authorities in project development and future implementation. It should explain alignment with local development plans, the role of authorities in delivery and how implementation will be monitored and evaluated.

Applicants must ensure compliance with EU values, environmental legislation, core labour standards, anti-corruption rules and the European Commission’s zero tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. Successful organisations generally must complete the SEA-H self-evaluation questionnaire because the grant amount will exceed €60,000, subject to the stated exemptions for natural persons, pillar-assessed entities and governments or other public bodies.

Application process

The first stage requires only the concept note and the lead applicant declaration. A detailed budget is required at the full application stage. The concept note must be submitted in English through PROSPECT using the prescribed form, and no additional annexes should be submitted at that stage.

Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities that are not natural persons must register in PADOR and keep their organisational information current. Lead and co-applicants must also register in the European Commission Participant Register and obtain the required Participant Identification Code. The lead applicant must submit the application through PROSPECT and is responsible for communication with the contracting authority.

The concept note must clearly state the selected thematic priority, specific objective, expected results, target groups, final beneficiaries, cross-border logic, indicative EU contribution and indicative percentage of EU financing. The main elements cannot normally be changed at full application stage. The EU contribution may not vary from the concept note estimate by more than 20 percent, subject to the detailed rules.

Applicants should use the official PROSPECT submission system, the PADOR registration system and the Participant Register.

Evaluation and award criteria

Concept notes are evaluated out of 50 points. They must achieve at least 30 points to be considered for pre-selection. The evaluation covers relevance of the action for 20 points and design of the action for 30 points, including intervention logic, context analysis, risk management, indicative activities and cross-cutting issues.

The number of concept notes pre-selected will be reduced to proposals whose aggregate requested contributions amount to at least 200 percent of the available call budget, subject to the ranking and applicable evaluation rules.

Full applications are evaluated out of 100 points. The evaluation covers financial and operational capacity, relevance, design, implementation approach, sustainability, budget and efficiency. The financial and operational capacity section has a threshold of 12 points, and a score of 1 in any subsection of that section leads to rejection. Applications scoring below 65 points overall will not be recommended for funding.

Indicative timetable

The timetable is provisional except for the clarification and concept note deadlines. Applicants should monitor the official portal and programme websites for changes.

Documents and evidence to prepare

Applicants should prepare the concept note, full application form, budget, logical framework, declarations, organisational registration data and supporting legal and financial documents. The published package includes the applicant guidelines, budget template, logical framework, identification forms, PADOR form, standard grant contract, declaration of honour, tax information, SEA-H questionnaire and financing guidance.

For a full application, the lead applicant should be ready to provide statutes or articles of association, declarations on honour, recent accounts and evidence of financial capacity. For action grants exceeding €750,000, an external audit report covering up to the last three available financial years is required where available and always where legally required. Otherwise, a signed self-declaration on the validity of the accounts is required, subject to the stated exceptions.

Applicants should collect baseline data before submission, although application preparation costs are ineligible. Surveys and statistical work during implementation may be eligible and should be included in the budget where needed to establish or refine indicator baselines.

Reporting, monitoring and visibility

Beneficiaries must report indicator achievement quarterly through the programme information system, with reporting dates ordinarily falling on 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December, followed by final reporting. The logical framework should include baseline values, targets, sources of verification and indicators that are relevant, accepted, credible, easy to monitor and robust.

The EU must be visibly identified as funder or co-funder. Communication materials, events, equipment and other outputs must comply with the latest European Commission communication and visibility requirements for EU external action. Any derogation must be justified and agreed with the EU in advance.

Applicant assessment and practical recommendations

This opportunity is most suitable for partnerships led by municipalities, public authorities, national or regional agencies, protected area bodies, universities, environmental organisations, cultural institutions, emergency services or established non-profit associations that can demonstrate a substantive operational role in both countries.

Applicants should prioritise a clearly defined cross-border problem, a limited number of measurable results, complementary partner responsibilities, realistic procurement and works planning, and a durable financing and ownership model after the grant ends. Proposals that simply replicate separate national activities are unlikely to satisfy the cross-border requirement.

The strongest applications are likely to demonstrate direct alignment with one specific objective, measurable benefits for the eligible population, meaningful involvement of local authorities, credible baselines, well justified costs, strong financial and operational capacity, and practical plans for maintaining services, infrastructure, partnerships or policy results after the action.

Key risks include late registration in PADOR or the Participant Register, technical problems in PROSPECT, incomplete concept notes, insufficient co-financing, weak evidence of public authority participation, unrealistic budgets, failure to secure permits for works, inadequate cross-border cooperation and failure to comply with the single-application rule.

Final assessment

The call provides substantial grants of €600,000 to €1,000,000 for medium-term, partnership-based projects in environmental protection, disaster response, sustainable tourism and cultural or natural heritage. It is not a general SME grant scheme and does not support stand-alone commercial projects. The essential success factors are an eligible non-profit partnership spanning both countries, at least one public authority from each country, genuine joint implementation, a strong cross-border rationale, compliance with the eligible territory and a high-quality concept note submitted on time.

Applicants should rely on the published Guidelines for applicants and annexes as the controlling source for detailed legal, financial and procedural requirements. The programme information and call documentation are available through the official programme website and the EU Funding and Tenders Portal.