Support for the revision of the guidance document on terrestrial ecotoxicology (SANCO/10329/2002) including the development of an approach for indirect effects

The grant opportunity identified as EUBA-EFSA-2024-PLANTS-04 is designed to support revisions to the guidance document on terrestrial ecotoxicology, specifically related to plant protection products. This initiative aims to develop methodologies for assessing the indirect effects of pesticides on biodiversity, particularly concerning trophic interactions in agricultural environments, conforming to the requirements set out in Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

Eligible applicants must be organizations classified as 'competent' under Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, designated by Member States. This encompasses research institutes, universities, public bodies, and other organizations with expertise in ecotoxicology or plant health. The funding comes in the form of a grant, with a total budget allocated for the project being €1,000,000 for the year 2025. The application process is a single-stage submission, requiring proposals to be submitted electronically, with a revised deadline set for February 13, 2025.

The project is clearly oriented towards research and development within sectors focused on plant protection, environmental risk assessment, and biodiversity conservation. It addresses pressing issues related to the impacts of pesticides and is particularly relevant to stakeholders operating in the agricultural and environmental domains across EU Member States.

There is no explicit requirement for co-funding, and the nature of support involves financial assistance through grants. While specific success rates for applications have not been disclosed, the overall structure of the opportunity encourages collaborative efforts, as indicated by mentions of partner searches and consortia discussions.

Overall, the EUBA-EFSA-2024-PLANTS-04 call serves as a strategic initiative to advance the regulatory frameworks for pesticide risk assessments in Europe, fostering improved methodologies aimed at enhancing biodiversity protection within agro-ecosystems. Organizations interested in this opportunity are encouraged to review all applicable documents, including the call for proposals and associated clarifications, to ensure compliance with eligibility criteria and submission requirements.

The EUBA-2024-PLANTS-04 call, under the EU Bodies and Agencies (EUBA) Programme, aims to identify partners among Competent Organisations as defined in Art. 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. These partners will support the EFSA Working Group in two key mandates. The first mandate involves the revision of the Terrestrial Ecotoxicology Guidance Document (SANCO/10329/2002) concerning plant protection products. The second mandate focuses on developing an approach for assessing potential indirect effects of pesticides on biodiversity, specifically via trophic interactions within agro-environmental conditions, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

The deadline for proposal submissions has been extended to February 13, 2025, and a new clarification has been published. The planned opening date was October 31, 2024. The original deadline was January 30, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The call follows a single-stage submission model.

Eligibility criteria are detailed in section 2.2 of the call for proposals document. To be eligible, applicants must be on the list of competent organizations designated by Member States, as per Article 36 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and Commission Regulation (EC) 2230/2004. The EFSA Management Board regularly updates this list, which can be found at https://efsa.force.com/competentorganisations/s/. Other eligibility conditions are also described in section 2.2 of the call for proposals document.

Operational capacity requirements are outlined in section 2.4 of the call for proposals document. Submission modalities are described in section 3, and award criteria are detailed in section 2.5 of the call for proposals document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described on page 2 of the call for proposals document, under the section 'Indicative procedure timetable'. Legal and financial aspects of the grants are described in section 1.5 of the call for proposals document and in the Draft Grant agreement.

Available documents include the Call for proposals, Annex 1a (Draft FPA Agreement), Annex 1b (Draft Specific Agreement), Clarification 1, Clarification 2, Clarification 3, Corrigendum 1, EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The total budget for the topic EUBA-2024-PLANTS-04 is EUR 1,000,000 for the year 2025. There are 22 partner search announcements related to this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics on the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

In summary, this call seeks to engage competent organizations in supporting the EFSA Working Group by providing expertise and resources for revising ecotoxicology guidelines and developing methodologies to assess the impact of pesticides on biodiversity. The focus is on plant protection products and their potential effects on trophic interactions within agro-ecosystems. Eligible applicants must be officially designated competent organizations within EU Member States. The call provides funding to support research and development in the area of pesticide risk assessment and biodiversity protection.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are Competent Organisations of Art. 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, designated by the Member States in accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and Commission Regulation (EC) 2230/2004. These organizations must be on the list maintained and updated by the EFSA Management Board, accessible via the provided link: https://efsa.force.com/competentorganisations/s/.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, as indicated by references to a "Draft Grant agreement" and the general structure of the call for proposals.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call aims to identify partners to support the EFSA Working Group, suggesting that multiple organizations may collaborate, either through a consortium or other partnership arrangements. The presence of partner search announcements further suggests that collaboration is possible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is tied to the Member States of the European Union, as the competent organizations must be designated by these Member States.

Target Sector: The target sector is related to plant protection products, ecotoxicology, biodiversity, and pesticide risk assessment, specifically focusing on the environmental impacts of pesticides on biodiversity and trophic interactions within agro-environmental conditions.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is open to Member States of the European Union.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on supporting the EFSA Working Group in revising existing guidance and developing new approaches for pesticide risk assessment, indicating a development and validation stage.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates a total budget of EUR 1,000,000 for the topic EUBA-2024-PLANTS-04.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for proposals, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is not specified, so the success rate cannot be determined.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Summary:

This EU funding opportunity, titled "Support for the revision of the guidance document on terrestrial ecotoxicology (SANCO/10329/2002) including the development of an approach for indirect effects (EUBA-2024-PLANTS-04)," aims to identify and engage competent organizations to assist the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Working Group. The primary objective is to revise the Terrestrial Ecotoxicology Guidance Document related to plant protection products and to develop a methodology for assessing the indirect effects of pesticides on biodiversity, particularly concerning trophic interactions in agricultural environments, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009.

The call is open to competent organizations designated by EU Member States, as defined by Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Commission Regulation (EC) 2230/2004. These organizations must be listed by the EFSA Management Board. The funding mechanism is a grant, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The total budget allocated to this topic is EUR 1,000,000. The deadline for submitting proposals has been extended to February 13, 2025.

The opportunity targets the sectors of plant protection, ecotoxicology, and biodiversity, focusing on refining pesticide risk assessment methodologies. Applicants should consult the call documents, including the call for proposals, draft agreements, clarifications, and corrigenda, to ensure their proposals meet all admissibility and eligibility criteria. The call also encourages partner searches, suggesting potential collaborative efforts among organizations. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.