The Nordic-Baltic Mobility and Network Programme for Business and Industry gives financial support to different stakeholders in the fields of business and industry to carry out study visits, internships, on-the-job training or network and cluster facilitating activities in Baltic or Nordic countries, as appropriate, with the aim to strengthen cooperation within the priority areas of the programme.
The programme is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia (the Management Body).
1. General information
The Nordic-Baltic Mobility and Network Programme for Business and Industry gives financial support to different stakeholders in the fields of business and industry to carry out study visits, internships, on-the-job training or network and cluster facilitating activities in Baltic or Nordic countries, as appropriate, with the aim to strengthen cooperation within the priority areas of the programme.
The programme is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia (the Management Body).
2. Objective
The programme is established for the period 2009-2013 to promote and strengthen economic cooperation, entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities in the NB8 countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden). The overall goal is to increase the global competitive power of the region.
3. Purposes of the programme
- Promotion of regional business development and cluster cooperation
- promotion of networking cooperation on innovative projects
- experience exchange on best practices in respect of business practice, business culture and business ethics as well as harmonisation of rules and standards, particularly in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
- coordination of joint Nordic-Baltic utilisation of different EU funds and project financing
- technology transfer for mutual benefit
- support of long term activities.
4. Applicants (eligibility)
The programme is open for applications by:
- actors in Nordic and Baltic small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), including one-man businesses, with special focus on creative and innovative industries,
- actors in structures related to these industries, such as business incubators at universities, colleges, institutions etc.
- representatives of business organisations.
Applicants should have good working knowledge in English. English is the language of application, reporting and the work language of all programme documents.
5. Annual round of applications
Each year there will be one round of applications. The deadline for applications will be announced on the homepage of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, www.norden.lv at least 8 weeks in advance. An extraordinary round of application may be announced outside the main application deadline. Deadlines for such applications will be announced in advance on the homepage of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia.
6. Eligible forms of activity
- Network and cluster facilitating activities, such as seminars and workshops with the aim to strengthen cooperation within the priority areas of the programme
- Study visits
- Internships
- On-the-job training.
7. Requirements for mobility to more than one country
The mobility activity should involve more than one country and fit one of the following possibilities:
- Nordic-Baltic mobility to at least two countries. Example: Nordic delegations visit minimum two Baltic countries or Baltic delegations visit minimum two Nordic countries. Inter-Nordic or inter-Baltic mobility is not eligible for funding. Exchange with institutions under the Nordic Council of Ministers is considered multilateral.
- Network mobility to one country for at least three parties, i.e, minimum participation of two different Nordic and one Baltic countries or, alternatively, one Nordic and two different Baltic countries (NB 2+1 or 1+2).
8. Specific sector priority areas
The activity should promote the specific sector priority areas established annually by the Steering Group of the programme. The priority areas for 2012 are:
- Green Growth
- Health and welfare innovation
- Entrepreneurship and young entrepreneurs
- Business incubator network
- Promoting cluster cooperation aimed at global markets, especially in creative, innovative and knowledge-based industries
- Initiatives to identify and remove barriers to trade and mobility within the Nordic-Baltic region.
9. Host organisation
Applicants shall themselves identify and contact host organisations to be visited under the programme. A confirmation from the host organisation is required in the application.
10. Financial framework
A total of approximately 2 million DKK annually has been earmarked for the programme. Individual grants will vary in size dependent on countries of destination etc.
10.1 Eligible costs and co-financing
The programme covers maximum 70% of the total eligible costs of the mobility activity.
Applicants or their home institutions are expected to co-finance a minimum of 30% of the total eligible costs.
Eligible costs
- Travel expenses (economy class)
- Travel insurance
- Accommodation and per diems (max. 800 DKK per person per day from the programme)
- In special cases, mobility costs of expert participation in network meetings may be covered by the programme.
Non-eligible costs
- Support for participation in conferences or seminars not initiated by the network
- Support for participation in regular Nordic-Baltic meetings at ministerial or senior official level
- Infrastructure and office rent (this is assumed to be covered nationally or by the home institutions of the participating partners)
- Interpretation and translation costs
- In-kind contributions, such as salary
- Other costs which are not in harmony with the objectives of the programme.
10.2 Payment procedures
85% of grants are paid as advance payment. The remaining part is paid after an activity report (content and financial) has been submitted and accepted.
11. Criteria for support
Decisions on grants are based on the quality of the application and the following criteria for support:
- The application has been submitted in due time and in accordance with the requirements in the application form and the guidelines
- The applicant/s fulfill the requirements for eligibility (4 above)
- The applicant has a good working knowledge of English. (4 above)
- The activity contributes to the objective of the programme (2 above)
- The application promotes the purposes of the programme (3 above)
- The application concerns a form of activity eligible under the programme (6 above)
- The application fulfills the requirements for mobility to more than one country (7 above)
- The activity promotes the specific sector priority areas for 2011 (8 above)
- The application fulfills the requirement for co-financing (10.1 above)
- The activity promotes gender equality.
Group applications are given priority over mobility activities for individuals. Cross-sectoral groups and activities are prioritised to group applications consisting of participants from the same enterprise or organisation.
The programme does not allow earmarking of funds, neither in relation to country of origin nor in relation to sector.
12. Indicators of success
The indicators of success of the programme are integrated in the application, reporting and evaluation procedures.
All approved applications have to contribute to at least one and preferably more of the results outlined in the qualitative indicators of success below.
12.1 Quantitative indicators
The quantitative indicators are to be followed up in the annual reports on the programme.
The following quantitative indicators have been selected to indicate the success of the programme:
- Numbers of applications received and approved by country
- Numbers of participants in the programme
- Proportion between individual grants/groups
- Proportion between men/ women
- Numbers of enterprises or organisations involved in the programme
- Sector distribution
- Distribution amongst groups of applicants.
12.2 Qualitative indicators
The qualitative indicators are to be reflected in the application forms and in the report forms. They will furthermore be followed up in the annual reports.
The following qualitative indicators have been selected to indicate the success of the programme:
- Increased visibility of Nordic-Baltic cooperation
- Strengthened economic cooperation in the NB8 countries
- Increased promotion of entrepreneurship
- Strengthened regional business development and cluster cooperation
- Increased networking cooperation on innovative projects
- Initiatives on the development of new business innovation and entrepreneurship policies
- Increased experience exchange on best practices in respect of business practice, business culture and business ethics as well as harmonisation of rules and standards, particularly in terms of Corporate Social responsibility (CSR)
- Increased coordination of joint Nordic-Baltic utilisation of different EU funds and project financing
- Increased technology transfer for mutual benefit
- Joint projects developed and/or other spin-off effects as a result of the programme.
13. Outcome of the application
Decisions can be expected no later than 8 weeks after the deadline of application. In case of grants exceeding 200 000 DKK, decisions can be expected no later than 12 weeks after the deadline of application.
All applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process. The decisions cannot be subject to appeal.
A grant should be used within twelve months after notification.
All programme participants are to report on and evaluate their experiences.
14. Practical information for applicants
14.1 Individual applications
The information concerning individual applications is available at a dedicated programme website www.NB8businessmobility.org, as well as at the homepage of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, www.norden.lv
The applicant should fill in the on-line electronic application form "Individual applicant". The following documents (scanned) should be uploaded with the application:
- a letter of recommendation from the employer
- a confirmation regarding cofinancing
- a confirmation from the host organisation/s.
All documents should be in English.
14.2 Group and networking applications
The information concerning group and networking applications is available at a dedicated programme website www.NB8businessmobility.org, as well as at the homepage of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, www.norden.lv
The project manager of the group study visit or network should fill in the on-line electronic application form "Group application" or "Network", respectively.
The following documents (scanned) should be uploaded with the application:
- a letter of recommendation from the employer of the project manager
- a confirmation regarding cofinancing
- a confirmation from the host/partner organisation/s.
All documents should be in English.
14.3 Indicators of success
The applicant should specify in the application how it is planned to achieve the result/s outlined in the qualitative indicator/s (12.2 above).
The applicants should in the report form report on and evaluate how the activity has achieved or contributed to achieving the result/s outlined in the qualitative indicator/s (12.2 above).
14.4 How to apply
Applications and supporting documents (scanned) are to be submitted on-line using the electronic application and reporting system at www.NB8grants.org no later than the deadline announced on the homepage of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, www.norden.lv .
14.5 Reporting requirements
A report is to be submitted on-line using the electronic application and reporting system at www.NB8grants.org no later than 30 days after completion of the mobility activity/end of the project.
The report should consist of a content report on the activities and a financial report.
The content report should include an evaluation of the experience, describing the benefits of the programme, how the activity achieved/contributed to achieving the result/s outlined in the qualitative indicator/s of success as well as suggestions for improving the programme, as appropriate.
Copies of all receipts, tickets and payment documents (scanned) must be uploaded with the report and listed with each document explained in English. Please assign numbers to each document and provide each sum in currency of payment and in Danish krone (DKK).
Originals of all the financial documents must be kept by the employer (applying organisation) for 5 years.
The reports must be in English.
14.6 Questions
Questions related to the application can be directed to the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia, Karlis Valters, Programme Coordinator, Tel: +371 6721 3231, Mobile: +371 26344758, e-mail address: