6. Application by local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities

Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities are also able to apply for EUCF support. When applying as a local public entity, the following points have to be considered:

• Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities need to declare in the self-declaration form that i) they are officially recognised as a tier of local government (different from the regional and provincial levels) by the national law with the obligation for municipalities/local authorities to join the supra-municipal organisation; (ii) they are composed only by municipalities/local authorities; (iii) they have a specific political and administrative structure. A template for Annex C - Self-declaration form for local public entities is provided by the EUCF.

• Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities require their own politically approved SEAP, SECAP or plan of similar ambition that covers their geographical area

• Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities are not able to apply to the EUCF as groupings.

Local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities may vary from country to country. Applicants included in this category must submit a self-declaration (Annex C) confirming their eligibility. Eligible entities must fulfil all of the following criteria:

• Eligible public entities must be officially recognised as a tier of local government (different from the regional and provincial levels) by national law with the obligation for municipalities/local authorities to join the supra-municipal organisation;

• Eligible public entities must be composed only by municipalities/local authorities; and

• Eligible public entities must have a specific political and administrative structure.

Applicants are encouraged to check their potential eligibility before preparing the application by contacting the EUCF Country Experts and EUCF Helpdesk. 

Yes, a set of examples (non-exhaustive list, in national languages) of potentially eligible applicants can be found here.

Yes, local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities need to have their own politically approved SEAP, SECAP or plan of similar ambition, covering their geographical area.

Public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities are different organisations, with different legal status, from municipalities/local authorities or their groupings, and normally have different competencies. Therefore municipalites/local authorities or grouping of municipalities/local authorities can apply to the EUCF in the same geographical area covered by a public entity that is also applying for the EUCF in the same call.

Public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities are different organisations, with different legal status, from municipalities/local authorities or their groupings, and normally have different competencies. Therefore municipalities/local authorities or grouping of municipalities/local authorities can apply to the EUCF in the same geographical area covered by a public entity that is already being supported by the EUCF.

In case of successful evaluation during the grant agreement preparation phase local public entities aggregating municipalities/local authorities will be asked to submit a set of documents as evidence in support of their self-declaration form (Annex C). These documents must clearly confirm the conditions included in the self-declaration form: 

1. The public entity is officially recognised as a tier of local government (different from the regional and provincial levels) by the national law of its State with the obligation for municipalities/local authorities to join the supra-municipal organisation; 

2. The public entity is composed only by municipalities/local authorities; and 

3. The public entity has a specific political and administrative structure.

The documents will include:

• Extract of the national and/or regional law where the local public entity is officially defined;

• The statute of the local public entity; and/or

• Any other document issued by the competent authority in the country of the business residence of the respective public entity, by which the compliance with the aforesaid preconditions listed under points A, B and C, may be proven.

If in the country of the business residence of the respective public entity such documents are not issued and/or if they do not prove the compliance with the conditions set in the self-declaration form and listed under points A, B and C above, they may be replaced with the statement given under oath. If such statement does not exists under the legislation of a country of the business residence of the public entity, a statement of the legal representative of the respective public entity verified in front of the  competent court or administrative entity, Notary Public or professional or commercial entity in the country of the business residence of the said public entity can be submitted, by which statement the compliance with all aforesaid conditions specified under points A, B and C, will be confirmed under civil, material and criminal responsibility.