Two funds are mainly reserved for French and European project carriers. These funds are not specifically dedicated to the environment or biodiversity. However, projects on these subjects can be submitted since they are part of the chosen strategic guidelines.
Interreg IV (www.interreg-caraibes.org):
Interreg IV is the new interregional cooperation programme in the European Union. Approved by the European commission on 27 March 2008, the “Caribbean” Interreg IV programme works in aid of the regions of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, as well as the new overseas communities of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin. The programme boasts a budget of approximately 63 million Euros, 75% of which comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The rest is co-financed by the Regions of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique, the two Communities of Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin, the State, as well as by private self-financing. The programme’s management authority is the Conseil Régional de la Guadeloupe [Guadeloupe Regional Council], assisted by a Common Technical Secretariat (CTS) in charge of communicating on, managing, informing of as well as monitoring the programme’s finances and administration with support from the regional points of contact (RPOC) located in Martinique and Guyana.
Projects under the SPAW protocol are covered by guideline 2 “Developing and protecting the environment through common sustainable management of resources and risks”, operational objective 2.1 “Encouraging the conservation, management and sustainable and concerted development of biodiversity and natural spaces, coastal areas and natural resources”.
Projects submitted to Interreg IV must include at least one partner located outside of the French West Indies and Guyana (extra-community). The INTERREG programme has been set up to fund the French part of a cooperation programme. The territorial eligibility of expenses is therefore confined to the regions of Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique as well as the two Overseas communities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. Nevertheless, community partners on an extra-community territory are now eligible to 10% of ERDF participation to the programme. The expenses instigated by third parties outside of the community territory are not eligible for ERDF funding.
The project carrier (“lead partner”) can be an association, an NGO, a territorial community, a university or training institute, a research institute, a public or private company, etc. Its headquarters must be located in Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélémy or Saint Martin and be actively involved in the project’s organisation and implementation.
Regional cooperation funds
These aim to integrate and promote the French West Indies and Guyana in their regional geographical environment and support short-term, medium-term, and long-term exchange and cooperation programmes co-developed with countries in the area. The environment is one of the areas covered by RCFs. Each of the regions of Guyana, Martinique and Guadeloupe has its own RCF; the latter also covers the communities of Saint Martin and Saint Barthélémy.
RCFs are accessible to any legal entity (company, association, institutions) from the Caribbean and bearing a project (cultural, economic, environmental, and social) that meets the required conditions.
Co-financing is therefore a prerequisite. Note that a project can be submitted to an RCF, Interreg IV or entered as a joint RCF-Interred submission.