The Commission has launched a special call under the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) to support Member States welcoming refugees from Ukraine and the phasing out of their reliance on fossil fuels from Russia. The Technical Support Instrument (TSI) is the EU programme that provides tailor-made technical expertise to EU Member States to design and implement reforms. It is the Commission’s main instrument to provide technical support to reforms in the EU, following requests by national authorities.
It is part of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and of the Recovery Plan for Europe. It builds on the success of its predecessor, the Structural Reform Support Programme which, since 2017, has implemented more than 1,400 technical support projects in all Member States. Specific TSI calls can be launched in case of special emerging needs. This was done in June 2021, in relation to the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plans giving access to the Recovery and Resilience Facility and it is done now in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Following this call, Member States may immediately send requests to the Commission for technical support in the following areas:
- Building institutional and operational capacity to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Member States can send their request of this specific support to the Commission by 8 April 2022.
- Enhancing the social and economic integration of refugees from Ukraine. Member States can send their request of this specific support to the Commission by 8 April 2022.
- Making the best use of available EU funds to provide accommodation for families or unaccompanied children. Member States can send their request of this specific support to the Commission by 8 April 2022.
- Phasing out of the Member States’ reliance on fossil fuels from Russia. This includes identifying the best reforms and investments at national, regional and cross-border level. Member States can send their request for this specific support to the Commission by 24 March 2022.
The TSI regulation acknowledges in several instances the important role that civil society should play in the technical support instrument through:
- Conceptualisation of requests: civil society organisations can contribute by providing input and advice to their national authorities on the requests for technical support before Member States submit them to the Commission.
- National authorities can submit requests for support for actions contributing to the empowerment of civil society, including social partners
For more information, please visit the Commission’s website.
To learn more about current calls for proposals or Eurodiaconia’s funding events, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our our Projects and EU Funding Officer Giorgia Signoretto at giorgia.signoretto@eurodiaconia.org.