Applicants must possess specific and proven knowledge of cross-border issues in one or more of the thematic fields covered by the b-solutions initiative. Additionally, they must have relevant professional experience and consultancy skills.

With this call for expressions of interest we want to create a pool of experts to be contracted to advise cases of legal and administrative obstacles hindering cross-border cooperation in the context of the b-solutions initiative.

Yes, cross-border structures with no legal personality can apply on behalf of at least one of the municipalities or regions composing the cross-border structure. To indicate the authority to apply on behalf of an eligible public body, the applicant representing the cross-border structure submits supporting documents such as a letter of confirmation by the eligible public body.

b-solutions’ has many specific objectives. Relevant to this call are objective 1 and 2, namely: - Objective 1: aims to identify and provide advice to cases of cross-border obstacles of a legal and/or administrative nature through an analysis of the obstacle and the suggestion of potential solutions thanks to the advice of an expert who draft a report for the beneficiary; - Objective 2: provides additional support to the beneficiary, as the experts elaborates further one of the solutions suggested under objective 1, with the aim to prepare a document that helps the potential implementation of the solution. Experts might be contracted under objective 1 or under objective 2.

Cross-border cooperation is to be understood as cooperation between actors in regions of different countries which lay directly on the national borders and adjacent to each other.

To be eligible, experts must have 1) relevant professional experience in the field of legal and administrative matters, and 2) specific and proven knowledge of cross-border issues in one or more of the thematic fields of b-solutions. Experts must also possess the ability to draft and communicate in English or one of the other working languages of the European Commission (French or German).

To be included in the pool of experts, applicants must demonstrate to fulfil the five awarding criteria of the call. These are: Criterion 1: relevant experience in the field of legal consultation; Criterion 2: relevant experience in the field of cross-border cooperation; Criterion 3: advisory experience in the field of cross-border cooperation and/or regional development with specific regards to analysing obstacles, including multilevel governance processes; Criterion 4: knowledge of a specific territory and of the languages spoken therein; Criterion 5: relevant experience in the field of one or more of the thematic areas listed at point 2.

Experts will be evaluated on the basis of the CV and the information provided via the online application form. The CV is to be submitted in English. Additional documents can be uploaded to the call for additional proof. For every criterion, a score on a scale from 0 to 5 will be assigned, where 0 indicates a completely insufficient relevance of the expert’s previous experiences and 5 an excellent one. To be included in the list of experts, the assessment of the 5 criteria listed above should lead to an overall score of at least 12,5 points, namely 50% of the total 25 cumulative points.

If you find yourself unable to conclude the assignment, please follow these guidelines: - Provide a written explanation: Inform AEBR in writing, explaining why you cannot complete the assignment. - Acceptable reasons, no work done: If you cannot complete the assignment for acceptable reasons and have not started working on it, AEBR will terminate the contract without proceeding to any payment. - Acceptable reasons, work done: If you have already worked on the assignment but cannot complete it for acceptable reasons, you will be compensated for the work done up to that point, provided it is accountable. The amount will be mutually agreed upon following the contract’s framework. - Lack of time: If you cannot complete the assignment due to a lack of time, AEBR may allow additional time.

For each submission to the open call of proposals, AEBR matches experts with a selected case based on the expert’s profile and knowledge of the territory, thematic areas and languages. Experts are therefore asked for their interest and availability to work on the matched case and receive the full content of the application submitted by the case representative for information to be able to make a decision. Unless agreed otherwise with the b-solutions team, they have one week to provide feedback on their willingness to work on the case and their earliest availability. Upon positive feedback of the expert, a service contract is concluded between AEBR and the expert, which defines the conditions of the work. Experts will be put in contact with the selected applicant one week before the start of the advice period. If experts do not receive an invitation to work on a specific case, it means there are no cases matching their profiles at that moment. However, they remain in the pool of available experts and can be contacted when a suitable case exists.

Experts will stay in our pool of available experts and can be contacted again whenever a case that fits their profile is selected.

1-Attend a kick-off meeting with the case representative to discuss in detail the organisation of the work, including the field visit; 2-Communicate directly with the case representative and relevant stakeholders to conduct research and interviews, including during the field visit; 3-Carry out a field visit to the premises of the selected applicant, which must take place within three months from the beginning of the contract. 4-Prepare a final report, written in English and following the b-solutions report template, which describes the legal and administrative obstacle(s) and provides options for resolving the identified obstacle(s) in a clear and systematic way and with reference to the legal provisions that are causing the obstacle(s); 5-Before the end of the advice period, share the draft report with the case representative to collect and integrate their feedback; 6-By the end of the advice period, submit the final report for approval to AEBR at b-solutions@aebr.eu. 7- If necessary, immediately clarify questions and revise the report to eliminate ambiguities or implement suggestions by AEBR and share the final report with AEBR, even if this is to be done after the advice period envisaged for the implementation.

For complementary language and/or thematic skills, AEBR can request that experts work together as a team on a case. In this scenario, the time spent and remuneration will be divided equally among the experts. Each expert would receive: a) Advice’s fee of € 800.00 + VAT per working day, for a maximum of 4.25 days; b) Travel cost based on actual costs; c) Accommodation allowance of €109 + VAT per night, for a maximum of 3 nights; and d) Daily allowance (per diem) of € 75 + VAT per day, for a maximum of 4 days. The experts contacted can decide to work jointly or refuse the offer.

Experts have three months to complete all tasks under the service contract (advice period). They are expected to work for a maximum number of 8.5 working days during the advice period. The start date of the advice period will be agreed between AEBR and the expert based on the case representative’s and the expert’s availabilities.

Experts must coordinate with the case representative to schedule their field visits. The field visit takes place during the three-month advice period. The expert is expected to travel for a maximum of 7 days. The expert is responsible to book their own travel arrangement, the costs will be reimbursed by AEBR once the report is approved. For the reimbursement of travel costs, the expert must keep the original tickets and relative invoice to file the reimbursement of travel costs.

To effectively coordinate with the case representative, make sure to: - Keep them informed about the progress at various stages throughout the advice period, including during field visits. - Maintain regular communication after the kick-off meeting, through email or phone check-ins. - Towards the end of the project, collect their final feedback on the draft report to make any necessary improvements.

VAT (Value Added Tax) is calculated by applying a specific percentage rate to the net amount of goods or services. In Germany, where AEBR is based, the VAT rate is 19%. If the expert liable for VAT is based outside Germany, the reverse charge mechanism applies. Consequently, AEBR is responsible for paying VAT on the transaction. The expert should thus invoice AEBR only for the net amount and clearly indicate on the invoice that the reverse charge procedure is being applied.

Accommodation costs will be reimbursed as a lump sum based on the number of nights spent for travel as indicated in the invoice. Experts do not need to provide any receipts to receive this reimbursement.

Although travelling is reckoned as an important part of the work in order to meet relevant stakeholders, the actual amount of days can be decided by the expert, depending on the specific needs of the case. Experts will receive remuneration for travelling, in particular accommodation and daily allowance, based on the number of days they have actually travelled for. Experts will indicate in the invoice the actual number of days they have travelled for and be reimbursed accordingly.

If experts are not liable for VAT, AEBR will pay them the net amount of their remuneration. Reverse charge does not apply and experts will be responsible for managing their own taxes and social security contributions according to the regulations in their home countries.

Daily allowance covers meals, local transports (bus, tram, metro, taxi) and other costs which one may incur into when travelling (parking, travel and accident insurance).

Generally, VAT is due on this service. However, whether you are liable for VAT or not depends on your status and the place of supply. Your status: - If you are a business or self-employed individual regularly providing services, you are more likely to be liable for VAT. - If the service is occasional and you are not regularly engaged in economic activities, you may not be liable for VAT. Place of supply: The place of supply is generally where the recipient is located. Commonly, for services provided by non-resident suppliers to German businesses, the Reverse Charge Mechanism applies according to section 13b UStG (Umsatzsteuergesetz, the German Value Added Tax Act) and the VAT liability shifts from the supplier to the recipient. The Reverse Charge Mechanism applies therefore to experts who are liable for VAT and are not located in Germany. In this case, AEBR will pay VAT on this service to the German tax authority directly, and the expert does not pay VAT. It is advisable to consult with a tax advisor or your local tax authorities to ensure compliance with the relevant VAT regulations and determine whether you are liable for VAT.

Once the report is approved, experts must send an invoice to AEBR to request the remuneration and the reimbursement of the travel costs incurred.

The invoice must display: - the number of working days actually performed - the number of actual travel days and nights - the expert’s details necessary to make the payment, namely: the expert’s full name and address, bank account number - date of issue of the invoice, invoice number and VAT identification number and any VAT amount to apply if applicable - if the expert is not located in Germany, indication that reverse charge applies. AEBR puts at disposal of the experts an invoice template if needed. Details about the travel costs to be reimbursed must be shared with AEBR.

Travel cost are reimbursed based on actual costs incurred for travelling, and they include either rail travel (second and first class, at discretion of the expert), economy class air travel or private car. AEBR will reimburse the costs of the tickets, which must be submitted to AEBR for proof. For travel by private car, the journey will be reimbursed at the rate of € 0.30 per km, plus motorway tools. The reimbursement does not include car insurance, for which the expert alone is liable.

Experts contracted for objective 1 shall be remunerated with a maximum amount of € 7,870 (+ VAT if applicable), plus the reimbursement of travel costs, which will be transferred after approval of the report. The maximum amount includes: a) Advice’s fee of € 800.00 + VAT per working day, for a maximum of 8.5 days; b) Travel cost based on actual costs; c) Accommodation allowance of €109 + VAT per night, for a maximum of 5 nights; and d) Daily allowance (per diem) of € 75 + VAT per day, for a maximum of 7 days in case of two distinct visits, 6 days in case of a single visit.

In Germany, which is the place of supply, VAT on this service is currently set at 19% of the total invoiceable amount. For example, if you are liable for VAT, VAT on the daily expert fee of € 800 is of € 152. So your invoiceable amount for one day of work (€ 800) plus VAT at 19% (€ 152) is of € 952. Please note that ancillary services (accommodation allowance and daily subsistence allowances or per diem) must also be invoiced with VAT if the expert is liable for VAT. So, if you are liable for VAT, your invoiceable amount on the accommodation allowance (€ 109) plus VAT at 19% (€ 20.71) is of € 129,71. Your invoiceable amount on the daily allowance (per diem) of € 75 plus VAT at 19% (€ 14,25) is of € 89,25. So, for experts located in Germany and liable VAT, the invoice would therefore be as follows: o Experts’ fee for the amount of days worked + Accommodation allowances for the amount of nights spent on the visit + Daily allowance (per diem) for the amount of days spent on the visit o = Invoice amount (net) o +19% VAT o = Invoice amount (gross) If you are not liable for VAT or if the Reverse Charge Mechanism applies and the VAT obligation shifts to AEBR, the invoice may be issued net.

No, AEBR handles all b-solutions publications, including the preparation of the compendium, with the help of copywriters based on experts' reports. If there is the need for clarifications for a specific report, experts may be contacted to ensure the summaries in the compendium accurately reflect their opinions.

The executive summary must contain the description of both the obstacle(s) and the solution(s), referring to the relevant legal or administrative provisions that causes the obstacle. In short, the executive summary includes the main finding of the report in about 1 page.

Other relevant aspects of the case can be references to similar obstacles/solutions in other border regions or any helpful general information on the case.

The main objective of this part of the report is for the expert to help the beneficiary understand the root of the obstacle. To do so, it’s helpful if the expert includes these aspects in the description of the obstacle: - The context of the obstacle - The reason(s) for the obstacle (E.g. legal, administrative rule or practice, lack of knowledge/complexity, lack of cooperation) and its source (E.g. national/regional law (= legislative), ministerial decree/ordinance (= executive), interministerial guidance/informal decision, interpretation of the law by authorities, legal loophole) - The governance level(s) where the obstacle(s) occur (E.g international, EU, national, regional/local) The expert is expected to explain why the legal or administrative issue creates an obstacle, giving precise reasons to explain why the obstacle hinders cross-border cooperation. We have developed a roadmap that can help the drafting of the report. This can be accessed here.

Experts must cite the laws/executive acts as cited in the national/EU law gazettes. The citation must include the following: - Name of the law/executive act; - If applicable, the reference number; - Publication document (e.g. official legal gazette); - Date of publication, - If applicable, date of entry into force. For examples, see the b-solutions: Solving Border Obstacles. A Compendium 2023-2024-2021, p 210 – 218. Here is an example for an EU regulation “Regulation (EU) 2019/1238 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on a pan-European personal pension product (PEPP), OJ L 198, 25.07.2019, p. 1”. Here is an example for a national law: “Federal Act of 30 November 1973 on the implementation of intergovernmental agreements on the surveying and marking of the state border and on the regulation of certain matters of the state border (State Border Act), Federal Law Gazette, No 9/1974”.

Experts must prepare the report following the template shared with them by the b-solutions team as part of their service contract. The report template can also be accessed here. The final report must be written in English, unless explicitly agreed otherwise with AEBR in advance, and must be sent via email to AEBR as well as the case representatives by the end of the advice period. The suggested extent of the report is about 15-25 pages (around 8 000 - 12 000 words). The report must include the following parts: i) An executive summary; ii) A description of the obstacle with indication of the legal/administrative provisions causing the obstacle, including an explanation of the obstacle’s origin, nature and impact and an illustration of a situation in which the obstacle arises; iii) A roadmap towards possible short, medium and long-term solutions; iv) An indication of the entities to be involved in the possible solution, and v) A full list of all law and executive acts relevant to the case with the correct citation both in the original language and in English; vi) If applicable, other relevant aspects of the case; vii) If applicable, references and appendices.

The roadmap towards possible solutions must indicate potential solutions to overcome the obstacle. The main objective of this part of the report is for the expert to help the beneficiary understand which solutions would be the most helpful given the specific context. To achieve this, it's useful if the expert includes the following aspects in the roadmap description: - The nature of the solution(s): legal (E.g. revisions, exceptions, new legal acts) administrative (E.g. revisions, exceptions, new administrative procedures, or cross-border instances), other strategy (E.g. Awareness raising actions, training action) - Solution(s) which are feasible in the short-term, medium-term, long-term - The governance level(s) where the solution(s) can be implemented (E.g international, EU, national, regional/local) The expert is expected to explain how these solutions can be useful and how they can be implemented. We have developed a roadmap that can help the drafting of the report. This can be accessed here.

After the expert submits the report, AEBR reviews it to ensure it is clear, coherent, and includes actionable cross-border solutions. AEBR’s team does not have the capacity to control the correctness of the information. The review is aimed at ensuring that all formalities have been respected (use of the template, components of the report, correctness of the legal references), that the description of the obstacle is comprehensive, and that the solutions suggested are logical, helpful to the case in the short, medium and long-term and that they envision a solutions that promotes a cross-border approach. Feedback is usually provided within two weeks: - If the report meets all requirements: AEBR approves it and asks for the expert's invoice. - If the report needs improvements: AEBR requests clarifications and edits before giving approval. Once the final version, with all edits, is approved, AEBR notifies the expert and asks for the invoice. Experts are suggested to allocate some working time of the total allocated time (8.5 days) to incorporate feedback from case representatives and AEBR.

Before the end of the advice period, experts will send the draft report to the case representatives to collect and incorporate their feedback. After the review by the case representatives, experts must send the report to AEBR for approval, at b-solutions@aebr.eu.

Common mistakes are: - Complex language: Avoid using too much technical jargon or overly complex language. Aim for simplicity and clarity, always explaining acronyms, so that readers can easily understand the content of the report. - Disorganised content: Failing to structure the report logically can make it hard to follow. Use the report template so that the information is broken down into manageable sections that helps to follow your reasoning from the obstacle description to the solution identification. - Limited analysis: Providing only a surface-level analysis without delving deeper into core aspects can reduce the report's value. Ensure thorough analysis and critical thinking by being as specific as possible when describing the obstacle and its legal or administrative causes. - Vague solutions: Giving vague or non-actionable solutions in the cross-border context can reduce the report’s practical value. Ensure that your solutions are specific and actionable with a cross-border dimension. Clearly explain how they can be implemented, including which authorities to involve across the border and the procedures to follow. If you prefer one solution over others, provide a justification for your choice. - Lack of legal referencing: Not properly citing legal and executive acts can undermine the report’s reliability and transparency. Always provide a comprehensive list of legal references. - Lack of Review: Skipping the review or feedback process can result in missed errors or overlooked improvements. Have the case representative review your report before sending it to AEBR which will conduct a final feedback round. - Spelling and grammar mistakes: Errors in spelling and grammar can distract from the content and reduce professionalism. Proofread thoroughly to eliminate mistakes.

There is a slight difference between the kind of approach required of experts under Objective 2 in comparison with Objective 1. Under Objective 2, the actions taken by the case representatives, AEBR, and the expert amount to a process defined by engagement, brokerage, facilitation, negotiation, and improvement of understanding and communication among stakeholders to reach a solution. This also includes building and fostering relationships with and between stakeholders, and strategically building support for the conditions in which a solution can be sustained into the future. Overall, the experts will therefore be required to work in a context which involves all of these factors, and to work in a way that is highly collegiate and collaborative with the case representative and with AEBR via the AEBR b-solutions Expert Advisor. AEBR will work closely with the case representatives throughout the process and the AEBR b-solutions Expert Advisor will be available to respond to any queries and to link with the expert for updates as useful to the process. To achieve objective 2, experts contracted must perform the following tasks: - Draft an implementation plan providing input and proposing legal modifications, proposals of bilateral agreements, etc. on the particular case; - Undertake deliverables as specified in their contract and as identified by AEBR in consultation with the case representatives; - Where appropriate, participate actively in a workshop organised by the case representatives, at a point in the process where engagement with stakeholders in a formal setting is deemed most effective to embedding the solution. The point in the process at which the workshop takes place varies from case to case and is subject to determination by the case representatives in consultation with AEBR. It is generally the case that experts are required to prepare documentation and support the design of the workshop, working in close conjunction with the case representatives.

AEBR invites experts to work on a case of a case representative or continue working on the case they analysed under objective 1 depending on their profiles, competences, knowledge of the area and languages. In certain cases AEBR may appoint more than one expert depending on the specific requirements of a case. This will be determined on a case by case basis and taking into account case-specific considerations which may include those such as skills base, knowledge, geography, technical of professional competency, and language. Under objective 2, specific expert support may be resourced adopting different criteria if specific technical skills are required to enable the draft of solutions that better respond to the needs of the stakeholders.

Experts contracted for objective 2 shall be remunerated with a maximum amount of € 9,636.00, which will be paid after approval of the initiative document. The amount of € 9,636.00 includes: a) Advice’s fee of € 800.00 + VAT per working day, for a maximum of 9 days. The number of days of engagement will be discussed by AEBR and the expert in advance and regulated in the contract; b) Travel cost based on actual costs; c) Accommodation allowance of € 109 per night + VAT, for a maximum of 2 nights to cover accommodation; and d) Daily allowance (per diem) of € 75 per day + VAT , for a maximum of 3 days. When the expert is contracted as a legal person, AEBR and the expert contracted as legal person will assess the need for more natural persons to be involved on a case-by-case basis, and activate reimbursement for each natural personal participating as expert. A single final payment after submission and approval of the implementation plan by AEBR will be made.

Experts are contracted for a maximum of 9 working days within an advice period that will be agreed between the case representative, the expert and AEBR. The start of the advice period is agreed between the experts and the case representatives but should start as soon as possible after the experts accepted the assignment to work on the specific objective 2 case.

Yes, you can apply again, whether your previous application was successful or not. For successful applicants: you can apply again if your obstacle is different from the previous on(s) in the same thematic or not. For unsuccessful ones: you can reapply with a new case or the same obstacle if still relevant. However, if your application did not pass the eligibility check in the previous calls for proposals, please ensure it meets the selection criteria this time.

With this call, we want to select legal and administrative obstacles hindering cross-border cooperation that will receive technical assistance from experts in the context of the b-solutions initiative.

To be eligible, the territory on which the applicant has a legal competence to intervene must share at least one EU internal border with a EU Member State, or with an EFTA or IPA country if it is located in the EU. If the applicant has mandate on a territory which does not share a border with a EU Member State, or an EFTA or IPA country if it is located in the EU, it is not eligible. This is because the obstacle of the application must be related to cooperation with the neighbouring country.

The EFTA Member States eligible to apply are Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

IPA countries are countries under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Cross - Border Co-operation. They are: Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. They are all eligible to apply.

A mandate means the legal competence of a public institution or body to intervene in specific geographical areas within certain fields of intervention. Having a mandate ensures that the institution or body has the legal authority to take action in designated areas and sectors. As a mandate delineates the geographical and sectoral boundaries within which an institution or body can operate, having a mandate to intervene in a specific field which is relevant to the territory and the field of the application’s subject allows for targeted and legally sound interventions, ensuring that efforts are concentrated where they are needed most. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the application aligns with the applicant’s legal boundaries and responsibilities to ensure successful execution and follow up of the advice by the expert. Importantly, the applicant must have mandate to intervene in the specific geographical area and within the field(s) of intervention of the application, but it is not expected to have mandate to execute the solution (see question “What does mandate to devise the solution mean here, and what is expected from the applicant?” under section “Selection process” for more details on the mandate requested to devise the solution).

Applicants can be: 1) Public bodies at the national, regional or local level with a national boundary limiting the territory for which they have a mandate; 2) Cross-border entities such as European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), Euroregions, Eurodistricts, Eurocities and similar cross-border structures with legal personality, established under public or private law; 3) Cross-border coordination points established in the framework of the EU Regulation on a Border Regions’ instrument for development and growth (BRIDGEforEU); 4) “Bodies governed by public law” according to Art. 2(1) no. 4 Directive 2014/24/EU, with mandate on a border territory, if fulfilling following criteria: a) they are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character; b) they have legal personality; and c) they are financed, for the most part, by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; or are subject to management supervision by those authorities or bodies; or have an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; and 5) "Public equivalent bodies", namely entities under private law which meet the conditions specified in 4) a)-c), with mandate on a border territory. In addition, public bodies and cross-border structures must: - be located in an EU Member State or a neighbouring EFTA country or IPA country; - share at least one EU internal land or maritime border with another EU Member State – if located in a EU member State, share a border with another EU Member State, an EFTA country or an IPA country; - have the mandate(legal competence) to intervene in certain geographical areas in the relevant field(s) of intervention to deliver a specific public or government service.

No, including co-applicants is not mandatory. Having one or more co-applicants is possible if desired, and it could be helpful to involve co-applicant(s) from the other side(s) of the border. Co-applicants must be directly involved in the identified obstacle (e.g. a hospital if the obstacle is the access to health infrastructure). A natural person cannot be a co-applicant. There is no maximum limit to the number of co-applicants.

Yes, you can. Any applicant or co-applicant(s) can be involved in more than one advice obstacle submission, within the same thematic area or not.

Yes, cross-border structures with no legal personality can apply on behalf of at least one of the municipalities or regions composing the cross-border structure. To indicate the authority to apply on behalf of an eligible public body, the applicant representing the cross-border structure submits supporting documents such as a letter of confirmation by the eligible public body.

Outermost Regions (OMR) (see Art. 349 TFEU) are part of the EU and therefore eligible, if they meet all the eligibility criteria. Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) (see Annex II to Council Decision (EU) 2021/1764 of 5 October 2021 (OJ L 355, 7.10.2021 p. 6)) are not eligible in the framework of this call.

The general eligibility criteria are: Submit the application form electronically via the dedicated webpage before the deadline stated in the call for new b-solutions’ cases (27 February 2026); Ensure the application form is completely filled in, preferably in English. Applications can otherwise be filled in all 24 official EU languages, Icelandic and Norwegian (Bokmål). If applications are received in a language other than English, these will be translated using the eTranslation Tool, an online machine translation service provided by the European Commission. If automated translation is needed, the English version from this tool will be treated as the original and the only one used for selection and awarding; Ensure the applicant corresponds to the applicant’s profile detailed in section 3 of the call for new b-solutions’ cases.

Replicability potential refers to the likelihood that the proposed solution could be useful in other regions or contexts to solve a similar obstacle. To address this, describe how a potential solution could be relevant for other border regions along the same border, border regions of the same country or other border regions with similar characteristics.

Following the submission, applications undergo a three-phases selection procedure: 1) Eligibility check by AEBR: AEBR’s team examines the compliance with the eligible criteria; 2) Quality Assessment: AEBR will assess and evaluate the applications to inspect the fulfilment of the selection criteria; 3) Agreement with the European Commission: Selected applications will be assessed by and agreed with the European Commission. The selection process will be on a rolling basis and cases will be selected, under normal circumstances, within 20 working days after submission. All the applicants will be informed about the result of their application. A list of successful applications will be published also on the European Commission’s online platform “Border Focal Point Network” and on the website of b-solutions.

This criteria aims to inform about the legal competence of the applicant’s or co-applicant(s) institution to intervene in the relevant geographical areas and field(s) of intervention. Importantly, having a mandate to execute solutions is not a mandatory criteria to be fulfilled for selection, as in most cases a solution cannot be implemented by the applicant alone. Here, applicants can highlight their authority or capacity to involve other institutions and actors to execute the proposed solution.

A real and documented obstacle is an existing, verifiable issue that hinders cross-border cooperation. This can include legal barriers, administrative inefficiencies, or regulatory inconsistencies. The obstacle must be clearly identified and possibly supported by evidence or documentation.

AEBR, with the support of the European Commission (Border Focal Point) will select applications according to the main following criterion: - the submission addresses a real and documented obstacle of an administrative and/or legal nature hampering cross-border cooperation in one of the clusters addressed in the 2021 Report by the European Commission. Other criteria are: - the potential increase in cross-border cooperation if the obstacle is solved; - the applicant's or co-applicants’ mandate to devise solutions; - the replicability potential of the action.

Include a brief analysis of the current state of cross-border cooperation, highlighting the impact of the identified obstacle. Provide projections or case studies demonstrating how removing this obstacle will enhance cooperation, improve efficiency, and yield tangible benefits.

The main purpose of the present call for b-solutions new cases is to address cases where interactions across the border are more difficult either because of lack of legislative coherence applicable on both sides of the border, or because of inconsistencies of the relevant administrative procedures. In light of this, the experts will grant support in defining and documenting the legal or administrative obstacle clearly and systematically, namely in identifying its root causes, as well as in providing possible solutions from which to proceed. Solutions might entail amendments to the current legal framework or the creation of the pieces of legislation, i.e. by the conclusion of new agreements. The expert for each advice case prepares a report which underpins conclusions of their work relating to options for resolving the identified obstacle. The report will include: i) An executive summary; ii) A description of the obstacle with indication of the legal/administrative provisions causing the obstacle, including an explanation of the obstacle’s origin, nature and impact and an illustration of a situation in which the obstacle arises; iii) A roadmap towards possible short, medium and long-term solutions; iv) An indication of the entities to be involved in the possible solution, and v) A full list of all law and executive acts relevant to the case with the correct citation both in the original language and in English; vi) If applicable, other relevant aspects of the case; vii) If applicable, references and appendices.

Normally, the advice period begins a few weeks after submission, upon selection and validation by the European Commission’s Border Focal Point and depending on the availability of the expert assigned. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as soon as they are submitted. AEBR notifies the selected applicant of the exact date of the start.

The experts will be selected through a call for expressions of interest that will remain open until 31 May 2026. The aim of the call is to identify professionals with sound knowledge of cross-border cooperation practices, competences in analysing a legal text and consultancy skills. The selection process of the experts is carried out by AEBR, with support of the EU Commission’s Border Focal Point if needed.

The advice period lasts up to a maximum of three months after the assignment of an expert and signature of the contract between the expert and AEBR. Experts will advise selected cases for a maximum of 8.5 days during the 3-month period.

Relevant criteria for the assignment will be their expertise, language proficiency and the understanding of specific territories. AEBR allocates an expert to each selected case and informs the applicant accordingly.

Selected applicants are expected to: - Organise a kick-off meeting with the experts once the implementation period starts; - Coordinate with the experts and provide them with the necessary information on the obstacle to be analysed; - Facilitate the organisation of necessary meetings during the field visit of the experts or online consultations; - Provide a feedback on the draft report shared by the expert; - After receiving the final report approved by AEBR, compile an information sheet providing an opinion on the cooperation with the expert assigned, giving information on the entities involved in the analysis, and informing about the next steps that the applicant plans to undertake for implementing the proposed solution.

The experts will be paid directly by AEBR upon signature of a service contract between the expert and AEBR and approval of the final report.

Successful applicants will be required to fill an “Information sheet”, providing an opinion on the cooperation with the expert assigned, giving information on the entities that were involved in the analysis and informing about next steps that the applicant plans to undertake for implementing the proposed solution.

No, the selected applicants will not receive grants. The successful cases will receive the support of an expert who will cooperate with them in defining the obstacle and identifying solutions to it. The costs of the advice by the expert is covered by the European Commission and AEBR in the framework of b-solutions.

Yes, there are already different kinds of publications produced between 2020 and 2024, and namely: - four compendiums and an annex illustrating cases advised so far; - three thematic oriented publications on specific fields of interests for policymaking (Cross-border Public Services, labour market and education, the European Green Deal) highlighting common obstacles and proposed solutions; - two story-telling publications addressing a general, non-specialised audience to raise awareness of cross-border obstacles and solutions to overcome them; - a publication investigating the impact of b-solutions. All these publications are accessible in the b-solutions online library.

b-solutions’ main outcomes are its contribution to overcoming obstacles, inspire solutions that could be implemented in other border regions and increase awareness and knowledge. Concrete outputs are the publications prepared within the scope of b-solutions, expected to be released in 2026.

Beyond the publications, AEBR constantly disseminates results and communicates the progress achieved by the applicants through the online platform “Border Focal Point Network” and through its main channels (b-solutions’ website, AEBR’s website, AEBR’s LinkedIn, and Facebook accounts and newsletter).

The Border Focal Point Network has been established under the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) to coordinate the implementation of the proposed action plan and to provide Member States and other players with support to address border issues. It is composed of Commission experts and provides border stakeholders with a platform to discuss and present border issues and solutions. The Border Focal Point is part of the 10 measures proposed by the adopted Commission Communication "Boosting Growth and Cohesion in EU Border Regions" which aims to highlight ways in which Europe can reduce the complexity, length and costs of cross-border interactions and promote the pooling of services along internal EU borders. An online professional network to present and discuss legal and administrative obstacles and possible solutions has been created and it is operational since January 2018. You can register here. AEBR’s team will regularly upload information on the Border Focal Point Network to inform the community of actors of cross-border cooperation about novelties related to b-solutions.

The main goal of b-solutions 3.0 is to find and promote sustainable ways to solve legal obstacles that hinder cooperation across borders regions. Specifically, b-solutions 3.0 aims to: - Identify 60 cases of legal or administrative obstacles and provide advice on possible solutions. - Support the further development of solutions advised to previous beneficiaries. - Enhance the capacity of the target group to implement solutions. - Promote sustainable methods to resolve obstacles and raise awareness of border regions’ needs. - Share knowledge on solutions and best practices.

The selected beneficiaries receive sub-grants from AEBR to implement the pilot actions. The sub-grants amount to a maximum of 30,000 euros per pilot action. There is no requirement for co-financing. The sub-grants are intended to reimburse eligible actual costs incurred by the beneficiary(ies) for the implementation of the pilot actions, and include an overhead of indirect costs up to a maximum of 7% of the direct costs.

Yes, applicants can also present a budget for more than 30,000 euros. However, the sub-grant will not be higher than 30,000 euros. Additional costs are to be covered with the applicant’s own resources – no other EU funding should be used to the pilot action though. The budget will need to indicate what costs are to be covered with the sub-grant and which will be covered with own resources (see columns C and F of the budget). The beneficiary will be requested to provide AEBR documentation to prove costs covered by the sub-grant only.

The sub-grants will be split in three instalments: · 40% will be received as pre-financing 15 days after the sub-grant agreement between AEBR and the beneficiary is signed; · 40% will be received after six months of implementation; · 20% will be received at the end of the implementation period, contingent upon the approval of the related report. The sub-grant will be transferred to the main applicant, who will distribute it to the partner(s), if applicable, according to the individual needs and management of the pilot action. Partners can then autonomously decide how to share costs and contributions, and Partners do not need to make a financial commitment.

The pilot actions’ aim is to support in organising activities that can help the development of the solution envisaged. Key aspects of a pilot actions are the engagement of relevant stakeholders, research and development to explore and/or evaluate the potential impact and practicality of proposed solutions, fostering policy and legal reforms and administrative innovation to remove barriers and capacity building and awareness raising of partners, stakeholders and the public. Eligible activities can therefore involve -organising events that bring together key stakeholders and enable exchange (consultations, task forces, etc); -conducting feasibility studies on proposed solutions; -reviewing existing laws and proposing legal or administrative solutions; -implementing training programmes and organising raising awareness campaigns. A more comprehensive list can be found on page 5 of the call.

Beneficiaries are expected to develop pilot actions that will lead to a solid agreement by which the relevant public bodies commit to implementing the chosen solution. The aim of the pilot actions is to develop solutions for previously analysed legal and administrative obstacles hindering cross-border cooperation. This involves working with competent authorities across the cross-border area to improve governance, share information, and streamline processes.

With this call, we want to provide additional support to the beneficiaries of b-solutions who have received advice on legal or administrative obstacles hindering cross-border cooperation. To do so, we will select 10 pilot actions that will each receive a sub-grant of 30,000 € to develop a chosen solution identified in the expert report and advance its implementation.

IPA countries are countries under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Cross - Border Co-operation. They are: Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A mandate means the legal competence of a public institution or body to intervene in specific geographical areas within certain fields of intervention. Having a mandate ensures that the institution or body has the legal authority to take action in designated areas and sectors. As a mandate delineates the geographical and sectoral boundaries within which an institution or body can operate, having a mandate to intervene in a specific field which is relevant to the territory and the field of the application’s subject allows for targeted and legally sound interventions, ensuring that efforts are concentrated where they are needed most. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the application aligns with the applicant’s legal boundaries and responsibilities to ensure successful execution and follow up of the pilot action. Importantly, the applicant must have mandate to intervene in the specific geographical area and within the field(s) of intervention of the application, but it is not expected to have mandate to execute the solution (see question “What does mandate to devise the solution mean here, and what is expected from the applicant?” under section “Selection process” for more details on the mandate requested to devise the solution).

The general eligibility criteria to submit an application to the call for b-solutions pilot actions are: Correct submission of the application form via the dedicated webpage before the deadline stated in the call for pilot actions (18:00 CEST on 28 April 2025); Complete submission of the application form, preferably in English, and will all the annexes. Applications can otherwise be filled in all 24 official EU languages, Icelandic and Norwegian (Bokmål). If applications are received in a language other than English, these will be translated using the eTranslation Tool, an online machine translation service provided by the European Commission; Eligibility of the applicant according to section 3.3 of the call; The application concerns an obstacle that has already been analysed as a b-solutions advice case.

Cross-border structures with no legal personality are invited to apply on behalf of its members if these are eligible public bodies. In this case, it is mandatory to apply with a partner, therefore at least two public entities composing the cross-border structure, each located on each side of the border, must apply.

The partner’s declaration(s) confirms their commitment to take part in the pilot action and acknowledges their involvement in the application.

Applicants can be: a) Entities which have already received advice through b-solutions’; b) Eligible entities with the authority to advance the implementation of a solution for a previous b-solutions’ case. Eligible entities in this framework are: 1) Public bodies at the national, regional or local level with a national boundary limiting their territory; 2) Cross-border entities such as European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), Euroregions, Eurodistricts, Eurocities and similar cross-border structures with legal personality, established under public or private law; 3) “Bodies governed by public law” according to Art. 2(1) no. 4 Directive 2014/24/EU, if fulfilling following criteria: a) they are established for the specific purpose of meeting needs in the general interest, not having an industrial or commercial character; b) they have legal personality; and c) they are financed, for the most part, by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; or are subject to management supervision by those authorities or bodies; or have an administrative, managerial or supervisory board, more than half of whose members are appointed by the State, regional or local authorities, or by other bodies governed by public law; and 4) "Public equivalent bodies", namely entities under private law which meet the conditions specified in 3) a)-c). In addition, public bodies and cross-border structures must: -be located in an EU Member State or a neighbouring EFTA country or IPA country; -share at least one EU internal land or maritime border with another EU Member State – if located in a EU member State, share a border with another EU Member State, an EFTA country or an IPA country; - have the mandate (legal competence) to intervene in certain geographical areas in the relevant field(s) of intervention to deliver a specific public or government service.

The EFTA Member States eligible to apply are Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

In the application, you will need to indicate: a title of the pilot action to be developed; legal entity form; data on the partners; partner’s(s’) declaration; description of the obstacle; description of the pilot action’s specific objective; description of the planned methodology to implement the pilot action; calendar of the proposed activities; budget necessary to develop the pilot action with a justification of each activity. Templates for the partner’s(s’) declaration, the legal entity form, the calendar and the budget are provided and accessible here.

If you are a cross-border structure with legal personality, you don't need a consortium to apply. However, you can involve partners from both sides of the border if you like. For other applicants, you must have at least one partner from the other side of the same border, and that partner be an eligible entity. There is no limit to the number of partners in the consortium, but consider the feasibility of your proposal when deciding on the number of partners.

The successful cases will be selected in May 2025 and notified then.

AEBR will select applications according to the following criteria: AEBR will select applications according to the following criteria: the proposal addresses a real and documented obstacle of an administrative and/or legal nature hampering cross-border cooperation in one of the thematic areas addressed in the 2021 Report by the European Commission; the potential increase in cross-border cooperation if the obstacle is solved; the applicant's or partner’s mandate to devise solutions and ensure successful implementation of the pilot action; the alignment of the proposed pilot action with the specific objective of developing a strategy to implement a targeted solution that addresses the identified obstacle; the clarity of the proposal, including a well-defined concept, methodology, and organisation of the work—covering procedures and resource allocation—for implementing the pilot action; the strength of the cross-border approach in the application, demonstrating a collaborative pilot action with equitable involvement from all parties; the expected long-term impact of the pilot action to bring a tangible, durable and effective solution to address the cross-border obstacle identified and benefit the target groups or the general public; the replicability potential of the action.

If your application doesn't meet the eligibility criteria, it will be considered ineligible and won't be assessed further at this stage. AEBR will notify you by email, and you will have ten working days to respond. If you don't respond within this timeframe, you will be excluded from the call for pilot actions. If there is any doubt about an applicant's eligibility, AEBR will request clarifications. Applicants must provide the necessary clarifications within five working days.

1) AEBR performs the eligibility check to ensure that conditions for eligibility are fulfilled. 2) AEBR assesses the pilot actions submitted and assigns a score of 1 to 5 to each application. The overall score of each pilot action proposal will determine the selection. 3) AEBR ranks the proposals based on the overall score. 4) AEBR indicates the applications to be selected, whereby the proposals with the highest overall score will be selected, on condition that they score at least above the threshold of 60% of the potential maximum added score (40 points). 5) Selected applications will be validated by the Border Focal Point of the European Commission. The selection process take place in May 2025. All the applicants will be informed about the result of their application. A list of successful applications will be published also on the European Commission’s online platform “Border Focal Point Network” and on the website of b-solutions.

A real and documented obstacle is an existing, verifiable issue that hinders cross-border cooperation. This can include legal barriers, administrative inefficiencies, or regulatory inconsistencies. The obstacle must have been analysed previously through b-solutions.

This criteria aims to inform about the legal competence of the applicant’s or partner(s) institution to intervene in the relevant geographical areas and field(s) of intervention. Importantly, having a mandate to execute solutions is not a mandatory criteria to be fulfilled for selection, as in most cases a solution cannot be implemented by the applicant alone. Here, applicants can highlight their authority or capacity to involve other institutions and actors to execute the proposed solution.

Include a brief analysis of the current state of cross-border cooperation, highlighting the impact of the identified obstacle. Provide projections or case studies demonstrating how removing this obstacle will enhance cooperation, improve efficiency, and yield tangible benefits.

Replicability potential refers to the likelihood that the proposed solution could be useful in other regions or contexts to solve a similar obstacle. To address this, describe how a potential solution could be relevant for other border regions along the same border, border regions of the same country or other border regions with similar characteristics.

Explain how the pilot action will help develop a concrete and long-lasting solution to the identified cross-border obstacle. Emphasize its durability, effectiveness, and ability to address the needs of the target groups or the general public. Showcase the forward-thinking and innovative aspects of the proposal. Explain how these ambitious goals set the foundation for a lasting, transformative impact across the border.

Outline the activities’ relevance to develop a chosen solution to address the obstacle previously analysed. For every activity, describe briefly its purpose and how it supports the proposed pilot action. Specify all the key actors and stakeholders necessary to establish and carry out the pilot action successfully. These could include authorities at the local, regional, national or European level, or organisations, businesses, researchers depending on the context. Make sure to highlight their roles and why their involvement is critical.

Show that the proposed pilot action is genuinely cross-border, with equal representation from actors of both sides of the border. Highlight the positive impact of the action on the entire cross-border territory, emphasizing shared benefits for both regions.

Explain clearly how the activities planned in the pilot action enable to develop a solution to address the obstacle. This can include timelines, dependencies between activities, or measurable milestones. Provide a precise, clear and justified outline of the resources needed in the budget. Make sure the budget is appropriate in relation to the planned activities, outputs and results.

Beneficiaries will autonomously decide how to use the sub-grant they receive, a tentative budget must be planned in advance and submitted with the application. The sub-grants can be used to finance following activities and expenditures: Sub-contracting cost: for example for procurement of external services and expertise; Travel and accommodation costs: including corresponding per diem for the individuals involved in the pilot action; Purchase of services and equipment: needed for the implementation of the pilot action, such as interpretation, catering, communication for meetings and events, translations, and preparation of communication outputs; Staff costs: based on real costs, calculated from the number of working hours that the beneficiary's employees need to implement the pilot action; Indirect costs: up to a maximum of 7% of the direct costs, to cover overhead expenses.

Yes, we will ask you that the following conditions will be filled to finance staff cost with the grant: Employment Contract: A beneficiary can report the hours of an employee working under an employment contract or equivalent. Maximum Hours: A beneficiary cannot declare more than 1,720 hours per full-time employee for 12 months. This is reduced on a pro-rata basis for part-time employees and implementation periods shorter than 12 months. If the same employee works on multiple projects, the total productive hours declared across those projects cannot exceed 1,720 hours or the applicable pro-rata per 12 months. Productive Hours: Only actual (productive) hours dedicated to project-related tasks can be reported. Non-productive hours, such as holidays, sick leave, maternity leave, etc., are not eligible. Documentation: Beneficiaries must provide AEBR with employment confirmations and reports confirming the number of hours worked on the pilot action for each person for whom they report staff costs.

· The expenditure is essential for the pilot action’s implementation and would not have been incurred if the pilot action had not been carried out (value added); · The expenditure must comply with the principles of efficiency, economy and effectiveness, and therefore the resources used in the pursuit of the beneficiary’s activities will be made available in due time, in appropriate quantity and quality, and at the best price‑quality ratio (principle of economy); beneficiaries ensure the best relationship between the resources employed, the activities undertaken and the achievement of objectives (principle of efficiency); the objectives that the project partners pursued are achieved through the activities undertaken (principle of effectiveness); · The expenditure is generated and paid by the beneficiary during the eligible pilot action phase (16 June 2025- 15 June 2026); · No other EU funds have contributed towards the financing of the same expenditure (prohibition of double funding); · Relevant public procurement rules are observed.

Public procurement rules of the national legislations of the applicants apply for the management of the pilot action.

Partners will be autonomous in the implementation of their pilot action. However, for informal progress reporting, video-calls will be organised between you and AEBR about every three months. In case of questions and support you can always contact AEBR. To follow up on the implementation, beneficiaries will submit two short reports to track project achievements and spending: · The progress report is due by the seventh month of implementation (December 2025) · The final report is due one month after the implementation period ends (mid-June 2026). AEBR will provide a template for the report

The implementation period for the 3 remaining pilot actions to be selected within the second call for b-solutions pilot actions is up to 9 months, from 3 November 2025 to 31 July 2026. The pilot actions must be carried out within this timeframe.

Yes, we will ask you to prove costs reported with: · Procurement documentation; · Invoices (or equivalent accounting documents); · Proof of delivery of services; · Proof of payment.

AEBR staff is ready to help with any technical or procedural questions during the application process. You can reach us anytime at: Email: b-solutions@aebr.eu Phone: +49 1764 20 90 666 You can also book an individual Zoom meeting with a team member here: https://calendly.com/b-solutionsaebr/call-on-pilot-actions