Division 2.4 Operating grants

Operating grants should be financed under budget line 17 03 06 — Community action in the field of health. The total indicative amount is estimated at EUR 2 500 000 (around 5 % of the operating budget).

Financial support for activities may be awarded to European organisations which fulfil the criteria detailed in Annex V.

Preference will be given to those organisations which cover activities as specified in this Work Plan, points 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 and activities in the field of cross-border health care, rare diseases, health workforce, patient safety, organ donation and transplantation, cancer prevention and control, flu vaccination, prudent use of antibiotics, childhood vaccination, mental health and youth health.

A call for proposals will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union at the end of February 2009, describing the areas for funding, the selection and award criteria and the procedures for application and approval.

The financial support shall not exceed 60 % of the expenditure involved in carrying out eligible activities. In cases of exceptional utility, the Community contribution shall not exceed 80 %. Exceptional utility may occur when activities have very significant European added value, as indicated in point 3.1.

As laid down in Article 4(2) of the applicable legal basis, the renewal of financial contributions set out in paragraph 1(b) to non-governmental bodies and specialised networks may be exempted from the principle of gradual decrease.