Division 3.1.2 Exceptional utility of joint actions

Proposals for joint actions requesting more than 50 % co-funding will need to comply with the following criteria:

• At least 60 % of the total budget of the action must be used to fund staff. This criterion is intended to promote capacity building for development and implementation of effective public health policies.

• At least 25 % of the budget of the proposed action must be allocated to Member States with a GDP per capita (as published by Eurostat in its latest statistical report) in the lower quartile of all EU Member States This criterion is intended to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities among EU Member States.

• A score of at least 5 out of 8 marks must be achieved for all the award criteria of the policy relevance block mentioned in Annex IV. This criterion aims to promote the improvement of the health of European citizens, in the sense of enhancing policy relevance.

• At least 10 % of the budget must be allocated to organisations that have not received any funding under the Health Programme of the European Community in the past 5 years. This criterion is intended to promote the involvement of new actors for health.

• Bodies from at least 10 participating countries or bodies from 3 participating countries, where the action is proposed by a body from a Member State which has acceded to the European Union since 1 May 2004 or by a candidate country should participate in the joint action.