Helena Rapp
European Initiatives and Funding Programmes
Phone: +49 40 9999 698 - 76
E-Mail: Rapp[at]dmz-maritim.de
The German maritime sector is undergoing a transformation. European funding programmes are a versatile and powerful instrument for actively shaping this process in terms of competitive sustainability. Nationally controlled, anchored in Europe, internationally oriented. This is where the German Maritime Centre gets involved.
European funding programmes are no substitute for a national transformation roadmap. They support it by providing funding, substantive impetus, market and technology exploration and initiating various cooperation opportunities at the interface of industry and science. The German Maritime Centre wants to help ensure that the funding programmes are used optimally. We are actively involved in helping to shape them at a technical level.
European funding programmes are characterised by great diversity in terms of administration, scope of application, eligibility criteria and funding rates. The applicability of the calls for proposals to the maritime sector can rarely be deduced directly from the overarching programme orientation.
The EU portfolio of the German Maritime Centre is based on three pillars:
Inform
We continuously and comprehensively deal with European funding programmes and analyse their suitability for maritime applications. In addition, we inform our sector about relevant funding opportunities (see Maritime Funding Compass Europe). We analyse the participation of the German maritime sector in funded EU projects and develop quantitative and qualitative assessments of the relevance of the programmes and thematic priorities, complementary to national and regional funding programmes.
Co-create
We actively participate in shaping the substantive direction of EU funding programmes and are a member of Waterborne. The Brussels-based technology platform deals with the strategic design of research, development and innovation for the European maritime industry. Waterborne organises a continuous dialogue between different European stakeholders in the maritime industry, in direct exchange with the EU institutions. As a member, we have actively contributed to the successful implementation of a partnership on zero-emission waterborne transport for the funding period 2021 to 2027 and are involved in shaping its content as an elected member of the Partnership Governing Board. In close coordination with our members, we deliver substantive input in Brussels with the aim of representing the thematic diversity of Germany as a maritime location in its entire breadth so that it can be sufficiently taken into account in the programmes.
Coordinate
The German Maritime Centre coordinates the exchange of information and promotes networking within the sector as well as with other sectors, for efficient use of the diverse funding opportunities. We contribute to the linking of locally, nationally and centrally administered EU funding programmes.
