The European Innovation Partnership projects, or the EIP groups, aim to solve a pre-identified problem related to primary agricultural or forestry production, which may lead to a new innovation or operating model. The solution developed in the innovation project is based on the needs of primary production and is related to the renewal of agriculture or forestry or to the promotion of the bioeconomy.
The EIP group, or the Rural Innovation Group, to be assembled in the project is a cooperation group on the productivity and sustainability of primary agricultural or forestry production or the development of their value chains. The group will increase innovation and knowledge exchange. It may include not only communities, but also natural persons engaged in agriculture and forestry.
Supported pilot projects can be experiments where the feasibility of a product, service or method is tested.
An innovation project can be regional, interregional, national or international. The project can be implemented anywhere in mainland Finland.
Regional and Interregional EIP projects
A regional EIP project is carried out in the territory of only one ELY Centre. The project implements a regional rural development plan and the benefits of the project are mainly focused on the area of the funding ELY Centre.
Regional EIP projects are smaller than similar national projects and do not require an international component.
Interregional projects are carried out in the area of two or more ELY Centres.
National EIP projects
A national EIP project is implemented nationwide. The national project involves stakeholders from the area of at least three ELY Centres. Funding for national EIP projects is applied for in a separate call.
International EIP projects
The EIP project may involve international cooperation or it may be entirely international.
A project with an international component means, for example, benchmarking or organising a joint event with an EIP Group of another country.
In an entirely international project, project planning, goal setting and implementation are all carried out in cooperation with an EIP Group of another country.
EIP projects may also collaborate with Horizon Europe research programme projects and participate in the work of the EU EIP-AGRI network.
What can the support be used for?
The support for an innovation project can be used for:
- project preparation and implementation costs related to preparatory support, capacity building, training and networking
- the implementation of approved actions
- the preparation and implementation of the group’s cooperation activities
- project management costs
- the exchange of information in the European Innovation Partnership.
In addition, in an international EIP project, the support can be used for:
- necessary and reasonable costs related to international cooperation and the invitation of external experts to events organised by the Finnish party
- the costs of coordinating international cooperation included in the project with a partner in another country.
What can’t the support be used for?
Costs that are not eligible for the support
The support is not granted for:
- the cost of procurements made from the applicant, from a person or a family member of a person exercising decision-making power within the applicant community, or from a company controlled by that person or by their family member, unless sufficient tenders for the procurement have been obtained from other appropriate parties
- interest, commissions and transfer tax, as well as other costs arising from the financing of an investment or other measure
- leasing costs if a machine or equipment subject to the contract, in accordance with the terms of the contract, becomes the property of the applicant
- instalments of a machine or equipment to be purchased in instalments if ownership of the acquired property does not transfer during the implementation of the project
- in connection with a telecommunications network investment, the costs of constructing a subscriber interface arising from the construction of the final 100 metres of the interface, calculated from the wall of a private end-user’s residential building or business premises
- value added tax, which is not the applicant’s final cost if the applicant does not provide proof that it is not possible to obtain a deduction or refund of value added tax
- costs that do not remain a final expense for the applicant due to a return, reimbursement or other similar reasons
- the costs of the applicant’s regular or public relations activities other than those related to the implementation of the project
- salaries and fees to the extent that they exceed the amount of remuneration and fees generally payable for the corresponding function
- other costs included in employment than those arising from a statutory or collective agreement binding on the employer
- travel costs to the extent that they exceed the amount that would be reimbursed under the state’s travel policy in force at the time of the trip
- the costs of hiring an employee who, at the time of applying for the support, has not been the applicant’s permanent office-holder or an employee with a contract for an indefinite period if the work input of the project employee for the entire implementation period approved in the original support decision exceeds one person-year and there has not been a public call for the office or position
- officials’ travel expenses and meeting fees if the task is part of the officials’ duties.
Who can obtain the support?
The support for an innovation project may be granted to a public corporation or a private community, such as a small- or medium-sized enterprise, research unit, development organisation, foundation, educational institution, municipality or association.
The EIP partnership may consist of the need for a group of farmers to seek a solution to an identified challenge, in which case more farmers are involved in the EIP project and a development organisation acts as the applicant for the support.
The innovation project must involve at least two different parties, i.e. partners. The support is not granted for cooperation involving only research institutes.
The support is granted to the responsible stakeholder of the project.
Agricultural companies involved in an EIP project include farms and companies processing agricultural products. Forestry companies participating in a project include companies whose line of business is related to forest management, wood production or forest management and forest use measures that require wood processing or trade, such as harvesting and transportation of wood. Companies in the bioeconomy sector include companies that get their raw materials from agriculture or forestry, or that produce an end product (such as bioenergy) that is used by agricultural or forestry companies.
Who is not eligible for support?
The support cannot be granted if:
- the support applicant / transferee / a person with ownership or control / registered company or community affiliated with the support applicant has shown obvious disregard for compliance with the conditions of the support in the claim year or in the three calendar years preceding the application
- the conditions for granting the support have been artificially created
- the support applicant / transferee / a person with ownership or control / registered company or community affiliated with the support applicant has materially failed to comply with legal obligations or there are other material payment defaults during the claim year or the three calendar years preceding the application
- the support applicant is a company in difficulty *
- the support applicant has an outstanding recovery order based on a previous decision of the European Commission.
* When the support is granted as de minimis aid, the status of a company in difficulty does not prevent the support from being granted. Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: Limitations and definition of supporting a company in difficulty under EU’s State aid rules
The amount of the support
You can receive up to 100% support for an innovation project. The level of support is determined, among other things, on the basis of the wide availability or usability of the project results. The maximum amount of the support is EUR 500,000.
The support will be paid retrospectively.
Terms of the support
The requirement for granting the support is that you have sufficient financial and operational prerequisites to carry out the project. Normal operation of your organization is not supported.
You cannot receive the support for measures for which you receive other public support.
You need to create a project plan in order to receive the support.
The innovation project must involve at least two different parties, i.e. partners. Partners must be known when applying for funding for your project. Describe in the project application how the partners cooperate with each other in the project.
In the application, please provide an estimate of the duration of the project. The authority determines the approved implementation period in its decision.
In the project, a Rural Innovation Group is established, which includes both primary production companies and the experts needed to solve the problem or develop the innovation in the project:
1. agriculture, forestry, processing of agricultural products or related bioeconomy companies
2. expert organisations relevant to the problem to be solved or the innovation to be developed, e.g. research, advice, companies, associations.
The solution produced by the Rural Innovation Group must be connected to the primary production companies participating in the group and their operations. The innovation developed in the project may improve the profitability or sustainability of primary production, or both.
In addition to primary production itself, the reform may concern, for example, operating methods and operating models that improve efficiency and productivity. The matter resolved by the innovation group must be new or one that has not been tried before in Finland.
The project implementation period is 1–5 years. Projects are obliged to communicate their results. The results will be published in Finland and the EU.
If the project is carried out by someone other than the support applicant, the applicant must not be challengeable in relation to the one implementing the project.
When promoting cooperation between companies, the objective of the activity must not be a procedure contrary to the Competition Act (948/2011).
How to apply for the support
Regional, interregional and international projects are applied for from the ELY Centre of the region in question. Regional projects are applied for according to the selection periods of the ELY Centres.
National EIP projects have their own separate application procedure and are applied for from the ELY Centre for Häme. The national projects to be funded are selected by a selection group appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Review the selection criteria used to select projects for funding.
How to apply
- First, contact the ELY Centre and present your idea: get the contact details here. Experts from the ELY Centre advise on submitting the application.
- Submit your application online in the Hyrrä e-service.
Hyrrä e-service - You can start implementing the project after submitting your application. However, the financing of your project will only be secured once you have completed it – until then, you will carry out the project at your own risk.
Content of the project plan to be filled in to the Hyrrä e-service
- Public project summary
- Presentation of the applicant and project resources
- Need for the project, background, target group, beneficiaries and area of implementation
- The wider framework of the project
- Project implementation, schedule and risks
- Project objectives, results, impacts, monitoring and reporting
- Project communication
- Continuation of operation and maintenance plan of the supported entity
- Taking environmental and climate impacts into account and promoting sustainable development.
- For training and information projects only: Describe the capabilities, professionalism and competence of the personnel or training provider in relation to the subject matter of the project. Describe also the regular training offered to personnel in relation to the tasks carried out in the project.
- For investments in the development of the rural environment only: Describe the market, the competitive situation and your competitors.
- Additional question for projects that contribute to the achievement of the objectives of river basin management plans: Please indicate the area in which the project will contribute to the objectives of the river basin management plan.
Application sections
In the application, in addition to the project plan, information must be provided on the implementation of the project by sections, which vary depending on the project type.
The sections are:
- Applicant’s partners in the project
- Companies participating in the project
- Costs and financing
- Other public support
- Reasonableness of costs
- Permissions and notifications
- Monitoring data
- Additional information on the application and other attachments.
How to apply for the support in the Hyrrä e-service
How to respond to a request for additional information
After submitting your application
Selection of projects to be funded
ELY Centres select the projects to be funded by selection period. In addition to the rolling call for application, separate theme calls can be arranged.
National projects can also be applied for only in separate application procedures.
Selection periods for 2024–25 in the ELY Centres:
- 1 May – 30 September 2024
- 1 October 2024 – 31 January 2025
- 1 February – 30 April 2025
- 1 May – 30 September 2025.
The application period always ends at 11:59 pm on the end date of the period, regardless of whether it is a weekday, holiday or weekend.
Selection period for national projects:
- 5.5.–29.8.2025.
ELY Centres use selection criteria when selecting projects to be funded. Projects that best meet the selection criteria will be selected for funding. The selection criteria ensure that applicants are treated equally.
Launching the project
You can start implementing the project after submitting your application. You carry out the project at your own risk until you receive the financing decision.
If necessary, you can contact the ELY Centre even before your application has been processed. Once the authorities have started to process your application, you will receive a notification to the email address you have provided. In this case, in matters related to the processing and completion of the application, you can contact the application processor. The contact details of the processor can be found in the processing notification.
When you receive a decision to grant the support, please read the decision carefully as it contains important information about the terms of the support granted to you.
The ELY Centre may invite a project representative to a start-up meeting at the beginning of the project, where the terms and conditions and instructions concerning funding are reviewed.
If necessary, set up a steering group for the project. For a national and interregional project, a steering group is mandatory. In addition, a steering group is mandatory for a large-scale project with an acceptable cost of at least EUR 300,000 and a grant of 100%.
A steering group may also be set up for another project if:
- the acceptable cost of the project is at least EUR 50,000
- the project has wide-ranging impacts on business operations, the operating conditions of entrepreneurs in the area or regional wellbeing.
For a weighty reason, a steering group can also be set up for another type of project.
The steering group monitors the progress of the project and the achievement of its objectives. Record the minutes of the steering group’s meetings.
Only a person who gives a written consent can be appointed to the steering group. The steering group always includes a representative of the financier, i.e. the ELY Centre.
Implementation of the project
Instructions for the party implementing the project
Changes in project implementation
If there are changes to the project, discuss them with the ELY Centre.
If the change is significant, submit an amendment application. Once you have submitted your amendment application, costs may be incurred by the change at your own risk. Only after receiving the amendment decision can you be sure that the costs corresponding to the change are eligible.
Communication
Communication is a very important part of the EIP project, as the sharing of results both in Finland and in the EU is the basic idea of all EIP activities. Pay particular attention to communication with both advisors and farmers, as farmers are the main user group of the results of the EIP project. When making a project plan, it is worth allocating sufficient funds and human resources for carrying out communications.
The financier requires that you communicate the support received in accordance with the terms of the support decision and the communication instructions on the beneficiary’s official website, social media channels and other communication material. The most important thing is that the EU’s role as a financier is evident.
A separate project card is automatically created for each development project in the Maaseutuverkosto.fi project register. The project card will contain information based on the public data entered in Hyrrä, and as the contact person for the project, you will be able to edit them. The project card can also function as the website for the project. Additional information
Payment of the support
Need help?
Experts from the Ely Centre advise on submitting the application.
For more information on international EIP partnerships, please contact: Tuija Kallio tuija.kallio@ruokavirasto.fi