Successful first year of operation for Impetus Europe

Joint Venture company Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd has just marked its first year of operation. Managing director Karl Diacono told The Sunday Times last week: "We did not expect to be where we are today when we started.

"Our original intention was to invest for the first 18-24 months, build a network and get to know the ropes, but we got work straight away. Within two months we had our first major contract."

Impetus is a partnership between Market Intelligence Services Company Ltd (MISCO) and Fenlex Corporate Services Ltd, which has enabled the two organisations to pool their specialisations in the provision of professional, legal, economic management and technical services.

Looking back over the past 12 months, Mr Diacono said that what became extremely evident was the thirst for information and that there are a lot of misconceptions among the public at large on direct access to funding.

"The thirst for information is from SMEs and even more so from NGOs, most of whom lack resources and require assistance in capacity building," he observed.

Those applying for funding under various EU programmes have to write a project. But there are strict rules and budgets will have to be prepared.

Malta set-up

Based at the Fenlex offices in St John Street, Valletta, Impetus draws on the resources of both Fenlex and Misco, as well as its expertise in particular EU funding programmes, such as the research and development Framework Programmes (6 and 7), agriculture, education, culture and the social field. Philippa Said is the administrator and manager.

Impetus also has offices in Avenue de l'Armée, Brussels, which are used for meetings. "We are members of the European Development Association, which is working to build a network of contacts across Eastern Europe," Mr Diacono said. "The EDA is in its second year and Impetus is the association's vice-president."

One of the projects for which it has successfully contributed to is the CITUM project, under URBACT, a project seeking to develop transportation modes within cities (mobility). Greece is the lead partner with six other partners participating. The project involves research and the exchange of best practices.

Impetus brought together the Maltese partners to be part of this project. These are Valletta council and the Valletta Alive Foundation, supported by the Ministry for Urban Development and Roads.

Impetus played a similar role in an INTERREG IIIA project, called MEDPOT, which brings together ceramists from Sciacca and Borgio in Sicily with their counterparts in Malta.

This project involves the exchange of best practices between the two regions and an initiative to come up with a project that is both of Mediterranean origin, plus marketed within a touristic package.

"We have submitted other projects, varying from Culture2000 to EU Citizenship, projects for consideration by Government in view of the Structural Funds for the period 2007-13 and projects targeted at NGOs, and we are now awaiting responses and feedback," he said.

Consultancy

Impetus is also assisting local organisations and NGOs in launching these projects. "Our input includes the creation of concepts, the drafting of proposal applications required by the EU, collection of documents, drawing up of budgets, partner search and co-ordination of work between the partners, which is required in the application stage.

"Once a project is approved, we move on to focus more on financial management and consultancy related to the project implementation."

Another initiative has been to draw up a database of working and academic professionals, which lists these experts' curriculum vitae and details of their experience. "This will enable us to match them up with projects that require that expertise, and also to tender for work which is not only Malta-based, but also of an EU and international nature."

Lobbying

Impetus lobbies both on a local and EU level. "Our job is to create awareness at grass roots level of the importance of having our message conveyed to the decision-makers in Brussels," Mr Diacono said.

"We manage to do this through our network of contacts in Brussels, comprising lobbying experts in various fields."

Internships

Another Impetus initiative is to employ an intern for six months on a rotating basis. "The ideal candidate will have a BA in European Studies or similar first degree and must be familiar with EU and current affairs."

The internship involves research in EU affairs and funding opportunities, fund application writing and the organisation of international seminars and training.

"We aim to employ interns for three months in Malta and, subject to their performance, for three months at our offices in Brussels. Accommodation has been arranged at attractive rates in the city for the duration." The closing date for applications is next Wednesday.

Training courses

Early last month, the Malta Resource Centre, which was set up by SOS Malta with the aim of acting as an umbrella organisation to assist NGOs in capacity building and granting administrative back-up to NGOs, got together with Impetus to organise a training course for NGOs.

The theme was 'How to get EU Funding for Civil Society Organisations in Malta' and 35 NGOs were represented. Welcomeurope provided the training. "We plan to organise similar courses in future, also in collaboration with MRC," Mr Diacono said.

Impetus also organised a second course with Paris-based Welcomeurope, which delivered the programme, with the theme 'How to get EU Funding for Maltese Organisations'. Participants for this course included SMEs and officials from public sector organisations.

"We shall be organising other sessions with Welcomeurope in spring on project management and lobbying," he said.

Impetus is currently preparing for the next EU Financial Perspective 2007-13, when it will be organising courses both locally and in other EU countries. "More people will require increased assistance with project development when the budget is finalised and new EU funding programmes kick off," he said.

"At that point, we will be focusing on particular areas to make clients and potential clients aware of funding opportunities. To assist in this, we have entered into an arrangement with Welcomeurope and are providing comprehensive guides on over 350 EU programmes. These are available in both print and electronic form."

On March 24, Impetus will be organising a seminar on intellectual property in both the national and EU contexts, in collaboration with the Malta Federation of Industry, at the San Gorg Corinthia, St Julian's. Seminars on other topical issues will also be held in the upcoming months.