Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1510125
11 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 OCTOBER 2023 ANNOUNCEMENT OF A CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSAL UNDER European Regional Development Fund 2021-2027 The Ministry responsible for European Funds would like to announce that it is launching a call for project proposals in the following area: Priority 1. PO 1 - ERDF: A more competitive and smarter Europe by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation and regional ICT connectivity RSO 1.3 - Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments (ERDF) This call envisages project proposals aimed at the setting up of industrial facilities, including the development of a Business Incubation Centre, and is targeting Ministries, Public Sector entities and Government Departments. The call will close on 2 nd February 2024 at noon. The online application form for the submission of project proposals and supporting documentation are available on https://fondi.eu/what-funding-is-available/. Prospective Applicants are encouraged to refer to the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the Just Transition Fund Programme and the Eligibility Guidance Notes to confirm whether their proposals are eligible for funding through this call for project proposals. Further information on this call and on the European Structural and Investment Funds may be obtained from https://fondi.eu/. Any queries should be sent by email on fondi.eu@gov.mt. tiative," the ministry said. However, Malta believes that in the framework of the EU's China policy as defined by the 'Elements for a new EU Strategy on China' and 'Council Conclusions EU Strategy on China' which were reviewed in 2019 in the 'EU-Chi- na Strategic Outlook' "there is room for collaboration under BRI in a number of fields of mutual interest", the ministry said. Since its launch by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in 2013, the BRI has poured hundreds of billions of dollars to power the construc- tion of bridges, ports, highways, power plants and telecoms pro- jects across Asia, Latin America, Africa and parts of Europe. The Chinese President had hailed it as the "project of the century", emerging as the symbol of the country's rise in global in- fluence. But the massive undertaking has been met with criticism, as West- ern powers accuse China of bur- dening developing countries with debt, while the projects them- selves have been met with protests in different countries over the environmental costs, labour vio- lations and corruption allegations. Critics say the initiative serves as a "debt trap" to take control of local infrastructure. In 2017, Sri Lanka ceded control over the port of Hambantota to China af- ter failing to repay its debt. Beijing says more than 150 na- tions have signed cooperation agreements under the auspices of BRI, with commitments made for more than 3,000 projects and "up to one trillion dollars of invest- ment mobilized." China hosted a summit mark- ing the BRI's 10th anniversary last week, with world leaders, in- cluding Russia's Vladimir Putin gathering in Beijing for the event. During the past months, Ita- ly and its Prime Minister Gior- gia Meloni have made it clear, through public comments, that the country wants to withdraw from the BRI. She has repeatedly indicated that Italy will cancel the memorandum of understand- ing (MoU) signed in 2019 under which the previous government led by Giuseppe Conte that joined Beijing's connectivity project. Italy is the only G-7 nation to have officially endorsed Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy initiative. Italian lawmakers say the promise of increased bilateral trader and business opportuni- ties for the country have not ma- terialised. China's Belt and Road initiative of the agreement Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seen here with Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela at the Med 9 Summit in Malta, has said Italy will withdraw from the Belt and Road initiative