HERCULE II: Call for proposals � OLAF/2012/D5/02: Technical support for national authorities' use of special investigative tools and methods in the fight against fraud and corruption and technical support to strengthen inspections of containers...

This notice is aimed at national or regional administrations which promote the strengthening of European action to protect the European Union's financial interests.

Applicants must be from an EU Member State, or from an acceding State, an EFTA/EEA country or a candidate country.

Eligible actions for technical assistance consist of:
— technical support for national authorities' use of special investigative tools and methods in the fight against fraud and corruption, and
— technical support to strengthen inspections of containers and trucks at the EU's external borders, including the fight against cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting.

The technical support should reinforce the Member States' capacities and logistics allocated to the technical operational support units in the fight against fraud, in particular the actions aimed at setting up, improving or upgrading of existing:
— automated container-code recognition systems,
— automated number-plate recognition systems,
— technical equipment for electronic surveillance,
— technical equipment for mobile surveillance,
— technical equipment for the acquisition and analysis of digital evidence,
— technical equipment for encrypted communications,
— equipment and devices to detect smuggled and counterfeited goods on the basis of the scent characteristics of the smuggled and counterfeited goods.

The budget available is €2 million.
The EU financial contribution will take the form of a grant, which will not exceed 50% of eligible costs.

The deadline for applications is 13 September 2012.

Further information is available on the OLAF website

Reference: 2012/C 230/03

(Added 2012-08-01)