Hercule III

The operational objectives of the programme are:

(1) Improving the prevention and investigation of fraud, smuggling and counterfeiting, especially of cigarettes, by enhancing transnational and multi-disciplinary cooperation;

(2) Increasing the protection of the financial interests of the EU against fraud by facilitating the exchange of information, experiences and best practices, including staff exchanges;

(3) Strengthening the fight against fraud and other illegal activities by providing technical and operational support to national investigations, and in particular to customs and law enforcement authorities;

(4) Enhancing the development of legal and judicial protection of the financial interests against fraud by promoting a comparative legal analysis.

As of 1 January 2014, Hercule III will replace its predecessor Hercule II and operate under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework. Under the new programme, the European Union will co-finance activities including technical assistance, the purchase of equipment such as scanners, and specialised training up to 80% of the eligible projects. In exceptional and duly justified cases, as well as for Member States facing higher risks regarding the protection of the Union's financial interests, the co-financing rate will be of a maximum 90%.

2014-2020

In order to implement the Programme the Commission shall adopt annual work programmes. They shall set out the objectives pursued, the expected results, the method of implementation and their total amount. They shall also contain a description of the actions to be financed, an indication of the amount allocated to each action and an indicative implementation timetable. They shall include for grants the priorities, the essential evaluation criteria and the maximum rate of co-financing.Budget allocated to communication actions to be carried out by the Commission under this Regulation shall also cover the corporate communication of the political priorities of the Union.

Union funding for activities shall take the form of:
a) grants;
b) public procurement.
c) reimbursement of costs for participation in activities under the programmes incurred by representatives

The co-financing rate for grants awarded under the programme shall not exceed 80 % of the eligible costs. In exceptional and duly justified cases, defined in the annual work programme referred to in article 10, the co-financing rate shall not exceed 90 % of the eligible costs.

Supported activities

Specialised technical assistance for national authorities:

• Providing specific knowledge, specialised and technically advanced equipment and effective information technology (IT) tools facilitating transnational cooperation and cooperation with the Commission;
• Ensuring the necessary support and facilitating investigations, in particular the setting up of joint investigation teams and cross border operations;
• Supporting Member States' capacity to store and destroy seized cigarettes as well as independent analytical services for the analysis of seized cigarettes;
• Enhancing staff exchanges for specific projects, in particular in the field of the fight against cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting;
• Providing technical and operational support for the law enforcement authorities of the Member States in their fight against illegal cross border activities and fraud affecting the Union financial interests, including in particular support for customs authorities;
• Building information technology capacity throughout the Member States and third countries by developing and providing specific databases and IT tools facilitating data access and analysis;
• Increasing data exchange, developing and providing IT tools for investigations, and monitoring intelligence work.

Organisation of specialised training, and risk analysis training workshops, as well as conferences, aimed at:

• Further fostering better understanding of Union and national mechanisms;
• Exchanging experience between the relevant authorities in the Member States, and third countries as well as representatives of international organisations, including specialised law enforcement services;
• Coordinating the activities of Member States, third countries, and international public organisations,
• Disseminating knowledge, particularly on better identification of risk for investigative purposes;
• Developing high-profile research activities, including studies;
• Improving cooperation between practitioners and academics;
• Further raising the awareness of the judiciary and other branches of the legal profession for the protection of the financial interests of the Union.

Legal basis: Regulation (EU) No 250/2014 establishing a programme to promote activities in the field of the protection of the financial interests of the European Union (Hercule III programme)

€ 110 million

€ 110 million

National or regional administrations of a Member State or a third country, which promote the strengthening of action at Union level to protect the Union's financial interests;

Research and educational institutes and non-profit making entities provided that they have been established and have been operating for at least one year, in a Member State or in a third country, and promote the strengthening of action at Union level to protect the Union's financial interests

EU countries.