Europe for Citizens

Europe for Citizens aims to promote active European citizenship with the main scope of bridging the gap between citizens and the European Union through financial instruments that promote active European citizenship. It intends to encourage cooperation between citizens and organisations from different countries and facilitate the development of a sense of belonging to common European ideals and to promote the process of European integration.


Objectives

The programme aims to address the need for more genuine debates on Union related issues at the local, regional and national levels, which can be translated into a pan-European perspective. It seeks to reach out to the large group of citizens – those who would normally not seek to influence or take part in Union affairs – through a broad set of organisations to take a first step towards involvement, whatever the (Union related) topic or format, as long as it is trans-national or has a European dimension.

The programme shall have the following specific objectives, which shall be implemented  through actions on a transnational level or with a clear European dimension: 
1. raise awareness on remembrance, the Union's history, identity and aim by stimulating debate, reflection and networking;  Progress will be measured against the number of beneficiaries reached directly and  indirectly, quality of projects, and percentage of first time applicants. 
2. encourage democratic and civic participation of citizens at Union level, by developing citizens' understanding of the Union policy making-process and promoting opportunities for societal engagement and volunteering at Union level. Progress will be measured against the number of beneficiaries reached directly and 
indirectly, the perception of the EU and its institutions by the beneficiaries, quality of projects, and percentage of first time applicants.

 

Status
running
Target Group
Organizations
Activities
Demonstration and investment activities
Subjects
Not specified
Source Regions
European Union
Source Countries
-
Eligible Regions
European Union, Western Balkans
Eligible Countries
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
Grant Types
Cooperation, collaboration
Funding Bodies
-
Languages
Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish
Support Types
-
Deadline Date
-
Programme
-
Programme Owner
European Commission
Managing Authority
Citizenship Department
About
-
Services
-
Website
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/europe-for-citizens_en
Legal Source
Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION establishing for the period 2014-2020 the programme Europe for Citizens
Supporting Programme
-
Resources
http://
Refering Grants
-
Annual
yes
Focus
  • Giving the citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in constructing “an ever closer Europe
  • Strengthen the European identity, based on common values
  • Developing a sense of ownership of the Union
  • Enhancing mutual understanding and tolerance between European citizens, while contributing to intercultural dialogue
Duration

2014-2020

Proposal Submission

Implementation

The Citizenship team of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) manages the implementation of Europe for Citizens (together with the DG Education and Culture). The programme is implemented through two types of grants: grants for projects and grants for the operating budget for NGOs promoting active European Citizenship.
Public procurement contracts will cover the purchase of services, such as for organising events, studies and research, information and dissemination tools, monitoring and evaluation.

The programme may cover joint activities in the field covered by this programme, with relevant international organisations, such as the Council of Europe and UNESCO, on the basis of joint contributions.

In order to implement the programme, the Commission shall adopt annual work programmes by way of implementing acts in accordance with the advisory procedure referred to in Article 9(2). They shall set out the objectives pursued, the expected results, the method of  implementation and the total amount of the financing plan. 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.

Project proposals are then evaluated on the basis of

  • Consistency with the objectives of the programme and programme strand
  • Quality of the activity plan of the project
  • Dissemination
  • Impact and citizen involvement.
  • Supported activities

  • The programme shall consist of the following two strands:

  • "Remembrance and European citizenship" - seeks to support organisations to promote debate and activities on European integration and history at a transnational level or when a clear European dimension is addressed. It will support activities that invite to reflection on common values in the broadest sense, taking into account diversity. Funds may be available for initiatives reflecting on causes of totalitarian regimes in Europe's modern history (especially but not exclusively Nazism and Stalinism) and to commemorate their victims. The strand should also encompass activities concerning other reference points in recent European history. In particular, it will give preference to actions which encourage tolerance and reconciliation with a view to reaching the younger generation.
  • "Democratic engagement and civic participation" - seeks to develop citizens' understanding and capacity to participate in the Union policy making process and to develop opportunities for solidarity, societal engagement & volunteering. It will support activities that cover civic participation in the broadest sense, with particular focus on structuring methods for long-term sustainability. It will give preference to initiatives and projects with a clear link to the European political agenda. The strand may also cover projects and initiatives that develop opportunities for solidarity, women’s engagement in political decisions, societal engagement and volunteering at Union level.

 

The two strands shall be complemented by horizontal actions for analysis, dissemination and exploitation of project results ("Valorisation" actions).

In order to achieve its objectives, the programme shall finance inter alia the following types of actions, implemented on a transnational level or with a clear European dimension:

  • Citizens' meetings, town-twinning
  • Creation and operations of transnational partnerships and networks
  • Support for organisations of a general European interest
  • Community building and debates on citizenship issues based on the use of ICT and/or social media
  • Union level events
  • Debates/studies and interventions on defining moments in European history, in particular to  keep the memory alive of the crimes committed under Nazism and Stalinism
  • Reflection/debates on common values
  • Initiatives to raise awareness on the EU institutions and their functioning
  • Actions that exploit and further valorise the results of the supported initiatives
  • Studies on issues related to citizenship and civic participation
  • Support of programme information/advice structures in the Member States
Terms And Conditions

Legal basis: Council regulation (EU) No 390/2014 establishing the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme for the period 2014-2020
Link: Regulation

Budget

€ 185,47 million

Available Calls

There is no particular deadline for this call.

Total Funding Amount

€ 185,47 million in current prices

Selection Criteria
 

Eligibility

Member States of the European Union are eligible to participate fully in all actions of the Programme. The Programme is potentially open to other countries, namely the EFTA countries which are parties to the EEA Agreement, the aceeding, Candidate Countries and potential candidates and countries from the Western Balkans, provided that certain legal and financial obligations are fulfilled. European research institutions, local authorities, policy research organisations (think-tanks), citizens' groups and other civil organisations, educational institutions, which promote active European citizenship, are eligible for funding.

 

Applicants must have:

  • Sufficient sources of funding to maintain their activity for the duration of the proposed action (This check does not apply to public bodies)
  • The professional competences and motivation to carry out the proposed project.
Open To

Public bodies or non-profit organisations with a legal personality can apply.

The programme is open to the 28 EU Member States, and provided they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Commission, to

  • Accession countries, candidate countries and potential candidates
  • EFTA countries party to the EEA agreement
Notes
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