Funding Programme

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) is the EU's funding programme for citizens' engagement and the implementation of EU rights and values. Read more about CERV here.

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Call overview

This call aims to promote citizens' and representative associations’ participation in and contribution to the democratic and civic life of the Union by making known and publicly exchanging their views in all areas of Union action.

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Call detail

This call aims to support projects promoted by transnational partnerships and networks directly involving citizens. These projects will gather a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and genders in activities directly linked to EU policies, giving them an opportunity to actively participate in the EU policymaking process and thus contribute to the democratic and civic life of the Union. The projects will encourage citizens’, including young persons, understanding of the policymaking process, showing in practice how to engage in the democratic life of the EU and enabling them to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action.

The call provides an opportunity to broadly cover a variety of policy areas and contribute to the promotion of EU values, the rule of law, gender equality, fundamental rights and democracy.

Each project application under the call must address only one of these priorities:

Priority 1. Promoting exchanges on future Union policy priorities and challenges

Priority 2. Countering disinformation, information manipulation and interference in the democratic debate

Priority 3. Promoting citizens’ active engagement and democratic participation

Activities funded

Examples of activities that could be supported under this priority include:

• Organising public debates, workshops, or conferences on specific EU policy areas
• Using online platforms or social media campaigns to engage citizens in discussions on EU policies and priorities
• Developing educational materials or toolkits to engage and help citizens understand EU policies and their impact on daily life
• Facilitating exchanges between citizens from different EU countries to share experiences and perspectives on EU policies.
• Organising media literacy training programs and/or implementing toolkits for citizens, particularly for young people, helping them critically evaluate online information
• Developing, implementing and disseminating educational programs or materials to teach citizens about their rights and responsibilities as EU citizens, and how to participate in democratic processes

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Eligibility

In order to be eligible, the applicants (lead applicants (Coordinator), co-applicants and affiliated entities) must:

+ Lead applicants (i.e. “Coordinator”) must be non-profit private legal entities or public universities

+ Co-applicants must be non-profit legal entities (public or private bodies) or an international organisation

+ Be formally established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:

• EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
• non-EU countries: countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)

Other eligibility conditions

• Activities must take place in any of the eligible countries
• The EU grant applied for cannot be lower than EUR 75 000
• The project must be transnational; the application must involve at least two applicants (lead applicant and at least one co-applicant not being affiliated entity or associated partner) from two different eligible countries

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Consortium composition

Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least 2 applicants (lead applicant (i.e. “Coordinator”) and at least one co-applicant not being affiliated entity or associated partner) from 2 different eligible countries.

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Duration

Projects should normally range between 12 and 24 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment).

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Budget

Minimum grant amount: EUR 75 000.