Call for proposals for action grants to support transnational projects in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights and procedural rights

The European Commission's Directorate-General Justice and Consumers is launching the call for proposals designated JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE under the Justice Programme for the years 2021-2027. This grant opportunity aims to enhance access to justice, particularly through electronic means (e-Justice), and to promote the rights of victims and procedural rights of individuals involved in criminal proceedings. The total budget allocated for this call is EUR 5,400,000 with an expected output of around five grants.

Eligible applicants include European networks focused on judicial cooperation and access to justice, such as NGOs, public or private organizations, legal practitioner networks, and research institutions. While the call encourages the formation of consortia for transnational projects, it primarily requires a single legal entity to submit the application on behalf of a network.

The primary funding mechanism is structured as lump sum grants under the JUST Lump Sum Grants framework, which is intended to support operational costs related to activities such as training, research, and awareness-raising initiatives. Projects are expected to be in various stages of implementation and focus on practical outcomes. Neither the specific funding amounts nor the co-funding requirements are clearly defined, but it is noted that applicants may need to demonstrate financial sustainability, potentially involving a 10% co-financing from themselves or consortium members.

The application process is a single-stage and follows an open call format, with a deadline set for 2 October 2025. An online info session is scheduled for 5 June 2025 to help applicants understand the funding opportunities and submission guidelines. Significant dates include an evaluation period from October 2025 to January 2026, with notifications to applicants expected between February and March 2026, and grant agreements anticipated for signing in April-May 2026.

The call specifically targets projects relating to e-Justice, victims' rights, and procedural rights, emphasizing collaboration across EU member states, EEA countries, and EU candidate countries. Detailed application guidelines and templates, along with various regulatory resources, are provided to assist applicants throughout the process.

This funding opportunity presents a significant avenue for organizations actively working to enhance judicial cooperation and improve access to justice across Europe through innovative and collaborative projects.

The European Commission's Directorate-General Justice and Consumers is offering funding opportunities under the 2025 Call for Proposals for action grants to support transnational projects. This call, referenced as JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE, falls under the Justice Programme (JUST2027) and specifically targets projects in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights, and procedural rights. The call aims to facilitate effective and non-discriminatory access to justice for all, including through electronic means (e-Justice), promoting efficient civil and criminal procedures, and supporting the rights of victims of crime and the procedural rights of suspects and accused persons.

The call is biennial and operates under the Access to justice specific objective, covering two main priorities: e-Justice and Victims’ rights and procedural rights. The total budget allocated for this call is 5,400,000 EUR. The grant type is JUST-LS JUST Lump Sum Grants, utilizing the JUST Lump Sum Grant [JUST-AG-LS] model grant agreement. The call follows a single-stage submission process.

Key dates for the call are as follows: The call opened for submission on 6 May 2025. The deadline for submitting applications is 2 October 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The evaluation period is scheduled from October 2025 to January 2026. Applicants will be informed of the results between February and March 2026. Grant agreements are expected to be signed between April and May 2026.

Conditions for application include: Admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, as described in Section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form. Eligibility criteria for participating countries, detailed in Section 6 of the call document and the list of participating countries. Other eligibility conditions, also described in Section 6 of the call document. Requirements for financial and operational capacity and exclusion, as described in Section 7 of the call document. Information on submission and evaluation processes, found in Section 8 of the call document. Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds, detailed in Section 9 of the call document. The legal and financial setup of the grants, as described in Section 10 of the call document.

Applicants are required to use the standard application form (JUST), available in the Submission System. A detailed budget table (JUST LSII) is provided as a template for planning the project's budget, with 90% co-financing available. A Declaration on Honour regarding CPP (Child Protection Policy) is required from public entities. The Model Grant Agreements (MGA), including the Lump Sum MGA, provide the legal framework for the grants.

Additional documents provided for applicants include: EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Regulation establishing the Justice Programme 2021/693, JUST Work Programme, Decision authorising the use of lump sums for actions under the Justice programme (2021-2027), Guidance on managing lump sum grants, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA (Annotated Model Grant Agreement), Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

An online info session is scheduled for Thursday, 5 June 2025, from 09:15 to 13:00 (CET). The session will be conducted in English and will cover the funding opportunities, objectives, priorities, expected outputs, and practical aspects of the submission process, including the use of the budget table for lump-sum type II. Questions can be submitted beforehand via the registration form or during the session. The session will not be recorded.

For IT-related questions, applicants can contact the IT Helpdesk. For non-IT-related questions, applicants can send an email to EC-JUSTICE-CALLS@ec.europa.eu, clearly indicating the call reference "JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE" in the subject line.

This call for proposals represents a significant opportunity for transnational projects focused on enhancing access to justice within the EU. It supports initiatives that leverage e-Justice solutions, protect victims' rights, and ensure fair procedural rights. The lump-sum grant mechanism and the availability of 90% co-financing make this call particularly attractive for organizations working in the justice sector. The online info session and comprehensive documentation provide ample support for applicants throughout the submission process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of the call, potential applicants could include entities involved in the justice system, such as NGOs, research institutions, universities, governmental organizations, and other public or private organizations working in the fields of e-Justice, victims’ rights, and procedural rights. The call document should be consulted for a definitive list. International organizations are eligible applicants independently of their seat/representation site, but they must ensure that project activities take place only in eligible countries.

Funding Type: The funding type is action grants, specifically JUST Lump Sum Grants (JUST-LS).

Consortium Requirement: The call supports transnational projects, implying that a consortium of multiple applicants is likely required or at least strongly encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is described in section 6 of the call document and in the list of participating countries. The project activities of international organizations must take place only in eligible countries.

Target Sector: The program targets the justice sector, specifically focusing on e-Justice, victims’ rights, and procedural rights.

Mentioned Countries: The call mentions the EU, as it is an EU funding opportunity. The eligible countries are described in section 6 of the call document and in the list of participating countries.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is not explicitly stated, but given that it is an action grant, the projects are likely expected to be in the development, validation, or demonstration stage, aiming to implement and scale up existing solutions or develop new ones.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE is EUR 5,400,000. The indicative number of grants is 5. The funding is provided as lump sum grants.

Application Type: The application type is an open call for proposals.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The detailed budget table (JUST LSII) indicates 90% co-financing, meaning that 10% co-funding is required from the applicant or other parties. Full 10% co-financing can be ensured just by one of the consortium members.

Summary:

The European Commission's Directorate-General Justice and Consumers is launching a call for proposals, JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE, under the Justice Programme 2021-2027. This call aims to facilitate effective and non-discriminatory access to justice for all, including through e-Justice, and to promote the rights of victims and suspects in criminal proceedings. The call provides action grants, specifically JUST Lump Sum Grants, to support transnational projects. The total budget is EUR 5,400,000, and it is expected that approximately 5 grants will be awarded. The call focuses on two main priorities: e-Justice and victims’ rights and procedural rights.

Eligible applicants are expected to form consortia to carry out transnational projects. The geographic eligibility is detailed in section 6 of the call document and the list of participating countries. Projects should be in the development, validation, or demonstration stage. The application process is single-stage, with the deadline for submitting applications on 2 October 2025. The indicative timeline includes an evaluation period from October 2025 to January 2026, with information to applicants provided in February-March 2026, and grant agreements signed in April-May 2026. A 10% co-financing is required from the applicant or other parties.

An online info session is scheduled for 5 June 2025 to present the funding opportunities and provide guidance on the submission process, including the use of the budget table for lump-sum type II. The call encourages applicants to carefully review the call document, application form templates, and other additional documents, such as the EU Financial Regulation and the JUST Work Programme. Applicants can find partners through the Funding & Tenders Portal. For non-IT related questions, applicants can contact EC-JUSTICE-CALLS@ec.europa.eu, clearly indicating the call reference "JUST-2025-JACC-EJUSTICE" in the subject line.