EU support in building capacities for coordination and management of EU own resources under NC33 – Financial and Budgetary Provisions

The EU grant opportunity titled "EU support in building capacities for coordination and management of EU own resources under NC33 – Financial and Budgetary Provisions" aims to strengthen Serbia's institutional framework for managing EU resources. The total budget allocated for this initiative is €1,000,000, and it is identified by the reference number EuropeAid/185644/DD/ACT/RS. The project is scheduled to start on December 17, 2025, with a submission deadline for applications set for February 26, 2026. This grant falls under the EU's Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, targeting Serbia, which is an EU candidate country.

Eligible applicants for this grant include government entities, specifically public administrations, as the beneficiary is the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia. The grant follows a Twinning instrument model, which requires a consortium comprising the Serbian Ministry and one or more public administrations from EU member states. This structure facilitates technical cooperation and knowledge transfer necessary for institutional capacity building.

The focus of the project is on enhancing financial management and budgetary coordination within the context of EU own resources management. This encompasses existing fiscal frameworks and methodologies related to customs duties, value-added taxes, and other financial obligations that contribute to the EU budget.

The application process will consist of multiple stages, beginning with the submission of a project concept through a document known as the Twinning Fiche, progressing to a detailed project proposal upon approval. Although specific details on co-funding requirements were not provided, typically, the Twinning mechanism does not necessitate financial contributions from the beneficiary; however, in-kind contributions may be expected.

This initiative is part of the broader European strategy to prepare candidate countries for future EU membership by modernizing public administration and aligning it with EU standards. The maximum amount of financial assistance provided aims to support professional development, training programs, and other capacity-building activities over an implementation period generally lasting 24-36 months.

Overall, this opportunity seeks to enhance Serbia's capability to effectively manage EU funds through collaborative partnerships, thereby improving institutional readiness for eventual EU accession.

EU support in building capacities for coordination and management of EU own resources under NC33 Financial and Budgetary Provisions.

Reference number: EuropeAid/185644/DD/ACT/RS

This is an open call for submission of grant proposals.

The funding programme is the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance.

The geographical zone for this action is Serbia.

The total budget allocated to this call is 1,000,000 EUR (one million euros).

The type of grant is Action Grants.

The call was published on 17/12/2025.

The call was last updated on 17/12/2025.

The deadline for submission is 26/02/2026.

The available documents are:

Annex C1 Twinning Fiche, published on 17 December 2025, in English.

Annex C9 Standard Twinning, published on 17 December 2025, in English.

This opportunity is an action grant aimed at providing support to Serbia under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. The grant, with a budget of 1,000,000 EUR, focuses on building capacities for coordination and management of EU own resources under NC33 Financial and Budgetary Provisions. The call for proposals was published on December 17, 2025, with a submission deadline of February 26, 2026. Interested parties can access relevant documents such as the Twinning Fiche and Standard Twinning annexes for more details.

Eligible Applicant Types: The provided text does not explicitly list eligible applicant types. However, given that it is an Action Grant under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) and includes "Twinning Fiche" and "Standard Twinning" documents, it is highly likely that eligible applicants include government bodies, public sector organizations, or institutions from EU member states that can partner with Serbian institutions to provide expertise and support. It can be assumed that these applicants should have experience in coordination and management of EU own resources.

Funding Type: Action Grants.

Consortium Requirement: Based on the mention of "Twinning Fiche" and "Standard Twinning", a consortium or partnership between an EU member state institution and a Serbian institution is very likely required. Twinning projects typically involve collaboration between institutions from different countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Serbia is the primary beneficiary, as indicated by the "Geographical Zone Serbia". EU member states are also eligible in the context of providing expertise and partnership through the twinning mechanism.

Target Sector: The target sector is related to financial and budgetary provisions, specifically building capacities for coordination and management of EU own resources. This falls under public administration, finance, and potentially economic development.

Mentioned Countries: Serbia. EU member states are implicitly mentioned as potential partners in the twinning projects.

Project Stage: The project stage is likely focused on capacity building and implementation, rather than early-stage research or idea development. It aims to improve existing systems and processes for managing EU own resources.

Funding Amount: 1,000,000 EUR.

Application Type: Open For Submission.

Nature of Support: Money, in the form of a grant, will be provided to support the action.

Application Stages: The number of application stages is not explicitly mentioned. However, given it is a grant, it is likely to involve at least two stages: submission of a proposal and subsequent evaluation. There might be further stages related to contracting and project implementation.

Success Rates: The success rates are not mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is an Action Grant under the EU's Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), specifically targeting Serbia. The grant, with a budget of 1,000,000 EUR, aims to enhance Serbia's capacity for coordination and management of EU own resources, as detailed under NC33 Financial and Budgetary Provisions. The call is open for submission with a deadline of February 26, 2026. Given the inclusion of "Twinning Fiche" and "Standard Twinning" documents, the program likely requires partnerships between Serbian institutions and institutions from EU member states. These partnerships would involve the transfer of knowledge and expertise to improve Serbia's financial management capabilities related to EU funds. The funding type is an action grant, implying that the money will be used to implement specific activities and projects related to capacity building. The application is open, and the beneficiaries will receive money to support their actions. The number of application stages and success rates are not specified in the provided information. Co-funding requirements are also not explicitly mentioned. In essence, this opportunity seeks to strengthen Serbia's ability to effectively manage EU funds through collaborative projects with EU member states.