Migration, de-colonisation, slavery and multicultural European societies

The CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-HISTMIGRATION grant opportunity is part of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme under the European Commission. The focus of this grant is on projects addressing migration, decolonization, slavery, and multicultural societies in Europe. It encourages the exploration of the historical impacts of these issues on contemporary society and aims to promote an understanding of diverse European narratives, particularly those of marginalized groups like the Roma.

Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, civil society organizations, European networks, and think tanks that are active in promoting EU values and human rights. A consortium of at least two applicants is required to apply. Projects need to be implemented in EU member states, EEA countries, or EU candidate countries.

The funding type is a lump sum grant, with a minimum funding level set at €75,000. While the total budget for the call is €18 million, the exact upper limit for funding per project is not specified, but it is expected to vary based on project scope. Projects should ideally be at the development or demonstration stage, with a focus on conducting research, organizing awareness-raising activities, or creating educational programs around the historical themes indicated.

The application process follows a single-stage open call format, and proposals must be submitted through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants will not be required to provide co-funding, as the lump sum grant is intended to cover the full costs of the project. Success rates for this grant have not been published, but historical data suggests a 10-39% approval rate for similar calls.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 1 October 2025, with evaluations occurring from October 2025 to March 2026. The goal of the grant is to foster greater understanding of Europe’s multicultural fabric and address institutional racism and discrimination through education and awareness initiatives. Applications should align with the objectives outlined in the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan.

In summary, through this grant, the European Commission seeks to support projects that contribute to a more inclusive narrative of European history by exploring themes related to migration and decolonization, thereby enhancing societal understanding and promoting equity among different cultural groups in Europe.

The CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-HISTMIGRATION call, part of the European Remembrance - 2025 (CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM) program, focuses on "Migration, de-colonisation, slavery and multicultural European societies." This call for proposals aims to address the profound consequences of migration, decolonization, enslavement, and imperialism on European history and contemporary society. The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is organizing an online info session on 30 June 2025. Registration closes on 27 June 2024.

The objective of this call is to explore the historical roots and ongoing impacts of these phenomena on European societies. It acknowledges that migration has a long and varied history in Europe, often oversimplified as a present-day issue. The call emphasizes the importance of understanding population movements, including economic and political migration, expulsion and deportation after World War II, and migration following the creation of the EU. It also highlights the significance of considering the specific history of female migration.

The call recognizes that forced migration, internal displacement, and expulsion are shared experiences among many Europeans during wartime, including the persecution of Roma populations during and after World War II. It underscores the need to address structural racism, including antigypsyism, by examining the past, present, and future of Europe's cultural fabric.

Furthermore, the call acknowledges the lasting impact of colonialism, slavery, and imperialism on global history. It aims to address prejudices and stereotypes by acknowledging the historical roots of racism from an intersectional perspective. The call emphasizes the importance of embedding debates about decolonization and the consequences of imperialistic rule into a European narrative to encourage inclusion and understanding.

Projects funded under this topic could focus on:

Exploring the legacy of colonialism and its ongoing impact on contemporary multicultural European societies, contributing to the objectives of the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020-2025, including addressing discrimination and racism.

Raising awareness of Roma history and culture to contribute to strengthening multicultural European societies, in line with the EU Roma Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion, and participation.

Examining common European experiences of migration linked to historical events such as wars, transition moments, colonisation and de-colonisation, economic impacts, or persecution.

Adopting an intersectional approach to cover several minority groups, including Jews, Roma, Overseas citizens, and other minority groups with a long history of migration, to promote a more nuanced understanding of multicultural European societies.

The total budget for this topic, along with other related topics (CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-GENCRIME, CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-TRANSITION, and CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-HOLOCAUSTJEW), is EUR 18,000,000. The call follows a single-stage submission process.

Key dates for this call are:

Publication of the call: 19 June 2025.

Deadline for submitting applications: 1 October 2025, 17:00 CET (Brussels time).

Evaluation period: October 2025 - March 2026.

Information to applicants: March 2026.

Signature of grant agreement: April - July 2026.

The admissibility conditions include a proposal page limit and layout, as described in the call document. The proposal page limit is 70 pages, as detailed in Section 5 ("Admissibility and documents") of the Call document, Part B of the Application Form.

Eligible countries and other eligibility conditions are described in Section 6 ("Eligibility") of the Call document.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Section 7 ("Financial and operational capacity and exclusion") of the Call document.

The submission and evaluation processes are described in Sections 8 ("Evaluation and award procedure") and 11 ("How to submit an application") of the Call document.

Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Section 9 ("Award criteria") of the Call document.

The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Section 10 ("Legal and financial set-up of the Grant Agreements") of the Call document.

Applicants must use the standard application form (CERV), available in the Funding & Submission Service by clicking on Start Submission. A calculator (CERV LS REM, CIV and NETW) is also available in the Funding & Submission Service to calculate the budget, as this is a lump sum call. The lump sums are based on participation, the number of countries involved, and the type of events (in-situ or online). The budget calculated with the lump sum calculator must correspond with the total budget in Part A of the proposal.

Additional documents include:

Call document

CERV Work Programmes

CERV Regulation 2021/692

EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509

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

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

DECISION authorising the use of lump sums for actions under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (2021-2027)

Applicants can search for partners to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

For technical issues, applicants can contact the IT Helpdesk. For call-specific questions, applicants should consult the Q&A on the Topic page CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM or contact the CERV National Contact Point of their country or EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu, indicating the call and topic reference "CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM" in the email subject.

In summary, this call aims to fund projects that critically examine the historical and contemporary impacts of migration, decolonization, slavery, and imperialism on European societies. It encourages projects that promote remembrance, address structural racism, raise awareness of marginalized groups, and foster a more nuanced understanding of multiculturalism in Europe. The call utilizes a lump sum funding model, requiring applicants to use a specific calculator to determine their budget. Applicants should carefully review the call document and related annexes for detailed eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation criteria.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. The text refers to sections in the Call document and Funding & Tenders Portal where eligibility criteria are described. LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants can publish partner requests.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a CERV Lump Sum Grant (CERV-LS). The European Remembrance call is a lump sum call.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the mention of partner requests suggests that consortia are possible and perhaps encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly stated in the provided text but is described in section "6. Eligibility" of the Call document.

Target Sector: The target sector is focused on European history, specifically related to migration, decolonization, slavery, multicultural societies, remembrance, and the impact of historical events on contemporary society. It also touches upon addressing structural racism and discrimination, including antigypsyism, and promoting inclusion and understanding.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the call focuses on European history and multicultural European societies, implying that the opportunity is relevant to countries within Europe. The Roma population is specifically mentioned, which is relevant to countries with Roma communities.

Project Stage: The project stage is not explicitly defined, but the call seems to target projects that explore, raise awareness, and examine historical events and their impact. This suggests projects in the research, development, or demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM call is EUR 18,000,000. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the specific amount for each project will likely vary based on the project's scope and activities, as determined by the lump sum calculator.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the "Open For Submission" status. It is a single-stage application process.

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

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

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:

The CERV-2025-CITIZENS-REM-HISTMIGRATION call for proposals, part of the European Remembrance initiative under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), aims to fund projects that explore the historical roots and contemporary consequences of migration, decolonization, slavery, and the development of multicultural societies in Europe. The call encourages projects that address structural racism, promote inclusion, and foster a deeper understanding of European history, including the experiences of marginalized groups like the Roma. The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is organizing an online info session to provide more details about the call. The call is open for submission with a deadline of October 1, 2025. The total budget allocated to this call is EUR 18,000,000, and funding will be distributed as lump sum grants. Applicants are required to use a lump sum calculator to determine their budget, which must align with the total budget in their proposal. The evaluation process will take place between October 2025 and March 2026, with grant agreements expected to be signed between April and July 2026. Applicants should consult the call document and related annexes for detailed eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and evaluation procedures. The call seeks to embed historical debates into a European narrative, ensuring remembrance and encouraging understanding.