Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission Representation in Slovenia is inviting proposals under the ED-2025-SLOVENIA-FPA grant opportunity to select partners for implementing EUROPE DIRECT activities from 2026 to 2030. The purpose of these centers is to enhance engagement with EU policies, promote citizen information, gather feedback, and foster discussions on the EU’s influence on daily life, ultimately strengthening active citizenship and shaping the European public space.

Eligible applicants include local organizations such as NGOs, municipalities, and educational institutions based in Slovenia. Each partner operates independently under a Framework Partnership Agreement without the necessity of forming a consortium. The grant entails annual funding in the form of lump sums, beginning with a total budget of 200,000 EUR allocated for 2026. This funding is designed to cover part of the operational costs of running the EUROPE DIRECT centers, although recipients are also expected to contribute additional financial and operational resources.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline set for June 24, 2025. The project seeks to select partners who are well-connected with local communities and can organize activities centered on European themes. Specific details such as eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and other important conditions are elaborated in the call document, which applicants are urged to review thoroughly before submitting their proposals.

In summary, this initiative aims to select Slovenian organizations as partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers over a multi-year period, receiving annual funding to facilitate communication and awareness of EU matters among citizens. The overall goal is to create more accessible connections between the EU and its constituents, fostering informed citizenship and community engagement in EU-related discussions and activities.

The European Commission, through its representation in Slovenia, is announcing a call for proposals to select partners for carrying out EUROPE DIRECT activities for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers aim to bring the EU closer to its citizens. These centers inform about EU policies and actions, listen to citizens' opinions on European issues, discuss with citizens the impact of the EU on their daily lives, contribute to strengthening active citizenship, and contribute to shaping the European public space. EUROPE DIRECT centers are well connected with local communities and, alone or in cooperation with the European Commission representations, European Parliament liaison offices, other EU awareness networks, and local stakeholders, organize activities on European topics that are in the local interest. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Slovenia for the period 2026-2030. The partner may be awarded annual grants each year upon invitation to submit an annual communication plan. The annual grants are in the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running the EUROPE DIRECT center. The partner commits to providing additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center during the term of the partnership agreement.

The call for proposals is ED-2025-SLOVENIA-FPA, titled "Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Slovenia". It is an ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement, using the ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA] model grant agreement. The call is currently open for submission. The deadline for submission is 24 June 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The call follows a single-stage submission model.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal page limit and layout are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in the call document. Other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion, submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and the legal and financial set-up of the grants are all described in the call document.

The call document and annexes are available, along with additional documents such as the Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for the topic is 200,000 EUR for the year 2026. The call follows a single-stage process, with the opening date on 06 May 2025 and the deadline on 24 June 2025.

To access the Electronic Submission Service, applicants should click the submission button next to the relevant type of action and model grant agreement. After confirming the choice, applicants will be linked to the correct entry point. Existing draft proposals can be accessed by logging into the Funding & Tenders Portal and selecting the My Proposals page.

Before preparing an application, applicants should carefully read the call text and its annexes, including the guide for applicants. Answers to frequently asked technical questions are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. For technical issues, such as forgotten passwords, access rights, and technical aspects of proposal submission, applicants should contact the IT helpdesk. For content-related questions, applicants can contact COMM-REP-LJU-TENDERS-ADMIN@ec.europa.eu or visit https://slovenia.representation.ec.europa.eu/index_sl.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to select partners in Slovenia to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers from 2026 to 2030. These centers will serve as a bridge between the EU and its citizens, providing information, gathering feedback, and promoting active citizenship. The selected partners will sign a framework agreement and receive annual lump-sum grants to cover operational costs, while also committing to providing additional resources. The application process involves submitting a proposal that adheres to specific guidelines and criteria outlined in the call document, with the deadline for submission being June 24, 2025. The total budget allocated for this initiative is 200,000 EUR for the year 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text. However, the call aims to select partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities, suggesting that eligible applicants could include organizations well-connected with local communities and capable of organizing activities on European themes. This could encompass a range of entities, such as NGOs, local authorities, educational institutions, or other relevant organizations.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may be awarded annual grants in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT center.

Consortium Requirement: The text suggests that both single applicants and consortia are possible. The EUROPE DIRECT centers can operate alone or in cooperation with other entities.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Slovenia, as the call is published by the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and aims to select partners for activities in Slovenia.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and engagement, specifically related to EU policies and initiatives. The program aims to bring the EU closer to its citizens by informing them about EU policies, listening to their opinions, and discussing the impact of the EU on their daily lives.

Mentioned Countries: Slovenia is explicitly mentioned.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to implement EUROPE DIRECT activities from 2026 to 2030, indicating that the focus is on running and maintaining established information centers.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates a total budget of 200,000 EUR for the ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The annual grants are in the form of a lump sum, but the specific amount is not detailed in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "razpis za zbiranje predlogov" (call for proposals) and the availability of the submission session. The deadline model is single-stage.

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

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated in the budget overview section.

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

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, co-funding is required. The selected partner is expected to provide additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center during the partnership agreement. The annual grant only covers part of the costs.

Summary:

The European Commission Representation in Slovenia is launching a call for proposals to select partners for implementing EUROPE DIRECT activities in Slovenia from 2026 to 2030. The goal of these centers is to connect the EU with its citizens by providing information on EU policies, gathering citizen feedback, and fostering discussions on the EU's impact on daily life. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and may receive annual grants in the form of a lump sum to partially cover the operational costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT center. The selected partners are expected to secure additional financial and operational resources to support the activities of the center. The call is open for submission with a deadline of June 24, 2025. The total budget allocated for the ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement is 200,000 EUR. The application process consists of a single stage, and the submission must be done electronically through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants should carefully read the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation process, and proposal requirements. The call aims to select partners who are well-connected with local communities and capable of organizing activities on European themes, contributing to active citizenship and shaping a European public space.