Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Poland - 2

The European Commission, via its Representation in Poland, is inviting proposals for the ED-2025-POLAND-2-FPA initiative, aimed at selecting partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT points throughout Poland from 2026 to 2030. These points will serve as local information hubs to connect Polish citizens with the EU by informing them about EU policies, engaging in dialogue, and fostering civic education. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, NGOs, government institutions, local authorities, and educational entities capable of community engagement and information distribution.

The primary funding mechanism is a grant structured as a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA), providing annual funding contingent on submission of a communication plan. Each partner can expect an annual grant ranging from €200,000 to €1,000,000, with approximately €880,000 allocated for the initial year. Co-funding is a requirement, necessitating additional financial commitment from partners beyond the EU grant to sustain the full operational capacity of the EUROPE DIRECT points.

The application process is a single-stage submission, allowing electronic submissions through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The call opens on October 23, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is December 4, 2025. Specific application conditions include admissibility criteria, financial capacity, and evaluation processes detailed in the call documentation.

This initiative emphasizes strengthening the connection between European institutions and local communities in Poland, supporting a network of accessible information centers to enhance civic understanding and dialogue regarding EU affairs. Selected partners will sign a four-year framework agreement with the European Commission, aimed at fostering robust community engagement and promoting European public discourse. Detailed eligibility and evaluation criteria, along with allowed documentation, are available in the call's official documentation.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Poland, is launching a call for proposals to select partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT points in Poland from 2026 to 2030. The mission of the EUROPE DIRECT points is to bring the EU closer to its citizens.

EUROPE DIRECT points: inform about EU policies and activities; listen to citizens' feedback on issues within the EU's remit; engage citizens in dialogue about the impact of the EU on their daily lives; participate in European civic education; contribute to the creation of a European public sphere. EUROPE DIRECT points are well connected with local communities and undertake information and communication activities on EU-related topics of interest to the local community, either independently or in cooperation with the European Commission Representations, European Parliament Offices, other EU information networks and local opinion leaders.

Selected applicants (hereinafter referred to as "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Poland for the years 2026–2030. A partner may be awarded an annual grant each year based on an invitation to submit an annual communication plan. The annual grant is in the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running the EUROPE DIRECT point. The partner undertakes to provide additional financial and operational resources necessary to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT point during the period of the partnership agreement.

The call for proposals is ED-2025-POLAND-2-FPA, titled "Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Poland - 2". It is an ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement, utilizing the ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA] model grant agreement. The call is open for submission and follows a single-stage submission model.

The opening date for submissions is October 23, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is December 4, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for the call is 880,000 EUR for the year 2026.

Conditions for application include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout, as described in the call document.
2. Eligible Countries, as described in the call document.
3. Other Eligible Conditions, as described in the call document.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion, as described in the call document.
5. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes, as described in the call document.
6. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds; the evaluation criteria, scoring, threshold, and process are described in the call document.
7. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, as described in the call document.
8. Legal and financial set-up of the grants, as described in the call document.

The call document and annexes include the Call document itself. Additional documents include: 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.

To access the Electronic Submission Service, applicants should click on the submission button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to their proposal. Applicants will be asked to confirm their choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, applicants will be linked to the correct entry point. To access existing draft proposals for this topic, applicants can log in to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

Applicants are advised to read carefully all provisions before preparing their application and to consult the full text of the call for proposals and its annexes, including the guide for applicants. Technical questions can be found on the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of Applications. For technical support, applicants can contact the IT Helpdesk for issues such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, and technical aspects of submitting applications. For assistance related to the content of the call, applicants can contact COMM-REP-PL-ED-CALL@ec.europa.eu or consult the website.

In summary, this is a call for proposals by the European Commission Representation in Poland to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT information points across Poland for the period 2026-2030. The selected partners will act as intermediaries between the EU and Polish citizens, providing information about EU policies, gathering feedback, and promoting civic engagement. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to support their activities, contingent on submitting an annual communication plan. The call emphasizes the importance of local community engagement and collaboration with other EU information networks. The application process is managed through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, and detailed information about eligibility criteria, evaluation procedures, and required documentation can be found in the call document and related annexes.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the call aims to select "partners" to run EUROPE DIRECT points. The text mentions that "selected applicants (hereinafter referred to as 'partners')" will sign a framework partnership agreement. This suggests that the eligible applicants could be a range of entities capable of managing and operating such centers, including possibly nonprofits, NGOs, local authorities, educational institutions, or other organizations with a strong connection to local communities. Further details would be available in the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. The selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement and may be awarded an annual grant each year based on a call for an annual communication plan. The annual grant is in the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running the EUROPE DIRECT point.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the repeated reference to "partners" suggests that both single applicants and consortia could potentially be eligible, but the call document should be consulted for definitive information.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Poland. The call is issued by the European Commission Representation in Poland, and it seeks partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities in Poland.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and information dissemination related to EU policies and activities. The program aims to bring the EU closer to its citizens by informing them about EU policies, engaging them in dialogue, and contributing to European civic education.

Mentioned Countries: Poland is explicitly mentioned as the target country for this call.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to run existing or to-be-established EUROPE DIRECT points, which involves implementing communication and information activities. Therefore, the project stage is beyond the idea, research, or development phases and is focused on the implementation and operation of these centers.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-POLAND-2-FPA is EUR 880,000. The text mentions that the annual grant is a lump sum covering part of the costs, but it does not specify the exact amount of the annual grant per partner. The funding amount is variable, depending on the annual communication plan.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as the European Commission Representation in Poland is announcing an "invitation to submit proposals." The call is open for submission, as indicated by the "Open For Submission" status.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of annual grants. The grant is a lump sum intended to cover part of the costs of operating the EUROPE DIRECT point. The partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated by "single-stage" under the "Stages" section.

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

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, co-funding is required. The text states that the partner commits to providing additional financial and operational resources necessary to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT point in the period of the partnership agreement. The annual grant only covers a portion of the costs.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals issued by the European Commission Representation in Poland to select partners for running EUROPE DIRECT points across Poland from 2026 to 2030. The EUROPE DIRECT points serve as local information centers that aim to connect EU citizens with the European Union by providing information about EU policies and engaging citizens in discussions about the EU's impact on their daily lives. Selected partners will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Poland and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to partially cover the operational costs of the EUROPE DIRECT point. The partners are expected to secure additional funding and resources to support the activities of the center. The total budget allocated to this call is EUR 880,000. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of December 4, 2025. The call aims to strengthen the connection between the EU and Polish citizens by supporting local information and communication initiatives.