Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission Representation in Italy has announced a call for proposals aimed at selecting partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers from 2026 to 2030. These centers are designed to enhance the connection between the EU and its citizens by providing information on EU policies, addressing citizen concerns, promoting dialogue, and contributing to European civic education.

Eligible applicants include organizations well-connected to local communities, such as nonprofits, local governments, and educational institutions, capable of organizing communication and awareness-raising activities related to the EU. The specific eligibility criteria will be detailed in the call document.

Funding will be provided through a grant under a framework partnership agreement. Each selected partner may receive an annual grant, calculated as a lump sum intended to cover part of the management costs associated with operating a EUROPE DIRECT center. Partners must also commit additional financial and operational resources to support the center’s activities.

The call focuses specifically on activities to be carried out in Italy, with a total budget of 2,024,000 euros allocated for this initiative. The application process is single-stage, with a submission deadline of June 26, 2025. The call is formally titled ED-2025-ITALY-FPA.

The application process includes various requirements related to admissibility, financial and operational capacity, and criteria for evaluation. All conditions, including the timeline for evaluation and legal requirements, will be defined in the call document, which also provides comprehensive guidance on application procedures. Interested applicants are advised to review these documents carefully and to utilize the designated helpdesks for any queries.

Overall, the initiative seeks to engage partners capable of enhancing EU citizen engagement through effective communication and community involvement, with important emphasis placed on local connection and operational capabilities.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Italy, has published a call for proposals to select partners for carrying out EUROPE DIRECT activities for the period 2026-2030. The mission of the EUROPE DIRECT centers is to bring the EU closer to its citizens.

EUROPE DIRECT centers: inform about EU policies and actions; listen to citizens' concerns on issues within the EU's competence; engage with citizens on the impact of the EU in their daily lives; contribute to European civic education; contribute to the creation of a European public sphere.

The EUROPE DIRECT centers are well connected to local communities and organize communication and awareness-raising activities on topics of local interest to the EU, either alone or in collaboration with the European Commission Representation, the European Parliament Liaison Offices, other EU awareness networks and local multipliers.

The selected candidates (hereinafter "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Italy for the years from 2026 to 2030. A partner can benefit each year from an annual grant following an invitation to submit an annual communication plan.

The annual grant is provided in the form of a lump sum that covers part of the management costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center. The partner undertakes to provide the additional financial and operational resources necessary to carry out the activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center for the duration of the partnership agreement.

The call for proposals is ED-2025-ITALY-FPA for ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The budget is 2,024,000 EUR for the year 2026. The call is a single-stage application process. The opening date was 06 May 2025 and the deadline is 26 June 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

Admissibility Conditions: 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 and Other Eligible Conditions are described in the call document. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in the call document. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document. Award criteria, scoring, threshold and process are described in the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in the call document. Legal and financial set-up of the grants are 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, click on the submission button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. Confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point. To access existing draft proposals for this topic, log in to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section. Select the type of your submission: Framework Partnership Agreement [ED-FPA], ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA].

Before preparing your application, carefully read all provisions below. Before starting the preparation of the application, carefully read the text of the call for proposals and its annexes (including the guide for applicants). For technical questions, consult the frequently asked questions (FAQ) of the Funding & Tenders Portal. For questions about forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of proposal submission, contact the IT helpdesk. For assistance regarding the content of the call, contact COMM-IT-ED-CALL-2026-2030@ec.europa.eu or consult the page https://italy.representation.ec.europa.eu/imprese-e-finanziamenti/appalti-e-contratti_it.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to select partners in Italy to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers from 2026 to 2030. These centers serve as a bridge between the EU and its citizens, providing information, gathering feedback, and promoting civic engagement. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may receive an annual grant to support the centers' operational costs, contingent upon submitting an annual communication plan. The call document contains all the details regarding eligibility, evaluation criteria, and the application process. Interested parties should carefully review the provided documents and contact the designated helpdesks for any questions or technical assistance. The deadline for submissions is June 26, 2025.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined 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 to local communities, such as nonprofits, local governments, educational institutions, or other entities capable of organizing communication and awareness activities on EU-related topics. The specific types of organizations eligible will be detailed in the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement and may receive an annual grant following a call for annual communication plans. The grant is provided as a lump sum to cover part of the management costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. It mentions partners being selected, which could imply either single entities or consortia. The call document should clarify this requirement.

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

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and engagement, specifically related to EU policies and actions. This includes informing citizens about the EU, addressing their concerns, fostering dialogue, contributing to European civic education, and creating a European public sphere.

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

Project Stage: The expected project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to manage and operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, which involves implementing communication and awareness activities.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-ITALY-FPA is 2,024,000 EUR. The grant is provided as a lump sum to cover part of the management costs, but the specific amount of the annual grant per partner is not detailed in this text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "invito a presentare proposte" (call for proposals) and the availability of the submission session.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. The grant is intended to cover part of the management costs of operating a EUROPE DIRECT center.

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

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

Co-funding Requirement: The partner is committed to providing the additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center for the duration of the partnership agreement, implying a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The European Commission Representation in Italy has issued a call for proposals to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT centers across Italy from 2026 to 2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers serve to connect the EU with its citizens by providing information on EU policies, addressing citizen concerns, promoting dialogue, and contributing to civic education. Selected partners will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Italy. Each year, partners can apply for an annual grant by submitting a communication plan. The grant is a lump sum intended to cover a portion of the operational costs of the EUROPE DIRECT center. Partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to support the center's activities. The call is specifically targeted at entities in Italy capable of engaging with local communities and organizing communication and awareness campaigns on EU-related topics. The total budget for this call is 2,024,000 EUR. The application process is single-stage, with the deadline for submissions on June 26, 2025. Interested applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation criteria.