Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission is launching a call for proposals, designated as ED-2025-LUXEMBOURG-FPA, to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT centers in Luxembourg from 2026 to 2030. These centers aim to connect the EU with citizens by providing information on EU policies, addressing citizen concerns, facilitating dialogue on the EU's impact, contributing to civic education, and fostering a European public sphere. They focus on local communication and outreach concerning EU topics through collaboration with various local and EU entities.

Eligible applicants for this grant include public bodies, NGOs, and educational institutions in Luxembourg with expertise in communication and public engagement. The funding type is a grant through a Framework Partnership Agreement, with selected partners potentially receiving an annual lump-sum grant to cover some operational costs related to running a EUROPE DIRECT center. Candidates must also provide additional financial and operational resources throughout the partnership.

The application process is a single-stage submission, open from May 6, 2025, to June 17, 2025, with an estimated total budget of 125,000 EUR for the first year. Admissibility conditions regarding proposal length and formatting are specified in the application form. Other eligibility factors, including financial and operational capacity, are detailed in the full call document.

To facilitate inquiries, the European Commission provides an email contact for non-technical questions, allowing interested parties to submit questions in writing by June 6, 2025, with answers published on the Representation's website shortly after.

In summary, the call seeks partners in Luxembourg to establish EUROPE DIRECT centers that bridge the gap between the EU and its citizens through effective communication and engagement. Successful applicants will enter a partnership agreement with the European Commission and may receive funding to support their associated activities while contributing additional resources as required.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Luxembourg, is offering a call for proposals, ED-2025-LUXEMBOURG-FPA, to select partners for EUROPE DIRECT activities from 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers aim to connect the EU with its citizens by providing information on EU policies and actions, listening to citizen concerns, engaging in dialogue about the EU's impact, contributing to civic education, and fostering a European public sphere. These centers are well-connected locally and conduct communication and outreach on EU topics of local interest, collaborating with various EU and local entities.

Successful applicants will sign a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg for 2026-2030. Partners may receive an annual grant, as a lump sum, to cover some operational costs, contingent upon submitting an Annual Communication Plan. The partner must provide additional financial and operational resources to support their EUROPE DIRECT activities throughout the partnership.

The call is a single-stage submission process. The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is June 17, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget for 2026 is 125,000 EUR.

Admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout, which are described in Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System. Other eligibility conditions, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria are detailed in the call document. The evaluation and award process, including submission, evaluation, award criteria, scoring, and timelines, are also described in the call document. The legal and financial setup of the grants is also described in the call document.

Relevant documents include the call document in French, German, and English, as well as additional documents such as the 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.

For the application process, applicants should consult the guide for applicants (annex 7), the online manual, and the portal FAQ. Questions about the Portal Submission System should be directed to the IT Helpdesk. Non-IT questions can be sent to COMM-REP-LUX-COMMUNICATION@ec.europa.eu, including the call reference and topic. Questions must be submitted in writing by June 6, 2025. Questions and answers will be published on the REPRESENTATION’S WEBSITE within five working days of receipt.

In summary, this call for proposals seeks partners in Luxembourg to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, bridging the gap between the EU and its citizens through communication, outreach, and engagement on EU-related topics of local relevance. Successful applicants will enter a partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg and may receive annual grants to support their activities, provided they can also contribute additional resources. The call details eligibility criteria, the application process, and relevant contact information for inquiries.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call seeks to select partners to carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centres. While the specific types of eligible applicants are not explicitly listed in the provided text, it can be inferred that eligible applicants are likely to be organizations or entities capable of connecting with local communities and organizing communication and outreach activities. This could include local authorities, NGOs, educational institutions, or other types of organizations with a strong local presence and experience in communication and public engagement. The full call document should be consulted for a comprehensive list of eligible applicant types.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Successful applicants will sign a Framework Partnership Agreement and may be awarded an annual grant each year. The annual grant takes the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT centre.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the repeated mention of "partners" suggests that multiple entities could potentially apply, either individually or as part of a consortium. The call is open to selecting partners, which could mean single applicants or consortia. The full call document should be consulted for a definitive answer.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is specifically targeted at selecting partners to carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centres in Luxembourg. Therefore, the geographic eligibility is primarily focused on entities based in or operating within Luxembourg.

Target Sector: The program targets the communication and outreach sector, specifically focusing on bringing the EU closer to its citizens. It also touches upon civic education and the creation of a European public sphere. The thematic areas include EU policies, actions, and their impact on citizens' daily lives.

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

Project Stage: The project stage is for entities that are ready to implement communication and outreach activities. The selected partners will be responsible for running EUROPE DIRECT centres, which implies an operational or implementation stage rather than research or development.

Funding Amount: The budget overview indicates a total budget of 125,000 EUR for the ED-2025-LUXEMBOURG-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The annual grant takes the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT centre, but the exact amount of the lump sum is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "call for proposals." The call is currently open for submission.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump-sum grant to cover part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT centre. They will also benefit from the Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg.

Application Stages: The call is described as a single-stage submission process.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text. Therefore, the success rate cannot be determined from the available information.

Co-funding Requirement: The partner commits to providing the additional financial and operational resources necessary to carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centre for the duration of the partnership agreement, which implies a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The European Commission, through its Representation in Luxembourg, is launching a call for proposals to select partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centres for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centres aim to connect the EU with its citizens by providing information on EU policies, addressing citizens' concerns, engaging in dialogue about the EU's impact, contributing to civic education, and fostering a European public sphere. Successful applicants will sign a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to cover part of the operational costs. The partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources. The call is specifically for entities in Luxembourg, and the application process is a single-stage submission. The total budget for the Framework Partnership Agreement is 125,000 EUR. The deadline for submission is June 17, 2025. Interested parties should consult the full text of the call for proposals and its annexes for more detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation procedures, and application guidelines. Questions can be submitted in writing to the provided email address until June 6, 2025, and answers will be published on the Representation’s website.