Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission, through its Representation in Poland, has announced a call for proposals labeled ED-2025-POLAND-FPA to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT points from 2026 to 2030. The objective of these points is to strengthen the connection between the EU and Polish citizens by providing information about EU policies, listening to citizens' opinions on EU-related issues, engaging in dialogue regarding the EU's impact on daily life, promoting European civic education, and contributing to the European public sphere. Selected partners, which could include local NGOs, educational institutions, and local authorities, will be required to have regional networks, operational capabilities, and the capacity to manage these centers.

Funding for the initiative consists of an annual lump-sum grant of €40,000, contributing towards the operational costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT point. While this grant comes from a total budget of €880,000 for the year 2026, partners are also expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to support the activities of their respective centers.

The application process for this opportunity is single-stage and open, with submissions starting on May 6, 2025, and the deadline for proposals set for June 17, 2025. Applicants are urged to review the detailed call document and its annexes for specific eligibility criteria, application procedures, financial requirements, and evaluations. Interested parties are advised to seek clarity on technical or content-related questions through designated contact points provided in the call documentation.

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

EUROPE DIRECT points: inform about EU policies and activities; listen to citizens' opinions 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 creating 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.

More information can be found in the full text of the call for proposals together with the annexes.

The call for proposals ED-2025-POLAND-FPA, ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement, has a budget of 880,000 EUR for the year 2026. It is a single-stage application process. The opening date for submissions was May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is June 17, 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, Other Eligible Conditions, Financial and operational capacity and exclusion, Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes, Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds, Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and Legal and financial set-up of the grants are all 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. You will then be asked to 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.

Before preparing your application, carefully read all provisions below. Before starting to prepare the application, please read the text of the call for proposals together with its annexes (including the guide for applicants). Technical questions can be found on the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ Submitting Applications. For technical assistance with forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, and technical aspects of submitting applications, contact the IT Helpdesk. For assistance related to the content of the call, contact COMM-REP-PL-ED-CALL@ec.europa.eu or refer to the website.

This call for proposals aims to select partners in Poland to run EUROPE DIRECT information centers. These centers are designed to connect the EU with its citizens by providing information about EU policies, gathering feedback from citizens, encouraging dialogue, promoting civic education, and contributing to the European public sphere. Successful applicants will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Poland for the period 2026-2030. They may also receive an annual grant based on their submitted communication plan. The grant is a lump sum intended to cover some of the operational costs, with the partner expected to contribute additional resources. The call document provides details on eligibility, proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, and the application process. Interested parties should carefully review the call document and related annexes, and use the provided contact information for any queries. The total budget allocated for this call is 880,000 EUR for the year 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text, but the call is for "partners" to run EUROPE DIRECT points. This suggests that eligible applicants could include a range of organizations with the capacity to manage and operate such centers, such as NGOs, local authorities, educational institutions, or other entities with strong ties to local communities. The call document should be consulted for a definitive list.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Selected applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may be awarded an annual grant. The grant is described as a lump sum covering part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT point.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the use of the term "partners" might suggest that collaborative proposals or consortia are possible, but single applicants are also likely eligible. The call document should be consulted for clarification.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Poland. The call is issued by the European Commission Representation in Poland, and the EUROPE DIRECT points are to be located and operated within Poland.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and information dissemination related to EU policies and activities. It also includes citizen engagement and European civic education.

Mentioned Countries: Poland is the only country explicitly mentioned. The call is specifically for selecting partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT points in Poland.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to run existing or to-be-established EUROPE DIRECT points, implying that the projects are at the implementation or operational stage rather than at the research, development, or idea stage.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-POLAND-FPA is 880,000 EUR. The funding is provided as an annual lump-sum grant to cover part of the costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT point. The specific amount of the annual grant per partner is not detailed in the provided text but will likely be specified in the call document.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "zaproszenie do składania wniosków" (invitation to submit proposals) and the availability of the submission session. The call is single-stage.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of an annual lump-sum grant. However, the partners are also expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to support the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT point.

Application Stages: The application process is described as single-stage.

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: Yes, co-funding is required. The selected partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources beyond the annual grant to ensure the EUROPE DIRECT point's activities are carried out effectively.

Summary:

The European Commission Representation in Poland has announced a call for proposals to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT points across Poland from 2026 to 2030. The mission of these points is to bring the EU closer to Polish citizens by providing information on EU policies, gathering feedback from citizens, engaging them in dialogue, promoting European civic education, and contributing to the European public sphere. The selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Poland and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to cover part of the operational costs. However, the partners are also required to commit additional financial and operational resources. The call is specifically targeted at entities within Poland that have strong connections to local communities and the capacity to manage and operate information and communication activities related to the EU. The total budget for this call is 880,000 EUR. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of June 17, 2025. Interested applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation procedures, and application guidelines. Technical support is available through the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and IT Helpdesk, while content-related inquiries can be directed to the provided email address.