Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission is launching a call for proposals for the selection of partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers in Romania for the period 2026 to 2030. The initiative aims to foster closer ties between the EU and Romanian citizens by providing information about EU policies and actions, addressing citizen concerns, promoting civic education, and encouraging dialogue about the EU's impact on daily life. These centers will rely on well-established connections with local communities to effectively communicate EU initiatives.

Eligible applicants include local and regional public authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and educational institutions engaged in communication activities. The program is defined as a grant through a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA), with a total budget of 748,000 EUR allocated for the first year, though per-project funding amounts may vary based on proposal specifics.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with submissions required by June 17, 2025. Selected partners will receive an annual lump-sum grant intended to cover part of the operating costs associated with running a EUROPE DIRECT center. Partners are expected to secure additional financial and operational resources to support their activities for the grant duration.

The project focuses on implementation rather than research, aiming to create a network of communication hubs that enhance civic participation and transparency within the EU framework. All interested parties must adhere to the eligibility criteria and review the detailed call document and annexes for further guidance on the application and evaluation processes.

Technical and content-related inquiries can be directed to the respective support channels provided in the call document. This opportunity underscores the EU's commitment to enhancing public engagement and making its policies more accessible to citizens in Romania.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Romania, is launching a call for proposals to select partners to carry 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 matters of EU responsibility, involve citizens in a dialogue about the impact of the EU in their daily lives, contribute to European civic education, and contribute to creating a European public sphere. These centers are well connected with local communities and organize communication and information activities on EU topics of local interest, either independently or in cooperation with the European Commission Representation, the European Parliament liaison offices, other EU information networks, and local multipliers.

Selected candidates, referred to as partners, will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Romania for the period 2026-2030. A partner may be granted an annual subsidy each year, based on an invitation to submit an annual communication plan. The annual grant takes the form of a lump sum covering part of the operating costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center. The partner commits 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.

The call for proposals is ED-2025-ROMANIA-FPA, titled "Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Romania". It is an ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement with the type of MGA being ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA]. The call is open for submission and follows a single-stage model.

The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is June 17, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for the topic in 2026 is 748,000 EUR.

Admissibility conditions, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion, submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, 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, 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 the submission button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to their proposal. After confirming the choice, which cannot be changed, applicants will be linked to the correct entry point. To access existing draft proposals, applicants can log in to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page in the My Area section.

Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions and annexes, including the applicant guide, before preparing their application. For technical questions, the Funding & Tenders Portal Q&A section should be consulted. IT support can be contacted for issues such as forgotten passwords, access rights, and technical aspects of proposal submission. For content-related questions, applicants can contact comm-rep-ro@ec.europa.eu or visit https://romania.representation.ec.europa.eu/index_en.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to select partners in Romania to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, which serve as a vital link between the EU and its citizens. The selected partners will receive annual grants to support their activities in disseminating information about the EU, gathering feedback from citizens, and promoting civic engagement. The application process involves submitting a comprehensive proposal that meets the specified admissibility criteria, demonstrates financial and operational capacity, and outlines a clear plan for achieving the objectives of the EUROPE DIRECT program. The call document provides detailed information on all aspects of the application and evaluation process.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call seeks "partners" to operate as EUROPE DIRECT centers. While the specific types of organizations eligible are not explicitly listed in the provided text, the description suggests that eligible applicants should be well-connected with local communities and capable of organizing communication and information activities. This could include a range of entities such as local authorities, NGOs, educational institutions, or other organizations with a strong local presence and experience in communication and public engagement. Further details on eligible applicant types are expected to be found 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. The grant takes the form of a lump sum to cover part of the operating costs of the EUROPE DIRECT center.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the call is for "partners," which might imply that single applicants are eligible, but this needs to be confirmed in the call document.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is launched by the European Commission Representation in Romania, and it is explicitly for selecting partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities in Romania. Therefore, the geographic eligibility is limited to Romania.

Target Sector: The program targets the communication and information sector, specifically focusing on disseminating information about EU policies and actions to citizens at the local level. It also aims to foster civic education and engagement with the EU.

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

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call is for selecting partners to operate established EUROPE DIRECT centers, which involves implementing communication and information activities.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-ROMANIA-FPA is EUR 748,000. The grant is an annual lump sum covering part of the operating costs, but the specific amount per partner is not detailed in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "cerere de propuneri" (call for 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 grant.

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

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 partner is expected to provide the additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out the activities of a EUROPE DIRECT center beyond the lump sum grant provided by the European Commission.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals launched by the European Commission Representation in Romania to select partners who will operate as EUROPE DIRECT centers in Romania for the period 2026-2030. The mission of these centers is to bring the EU closer to its citizens by informing them about EU policies and actions, listening to their concerns, involving them in dialogues, contributing to civic education, and fostering a European public sphere. The selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Romania and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to cover part of their operating costs. The partners are expected to secure additional funding and resources to support the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT centers. The call is open for submission with a deadline of June 17, 2025. The total budget for this call is EUR 748,000. Applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, and evaluation criteria. The call aims to establish a network of well-connected local centers that can effectively communicate and engage with citizens on EU-related topics.