Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission is opening a call for proposals to select partners for EUROPE DIRECT activities in Spain from 2026 to 2030. This initiative aims to engage citizens with EU policies and enhance civic education through local EUROPE DIRECT centers. The eligible applicants include public and private entities such as local governments, NGOs, educational institutions, and cultural organizations that possess regional networks and online presence.

The funding type is a grant, specifically an annual lump sum grant of €40,000 per partner. The total budget for this call is €1.48 million for the year 2026, indicating that approximately 37 partners may receive funding annually. The call is exclusively for entities based in Spain and is managed by the European Commission Representation in Spain.

The target sector includes communication and civic education about EU policies, aiming to create a European public sphere and facilitate dialogue on EU impacts on local communities. The opportunity emphasizes the need for selected partners to demonstrate their capability to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, which will involve engaging with citizens and providing information about EU actions.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline set for June 17, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. There is a co-funding requirement, meaning partners must secure additional resources to complement the EU grant.

In summary, this call seeks to establish a network of EUROPE DIRECT centers in Spain to enhance citizen engagement with EU policies. Selected partners will enter into a framework partnership agreement and may receive an annual grant subject to submission of a communication plan. Detailed eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, and application requirements are outlined in the call document available through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Potential applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review all provided documents before submission.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Spain, 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 about issues that are the responsibility of the EU.
Engage in dialogue with citizens about the impact of the EU on their daily lives.
Contribute to European civic education.
Contribute to the creation of a European public sphere.

EUROPE DIRECT centers are well connected with local communities and organize communication and outreach activities on topics of local EU interest on their own or in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission, the liaison offices of the European Parliament, other EU outreach networks and local multipliers.

The selected applicants (hereinafter, "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the Representation of the European Commission in Spain for the years 2026 to 2030. Each year, an annual grant may be awarded to the partner, following an invitation to submit an annual communication plan.

The annual grant takes the form of a lump sum that covers part of the operating costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center. The partner undertakes to provide the additional financial and operational resources necessary to carry out activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center during the period of validity of the partnership agreement.

For more information, see the full text of the call for proposals and its annexes here.

The call is ED-2025-SPAIN-FPA for ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The budget for 2026 is 1,480,000 EUR. It is a single-stage submission. The opening date was 2025-05-06 and the deadline is 2025-06-17 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 text. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in the call document. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are 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. 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.

Read carefully all provisions below before preparing your application. Read carefully the text of the call for proposals and its annexes (including the guide for applicants) before starting to prepare your application. For technical questions, consult the FAQs of the Subsidies Portal. For IT assistance, contact the IT service desk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and functions, technical aspects of proposal submission, etc. For help related to the content of the call, contact COMM-ES-ED-2025@ec.europa.eu or consult the Funding and Grant Opportunities page of the European Commission.

In summary, this is a call for proposals by the European Commission Representation in Spain to select partners for the EUROPE DIRECT network from 2026 to 2030. The goal is to bring the EU closer to Spanish citizens through local information centers. Selected partners will sign a framework agreement and may receive an annual grant to cover operating costs, contingent on submitting a communication plan. The call document contains all the details about eligibility, evaluation, and the application process. The total budget for 2026 is 1,480,000 EUR. The application deadline is June 17, 2025. Applicants should carefully review all provided documents and guidelines before preparing their proposals.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are referred to as "partners" who will carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centers. The specific types of organizations that can be partners are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text but can be found in the call document.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant. Specifically, it is an annual grant in the form of a lump sum that covers part of the operating costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center. The selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Spain.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to be open to single applicants, referred to as "partners." The text mentions selecting "socios" (partners), suggesting individual entities can apply.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is specifically for entities in Spain. The call is launched by the European Commission Representation in Spain, and the activities are to be carried out in Spain.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and outreach related to EU policies and actions. This includes civic education and fostering a European public sphere. The program aims to connect the EU with its citizens at the local level.

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

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The funding supports the operation of existing or new EUROPE DIRECT centers, which are already involved in communication and outreach activities. The call aims to select partners to continue or initiate these activities for the period 2026-2030.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-SPAIN-FPA is EUR 1,480,000. The funding is provided as an annual lump sum to cover part of the operating costs. The exact amount of the annual grant per partner is not specified in the provided text.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by "Call for proposal" and "Open For Submission."

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of an annual grant.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, co-funding is required. The selected partner is expected to provide the additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center beyond the lump sum grant provided by the European Commission.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals from the European Commission Representation in Spain to select partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers across Spain for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers serve as a vital link between the EU and its citizens, providing information about EU policies, gathering feedback from citizens, and promoting civic engagement. Selected partners will enter into a framework partnership agreement and receive an annual lump-sum grant to partially cover the operating costs of their center. Partners are expected to secure additional funding to support their activities. The call is specifically targeted at entities within Spain that are well-connected to local communities and capable of organizing communication and outreach activities on EU-related topics. The application process is a single-stage submission, and further details regarding eligibility criteria, evaluation, and the application process can be found in the call document and related annexes available on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The total budget allocated to this call is EUR 1,480,000. The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is June 17, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time.