Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission is launching a call for proposals to select partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers in Bulgaria from 2026 to 2030. These centers aim to enhance communication between the EU and its citizens, particularly focusing on providing information about EU policies, responding to citizen inquiries, promoting European civic education, and fostering a European public sphere. The call emphasizes the importance of local engagement and networking with various EU and local information channels.

Eligible applicants may include various types of entities such as non-profit organizations, local authorities, and educational institutions, particularly those with strong community ties and relevant experience in communication. The primary funding type is a grant, specifically annual grants provided in the form of a lump sum to help cover management costs of the centers. Each selected partner will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria.

The total budget for this initiative is 408,000 EUR. Each partner is expected to contribute additional financial and operational resources to successfully manage their EUROPE DIRECT center. The application process is described as a single-stage open call, with submissions expected to meet specific guidelines such as proposal limits, layout, and eligibility criteria outlined in the call document.

The submission window opens on May 6, 2025, and the deadline for proposals is June 19, 2025. Additional support and information can be accessed through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, where applicants are encouraged to review the call document for detailed insights on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and submission processes. In summary, this funding opportunity seeks to establish a network of effectively operated EUROPE DIRECT centers that integrate EU-related information into local communities across Bulgaria, enhancing civic engagement and awareness of EU matters.

The European Commission, through its representation in Bulgaria, 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, receive and respond to citizens' inquiries on issues that fall within the scope of EU responsibility, communicate with citizens about the impact of the EU in their daily lives, contribute to European civic education, and contribute to the creation of a European public sphere.

EUROPE DIRECT centers are well connected with local communities and organize communication and information activities on EU topics of local interest themselves or in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission, the liaison office of the European Parliament, other EU information networks and local distributors of information.

The approved candidates (hereinafter referred to as "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria for the period 2026-2030. Each partner can receive annual grants each year upon invitation to submit an annual communication plan.

The annual grants are in the form of a lump sum covering part of the costs of running 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.

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

The submission session is now available for: ED-2025-BULGARIA-FPA, ED-2025-BULGARIA-SGA

Conditions:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in the call document. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries described in the call document.

3. Other Eligible Conditions Described in the call document

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion Described in the call document

5. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes Described in the call document

6. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds Evaluation criteria, scoring, threshold and process are described in the call document.

7. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in the call document.

8. Legal and financial set-up of the grants Described in the call document

Documents:

Call document and annexes: Call document

Additional documents: 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, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Budget overview:

Topic: ED-2025-BULGARIA-FPA ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement

Budget (EUR) Year: 2026

Stages: single-stage

Opening date: 2025-05-06

Deadline: 2025-06-19

Contributions: 408 000

Indicative number of grants: Not specified

To access the Electronic Submission Service, please 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, please login to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

Please select the type of your submission: Framework Partnership Agreement [ED-FPA], ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA]

Please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application.

For technical questions, you can refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission of Proposals.

IT Helpdesk contact the IT Helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of proposal submission, etc.

For assistance related to the content of the call, please contact COMM-REP-SOF-NETWORKS@ec.europa.eu or see the page https://bulgaria.representation.ec.europa.eu/ed-bulgaria-2025-call_bg

This EU funding opportunity, managed by the European Commission's representation in Bulgaria, seeks partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers across Bulgaria from 2026 to 2030. These centers serve as a vital link between the EU and its citizens, providing information, answering questions, and fostering dialogue on EU-related topics. Successful applicants will enter into a framework partnership agreement and may receive annual grants to support the operational costs of their centers. The call emphasizes the importance of local engagement and collaboration with various EU and local information networks. The application process involves submitting a proposal that adheres to specific guidelines, including page limits and layout requirements, and meeting eligibility criteria related to the applicant's financial and operational capacity. The evaluation process will consider factors outlined in the call document, and selected partners will be responsible for providing the necessary resources to effectively run their EUROPE DIRECT centers throughout the partnership period. The total budget for this framework partnership agreement is 408,000 EUR.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, the call is for the selection of "partners" to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities. This suggests that eligible applicants could include a range of entities such as non-profits, local authorities, educational institutions, or other organizations with strong ties to local communities and experience in communication and information dissemination. Further details on eligible applicant types would be found in the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Specifically, the selected partners will receive annual grants in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the costs for managing a EUROPE DIRECT center.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if single applicants are allowed. However, the repeated reference to "partners" suggests that both single applicants and consortia may be eligible, but this needs to be confirmed in the call document.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Bulgaria. The call is issued by the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria, and the selected partners will carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centers within Bulgaria. Therefore, applicants must be based in Bulgaria or have a strong connection to local communities within Bulgaria.

Target Sector: The program targets the communication and information dissemination sector, specifically focusing on EU policies and actions. It also targets the education sector, with a focus on European citizenship education.

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

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is at the operational stage. Applicants are expected to propose how they will manage and operate a EUROPE DIRECT center, which involves implementing communication and information activities.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic is EUR 408,000. The funding is provided as annual grants in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the costs for managing a EUROPE DIRECT center. The specific amount of each grant is not detailed in the provided text but will be available in the call document.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "Call for proposals." The call is open for submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

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

Application Stages: The application process appears to be a single-stage process, 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: Yes, co-funding is required. The selected partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources necessary for carrying out the activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center for the duration of the partnership agreement. The annual grants only cover a portion of the management costs.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals from the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria to select partners who will operate EUROPE DIRECT centers in Bulgaria for the period 2026-2030. The mission of these centers is to bring the EU closer to its citizens by providing information about EU policies and actions, answering citizens' questions, communicating the impact of the EU on daily life, contributing to European citizenship education, and fostering a European public sphere. Selected partners will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Bulgaria and will be eligible to receive annual grants in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the management costs of the center. The partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to support the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center. The total budget for this call is EUR 408,000. The application process is a single-stage process, and the deadline for submissions is June 19, 2025. Applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation criteria, and the application process. The call aims to establish a network of well-connected centers within local communities in Bulgaria that can effectively communicate EU-related information and engage with citizens on topics of local interest.