Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission is inviting proposals to select partners for operating EUROPE DIRECT centers in France from 2026 to 2030. These centers aim to strengthen the connection between the European Union and its citizens by providing information on EU policies, addressing citizen concerns, and promoting civic education.

Eligible applicants include local entities in France such as non-governmental organizations, public authorities, and educational institutions that can effectively implement EU communication activities. The funding utilizes a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA), with a total budget of €2.08 million allocated for the project in 2026. Individual contributions may range from €50,000 to €200,000.

The application process is a single-stage open call with a submission deadline of June 19, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. Successful applicants will enter into a framework partnership agreement and may receive annual lump-sum grants to cover a portion of their operational costs. There is no specified requirement for co-funding, but partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources.

The grant aims to select partners with strong community ties and experience in communication, ensuring that they organize effective EU awareness activities tailored to local interests. The evaluation criteria and other application details will be provided in the call document. Applicants are encouraged to review all conditions thoroughly before submission and can seek assistance regarding the content or any technical issues through specified contact points.

Overall, this initiative serves as a critical channel for European civic engagement, enabling citizens to better understand the implications of EU policies on their daily lives and contribute feedback in a structured manner.

The European Commission, through its representation in France, is launching a call for proposals to select partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers aim to bring the European Union (EU) closer to its citizens.

EUROPE DIRECT Centers: Provide information on EU policies and actions, listen to citizens' concerns on issues within the EU's responsibility, engage with citizens on 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 to local communities and organize communication and awareness activities on European subjects of local interest, alone or in cooperation with the representation of the European Commission, the liaison offices of the European Parliament, other EU awareness networks and local multipliers.

The selected candidates (hereinafter the "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the representation of the European Commission in France for the years 2026 to 2030. A partner may be granted an annual subsidy each year upon invitation to submit an annual communication plan.

The annual subsidy takes the form of a lump sum covering 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 the activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center during the term of the partnership agreement.

The call ED-2025-FRANCE-FPA is for an ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The deadline for submission is 19 June 2025, 17:00:00 Brussels time. The call is single-stage. The total budget is 2,080,000 EUR for the year 2026.

Conditions for applying include admissibility conditions regarding proposal page limit and layout, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion. Details for these conditions are described in the call document and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

The evaluation and award process includes submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, and an indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement. Details for these are described in the call document. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is also described in the call document.

The call document and annexes are available, along with 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.

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.

Before preparing your application, read all provisions carefully. For technical questions, consult the FAQ on the Funding & Tenders Portal. Contact the IT helpdesk for issues such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, and technical aspects of proposal submission. For assistance with the content of the call, contact COMM-REP-PAR-COMMUNICATION@ec.europa.eu or consult the page: https://france.representation.ec.europa.eu/informations/renouvellement-du-reseau-europe-direct-post-2025-2025-02-18_en.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to select partners in France to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, which serve as a vital link between the EU and its citizens. These centers will disseminate information about EU policies, gather citizen feedback, promote civic education, and foster a European public sphere. Successful applicants will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission's representation in France for the period 2026-2030 and will be eligible for annual subsidies to support their operational costs. The application process involves a single-stage submission, with a deadline of June 19, 2025. Applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria related to their financial and operational capacity, and their proposals will be evaluated based on criteria outlined in the call document. The total budget allocated for this initiative is 2,080,000 EUR for the year 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types: The call is aimed at selecting "partners" to carry out activities as EUROPE DIRECT centers. The specific types of organizations eligible are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text, but it can be inferred that they are likely to be organizations with strong connections to local communities and experience in communication and awareness-raising activities. Further details would be available in the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may be awarded an annual grant in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the operating costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center.

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

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The call is specifically targeted at partners who will carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities in France. Therefore, the geographic eligibility is likely limited to organizations established and operating in France.

Target Sector: The program targets the communication and public engagement sector, specifically focusing on raising awareness about EU policies and actions, gathering citizen feedback, and promoting European civic education.

Mentioned Countries: France is explicitly mentioned as the country where the EUROPE DIRECT activities will be carried out. The European Union (EU) is also mentioned as the subject of the information and engagement activities.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call aims to select partners to run established EUROPE DIRECT centers and carry out communication and awareness activities.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-FRANCE-FPA is EUR 2,080,000. The annual grant awarded to each partner will be a lump sum covering part of the operating costs. 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 "appel à propositions" and the availability of the submission session.

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

Application Stages: The application process appears to be a single-stage process, 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 provided information.

Co-funding Requirement: The selected partners are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center, implying a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals launched by the European Commission, through its representation in France, to select partners who will operate EUROPE DIRECT centers in France for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers serve as a bridge between the EU and its citizens by providing information about EU policies, listening to citizen concerns, engaging in dialogue about the impact of the EU on daily life, and contributing to European civic education. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in France and may receive an annual lump-sum grant to cover part of their operating costs. The call is open for submission with a deadline of June 19, 2025. The total budget allocated to this topic is EUR 2,080,000. Applicants are expected to provide additional resources to support the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center. The call aims to select partners who are well-connected to local communities and experienced in communication and awareness-raising activities. The application process is a single-stage process, and further details about eligibility criteria, evaluation, and the application process can be found in the call document and its annexes.