Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The European Commission in Germany is inviting applications for organizations to become EUROPE DIRECT centers for the period from 2026 to 2030. These centers are designed to foster a closer relationship between the EU and its citizens by providing information about the EU's operations, addressing citizen concerns, engaging in dialogue about the effects of the EU, and promoting European political education. The centers will collaborate with local communities and other EU outreach networks to organize communication and public relations activities focused on local EU topics of interest.

Successful applicants, referred to as "Partners," will enter into a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission Representation in Germany. They will receive an annual grant in the form of a lump sum, specifically intended to cover part of the operational costs of running a EUROPE DIRECT center. Each Partner is also required to contribute additional financial and operational resources to support their activities during the partnership period.

The call for proposals is titled "Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Germany (ED-2025-GERMANY-FPA)" and features a total budget of EUR 2,112,000 for the entire period. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline set for June 24, 2025, and the call opened on May 6, 2025.

Eligible applicants encompass local organizations such as NGOs, educational institutions, and public entities that demonstrate the capacity to manage communication and outreach related to EU topics. Detailed requirements, including admissibility criteria, evaluation processes, scoring, and legal stipulations, can be found in the call document.

Interested applicants are advised to review the call document and supplementary materials thoroughly to prepare their proposals effectively. For technical assistance or inquiries related to the application process, contact information for support services is provided in the call document.

The European Commission in Germany is inviting applications to become a EUROPE DIRECT center for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers are tasked with bringing the EU closer to its citizens by informing them about the work of the EU, listening to their concerns, engaging in dialogue about the impact of the EU on their daily lives, contributing to European political education, and fostering a European public space. These centers are closely connected with local communities and organize communication and public relations activities on EU topics of local interest, in collaboration with the European Commission Representation, the European Parliament Liaison Offices, other EU public outreach networks, and local multipliers.

Successful applicants, referred to as "Partners," will sign a Framework Partnership Agreement with the European Commission Representation in Germany for the years 2026 to 2030. Partners will be awarded an annual grant after submitting an annual communication plan. The annual grant will be in the form of a lump sum, covering part of the costs for operating a EUROPE DIRECT center. The Partner commits to providing the additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out the activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center during the term of the Partnership Agreement. Further details can be found in the call document and its annexes.

The call for proposals is titled "Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities (2026-2030) in Germany (ED-2025-GERMANY-FPA)". It is an ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement with the type of MGA being ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA]. The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline. The opening date was May 6, 2025, and the deadline is June 24, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

Regarding the conditions for application, the admissibility conditions concerning proposal page limits and layout are described in the call document and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. The eligible countries and other eligible conditions are also described in the call document. The financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are detailed in the call document. The submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document. The award criteria, scoring, thresholds, and process are described in the call document. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in the call document. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in the call document.

The documents related to this call include the call document itself, rules for legal entity validation, LEAR appointment and financial capacity assessment, the EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview indicates that for the year 2026, the ED-2025-GERMANY-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement has a budget of 2,112,000 EUR. The call is a single-stage process, with the opening date on May 6, 2025, and the deadline on June 24, 2025.

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, applicants will be linked to the correct entry point. Existing draft proposals can be accessed by logging into the Funding & Tenders Portal and selecting the My Proposals page.

For technical questions, applicants are directed to the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ. For IT-related issues, such as forgotten passwords or access rights, applicants should contact the IT-Helpdesk. For content-related questions, applicants can contact EDinDE@ec.europa.eu or consult the provided website.

In summary, this is a call for proposals from the European Commission Representation in Germany, seeking partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers across Germany from 2026 to 2030. These centers will serve as a vital link between the EU and its citizens, providing information, addressing concerns, and promoting dialogue on EU-related matters. Successful applicants will enter into a Framework Partnership Agreement and receive annual funding to support their activities. The call document provides detailed information on eligibility criteria, application procedures, evaluation processes, and the overall objectives of the EUROPE DIRECT program. Interested organizations should carefully review the call document and related materials to prepare a comprehensive and compelling proposal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text, but it refers to "successful applicants (hereinafter 'Partners')" who will sign a partnership framework agreement. This suggests that the eligible applicants are likely to be organizations or entities capable of acting as partners with the European Commission Representation in Germany. These could include public bodies, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, or other entities with a demonstrated capacity to carry out communication and public outreach activities related to EU topics. The specific types of organizations eligible will be detailed in the call document.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Specifically, it is an annual financial grant awarded in the form of a lump sum. This grant is intended to cover a portion of the costs associated with operating a EUROPE DIRECT center.

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the use of the term "Partner" suggests that a single entity can apply, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and can provide the necessary resources. The call document should clarify whether consortia are also eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Germany. The call is for the selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities in Germany for the period 2026-2030. Therefore, applicants must be based in Germany or have a strong connection to local communities within Germany. The eligible countries are described in the call document.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and outreach related to EU affairs. The program aims to bring the EU closer to citizens by informing them about the EU's work, addressing their concerns, engaging in dialogue about the impact of the EU on their daily lives, contributing to European political education, and fostering a European public space. This falls under the broader sector of public administration, education, and communication.

Mentioned Countries: Germany is explicitly mentioned as the country where the EUROPE DIRECT activities will be carried out.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers, which involves implementing communication and outreach activities. This is beyond the research or development stage and focuses on the execution and delivery of established objectives.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-GERMANY-FPA is EUR 2,112,000. This budget is for the entire period of the framework partnership agreement. The funding is provided as an annual lump sum to cover a portion of the operating costs of the EUROPE DIRECT center. The exact amount of the annual lump sum is not specified in the provided text but will be detailed in the call document.

Application Type: The application type is an open call. The call is open for submission, and the deadline is specified as 24 June 2025.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of an annual financial grant. This grant is intended to cover a portion of the costs associated with operating a EUROPE DIRECT center. Beneficiaries are expected to provide additional financial and operational resources to support the activities of the center.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be a single-stage process, as indicated by the "single-stage" designation in the budget overview. This means that applicants submit a complete proposal by the deadline, and the proposals are evaluated in a single round.

Success Rates: The indicative number of grants is not specified in the provided text. The success rate will depend on the number of applications received and the quality of the proposals.

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, there is a co-funding requirement. The annual financial grant covers only a portion of the costs for operating a EUROPE DIRECT center. The partner is obligated to provide the additional financial and operational resources needed to carry out the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center throughout the duration of the partnership agreement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals from organizations in Germany to become EUROPE DIRECT centers for the period 2026-2030. The EUROPE DIRECT centers serve as intermediaries between the EU and its citizens, providing information, addressing concerns, and promoting dialogue on EU-related topics. The European Commission Representation in Germany is seeking partners to operate these centers and carry out communication and public outreach activities. Successful applicants will sign a partnership framework agreement and receive an annual financial grant in the form of a lump sum to cover part of the operating costs. The partners are expected to provide additional resources to support the activities of the center. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of 24 June 2025. The total budget for this call is EUR 2,112,000. Applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed information on eligibility criteria, evaluation criteria, and application procedures.