Selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities

The grant opportunity is initiated by the European Commission through its Representation in Greece, aimed at selecting partners to operate EUROPE DIRECT centers from 2026 to 2030. The purpose of these centers is to enhance citizen engagement with EU policies and strengthen the connection between the EU and its citizens. Eligible applicants for the grant include public bodies, non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and cultural organizations based in Greece.

The funding type for this initiative is a grant under a Framework Partnership Agreement. Successful applicants will sign this agreement and may receive an annual grant in the form of a lump sum to partially cover the operating costs of EUROPE DIRECT centers. The total budget allocated for 2026 is €518,000, with individual funding amounts likely ranging between €50,000 and €200,000 per partner depending on the number of selected applicants.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with proposals required to be submitted by June 17, 2025. The focus of the funding is on public communication, information dissemination related to EU policies, and citizen engagement, emphasizing local relevance and dialogue with communities.

There is no co-funding requirement stated for this grant, which indicates that the EU will cover 100 percent of the eligible costs. The successful applicants will be responsible for providing additional financial and operational resources to effectively operate their centers.

Overall, the objective is to create a network of EUROPE DIRECT centers that can inform citizens, listen to their concerns, and engage them in discussions about the EU, thereby contributing to European civic education. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult the detailed call document for specific eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and evaluation procedures.

The European Commission, through its Representation in Greece, 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 issues within the EU's remit. Engage with citizens in a dialogue on the impact of the EU on their daily lives. Contribute to European civic education. Contribute to the creation of a European public sphere.

The EUROPE DIRECT centers network adequately with local communities and organize communication and promotion activities on EU topics of local interest on their own or in cooperation with the Representation of the European Commission, the Offices of the European Parliament, other EU promotion networks and local actors.

Successful applicants (hereinafter, "partners") will sign a framework partnership agreement with the Representation of the European Commission in Greece for the years 2026 to 2030. Each year, the partner may be granted an annual grant following a call for submission of 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 undertakes to provide the additional financial and operational resources required to carry out its activities as a EUROPE DIRECT center throughout the duration of the partnership agreement.

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

The call is ED-2025-GREECE-FPA for ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The type of action is ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The Model Grant Agreement type is ED Framework Partnership [ED-FPA]. The call is open for submission. The deadline model is single-stage. The opening date is 06 May 2025. The deadline date is 17 June 2025 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 are described in the call document. Other Eligible Conditions are described in the call document. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in the call document. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in the call document. Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in the call document. 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.

The topic budget for the year 2026 is 518,000 EUR for the ED-2025-GREECE-FPA ED-FPA Framework Partnership Agreement. The call is single-stage with an opening date of 2025-05-06 and a deadline of 2025-06-17.

LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into this Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.

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

For technical questions, you can consult the frequently asked questions of the portal for the financing of calls for tenders Submission of proposals. For questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submitting proposals, etc., contact the IT support office. For help with the content of the call, contact COMM-REP-GR-TENDERS@ec.europa.eu or consult the page Representation of the European Commission in Greece European Commission.

In summary, this is a call for proposals by the European Commission Representation in Greece to select partners who will operate as EUROPE DIRECT centers from 2026 to 2030. These centers aim to connect the EU with Greek citizens by providing information, gathering feedback, facilitating dialogue, and promoting European civic education. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may receive an annual grant to cover operating costs. Applicants need to carefully review the call document and related annexes for details on eligibility, proposal requirements, evaluation criteria, and the application process. The total budget for 2026 is 518,000 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 variety of organizations capable of operating such centers, such as NGOs, public administrations, educational institutions, or other entities with a strong connection to local communities and EU affairs. The call document should be consulted for a definitive list.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Successful applicants will sign a framework partnership agreement and may receive 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 consortium is required or if a single applicant is sufficient. However, the emphasis on networking with local communities and collaborating with various EU and local actors suggests that applicants with established networks and collaborative experience may be favored. The call document should be consulted for a definitive answer.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is focused on Greece, as the call is for the selection of partners to carry out EUROPE DIRECT activities in Greece.

Target Sector: The target sector is public communication and information dissemination related to EU policies and activities. It aims to bring the EU closer to its citizens, address their concerns, and promote European citizenship.

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

Project Stage: The project stage is operational. The call seeks partners to operate established EUROPE DIRECT centers, focusing on their ongoing activities and communication efforts.

Funding Amount: The total budget for the topic ED-2025-GREECE-FPA is 518,000 EUR. The funding is intended to cover part of the operating costs of a EUROPE DIRECT center, with the partner expected to provide additional financial and operational resources. The annual grant is provided as a lump sum.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "Call for proposals" and the availability of the submission session. The deadline model is single-stage.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant to support the operating costs of their EUROPE DIRECT center.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated by the "single-stage" deadline model.

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 beyond the grant to sustain the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT center throughout the partnership agreement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals by the European Commission, specifically through its Representation in Greece, to select partners who will operate EUROPE DIRECT centers in Greece 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, addressing citizen concerns, and fostering dialogue on the impact of the EU on daily life. Successful applicants, referred to as partners, will enter into a framework partnership agreement with the European Commission Representation in Greece. They may receive an annual grant, provided as a lump sum, to partially cover the operational expenses of the EUROPE DIRECT center. However, partners are expected to contribute additional financial and operational resources to ensure the center's activities are carried out effectively throughout the partnership. The call is specifically targeted at entities in Greece capable of effectively communicating EU policies and engaging with local communities. The total budget for this initiative is 518,000 EUR. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of June 17, 2025. Interested applicants should carefully review the call document and its annexes for detailed eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and evaluation procedures. The overall goal is to strengthen the connection between the EU and Greek citizens by establishing well-functioning EUROPE DIRECT centers across Greece.