Smart Social Economy Model in Tourism (Long Distance Trails)

This EU pilot call PPPA-2026 supports transnational projects to integrate social economy principles into sustainable tourism along long-distance trails. The estimated available budget is €1,500,000, with the Commission expecting to fund one or two projects and typical grants around €750,000; funding rate is 85% and project duration 24–36 months. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States (lead applicants should be a trail manager, social economy organisation, local authority or official tourism entity) and consortia must include partners from at least two eligible countries with specified country-level composition requirements. Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 26 August 2026 17:00 CET and will be evaluated on Relevance, Quality and Impact; Part B is limited to 40 pages.

Call type and deadline

PPPA-2026-SOCIAL-ECONOMY-TOURISM — Call for proposals

Pilot project to test community led social economy models for sustainable tourism along one or more transnational long distance trails crossing EU Member States. Focus on bottom up socio economic development, transnational cooperation, testing digital tools and producing replicable blueprints.

Application deadline:26 August 2026, 17:00 CET. Submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

1. 1What it funds: transnational pilots to research, test and scale community led sustainable tourism offers, community engagement, social enterprise support, and a digital platform for trail management and market connection.
2. 2Who can apply: consortia of legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States). Lead applicant must be a trail manager, social economy organisation or network, local authority, or official tourism body. Consortia must include in each participating country at least one social economy organisation or network and one local authority or entity officially in charge of tourism, or a trail managing association with members including local authorities and social economy organisations.
3. 3Project duration and structure: recommended 24 to 36 months. Projects should cover research and needs analysis, community engagement pilots, digital platform testing, and lessons learned and dissemination phases.

Consortia must register in the Participant Register and submit the Application Form Part A and Part B via the Portal. Proposals limited to 40 pages for Part B. Financial and operational capacity checks apply. See topic page for templates and detailed conditions Topic page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call document, conditions, templates and full guidance available from the call fiche and call document on the Funding & Tenders Portal Call fiche and documents.

Call for Proposals — Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA)

Key dates and contact

Call opens:28 May 2026. Deadline for submission: 26 August 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels). Submission must be electronic through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. IT helpdesk and call-specific support email addresses are provided on the Topic page and in the call documentation.

Purpose and expected impact:This pilot call aims to integrate social economy principles into sustainable tourism along one or more transnational long-distance trails crossing EU Member States. Objectives include designing, piloting, evaluating and scaling community-led sustainable tourism models grounded in social economy approaches; strengthening transnational cooperation of local communities, local authorities and social economy entities; building capacity of local authorities and DMOs; producing transnational blueprints and toolkits for replication across EU regions. Expected impacts: tested social economy models for trail-based tourism, cross-border transfer of good practices, increased awareness and capacity building for local stakeholders, and durable inclusive socio-economic returns for rural communities and heritage areas. The project is explicitly pilot and testing-oriented, with monitoring, evaluation and scaling as central elements.

1. 1Encourage community-led identification of trail-related challenges, co-design and ownership of solutions that integrate cultural heritage and rural development.
2. 2Align social economy entities with evolving tourism demand and long-term tourism strategies along trails.
3. 3Address local community perceptions of tourism impacts to secure long-term socio-economic benefits for residents and visitors.
4. 4Create synergies between local authorities (including DMOs) and social economy actors for environmental stewardship, data sharing, digital innovation and skills development.
5. 5Promote social inclusion and entrepreneurship among under-represented groups (seniors, women, youth).
6. 6Strengthen local value chains to retain economic benefits within rural communities.

Eligibility and consortium requirements

Eligible applicant types:Legal entities (public or private) established in eligible countries. This includes: social economy organisations and networks, local authorities, entities managing long-distance trails, Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), universities and research institutes, NGOs, chambers of commerce, tourism companies, environmental and consumer associations, and international organisations. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders (natural person beneficiaries). EU bodies (with the exception of international organisations) and certain entities subject to EU restrictive or conditionality measures are ineligible. Affiliated entities, associated partners, subcontractors and third parties providing in-kind contributions may participate under the conditions set out in the call document.

Consortium requirement:Consortium required (multi-beneficiary). Minimum: applicants from at least two eligible countries. The lead applicant must be one of: an entity or association managing a long-distance trail, a social economy organisation or network, a local authority, or an entity officially in charge of tourism in the relevant region. For each participating country, consortia must include either (a) at least one social economy organisation or network and one local authority or entity officially in charge of tourism, or (b) one entity/association managing a long-distance trail whose membership includes local authorities and social economy organisations. Additional partners (SMEs, research organisations, chambers, NGOs) are allowed. Financial and operational capacity checks apply.

Beneficiary geographic eligibility:Eligible countries: EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories). Participation of entities from other countries may be exceptionally allowed if their involvement is deemed essential by the granting authority. Projects must relate to activities taking place in eligible countries.

Scope, activities and project stage

Project scope is transnational pilots along existing long-distance tourist trails (or portions of them) crossing EU Member States, with a focus on rural areas and community-led development. Testing, evaluation and scaling are fundamental. The call prioritises community-led, social-economy-grounded sustainable tourism models or marketable practices that can be replicated.

1. 1Research and analysis: needs assessment, mapping assets, analysis of existing social economy practices, impact measurement framework, stakeholder workshops.
2. 2Pilot testing: community engagement strategies, technical support to social enterprises, testing collaborative governance, training and capacity building (digital literacy, social enterprise management), awareness and local promotion.
3. 3Digital platform development or extension: test feasibility of a platform/mobile app to connect supply and demand for social economy goods/services along trails, online visibility, resource pooling, metrics tracking and pilot testing with stakeholders.
4. 4Feedback and dissemination: monitoring and evaluation, lessons learnt workshops, toolkits, blueprint for replication, awareness campaigns and dissemination of outputs.

Project stage and duration:Expected project maturity: testing, pilot, demonstration and preparatory activities built on prior local knowledge and existing actors. Recommended project duration: 24 to 36 months (extensions possible if justified).

Funding, financial conditions and budget

Co-funding and applicant contributions:No mandatory co-funding ratio is specified in the call text. Applicants must demonstrate stable and sufficient resources to implement the project; project budgets should be balanced and may include own contributions, income generated by the action, or contributions from third parties. Grants cannot produce a profit — any profit must be declared and will be deducted from the final grant amount.

Application and selection process

Application method and templates:Application is via an open one-stage call (single-stage submission). Submission is fully electronic only through the Funding & Tenders Portal. Required components: Application Form Part A (online administrative data and budget), Application Form Part B (technical description — mandatory Word/PDF template downloaded from the Submission System then uploaded as PDF), and mandatory annexes and supporting documents uploaded in the Submission System. Templates and detailed instructions are available in the Submission System. Part B is limited to 40 pages; additional pages will not be considered.

1. 1Part A: online administrative information (coordinator, beneficiaries, affiliated entities, budget summary).
2. 2Part B: technical description (application form template available in the Submission System; maximum 40 pages).
3. 3Annexes (mandatory): standard CVs of core project team, activity reports for the last year, list of previous key projects for the last 2 years (template available in Part B).
4. 4Additional documents requested at grant preparation stage: legal entity validation documents, financial capacity documents (P&L, balance sheet, auditor reports) where required.

Evaluation and award criteria:One-stage submission followed by single-step evaluation. Evaluators check admissibility and eligibility, then evaluate operational capacity and award criteria. Evaluation committee ranks proposals and applies tie-breaking rules to ensure portfolio balance and thematic/geographical coverage.

1. 1Relevance (40 points): alignment with call themes/priorities, EU strategic context, transnational dimension, replicability and potential for cross-border cooperation.
2. 2Quality (40 points): logical coherence between problems/solutions, consortium quality, project management and methodology, cost-effectiveness, risk and mitigation, monitoring and evaluation.
3. 3Impact (20 points): ambition and long-term impact, dissemination strategy, sustainability of results after EU funding.

Thresholds:minimum scores per criterion 24/40 (Relevance), 24/40 (Quality), 12/20 (Impact). Overall pass threshold 60/100. Successful proposals invited to grant preparation; invitation does not constitute formal commitment to fund until legal and financial checks are completed (legal entity validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks).

Application stages and timeline (high level):Main phases: 1) Proposal submission (single-stage) by 26 August 2026; 2) Evaluation (Sept–Oct 2026) and decision; 3) Invitation to grant preparation (Nov 2026) and legal/financial checks; 4) Grant signature and project start expected December 2026. The submission + evaluation is a single-stage selection process followed by grant preparation; therefore, applicants should plan for proposal submission and possible iterative clarification during grant preparation.

Operational and administrative requirements

Legal, financial and operational capacity checks:All beneficiaries and affiliated entities must be legal entities and must register in the Participant Register before submission (PIC). Financial capacity checks apply to beneficiaries unless exempt (public bodies or individual requested grant ≤ €60,000). Operational capacity is assessed through the Quality award criterion via CVs, activity reports, relevant project lists and demonstrated consortium experience. If financial capacity is insufficient, the Commission may require enhanced financial responsibility, prefinancing guarantees, staged prefinancing or reject the proposal.

Administrative and management obligations:Project management, monitoring and evaluation plan must be included in Part B (see Application template). Deliverables, milestones and reporting are managed through the Portal Grant Management System. Deliverables may be public, sensitive or EUCI; main deliverables and results should be public unless exceptional circumstances apply. A consortium agreement is required. Record keeping, visibility of EU funding and data protection obligations apply per the Model Grant Agreement (PPPA MGA).

Risk, success likelihood and practical advice

Success rates:the call budget is small (€1.5 million) and the Commission expects to fund one or two projects. Therefore competition is expected to be strong and success rates low relative to the number of eligible proposals. Applicants should prepare high-quality transnational consortia that clearly demonstrate transnational added value, replicability, strong local stakeholder engagement and measurable monitoring frameworks. Proposals should address all award criteria and the specific consortium composition rules.

1. 1Ensure the consortium meets the mandatory composition rules for each participating country.
2. 2Demonstrate clear local ownership and community-led co-design mechanisms along trail sections.
3. 3Include realistic monitoring indicators and an impact measurement framework in the application.
4. 4Describe planned digital platform testing with concrete metrics, user testing and scalability considerations.
5. 5Prepare required annexes (CVs, activity reports, past projects) and keep Part B under 40 pages.

Co-funding requirement:No explicit mandatory co-funding percentage is specified. Applicants must nonetheless demonstrate stable and sufficient resources to implement the project; other resources and contributions can be own funds, revenues generated by the project or contributions from third parties. Financial sustainability and cost-effectiveness are evaluated under the Quality and Impact criteria.

How to apply — practical submission steps

Register in the Participant Register and obtain a PIC. Create EU Login account with two-factor authentication, appoint LEAR and define roles. Use the Topic page on the Funding & Tenders Portal to access the Submission System. In the Submission System: complete Part A online, download and complete Part B template and upload as PDF, upload required annexes and supporting documents in the correct slots. Submit before the deadline; confirm submission by email notification from the Portal. Do not submit paper copies.

1. 1Create EU Login and register organisation in Participant Register (get PIC).
2. 2Assemble consortium and confirm mandates for submission (declaration of mandate).
3. 3Prepare Part B using the mandatory template from the Submission System (max 40 pages).
4. 4Prepare mandatory annexes (CVs, activity reports, list of relevant projects) using provided templates.
5. 5Submit electronically via the Submission System before 26 August 2026 17:00 CET and keep submission confirmation.

Templates and application form structure:Application forms: Part A (online) and Part B (PDF template). Part B contains the technical description and is accompanied by mandatory annex templates (CVs standard template, activity reports, list of previous projects). Part B page limits: 40 pages. The call document specifies section references for eligibility conditions, page limits and layout; the application form template is available in the Submission System. During grant preparation additional documents (legal status, financial documents) will be required for legal entity validation and financial capacity checks. See the Submission System for exact templates and upload slots.

For full details, mandatory conditions, legal clauses, budget rules and Model Grant Agreement terms, consult the Call Document and the PPPA Model Grant Agreement available on the Funding & Tenders Portal Call document and model grant agreement PPPA Model Grant Agreement ¹

Concise summary

This is a competitive EU pilot call (PPPA) to fund transnational pilot projects that integrate social economy approaches into sustainable tourism along long-distance trails crossing EU Member States. Eligible applicants are legal entities in EU Member States (including public bodies, social economy organisations, trail managers, local authorities, DMOs, NGOs, research organisations and private bodies). Consortia must include partners from at least two eligible countries and meet specific composition rules to ensure presence of social economy organisations and local authorities or trail managers in participating countries. The call funds 24–36 month pilot projects focusing on research and mapping, community engagement pilots, development/testing of a digital platform, and dissemination and scaling; the expected budget is €1.5 million total with an expectation to fund one or two projects. Grants are budget-based mixed actual cost grants with an 85% funding rate and eligible costs across personnel, subcontracting, purchases, and a 7% indirect cost flat-rate. Submission is single-stage via the Funding & Tenders Portal; Part B is limited to 40 pages and applicants must upload required annexes. The evaluation uses Relevance (40), Quality (40) and Impact (20) award criteria with minimum thresholds and an overall pass mark of 60/100. Successful proposals will enter grant preparation with legal and financial checks before signature. Applicants should prioritise strong transnational local ownership, clear monitoring frameworks, replicability and digital platform testing and provide complete administrative documentation in the Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary call documentation, topic page and model grant agreement are the authoritative references for application and contractual conditions. See the Topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for submission links, templates and Q&A.

Key Facts and Deadlines

This pilot project, identified as PPPA-2026, aims to integrate social economy principles into sustainable tourism along European long-distance trails. The call is open to transnational consortia from at least two eligible countries, with a submission deadline of 26 August 2026 at 17:00 CET (Brussels time) ¹.

Total Budget:The estimated available budget is €1,500,000, with the Commission expecting to fund one or two projects ².

Expected Grant per Project:Project budgets are expected to be around €750,000 per project, though other amounts may be considered ³.

Who Should Apply and Consortium Requirements

Applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States or overseas countries and territories. The lead applicant must be one of the following: an entity managing a long-distance trail, a social economy organisation/network, a local authority, or an entity officially in charge of tourism in the relevant region ⁴.

1. 1Consortia must include at least two eligible countries.
2. 2In each participating country, the consortium must include either: (a) one social economy organisation and one local authority/tourism entity, OR (b) one entity managing a long-distance trail with members including local authorities and social economy organisations.
3. 3Additional relevant entities such as chambers of commerce, tourism companies, or environmental associations may also join.

Project Objectives and Scope

The project seeks to foster transnational cooperation among local communities along long trails (e.g., Camino de Santiago, Via Francigena, Via Transilvanica) to promote socio-economic and territorial development through a bottom-up approach. Key objectives include creating blueprints for replicating social economy models in sustainable tourism across other EU regions ⁵.

Core Themes to Address:Proposals must address: community-led solution design, alignment of social economy entities with touristic demand, local perceptions of tourism impacts, synergies between authorities and social entities for digital innovation, social inclusion (seniors, women, youth), and local value chains retaining economic benefits in rural communities ⁶.

Project Phases and Activities

Projects must be structured around four phases:1) Research and analysis (needs assessment, asset mapping); 2) Pilot testing of community engagement and social enterprise support; 3) Development or extension of a digital platform connecting supply and demand; 4) Feedback, lessons learned, and dissemination of results ⁷.

Financial and Legal Details

The grant does not allow for profit generation; any surplus must be deducted. Financial support to third parties is not allowed. In-kind contributions are allowed but cost-neutral ⁸.

How to Apply and Evaluation Criteria

Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The proposal includes Part A (administrative/budget) and Part B (technical description, max 40 pages). Evaluation is based on Relevance (40 points), Quality (40 points), and Impact (20 points), with minimum thresholds of 24/40, 24/40, and 12/20 respectively, and an overall pass score of 60/100 ⁹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Document: PPPA-2026, Version 1.0, 26 May 2026 PPPA Call Document.
2. 2Available Budget and Expected Grants: €1,500,000 total, funding 1-2 projects EU Funding Portal.
3. 3Project Budget Expectation: Around €750,000 per project PPPA Call Document.
4. 4Consortium Composition Requirements: Lead applicant types and mandatory country-level composition PPPA Call Document.
5. 5Project Objectives and Expected Impact: Integration of social economy into tourism and blueprint creation PPPA Call Document.
6. 6Scope and Themes: Detailed list of themes requiring careful consideration PPPA Call Document.
7. 7Activities and Phases: Four-phase structure and specific activities PPPA Call Document.
8. 8Financial Rules: Funding rate, indirect costs, and no-profit rule PPPA MGA.
9. 9Evaluation Criteria: Relevance, Quality, Impact scores and thresholds PPPA Call Document.