SMP-CONS-2025-ADR-RAD

The EU grant opportunity titled SMP-CONS-2025 aims to provide financial support to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies and Qualified Entities designated by EU Member States under specific directives. The funding mechanism involves action grants intended to enhance consumer protection and improve dispute resolution mechanisms as laid out in the ADR Directive 2013/11/EU and Representative Actions Directive (EU) 2020/1828. Eligible applicants include only ADR bodies and qualified entities from EU Member States. The total budget allocated for this grant for the year 2025 is €1.5 million, with individual grant amounts expected to range from approximately €200,000 to €1 million, although the exact number of grants has not been specified. The application process is open as a single-stage submission, and all proposals must be submitted by the deadline of August 27, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. An information session for potential applicants was conducted on May 15, 2025. Key project activities focus on awareness-raising, capacity building, and the development of digital tools. The funding emphasizes operational implementation rather than research and development. While the call encourages networking activities, there is no explicit requirement for applicants to form consortia, allowing for single applicants to apply as well. Co-funding from applicants is likely required, with a historical co-financing rate of 90%, suggesting that applicants must contribute at least 10% of the project costs. The nature of support provided is monetary, aimed at covering specific project costs. The call encourages applicants to consult relevant resources and adhere to submission guidelines available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The overarching goal of this grant is to enhance consumer rights enforcement through improved mechanisms for dispute resolution, promoting a more efficient and accessible process for consumers across EU Member States.

The EU Funding & Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals, SMP-CONS-2025, for action grants aimed at providing financial contributions to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies designated by EU Member States under the ADR Directive 2013/11/EU and to qualified entities (QE) designated by EU Member States under the Representative Actions Directive (EU) 2020/1828. This call falls under the Single Market Programme (SMP) and seeks to support projects through SMP Project Grants (SMP-PJG). The submission process is single-stage.

The call was opened for submission on March 13, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is August 27, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget allocated to this topic is €1,500,000 for the year 2025.

An information session regarding this call for proposals was held online on May 15, 2025, from 10:00 to 12:00 CET.

The admissibility conditions, eligible countries, other eligible conditions, financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, submission and evaluation processes, award criteria, scoring and thresholds, indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, and legal and financial set-up of the grants are all described in detail within the call document. Proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Applicants are required to use the standard proposal template (CONS), which is accessible via the Submission System, and a detailed budget template (CONS). The applicable Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is the SMP MGA.

There are 26 partner search announcements available for those seeking collaboration. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics.

To start the submission process, applicants must click the submission button next to the SMP Project Grants [SMP-PJG] action type and the SMP Action Grant Budget-Based [SMP-AG] model grant agreement.

For help related to this call, applicants are advised to consult the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, contact the IT Helpdesk for technical issues, utilize the Online Manual for step-by-step guidance, and contact the Intellectual Property Helpdesk for IP-related advice.

In summary, this call for proposals aims to bolster Alternative Dispute Resolution and support qualified entities within the EU Member States by providing action grants. The funding is intended to facilitate the implementation of the ADR Directive and the Representative Actions Directive, ultimately enhancing consumer protection and access to justice. Applicants should carefully review the call document and related annexes to ensure their proposals meet all requirements and criteria. The EU is seeking to financially assist organizations that can effectively resolve disputes outside of traditional court systems, promoting a more efficient and accessible resolution process for consumers and businesses alike.

Summary:

This is a call for proposals under the Single Market Programme (SMP) for action grants aimed at providing financial support to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies and Qualified Entities (QE) within the EU Member States. The call, titled SMP-CONS-2025, seeks to bolster the frameworks established by the ADR Directive 2013/11/EU and the Representative Actions Directive (EU) 2020/1828. Eligible applicants include ADR bodies designated by EU Member States and qualified entities also designated by EU Member States. The funding mechanism is action grants, implying that the funds are intended to support specific activities and projects that align with the objectives of the directives. While the use of a "CONS" proposal template suggests that consortia are welcome, the call does not explicitly exclude single applicants. The geographic scope is limited to EU Member States. The call targets the sectors of law and consumer protection, specifically focusing on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The project stage is likely focused on the validation and implementation of ADR and representative action frameworks. The total budget allocated to this topic is €1,500,000, to be distributed across an unspecified number of grants. The application process is a single-stage open call, with the deadline for submissions on August 27, 2025. Successful applicants will receive direct financial support through the action grants. An information session is scheduled for May 15, 2025, to provide potential applicants with further details and guidance. The call emphasizes the importance of reviewing all relevant documents and guidelines available on the Funding & Tenders Portal, including the call document, application form templates, model grant agreements, and related regulations.