Support to justice, freedom of expression and social cohesion in Syria

Restricted action grant EuropeAid managed by the European Commission supports access to justice, transitional justice, media freedom and social cohesion in Syria across four lots with an indicative total budget of €13,350,000 (Lot €1 2,000,000; Lot €2 2,000,000; Lot €3 1,350,000; Lot €4 8,000,000). Lead applicants must be non-profit legal entities established in eligible countries and, if not established in Syria, must include a Syrian co-applicant; PADOR registration and online submission via PROSPECT are mandatory. The call is a two-stage restricted procedure with concept notes due 18/05/2026 at 12:00 Brussels time and invited full applications thereafter. Grants are action grants reimbursing eligible costs, generally covering 70–90% of costs with fixed grant amounts per lot and mandatory annexes and safeguards including gender, disability and do-no-harm requirements.

What it funds

Scope and priorities

Action grants supporting projects in Syria across four thematic lots:access to affordable justice; transitional justice; media freedom and pluralism; and social cohesion. Eligible activities include legal aid, documentation and monitoring, restorative justice and victim support, protection and capacity building for media workers, community dialogue, local social cohesion initiatives and sub-granting to local civil society where allowed.

Total budget:€13,350,000 (indicative) ¹

1. 1Deadlines: concept note deadline 18/05/2026 (Brussels time); full-application deadline for invited applicants published in PROSPECT (see portal).
2. 2Grant types: Action grants (reimbursement of costs and where authorised financing not linked to costs).
3. 3Who may apply: non-profit legal persons (NGOs, public sector operators, local authorities, international organisations where allowed); lead applicant must be legally established in an eligible country and follow PADOR/PROSPECT registration.
4. 4Lead applicant rules: if lead applicant is not established in Syria it must partner with at least one co-applicant established in Syria; affiliated entities may participate under conditions in guidelines.
5. 5Application channel: online submission via PROSPECT; PADOR registration required for organisations.

Who can apply

Eligible lead applicants are non-profit legal persons (NGOs, public bodies, local authorities, international organisations where specified) effectively established in an eligible country (EU Member States, Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq or Jordan). Co-applicants and affiliated entities must meet the same eligibility rules. PADOR registration (or offline PADOR form when justified) and online submission via PROSPECT are mandatory.

Funding rules and eligibility highlights

EU contribution typically covers 70–90% of total eligible costs (100% allowed for actions implemented in specified locations per guidelines). Actions must respect EU values, human rights and safeguarding rules; contracts include standard grant conditions, reporting, audit/verification and possible third-party assessment for financing not linked to costs.

1. 1Minimum and maximum amounts per lot are fixed by the call (see table).
2. 2Duration limits: Lot 1–3 actions 18–36 months; Lot 4 actions 30–48 months.
3. 3Financial support to third parties (sub-grants) is allowed in all lots; per-recipient caps apply (generally €60,000 unless justified).
4. 4Applicants must complete logical framework, budget (Annex B), and required annexes; supporting documents and declarations (including Declaration on Honour) are required at full-application stage.

Apply and submit concept notes and, if invited, full applications via PROSPECT; register organisations in PADOR beforehand. Information sessions and user manuals are provided by the contracting authority to support applicants.

Footnotes

1. 1Call opens on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Full guidelines, application forms and annexes are published with the call: ec.europa.eu EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Opportunity summary and context

The European Commission (contracting authority) has launched a restricted call for proposals entitled Support to justice, freedom of expression and social cohesion in Syria (reference EuropeAid). The call was published on 02/04/2026 with a submission deadline for concept notes of 18/05/2026 at 12:00 Brussels time and invites applications via the PROSPECT online system. The overall indicative budget is €13,350,000, divided across four lots addressing access to justice, transitional justice, media freedom and social cohesion. This call forms part of the EU re-engagement in Syria following the fall of the Assad regime and is aligned with the EU Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy and the EU Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy. The programme aims to support the inclusive and peaceful transition, institutional reform, social cohesion, access to justice, accountability and media pluralism in Syria, and to prioritise participation of women and marginalised groups.

Key administrative facts

Call reference:EuropeAid. Publication date: 02 April 2026. Deadline for concept notes: 18 May 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Submission channel: online via PROSPECT (mandatory). Registration requirement: organisations must register in PADOR (or submit PADOR offline form where on-line registration is impossible). IT support and information sessions were scheduled to assist applicants. All templates and annexes including application forms (Annex A.1 concept note and Annex A.2 full application), Annex B budget, Annex C logical framework, Annex G standard grant contract, Annex H declaration of honour, Annex F PADOR form, Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation and other supporting documents are published with the call and are mandatory as specified in the guidelines.

Available budget and envelope per lot:Total indicative amount: €13,350,000. Lot 1 Access to affordable justice €2,000,000. Lot 2 Promotion of transitional justice €2,000,000. Lot 3 Promotion of media freedom and pluralism €1,350,000. Lot 4 Promotion of social cohesion €8,000,000.

Eligibility and who may apply

This is a restricted call in two stages:1) concept note (pre-selection) and 2) invited full application. Lead applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities (legal persons) must register in PADOR and obtain a EuropeAid ID before application. Natural persons may participate where permitted by the specific rules but PADOR covers organisations. The lead applicant must be a legal, non-profit entity established under national law in an eligible country: EU Member State, Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq, or Jordan, and must be directly responsible for preparation and management of the action and not act as an intermediary. If the lead applicant is not established in Syria, it must have at least one co-applicant established in Syria. Co-applicants and affiliated entities must satisfy the same eligibility rules. Associates, contractors and recipients of financial support are distinguished roles and have different obligations. Detailed eligibility rules and required supporting documents are defined in the guidelines.

Funding modalities and grant sizes

Grants are awarded as Action Grants. Formats allowed include reimbursement of eligible costs and financing not linked to costs (FNLC) where expressly authorised by the call. This call permits both cost-based financing and FNLC features for selected results; the applicant must follow strict guidance when proposing FNLC and must translate FNLC results and indicators into the budget. Maximum and minimum grant sizes are set per lot and are mandatory: Lot 1: only one fixed grant of €2,000,000; Lot 2: €2,000,000; Lot 3: €675,000; Lot 4: €4,000,000. The contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate funds across lots in case of insufficient proposals. Co-financing rules: EU contribution must be between 70% and 90% of total eligible costs, except where applicants are established in specific locations listed in the guidelines where up to 100% may be accepted; the balance must come from other sources.

Call structure, stages and evaluation

This is a restricted two-step procedure. Stage 1:concept note submission via PROSPECT using the Annex A.1 concept note form; administrative check and evaluation against an evaluation grid. Only concept notes scoring at least 30/50 and ranked will be pre-selected until the requested contributions reach at least 200% of available budget for the call. Stage 2: invited applicants submit a full application (Annex A.2) with Annex B budget, logical framework (Annex C) and supporting documents (including PADOR forms if applicable). Evaluation of full applications uses selection and award criteria with a score out of 100; financial and operational capacity (20), relevance (20), design (15), implementation approach (15), sustainability (15), and budget & cost-effectiveness (15). Minimum pass thresholds apply for selection criteria. Following evaluation, a reserve list will be created. Eligibility checks and verification of supporting documents follow provisional selection. Final award decisions are taken by the contracting authority. Indicative timetable was published including signature of contracts by October 2026.

Main eligible activities by lot (indicative and not exhaustive)

1. 1Lot 1: Legal aid schemes; monitoring, documenting and reporting on access to justice; capacity building of individuals and CSOs to scrutinise institutions and support rights claims; support to courts to enhance citizen-orientation and human rights standards; awareness-raising and civic education on rule of law; advocacy and networking; sub-granting to civil society.
2. 2Lot 2: Strengthening institutions working on transitional justice; restorative justice practices and victim-perpetrator dialogues; bundled victim support programs including MHPSS, legal and livelihood support; reparations and memorialisation; public awareness and capacity building on transitional justice; networking across CSOs and legitimated bodies; sub-granting to civil society; strong coordination with national Commissions on Missing Persons and on Transitional Justice.
3. 3Lot 3: Strengthening independent media and journalists; capacity building for media outlets and institutions including economic sustainability; protection and emergency measures for media workers; advocacy to improve access to information and freedom of expression; content creation and dissemination; awareness-raising; sub-granting to media outlets and individual journalists (registered or non-registered).
4. 4Lot 4: Dialogue and trust-building at community level including mediation and leadership support with dedicated space for marginalised groups, women and youth; community-based initiatives and small-scale rehabilitation projects that foster cohesion; countering hate speech, peace education and civic education; networking and peer exchange; capacity building for grassroots organisations; mandatory sub-granting to CSOs.

Financial rules, budget and FNLC specifics

Applicants must submit a budget (Annex B) consistent with the logical framework (Annex C) and description of the action (Annex A.2). Eligible costs rules apply for cost-based financing including direct costs, indirect costs (flat-rate up to 7% of eligible direct costs excluding project office and volunteer costs), contingency reserve (max 5% of direct eligible costs) and restricted lists of ineligible costs. The call allows use of financing not linked to costs (FNLC) for results-based components in parts of actions where the guidelines specifically permit it. Where FNLC is used, the applicant must: 1) identify the results and the pre-agreed indicators in Annex C; 2) mark which indicators are FNLC in the Logframe; 3) translate FNLC results/indicators into the FNLC component of the budget (Annex B tab €1Bor 1c as appropriate) and specify unit values, targets and total maximum EU contribution per indicator and per result; 4) include sources of data and validation methods; 5) budget a third party assessment where required by Article 2.11 of the general conditions, unless a derogation is agreed. The application must explain monitoring, third-party validation, and data sources for FNLC indicators. FNLC amounts cannot be treated as co-financing and are subject to the contractual validation procedures described in the guidelines and General Conditions.

Procurement, subcontracting, financial support to third parties

Beneficiaries may award contracts and subcontracts following Annex IV procurement rules; subcontracting may not cover core tasks. Financial support to third parties (sub-granting) is allowed and in Lot 4 it is mandatory to propose financial support to third parties; maximum amount per third party normally €60,000 unless justified. The lead applicant must define objectives, eligible activities, recipient categories, selection criteria, amounts and maximum per third party in the full application. Recipients must not be on EU restrictive measures lists. The coordinator must ensure compliance with EU restrictive measures in all partners and third parties.

Cross-cutting requirements and ethics

Actions must adopt gender-sensitive and disability-inclusive approaches; sex-disaggregated data is required and proposals must report against relevant gender and disability commitments. Environmental legislation and ILO core labour standards must be respected. The EU applies a policy of zero tolerance regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEA-H). Successful applicants (except natural persons, pillar-assessed entities and public bodies) must complete an Annex L self-evaluation on SEA-H and implement mitigation measures. Applicants must ensure compliance with EU values and refrain from supporting proscribed organisations. Fraud, corruption, irregularities or unusual commercial expenses will lead to sanctions, recovery, contract termination and exclusion measures.

Application process and documents

Concept notes must be submitted via PROSPECT and follow the template in Annex A.1. Only information in the concept note will be evaluated at stage 1. Pre-selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application using Annex A.2 plus Annex B budget (Excel), Annex C logical framework (Excel) and required supporting documents including statutory documents, declaration on honour (Annex H) where grant amount exceeds €15,000, PADOR forms if on-line registration is impossible, latest accounts and external audit report where applicable (thresholds apply). Lead applicants are responsible for ensuring co-applicants and affiliated entities sign mandataries and affiliated entity statements, as required. All correspondence and submissions for this call take place in English and via PROSPECT/PADOR.

Selection, award and post-award checks

Evaluation is done in three steps:1) administrative checks and concept note evaluation; 2) evaluation of full applications; 3) verification of eligibility and supporting documents. Selection criteria include operational and financial capacity checks. Award decisions are taken by the contracting authority. After provisional selection, the contracting authority performs a final eligibility verification based on submitted supporting documents. The contracting authority may request clarifications and may require adjustments to budgets where arithmetical or ineligible costs are found prior to contract signature. The contracting authority may also commission checks, expenditure verification (Agreed-Upon Procedures), third party assessment or audits during implementation as per Annex VII and Article 16 of the General Conditions.

Key compliance and contractual provisions

If awarded, the beneficiary(ies) accept the standard grant contract (Annex G) or where a lead applicant is pillar-assessed, a contribution agreement variant. The contract contains general conditions (Annex II) including reporting, record keeping, audits and recovery rules. Payments are made subject to contractual conditions including possible requirement for a financial guarantee for pre-financing. Beneficiaries must comply with visibility rules for EU funding except in exceptional security-sensitive cases where derogations can be agreed. Grants are subject to the no-profit rule except where specified. Tax treatment, VAT and recoverability follow national rules and Annex J provides guidance; beneficiaries must prove inability to reclaim taxes where they request coverage of VAT or duties.

Documentation provided with the call

1. 1Annex A.1 Concept note template (Application form concept note).
2. 2Annex A.2 Full application form (Application form full application).
3. 3Annex B Budget templates (worksheets 1a, €1B, 1c for FNLC combinations, justification and expected sources).
4. 4Annex C Logical framework (logframe template and activities matrix).
5. 5Annex D Identification forms (public law bodies, private entities, natural persons).
6. 6Annex F PADOR offline registration form.
7. 7Annex G Standard grant contract and Annex II General Conditions.
8. 8Annex H Declaration of honour on exclusion criteria.
9. 9Annex J Information on tax regime applicable to grant contracts in this call.
10. 10Annex K Clarifications on financing not linked to costs (detailed guidance and examples).
11. 11Annex L Self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H.

Risk management, safeguards and monitoring

Applicants must include a risk analysis and contingency plan covering political, environmental, security, social and economic risks. Where FNLC is used, applicants must include monitoring arrangements and third-party validation arrangements for results used to trigger FNLC payments. The contracting authority reserves the right to request expenditure verifications (AUP) and third-party assessments as per Annex VII. SEA-H self-evaluations and mitigation measures are administrative prerequisites for signature in many cases and will be required before payments for grants exceeding specified thresholds.

How proposals will be assessed — evaluation grids

Concept notes are evaluated against a 50-point grid assessing relevance (20) and design (25) with the intervention logic subscore doubled to reflect its importance. Concept notes scoring at least 30/50 pass to pre-selection. Full applications are scored out of 100 with selection (financial/operational capacity) and award criteria covering relevance, design, implementation, sustainability and budget. Minimum scores apply for Section 1 (financial and operational capacity) to proceed. The contracting authority uses published evaluation grids and procedures to ensure transparency and fairness.

Submission method and deadlines:Concept notes must be submitted online via PROSPECT by 18/05/2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. Full applications will be requested from pre-selected applicants; deadlines for full applications are published in invitation letters in PROSPECT.

Categorisation and structured extraction of key opportunity attributes

Below is a detailed, structured extraction of the opportunity attributes for rapid assessment and decision-making by potential applicants and advisers.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Non-profit legal entities including non-governmental organisations, public sector operators, local authorities, public law bodies, international organisations where eligible; lead applicants must be legal persons and not-for-profit; co-applicants and affiliated entities must be legal persons. Natural persons are only eligible where the guidelines permit and PADOR requirements are met. Partners in eligible countries (Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan) are strongly required. Universities and research institutions, foundations and registered civil society organisations (CSOs) can be applicants if established in eligible countries and meeting non-profit criteria.
2. 2Funding Type: Primary mechanism: grant (Action Grants). Forms include reimbursement of eligible costs, financing not linked to costs (FNLC) in parts of actions where authorised, and combinations thereof. Financial support to third parties (sub-granting) is permitted and mandatory in Lot 4.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Consortiums are permitted and in many cases expected. The lead applicant can submit alone but must have local co-applicant(s) in Syria if lead is not established in Syria. The call requires mandate forms for co-applicants and affiliated entity statements for affiliated entities. The lead applicant is the coordinator and single interlocutor for contracting authority. Thus typical structure: one lead applicant plus co-applicant(s) and affiliated entities; associates and subcontractors are defined roles.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Syria, Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq and Jordan for establishment of lead applicants. Actions must be implemented in Syria; limited activities (e.g., trainings) may take place in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan) if duly justified. The call is funded under EU instruments including Special Measures in Support of the Syrian People and the Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy.
5. 5Target Sector: Governance, rule of law and justice; human rights; media and freedom of expression; social cohesion and peacebuilding. Thematic clusters: justice (legal aid, access to courts), transitional justice, media freedom and journalist protection, social cohesion, peacebuilding and local reconciliation.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Syria; Lebanon; Türkiye; Iraq; Jordan; EU Member States (applicants can be established in EU MS).
7. 7Project Stage: Expected project maturity: implementation-ready projects with demonstrated operational capacity; actions may include research, capacity building, pilot, demonstration and service delivery elements. Applicants should demonstrate experience in similar actions and capacity to implement at scale. Full applications must provide detailed methodology, action plan and logical framework reflecting outputs and outcomes.
8. 8Funding Amount: Total call envelope €13,350,000. Indicative per-lot allocations: Lot €1 2,000,000; Lot €2 2,000,000; Lot €3 1,350,000; Lot €4 8,000,000. Individual grant amounts are fixed per lot: Lot 1 grant must be €2,000,000 (min=max), Lot €2 2,000,000, Lot €3 675,000, Lot €4 4,000,000. EU contribution percentage: typically 70–90% of eligible costs; in certain eligible locations up to 100% co-financing is possible as specified in guidelines.
9. 9Application Type: Two-stage restricted call for proposals: stage 1 concept note (open call to eligible applicants but restricted in procedure), stage 2 invited full application. Submission mandatory via PROSPECT; registration in PADOR mandatory. Information sessions and user manuals available; IT support provided.
10. 10Nature of Support: Financial — direct grants (money). Also non-monetary technical expectations: capacity building, monitoring tools, third-party assessments and advisory support may be funded as eligible costs or required deliverables. Sub-granting to third parties is allowed/required in certain lots.
11. 11Application Stages: 3 main procedural stages: 1) administrative check and concept note evaluation; 2) evaluation of full application; 3) eligibility verification and award/contract signature. Additionally, post-award checks and verification activities (e.g., expenditure verification, third-party assessment) may occur. Internally the evaluation has two major submission phases (concept note and full application).
12. 12Success Rates: Not explicitly published. The guidelines indicate shortlisting up to aggregated requested amounts equivalent to at least 200% of available budget at concept note stage, implying roughly 50% of pre-selected projects may be invited to full application. Final success rate depends on quality of proposals and number of submissions; historically restricted calls with competitive budgets yield single-digit to low double-digit final success rates depending on lot.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: Yes. Minimum EU contribution is 70% of total eligible costs; maximum is 90% unless applicants are established in designated locations allowing up to 100% as specified. Balance must come from other sources (applicant contributions, other donors) and must be documented in Annex B and expected sources of funding worksheet. In-kind contributions are possible but cannot be treated as co-financing except where explicitly accepted and documented in Annex III and special conditions.
14. 14Templates: Application forms include Annex A.1 Concept note and Annex A.2 Full application. Annex B Budget worksheets (1a cost-based, €1Bcost-based + FNLC, 1c FNLC only), Justification (Worksheet 2), Expected sources (Worksheet 3). Annex C Logical Framework matrix and Activities Matrix template. Annex D Identification forms for public law bodies, private entities and natural persons. Annex F PADOR offline registration. Annex G Standard grant contract and Annex II General Conditions. Annex H Declaration of honour template. Annex K detailed guidance on FNLC including examples and checklists. Annex L SEA-H self-evaluation template. Applicants are required to use the provided templates and complete required appendices; FNLC proposals must follow Annex K and include clear logframe-to-budget mapping and third-party assessment budgeting where applicable.

Detailed applicant requirements and supporting documents

Mandatory administrative and supporting documents for invited full applications include:updated PADOR registration (or PADOR offline form Annex F together with supporting documents where online registration is impossible); statutes/articles of association; declaration on honour (Annex H) signed by lead applicant, co-applicants and affiliated entities if grant > €15,000; latest accounts and external audit report where thresholds apply (action grants exceeding €750,000 require audit report; operating grants exceeding €100,000 require audit report); bank identification form and financial identification details; signed mandates from co-applicants authorising the lead applicant to submit and sign the grant contract on their behalf; affiliated entity statement signed by affiliated entities. Applicants must provide logical framework (Annex C) and budget (Annex B) and a detailed justification of costs (Annex B worksheet 2). All documentation must be in the language of the call (English) and follow page / font formatting instructions for concept notes.

Monitoring, verification and audit provisions

The contracting authority may conduct checks, audits, expenditure verifications (Agreed-Upon Procedures) and third-party assessments in accordance with Article 16 of the General Conditions and Annex VII A and B. For grants above €5,000,000, a contractual expenditure verification report is required with interim reports; for grants above €100,000 the final report requires verification. For FNLC components the contract may require third-party assessment to validate achievement of pre-agreed indicators prior to FNLC payments. Beneficiaries must permit access to documents and records by the Commission, OLAF, EPPO and the European Court of Auditors for verification. Non-compliance can lead to suspension, recovery, financial penalties and exclusion.

Security, confidentiality and sensitive contexts:The guidelines include derogations for visibility and communication measures where public EU visibility could endanger staff, beneficiaries or jeopardise project security. In such cases derogation requests are to be justified in the full application and negotiated in Special Conditions. Contractual confidentiality, secure handling of sensitive documentation and restrictions on public acknowledgement are explicitly accommodated where necessary.

Practical advice for applicants (high-level checklist)

1. 1Ensure PADOR registration and obtain EuropeAid ID well before submission; if impossible, prepare PADOR offline form (Annex F) with supporting documentation.
2. 2Strictly follow concept note template and limits; concept notes are the only document evaluated at stage 1.
3. 3If pre-selected, prepare full application using Annex A.2 and complete Annex B (budget) and Annex C (logframe) exactly per templates.
4. 4If proposing FNLC components, follow Annex K guidance: identify FNLC results and indicators in the logframe, copy them precisely into the budget FNLC section (Annex B 1c or €1B), provide unit values, targets and total maximum EU contribution per indicator and describe data sources and third-party validation arrangements.
5. 5Prepare SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L) and identify remedial measures; this is an administrative requirement for successful applicants above certain thresholds.
6. 6Prepare mandatory legal, financial and statutory documents for eligibility verification; check thresholds that trigger audit reports or additional evidence and submit originals/scans as required.
7. 7Budget indirect costs correctly (flat-rate up to 7% on eligible direct costs excluding project office and volunteer costs) and follow eligibility rules for contingency reserves (max 5%) and volunteers’ unit costs.
8. 8If planning to provide Financial Support to Third Parties, define eligibility, selection criteria and maximum amounts in the full application and Annex B, and ensure recipients are not on restrictive measures lists.
9. 9Plan monitoring, data collection, third-party assessment and communications/visibility measures, and describe risk mitigation strategies in the full application.
10. 10Respect EU values, avoid support to proscribed organisations, and prepare robust safeguarding and anti-corruption measures.

The call provides substantial supporting documentation and mandatory templates that must be used without alteration. Key annexes include the concept note and full application forms, budget and logical framework spreadsheets, declaration on honour, PADOR forms, standard grant contract and general conditions, FNLC guidance and tax information. Applicants should budget for third-party assessments and contractual expenditure verifications where required and ensure internal procedures for SEA-H and ethical compliance are in place.

For further information applicants should consult the call webpage on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the full guidelines package published with the call, and use the PROSPECT user manual and the PADOR guidance. Technical questions on PROSPECT/PADOR are handled by the IT helpdesk; programmematic questions are addressed to the contact point listed in the call documents. Applicants must plan for time to obtain national supporting documents and translations where needed.

This summary reflects the call documentation published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the annexes attached to reference EuropeAid and provides a structured extraction of all major elements required for preparing a compliant concept note and full application.

Footnote reference:Applicants using FNLC must follow the detailed guidance in Annex K which explains how to map logframe indicators into budget FNLC headings, define unit values and targets, and plan third-party assessments; Annex K contains worked examples and checklists that are mandatory reading for FNLC proposals ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Annex K provides detailed guidance on financing not linked to costs (FNLC): how to design FNLC indicators in the logframe, map them into the budget (Annex B) as FNLC headings and sub-headings with unit values and targets, and when and how to budget and appoint a third party assessor to validate FNLC results (Annex K of the call documentation).

This is a restricted-type action grant call under reference EuropeAid, managed by the European Commission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The call supports Syria's transitional phase post-Assad regime fall in December 2024, focusing on rebuilding trust in institutions, transitional justice, media freedom, and social cohesion amid ongoing challenges like displacement and institutional fragility.

Objectives and Lots

Global objective:Contribute to sustainable community development in Syria and full human rights enjoyment. Specific objectives by lot:

• Lot 1: Access to affordable justice for all in Syria (€2,000,000)
• Lot 2: Promotion of transitional justice processes in Syria (€2,000,000)
• Lot 3: Promotion of and support to media freedom and pluralism in Syria (€1,350,000)
• Lot 4: Promotion of social cohesion in Syria (€8,000,000)

Priorities per lot include legal aid, restorative justice, media protection, and community dialogue. Actions must align with EU values, gender equality, disability inclusion, and do-no-harm principles.

Financial Allocation and Grant Size

Total budget:€13,350,000. Grants: 70-90% of eligible costs (100% if applicant established in eligible locations). Form: Reimbursement of eligible costs (actual or simplified). Unallocated lot funds may shift to others. No profit allowed.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants

• Legal persons, non-profit, NGOs/public sector/local authorities established in EU Member States, Syria, Lebanon, Turkiye, Iraq, Jordan.
• Lead applicant not from Syria must partner with one Syrian-established co-applicant.
• Lead submits one application; co-applicants/affiliates in max 2 applications.

Eligible Actions

• Duration: Lots 1-3: 18-36 months; Lot 4: 30-48 months.
• Location: Primarily Syria; limited training in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Turkiye, Iraq, Jordan) if justified.
• Types: Projects with measurable results, gender-responsive, disability-sensitive, theory of change. Financial support to third parties allowed (max €60,000/third party; mandatory for Lot 4).

Ineligible:Individual scholarships/sponsorships, political parties, proselytism, violence incitement, humanitarian aid, EU-sanctioned entities.

Application Procedure

Restricted:Submit concept note first (Annex A.1) by 18/05/2026, 12:00 Brussels time via PROSPECT. Pre-selected submit full application (Annex A.2). Online submission mandatory; register in PADOR/Participant Register.

Key Deadlines:Concept notes: 18/05/2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Full applications: Indicated to pre-selected (indicative: 15/07/2026). Info sessions: 21/04/2026 (online), 22/04/2026 (Damascus). Link Title

Evaluation and Award

Two-step:Concept notes scored on relevance/design (min 30/50); top 200% budget invited for full applications. Full: Capacity (min 12/20), relevance/design/implementation/sustainability/budget (100 total). Provisional selection, eligibility verification, award decision.

Key Requirements and Documents

• Logical framework (Annex C), budget (Annex B), PADOR registration.
• Supporting docs: Statutes, accounts, declarations on honour (Annex H).
• Visibility: EU emblem/funding statement; derogations possible for security.
• Ethics: Zero tolerance SEA-H (Annex L self-evaluation); anti-corruption.

Strong coordination with Syrian commissions on missing persons/transitional justice essential (Lot 2). Gender analysis, sex-disaggregated data, disability inclusion mandatory. Submit via PROSPECT; contact DELEGATION-SYRIA-FCA@eeas.europa.eu for queries.

Risks and Considerations

Syria's fragile transition risks instability; actions must be conflict-sensitive, sustainable. EU re-engagement post-2012 focuses on civil society/transitional authorities. Monitor updates via portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Primary source: Guidelines (webgate.ec.europa.eu). Budgets/dates from portal scraping.