Supporting excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreting training 2026-2027

The European Parliament DG LINC invites higher education institutions, consortia and relevant associations to apply for Topic 2 grants under EP-LINC-SUBV-2026-CONF-INT to support excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreter training for the 2026–2027 academic year. The indicative budget for Topic 2 is €150,000 with European Parliament co-financing up to 75 percent and a project end date no later than 31 August 2027. Eligible activities include networking, mobility, training-of-trainers, e-learning and research into interpreting methodologies and technologies, and applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal by 7 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Supporting excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreting training 2026-2027

What it funds

Focus and expected outcome

Grants from the European Parliament (DG LINC) support projects that strengthen postgraduate and other high‑quality conference interpreting training, promote cooperation between universities, develop centres of excellence or research, foster regional cooperation and integrate modern ICT (e‑learning, virtual coaching, RSI and digital tools). The overall aim is to increase the pool of qualified conference interpreters for EU institutions.

Who can apply:Higher education institutions, universities, university institutes, consortia and associations of such bodies offering or coordinating postgraduate conference interpreting courses; associations, consortia and bodies whose main mission is to support cooperation and disseminate best practice in conference interpreter training.

1. 1Applicants must be legally established in an EU Member State, an EFTA state or an EU candidate country.
2. 2Projects must meet admissibility, eligibility, exclusion and selection criteria set out in the call documents.
3. 3The Parliament’s co‑funding is complementary and covers a maximum of 75% of eligible costs; grants are awarded after competitive evaluation.

Typical grants are project grants (EP-PJG, EP action grant budget-based). The Parliament generally pays a single pre-financing (70%) after signature and the balance after approval of final reports; final grant equals the approved eligible costs multiplied by the co‑financing rate (max 75%).

Apply electronically by the deadline through the Funding & Tenders Portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Read the call document, Guide for applicants and annexes in the Topic documents before preparing the application.

Supporting excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreting training 2026-2027 — Call EP-LINC-SUBV-2026-CONF-INT-02

This is a European Parliament (DG LINC) grant call to strengthen conference interpreter training through excellence initiatives, inter-university cooperation and applied research. It targets universities and similar bodies to develop innovative tools, e-learning and virtual coaching, mobility, training-of-trainers, and to network centres of excellence so the EU institutions can rely on a robust pipeline of highly qualified interpreters across priority language combinations. Single-stage proposals are submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The action runs in the academic year 2026-2027 and must end by 31 August 2027 at the latest. ¹

Programme and topic:Programme: FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR TRAINING IN CONFERENCE INTERPRETING (EP-LINC-SUBV-2026-CONF-INT). Specific topic: EP-LINC-SUBV — Supporting excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreter training. Type of action: EP-PJG EP Project Grants under an EP Action Grant Budget-Based model grant agreement (EP-AG). Topic page

Key dates:Opening: 19 March 2026. Deadline: 7 May 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Evaluation: June–July 2026. Results notification: by end of July 2026. Grant agreements: July–October 2026. Earliest project start: not earlier than application submission date. Latest project end: 31 August 2027 (extensions only if duly justified and approved). Call document

Objectives and scope

DG LINC’s mission is to ensure the EU institutions can function in full linguistic diversity by maintaining sufficient numbers of highly qualified conference interpreters. Under this topic, the programme supports actions that: integrate modern ICT into interpreter training; organise networking, mobility and training-of-trainers; deploy e-learning and virtual coaching; and develop or disseminate innovative training content and tools. Proposals may combine several of these activities. Target beneficiaries are postgraduate interpreter training ecosystems and bodies that coordinate cooperation and best practice in conference interpreter education.

Budget and funding

Total indicative budget for Topic 2 in 2026: €150,000. The EP co-financing rate is up to 75% of total eligible costs. Grants are non-profit, cost-based, and cannot double-fund any cost. Budget redistribution across topics may occur if funds remain under other topics (01 or 03).

Historical reference point from 2025 awards suggests individual grant sizes typically in the range of roughly €35,000 to €150,000 per project, depending on scope and costs. Grants awarded 2025

Payments:70% pre-financing within 30 days after both parties sign the grant agreement; balance after approval of the final technical report and final financial statement (payment target 60 days after complete cost claim). Grants follow EP-AG general conditions, including audit rights and ex-post controls. Grant Agreement draft

Who can apply and geographic scope

Eligible applicants include: higher-education institutions, universities, university institutes, consortia and associations of universities or institutes offering or coordinating postgraduate conference interpreting courses; and associations, consortia and bodies whose primary mission is to support cooperation and disseminate best practices in worldwide conference interpreter training. Teaching establishments must be approved by national authorities as public or private bodies with a public task in master/postgraduate-level conference interpreting; non-teaching bodies must be aligned with programme objectives and recognised by national authorities.

Geographic eligibility: legal entities established in EU Member States, EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) and EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine). Applicants must ensure that no involved entity is subject to EU restrictive measures throughout the grant.

Language priorities for interpreter training (context)

DG LINC sets annual active language (A) priorities to guide training investments. For 2026-2027 these are: 1st priority: DA, EN, GA, MT, UK, CG, SQ; 2nd: BG, DE, EL, ES, HU, SV; 3rd: CS, FI, FR, HR, IT, NL, PT, SK; 4th: ET, LT, LV, PL, RO, SL; 5th: candidate country languages BS, MK, TR, SR, KA. Language priorities 2026-27

Evaluation, award criteria and thresholds

Proposals pass admissibility, eligibility, exclusion and selection checks (financial capacity, technical and organisational capacity). To be accepted, a proposal must obtain at least 60% of the maximum points. An Evaluation Committee of at least three DG LINC officials assesses Topic 2 proposals against four award criteria (max 100 points):

• Quality, innovativeness and usability of the proposed project — max 35 points
• Potential impact on the field of conference interpreting and benefits to the European Parliament and institutions it serves — max 30 points
• Contribution to the programme objectives and expected results — max 30 points
• Quality and efficiency of project management, including appropriateness of the budget — max 5 points

DG LINC may recommend partial funding, exclude excessive/irrelevant cost items, sub-rank tied proposals, and reallocate available funds across topics if necessary.

Cost eligibility, reporting and audits

Eligible direct costs include staff costs, travel and subsistence, equipment (depreciation or rental aligned to project use and duration), consumables, direct costs of conferences/seminars/workshops, subcontracting where justified and procured at best value, and financial support to third parties if foreseen. Indirect costs: flat-rate up to 7% of eligible direct costs (A–F). Ineligible costs include: return on capital, debt service, provisions, interest, doubtful debts, exchange losses, bank transfer fees charged by grantee’s bank, double-funded costs, contributions in kind, excessive or reckless expenditure, and deductible VAT. Guide for applicants

Staff costs must follow the applicant’s normal remuneration policy and be supported by hourly-rate calculations and signed timesheets. An EP template for staff hourly-rate calculation and a model timesheet are provided. Staff costs hourly rate sheet Model timesheet

Procurement by beneficiaries must follow best value for money and avoid conflicts of interest; public buyers apply national public procurement rules. Subcontracting must be limited, justified and pre-declared or prior-approved. The EP, OLAF and the European Court of Auditors may check, audit, or evaluate projects during implementation and for up to five years after balance payment (three years if the maximum grant is ≤ €60,000). Beneficiaries must retain records accordingly. Annex II General Conditions

Submission and forms

Applications are electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Part A is filled online (administrative and budget summary). Part B is a downloadable PDF template to complete and upload, including narrative, detailed budget (Section III) and annexes. The call is single-stage; paper submissions are not accepted. EU Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Mandatory annexes and key templates:Annex I Financial Identification Form; Annex II recognition by national ministry (or proof of public task/mission); Annex III CVs of key staff; Annex IV financial capacity evidence (unless a public body); Annex V detailed hourly-rate calculations; Declaration on Honour; Detailed budget tables; Model timesheets. Application form Topic 2 (template) Declaration on Honour Financial identification form

Categorization answers

Eligible Applicant Types:University, higher-education institution, university institute, research institute attached to a university, associations or consortia of universities or institutes coordinating postgraduate conference interpreting training, and associations or bodies whose main mission is to support cooperation and disseminate best practices in conference interpreter training. Public or private nonprofit teaching establishments with a recognised public task in master/postgraduate-level conference interpreting are eligible; non-teaching bodies must be aligned with programme objectives and recognised by national authorities.

Funding Type:Grant (EP Project Grants, budget-based, reimbursement of eligible costs with a 7% indirect-cost flat rate ceiling).

Consortium Requirement:Single applicants or consortia are eligible. Projects may involve multiple partner institutions. Multi-beneficiary agreements may be applied when third parties play a major role, otherwise a single coordinating beneficiary signs and manages the grant with partner roles and budgets detailed in the proposal.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States, EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland), and EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine).

Target Sector:Education and training; culture and multilingualism; language services; ICT-enhanced pedagogy; innovation in interpreter training; mobility and capacity building in postgraduate conference interpreting.

Mentioned Countries:Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine. Historical awardees and examples also reference Belgium, France, Hungary, Malta, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Language priorities reference EU official language countries corresponding to the listed active languages.

Project Stage:Development and implementation of training, cooperation and dissemination actions; validation and demonstration of innovative training tools and methods; scale-up of networking structures; training-of-trainers; mobility implementation; e-learning/virtual coaching deployment.

Funding Amount:Total indicative budget for this topic: €150,000. Individual grant sizes depend on approved eligible costs and co-funding; past awards for similar actions typically ranged approximately from €34,000 to €150,000 per project. Co-financing by EP is up to 75% of eligible costs.

Application Type:Open call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Electronic submission only.

Nature of Support:Money (grant funding) with associated non-financial elements such as EP participation in examination panels and monitoring as specified in the grant agreement.

Application Stages:One competitive stage: admissibility, eligibility, exclusion, selection, and award criteria evaluation followed by grant signature with selected beneficiaries.

Success Rates:No quantitative success rates are published in the call. Selection depends on quality ranking against award criteria and available budget. Historical award lists provide insight into funded volumes but not denominators of applications.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. The EP funds up to 75% of total eligible costs. Beneficiaries must contribute at least 25% through own resources, partner contributions, public support specifically for the project, and/or direct revenues (e.g., fees) declared in the budget. Grants are non-profit; revenues may not exceed total eligible costs.

Application templates and structure

The Topic 2 Application Form includes the following main parts and annexes, guiding the applicant through administrative data, project design, budgeting, and compliance evidence.

1. 1Part A (online): Administrative data of the applicant/partners; summary budget.
2. 2Part B (PDF upload): Narrative sections including I. Identification (legal representative, coordinator, finance officer, VAT status); II. Project description; III. Budget; IV. Annexes; V. Declaration.
3. 3Section II. Project description structure (Topic 2): II.1 Title; II.2 Duration and schedule; II.3 Project narrative with: a) Project description; b) Work plan and timeline with partner task allocation; c) Expected results (tangible outputs); d) Innovativeness; e) Impact and usefulness for conference interpreter training; f) Dissemination and access to results; g) Contribution to programme objectives; h) Technical operational capacity (staff, equipment, CVs of key people; estimated hours and pro-rata); i) Monitoring and evaluation; j) Other relevant information.
4. 4Section III. Budget: Table 1 Expenditure overview (A–G); Table 2 Income overview (including EP grant request, own/partner contributions, direct revenue, public and other sources); Table 3 Partner contribution breakdown; Detailed Tables 4.A–4.G (Staff; Travel/subsistence; Equipment with depreciation; Consumables; Conferences/seminars/workshops E1–E2; Other direct costs; General costs at max 7%).
5. 5Annexes: I Financial Identification Form (with banking proof); II National recognition/public task confirmation; III CVs of key personnel; IV Financial capacity evidence unless a public body; V Detailed hourly-rate calculations using the EP Excel template; Declaration on Honour; Staff costs hourly-rate file; Model timesheet; Guide for Applicants; General Conditions; Draft Grant Agreement; Q&A from previous calls.

Compliance essentials and frequently checked points

• Non-retroactivity: costs incurred before the application submission date are ineligible; certain pre-signature costs linked to the programme cycle may be accepted only if included in the agreement.
• Single pre-financing at 70% and balance after acceptance of final reports; non-profit and co-financing principles strictly enforced.
• Budget accuracy: show units x unit costs; ensure income and expenditure balance; exclude VAT if recoverable or exempt; apply depreciation for equipment proportionate to project duration and use.
• Staff costs: calculate hourly rates from annual gross salary plus obligatory charges divided by total annual workable hours; keep signed monthly timesheets; separate preparation time from teaching as instructed.
• Procurement and subcontracting: apply best value for money, avoid conflicts; notify the EP for significant subcontracting not foreseen; observe national public procurement rules for contracting authorities.
• Publicity obligations: acknowledge EP co-funding in all publications and activities, using the EP logo and disclaimer provided by the EP Download Centre.
• Monitoring: allow EP representatives to participate in examination panels and relevant project meetings and plan schedules accordingly.

Support and official references

• Helpdesk for EP-LINC calls: linc.grants@europarl.europa.eu
• IT Helpdesk and Online Manual for the Funding & Tenders Portal processes
• DG LINC Work Programme 2026 and decision on the 2026 grants envelope (€750,000 under budget line 3245-04) Work Programme Decision
• Privacy statement on personal data processing in DG LINC grants Privacy Statement
• Q&A from previous calls with clarifications on budgets, equipment, hourly rates, and forms Q&A previous calls

Long summary — What is this opportunity about and how to explain it

The European Parliament’s DG LINC finances targeted projects that make interpreter training better connected, more innovative, and more impactful. Under Topic 2, the focus is not on running entire master programmes, but on strengthening the ecosystem around them: universities and specialised bodies can propose networks of excellence, mobility for students and trainers, training-of-trainers schemes, and development or rollout of e-learning, virtual coaching and data-driven tools for interpreter pedagogy. Projects must be practical, usable and geared to improving outcomes for conference interpreting in the EU context, especially in line with annual language priorities. The call is competitive, single-stage, with clear award criteria emphasising quality and innovativeness, impact for the EU institutions, alignment with programme objectives, and lean, credible management and budgeting.

Funding is granted as a cost-based action grant with up to 75% EP co-financing. Costs must be eligible, necessary, reasonable and auditable; indirect costs are capped at 7%. A 70% pre-financing eases early cash flow, with the balance paid after acceptance of final reports. Applicants submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using the Topic 2 templates: enter administrative data (Part A), a structured narrative and work plan (Part B), and a detailed budget with supporting annexes (bank details, recognition by national authorities, CVs, hourly-rate calculations, and financial capacity evidence where applicable). Staff cost calculations and timesheets follow EP templates. Equipment is charged via depreciation aligned to the actual period and use for the action. Procurement must follow best value for money; subcontracting should be limited and justified. EP may monitor activities and join exam panels to ensure quality and alignment.

Who should apply: universities and networks that want to move interpreter training forward through collaboration, digitalisation and capacity building. What’s at stake: ensuring future cohorts of interpreters can pass EU accreditation and serve the institutions’ multilingual needs. How to succeed: demonstrate an innovative, usable plan with a credible team, a balanced multi-partner setup if relevant, strong dissemination to the training community, and a precise, auditable budget. The official call documents and templates provide all necessary instructions to prepare a compliant, high-quality proposal within the short window from March to early May 2026. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Primary references: Topic page EP-LINC-SUBV on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; Call for Proposals 2026-2027; EP Work Programme Decision 2026; Application Form Topic 2 and annexes; EP General Conditions; Staff costs hourly rate template; Model timesheet; Language priorities; Online Manual.

EU Funding Opportunity Analysis: Supporting Excellence, Cooperation or Research in Conference Interpreting Training 2026-2027

Funding Opportunity Overview

The European Parliament Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC) is offering grants to support excellence, cooperation and research activities in conference interpreter training for the 2026-2027 academic year. This funding mechanism aims to develop new generations of qualified conference interpreters to address language shortages, support candidate countries' accession, and maintain high standards in EU official languages and main political partners' languages.

Call Identifier and Basic Information:This funding is allocated under Topic 2 of the EP-LINC-SUBV-2026-CONF-INT call for proposals. The call opened on 19 March 2026 and closes on 7 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal only. Paper submissions are not accepted.

Budget and Financial Terms

Available Budget:The indicative budget allocated for Topic 2 is €150,000 for the 2026-2027 academic year. This represents the total funding pool available for all successful Topic 2 proposals. If budget remains available under Topic 2 after evaluating proposals, any unused funds may be redistributed to other topics within the call.

Co-financing Rate and Payment Structure:The European Parliament provides maximum co-financing of 75 percent of eligible costs. Beneficiaries must secure the remaining 25 percent through other sources such as direct revenues, public support, or institutional self-financing. The grant is paid in two instalments: pre-financing of 70 percent of the awarded amount within 30 days of grant agreement signature, and final payment of the balance following approval of final reports. The grant must comply with the non-profit rule, meaning income cannot exceed expenditure.

Eligible Applicants and Geographic Scope

Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, universities, university institutes, consortia and associations of universities that offer or coordinate postgraduate courses in conference interpreting. Additionally, associations, consortia and bodies whose main mission is to support cooperation and disseminate best practices in worldwide conference interpreter training may apply. Teaching establishments must be approved by national authorities as public or private bodies charged with the public task of teaching and organising courses at master or postgraduate level in conference interpreting.

Applicants must be legally established in one of the EU Member States, one of the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) or a candidate country for EU membership (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine). Topic 2 allows applications from these geographic areas to support cooperation across borders.

Eligible Activities and Project Types

Topic 2 invites proposals aimed at supporting excellence, cooperation or research in conference interpreter training. Projects may combine several complementary activities focused on advancing the field and supporting innovation.

Types of Eligible Activities:

• Networking activities and management of structures for cooperation between centres of excellence in conference interpreter training
• Organisation of student and teacher mobility schemes between institutions and countries
• Organisation of training of trainers programmes to enhance instructor capabilities
• Organisation and delivery of e-learning and virtual coaching activities
• Integration of innovative training content and tools into interpreter training curricula
• Research activities related to technical developments in conference interpreting
• Quality assurance and benchmarking initiatives across training programmes

Projects should contribute to the objectives of the DG LINC grants programme, which include promoting quality and linguistic diversity, establishing centres of excellence, fostering cooperation among universities across European and candidate countries, supporting regional cooperation with complementary language regimes, and integrating modern information and communication technologies.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

The Evaluation Committee, composed of at least three officials from different DG LINC units, assesses proposals against the following criteria for Topic 2. To be accepted, a proposal must obtain at least 60 percent of the maximum possible points (100 points total). Proposals scoring below this threshold are rejected.

Criterion 1: Quality, Innovativeness and Usability of the Proposed Project:Maximum 35 points. This criterion evaluates whether the project presents novel approaches, demonstrates innovation in conference interpreter training methodology, and offers practical tools or knowledge that can be used by other training programmes. Assessors consider the quality of project design, originality of approach, and potential for practical application within the field.

Criterion 2: Potential Impact on Conference Interpreting:Maximum 30 points. Assessment includes the potential impact that can be achieved through development, dissemination and use of project results. Special attention is given to potential benefits to the European Parliament and EU institutions and bodies for which DG LINC provides interpretation services. This includes benefits to the wider conference interpreting community and contribution to addressing language shortage issues.

Criterion 3: Contribution to Programme Objectives:Maximum 30 points. Proposals are assessed for their contribution to meeting the stated objectives of the DG LINC grants programme, including promotion of quality and linguistic diversity in teaching, establishment of centres of excellence, fostering cooperation among postgraduate courses, supporting regional cooperation, and integrating modern technologies into interpreter training.

Criterion 4: Quality and Efficiency of Project Management:Maximum 5 points. This assesses the appropriateness and realism of the proposed budget, quality of project management structures, clear allocation of responsibilities among partners if applicable, and feasibility of the proposed timeline and workplan.

Exclusion and Eligibility Screening

Before evaluation against award criteria, applicants are screened for exclusion grounds and eligibility requirements ¹. Applicants must not be subject to EU restrictive measures. Applicants cannot be bankrupt, insolvent, have suspended business activities, or be in analogous situations. Applicants cannot have been found guilty by final judgment of fraud, corruption, involvement in criminal organisations, money laundering, terrorist financing or related offences, or grave professional misconduct involving falsification of information or breach of obligations. Financial capacity to maintain activities during implementation must be demonstrated.

Language Requirements and Priorities

Topic 2 does not restrict projects to specific language combinations, unlike Topic 1 which has defined language priorities. Topic 2 projects may focus on any language combinations used in conference interpreting, but the Evaluation Committee may give consideration to projects supporting languages identified as priority needs by the European Parliament.

Priority Language Levels (for context):

The European Parliament has identified the following active language priorities. First priority: Danish, English, Irish, Maltese, Ukrainian, Montenegrin, Albanian. Second priority: Bulgarian, German, Greek, Spanish, Hungarian, Swedish. Third priority: Czech, Finnish, French, Croatian, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Slovak. Fourth priority: Estonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, Slovenian. Fifth priority: Bosnian, Macedonian, Turkish, Serbian, Georgian.

Eligible and Ineligible Costs

Eligible Direct Costs:

• Staff costs for personnel working on the project, including salaries plus social charges for permanent staff and hourly rates for external contractors, with maximum 1 hour of preparation recognised for each hour of teaching or training delivery
• Travel and subsistence costs for staff and participants involved in project activities, using most economical fares and reasonable accommodation
• Equipment costs with depreciation calculated based on actual use for the project and remaining project duration
• Consumables and supplies directly assigned to the action such as training materials and teaching resources
• Direct costs of conferences, seminars and workshops including venue rental and materials
• Other direct costs including promotion, translation, and evaluation activities
• General costs calculated as maximum 7 percent of total direct costs, covering overhead items such as bank charges, communication, office supplies and facility rent

Ineligible Costs:

• Return on capital and debt service charges
• Provisions for losses or potential future liabilities
• Interest owed and doubtful debts
• Exchange losses
• VAT that can be recovered
• Costs already supported by another European Union grant or operation
• Contributions in kind from third parties
• Excessive or reckless expenditure
• Costs incurred prior to the date of submission of the grant application

Application Process and Documentation

Required Application Documents:

• Part A: Administrative information completed online in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal
• Part B: Narrative project description downloaded, completed and uploaded as PDF, including workplan with time schedule, expected results, and dissemination strategy
• Budget tables with detailed breakdown of expenditure by category, in euros
• Financial identification form with banking details
• Curriculum vitae of key personnel
• Declaration of honour confirming eligibility and exclusion criteria compliance
• For new applicants or changed banking details: proof of banking information and identification documents
• Supporting documents as specified in the application form

Submission Requirements:Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Applications may be written in any official EU language, but English or French is strongly recommended for efficiency. All costs must be expressed in euros. The application must be complete with all mandatory sections and annexes. Applicants are advised to submit applications well before the deadline to avoid technical problems. The deadline of 7 May 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time cannot be extended.

Evaluation Timeline and Grant Agreement

The Evaluation Committee will assess proposals during June and July 2026. Applicants will be notified of results by the end of July 2026. Grant agreements will be concluded between July and October 2026. Once selected, the beneficiary will receive the grant agreement which must be signed by both parties. The agreement specifies the approved budget, maximum grant amount, co-financing percentage, reporting requirements, and rights and obligations of both parties.

Post-Award Implementation and Monitoring

Project Duration and Start Date:The action should normally start no earlier than the date of the last signature of the grant agreement, but in any case cannot start earlier than the date of submission of the application. The project must end no later than 31 August 2027, except when duly justified by the applicant and accepted by the European Parliament.

Reporting and Deliverables:Beneficiaries must submit a final technical report on implementation and a final financial statement within 60 days of project completion. The technical report must describe project activities, results achieved, and impact on conference interpreter training. The financial statement must provide detailed accounting of eligible expenditure incurred. Beneficiaries must maintain timesheets and supporting documentation for five years following the final payment from the European Parliament.

Publicity and Visibility Requirements:Beneficiaries must clearly acknowledge the European Parliament contribution in all publications and activities related to the funded project. The following statement must be used: This project is co-funded by the European Parliament's 2026 Annual Work Programme for financial support in conference interpreting training. The official European Union emblem must be displayed with appropriate prominence in all publicity materials.

Special Provisions and Conditions

Budget Transfers:Budget transfers between cost categories are limited to 10 percent of the initial estimated eligible costs for each chapter without requiring an amendment. Transfers exceeding this threshold require written approval from the European Parliament before implementation. Transfers must not alter the nature of expenditure or change the project scope.

Amendments to Grant Agreements:Any modifications to the grant agreement after signature must be submitted by the beneficiary and authorised in writing by the European Parliament. Amendments must be submitted at least one month before the project closing date. Expenditure not foreseen in the approved budget will not be eligible unless an amendment is approved.

Parliament Monitoring and Participation:The Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences actively monitors funded projects during implementation. Parliament representatives may participate in project-related meetings, examination panels and events. Beneficiaries must allow Parliament access to all project sites and premises, and must provide all requested project information in a timely manner.

Checks, Audits and Data Protection:The European Parliament reserves the right to conduct technical and financial checks and audits of funded projects for five years from the date of final payment. The European Anti-Fraud Office and European Court of Auditors may also conduct investigations. All personal data provided in applications will be processed in accordance with Regulation EU 2018/1725 on data protection. Information will be treated confidentially and used only for grant administration and evaluation purposes.

Contact Information and Support

For questions related to this call for proposals and grant management, applicants should contact LINC.grants@ep.europa.eu. For technical questions about the EU Funding & Tenders Portal submission system, contact the IT Helpdesk through the Portal. Applicants are encouraged to consult the comprehensive Guide for Applicants, call documentation, model grant agreement, and Online Manual available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal website and at europarl.europa.eu

Strategic Fit and Institutional Context

This funding aligns with the European Parliament's mission to ensure a sufficient pool of highly qualified conference interpreters to maintain the proper functioning of EU institutions in a context of linguistic diversity. The grants support the principle of subsidiarity by assisting Member States in their obligation to provide necessary training, while the Parliament identifies language combinations and skills that match its specific needs. The programme contributes to succession planning in conference interpreting, addressing language shortages, preparing for candidate country accession, and maintaining high professional standards.

Key Dates and Deadlines Summary

Footnotes

1. 1Full exclusion and eligibility criteria are detailed in sections 5, 6 and 7 of the call for proposals document. Applicants must submit a Declaration of Honour confirming compliance with these criteria at the time of application.