Call for proposals — EACEA/28/12 — Structural support for European public policy research organisations and think tanks and for civil society organisations at European level — ‘Europe for citizens’ programme, Action 2, Measures 1 and 2 — 2013
Date: 2012-08-28
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European identity, European organisation, civil society, economic support, public policy, research








C_2012259EN.01000401.xml










28.8.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 259/4





Call for proposals — EACEA/28/12
Structural support for European public policy research organisations and think tanks and for civil society organisations at European level
‘Europe for citizens’ programme, Action 2, Measures 1 and 2 — 2013
2012/C 259/04
1.   Objectives and description

This call for proposals EACEA/28/12 is based on the Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the ‘Europe for citizens’ programme to promote active European citizenship for the period between 2007 and 2013 (1) (hereinafter referred to as the ‘programme’).
The programme constitutes the legal basis for this call for proposals, referring to Action 2 ‘Active civil society for Europe’, Measures 1 and 2, the ‘Structural support for European public policy research organisations and think tanks and for civil society organisations at European level’.
1.1.   General programme objectives

The programme is intended to contribute to the following general objectives:






(a)


giving citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in constructing an ever-closer Europe, which is democratic and world-oriented, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity, thus developing citizenship of the European Union;










(b)


developing a sense of European identity, based on common values, history and culture;










(c)


fostering a sense of ownership of the European Union among its citizens;










(d)


enhancing mutual understanding between European citizens, respecting and promoting cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.




1.2.   Specific call objectives

The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:






(a)


to foster action, debate and reflection related to European citizenship and democracy, shared values, common history and culture through the activities and cooperation of think tanks and within civil society organisations at European level;










(b)


to encourage interaction between citizens and civil society organisations from all participating countries, contributing to intercultural dialogue and bringing to the fore both Europe’s diversity and unity.




1.3.   Thematic priorities

Priority one — EU: values, rights and opportunities for citizens
Priority two — Citizens’ participation in the democratic life of the EU
1.4.   Call description

This call for proposals concerns structural support, referred to as operating grants, to all organisations pursuing an aim of general European interest. Operating grants provide financial support to cover part of the running costs of the regular and permanent activities of an organisation selected.
The structural support is granted in the form of:






—


annual grants related to the exercise 2013,










—


transitional grants offering a transition during the ‘gap year’ 2013, between two multiannual time frames (2010-12, and, if the proposal for a new ‘Europe for citizens’ programme is adopted, 2014-16).




2.   Eligible applicants

2.1.   Organisations

To be eligible for a grant, organisations pursuing an aim of general European interest must:






(a)


be a non-profit making organisation with a legal personality; applications by networks that do not have a separate operational structure and their own status may be presented by the member organisation responsible for coordinating the network;










(b)


play an active role in the field of European citizenship as defined in their articles of association or mission statement and correspond to one of the following categories:
Measure 1:
A.   European public policy research organisations and think tanks.
Measure 2:
B.   Civil society organisations working on a European level:






—


European umbrella organisations (platforms),










—


European networks,










—


organisations performing activities with a wide impact on Europe.




C.   Civil society organisations involved in fostering active European remembrance.
D.   Pan-European umbrella organisations;










(c)


perform most of their activities in eligible countries (see point 2.2);
for an annual grant










(d)


be established legally and have had a legal personality for at least one (1) year (on 15 November 2012) in an eligible country;










(e)


have the following geographical coverage






—


European umbrella organisations and European networks must have members in at least eight eligible countries,










—


organisations performing activities with a wide impact on Europe must be active in at least 8 eligible countries;




for a transitional grant










(f)


be established legally and have had a legal personality for at least four years in an eligible country (on 15 November 2012);










(g)


have the following geographical coverage:






—


European umbrella organisations and European networks must have members in at least 12 eligible countries,










—


organisations performing activities with a wide impact on Europe must be active in at least 12 eligible countries,










—


platforms of pan-European organisations must have at least 6 umbrella organisations among their members, who must be present in the 27 Member States.








European public policy research organisations (think thanks) and civil society organisations for European remembrance do not need to have any specific geographical coverage in order to be eligible.
Private individuals and public bodies are not eligible to apply for this call.
2.2.   Eligible countries







(a)


EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom;










(b)


Croatia;










(c)


former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;










(d)


Albania;










(e)


Bosnia and Herzegovina.




Information concerning the agreements establishing the participation of other countries — in particular Serbia and Montenegro — can be consulted on our website: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.htm
3.   Eligible actions

The activities of the applicant organisation must make a tangible contribution to developing and implementing the specific objectives and thematic priorities of this call for proposals. They must cover at least one specific aim and one thematic priority among those listed under point 1.
The applicant organisation’s work programme for 2013 must cover its statutory activities, including conferences, seminars, round tables, representation, communication and enhancement, and their other recurrent European activities.
3.1.   Eligibility period

The period of eligibility must correspond to the applicant's budget year, as evidenced by the organisation's certified accounts. If the applicant's budget year corresponds to the calendar year, the period of eligibility will be from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2013.
For applicants with a budget year that differs from the calendar year, the period of eligibility will be the 12-month period from the starting date of their budget year in 2013.
4.   Award criteria

Applications meeting the eligibility and exclusion criteria will be evaluated on the basis of award criteria by an evaluation committee set up with a view to determining which proposals may be co-financed.
The award criteria will comprise qualitative criteria, accounting for 80 %, and quantitative criteria, representing 20 % of the score awarded.
4.1.   Qualitative criteria (80 %)

The following factors will be assessed:






(a)


relevance to the objectives and priorities of the ‘Europe for citizens’ programme (30 %);










(b)


adequacy, coherence and completeness of the work programme (20 %);










(c)


impact of the work programme (10 %);










(d)


European added value (10 %);










(e)


visibility of activities and dissemination and exploitation of results towards European citizens and other stakeholders (10 %).




4.2.   Quantitative criteria (20 %)

The following factors will be assessed:






(a)


number of eligible countries involved in the activities of the work programme (10 %);










(b)


number of potential direct and indirect beneficiaries (10 %).




5.   Budget

The Community budget earmarked for co-financing of operating grants is around EUR 7,7 million in 2013. The Executive Agency intends to finance around 52 organisations under this call, although it reserves the right not to attribute all the funds available if the quality of the applications is insufficient.
This call for proposals could lead to specific decisions by typology of grants and categories of organisations as defined under points 1.4 and 2.1 above.
By way of indication, transitional grants will account for about 85 % of the budget available and annual grants for around 15 %.
Grants will be awarded under item 16.05.01 of the General Budget of the European Union.
The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.
6.   Deadline for submission

The deadline for submission of applications is 15 November 2012 12.00 (noon, Brussels time).
The applications have to be submitted using the currently available grant application electronic form (eForm), which can be found at the EACEA website (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/eforms/index_en.php#1) at the latest on 14 September 2012.
Applications submitted on paper by post, fax or e-mail will NOT be accepted for further evaluation.
In addition to the above form to be sent electronically, set of administrative documents (i.e. legal entity form, financial identification form, financial capacity form, profit and loss account and balance sheet of the organisation for the last financial year for which the accounts have been closed, annual activity report) must be submitted by post respecting the deadline of 15 November 2012 (as proved by the post-mark) to the following address:





Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency




Unit P7




Call for proposals — EACEA/28/12




BOUR 01/04A




Avenue du Bourget/Bourgetlaan 1




1140 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË




Only proposals submitted in one of the EU official language, using the official application form, completed in full, signed by the organisation's legal representative and received by the specified deadline, will be considered.
7.   Complete information

Detailed guidelines for applicants and application forms are available at the following address:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/index_en.htm


(1)  Decision No 1904/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 (OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 32).