The EU's strength is the diversity and potential of its nearly 500 million inhabitants. The Europe for Citizens programme helps promote understanding between the Union and its citizens, seeks to deepen awareness of what it means to be a European, and assists in developing a sense of European identity.
The Europe for Citizens programme (2014-2020) aims to give the citizen a key role in the development of the European Union: promoting Europe’s common values and history, fostering a sense of ownership of the EU project among citizens, and developing ideas and activities with a European angle.

 

Europe for Citizens programme will focus on two key Strands:

European remembrance

This strand of the programme focusses on Europe as a peace project. We must keep the memories of the past alive while we build the future. The programme will support initiatives which reflect on the causes of the totalitarian regimes that blighted Europe's modern history, look at its other defining moments and reference points, and consider different historical perspectives. Remembering the lessons of the past is a pre-requisite for building a brighter future.

 

Democratic engagement and civic participation

This part of the programme aims at fostering the close involvement of citizens and civil society organisations in European policy-making. Citizens' organisations can draw on funding to encourage and develop the responsible, democratic civic engagement of the general public in the processes of European integration. This will often include the strengthening of the general public's understanding of how EU policies are shaped today.

Budget 2014-2020

• EUR 185,5 million

Eligible applicants

 

NGOs and civil society organisations
Local authorities
Think-tanks
Trade unions
Federations
Educational institutions
Volunteer networks and organisations active in the field of voluntary work
Sport bodies
Municipalities and town twinning committees (specific to action 1)
Associations of survivors, associations of families of victims, memorials, museums (specific to action 4)

Who implements the Europe for citizens Programme

• The European Commission: responsible for the management of the programme
• The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency: responsible for the implementation of the programme
• The Member States and other participating countries through the "Programme Committee": consultative role
• The "Europe for Citizens Points" (PEC): responsible for ensuring targeted grassroots dissemination of information on the programme.

 

DECISION No 1904/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 12 December 2006 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013 the programme ‘Europe for citizens’ to promote active European citizenship(157 kB)