CERV PROGRAMME CALLS

1. Call for proposals for Networks of Towns (CERV-2025-CITIZENS-TOWN-NT)

• Link to the call: click here  
• Budget: 10 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding:  27 March 2025
• The presentation and the recording of the online info session are available here. Moreover, if you still have questions, you can join a Q&A session on 18 March 2025 (from 10:30 to 12:30 Brussels time).

A budget of 10 million EUR is available to promote exchanges between citizens of different countries, in particular through networks of towns, to give them practical experience of the wealth and diversity of the common heritage of the Union and to make them aware that these constitute the foundation for a common future.

2. Call for proposals on rights of the child and children’s participation (CERV-2025-CHILD)

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 17 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding: 29 April 2025
• The presentation and the recording of the online info session are available here.

A budget of 17 million EUR is available to support projects on the rights of the child and children’s participation.

Three priorities for the year 2025:

1. Children’s rights in the digital age;
2. Children’s engagement and participation;
3. Embedding a rights of the child perspective in actions at national and local level.

This call for proposal is intended to support the following EU policy strategies and initiatives:

• EU Strategy on the rights of the child
• EU Children’s Participation Platform
• Digital Services Act
• European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+)
• Defence of Democracy Package
• Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health
• Commission Recommendation on developing and strengthening integrated child protection systems in the best interests of the child.

3. Call for proposals to foster Citizens' engagement and participation (CERV-2025-CITIZENS-CIV)

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 33 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding: 29 April 2025
• The presentation of the online info session is available here.

A budget of 33 million EUR is available to support projects on promoting citizens' and representative associations’ participation and contribution to the democratic and civic life of the Union!

Three priorities for the year 2025:

1. Promoting exchanges on future Union policy priorities and challenges
2. Countering disinformation, information manipulation and interference in the democratic debate
3. Promoting citizens’ active engagement and democratic participation

Among the policy initiatives supported:

• European Democracy Action Plan (3 December 2020)
• Defence of Democracy Package (12 December 2023)
• EU Citizenship Package (6 December 2023)
• Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the EU (2 December 2020)
• European Commission Recommendation on Protecting journalists and human rights defenders who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded or abusive court proceedings ("Strategic lawsuits against public participation”) (27 April 2022)
• European Commission Communication on Protecting election integrity and promoting democratic participation (25 November 2021)

4. Call for proposals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 23 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding: 7 May 2025 
• Online info session: 20 March 2025. More details and the link to register will be published soon on the F&T Portal under the "News and events" section, as well as under the “Topic updates” of this call.

A budget of 23 million EUR is available to support projects on preventing and combating gender-based violence and violence against children!

Four priorities for the year 2025:

1. Support the development of large-scale, long-term actions on tackling gender-based violence, with regranting (giving financial support to third party Civil Society Organisations)
2. Protect and support victims and survivors of gender-based violence and domestic violence
3. Prevent gender-based violence, including cyber violence
4. Make integrated child protection systems work in practice

This call for proposal is intended to support the following EU policy strategies:

• Gender Equality strategy
• LGBTIQ Equality Strategy
• EU strategy on the rights of the child
• Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities

5. Call for proposals for Town Twinning 

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 5 million EUR
• Planned opening date: 9 April 2025
• Deadline to apply for funding: 17 September 2025
• Online info session: 14 May 2025 (from 9:00 to 12:30 Brussels time). More details and the link to register will be published soon on the F&T Portal under the "News and events" section, as well as under the “Topic updates” of this call.

Are you a local or regional authority representative? Do you work for an association of municipalities and/or regions? Are you a civil society organisation working with the local government? The call Town Twinning is for you! The Town Twinning call aims to promote exchanges between citizens of different countries to give them practical experience of the wealth and diversity of the common heritage of the Union and to make them aware that these constitute the foundation for a common future.

JUSTICE PROGRAMME CALLS

1. Call for proposals to promote judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 5.9 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding: 23 April 2025
• The presentations of the online info session, together with the replies to the Q&A session, are available here

Do not miss funding for EU projects to promote the application of EU civil and criminal law. There are three priorities under this call: find the right one and submit your project proposal!

2. Call for proposals to support transnational projects on judicial training covering civil law, criminal law or fundamental rights

• Link to the call: click here
• Budget: 4.075 million EUR
• Deadline to apply for funding: 26 March 2025
• The presentations of the online info session, together with the replies to the Q&A session, are available here

With your project you could help addressing training needs for justice professionals coming from different EU countries in the fields of civil law, criminal law and fundamental rights and, therefore, contribute to a better application of EU law in the Member States. Training activities funded under this call should contribute to the digitalisation of justice.

3. Call for 3-year Framework Partnership Agreements to support European networks active in the area of facilitating and promoting judicial cooperation in civil and/or criminal matters and/or in the area of access to justice (FPA)

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4. Operating grants for 2026 in the area of facilitating and promoting judicial cooperation in civil and/or criminal matters and/or in the area of access to justice (SGA)

• Link to the calls: FPA and SGA
• Deadline to apply for funding: for FPA call: 26 June 2025 - For SGA call: 3 July 2025
• Please note that FPA and SGA applications must be submitted almost in parallel: first, you need to complete the FPA application and then use the FPA application number to complete and submit the SGA application

The FPA call aims to establish 3-year Framework Partnership Agreements with European networks whose statutory aims are to facilitate and support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters and/or access to justice for all. The annual operating grants (SGAs), to be signed on the basis of the Framework Partnership Agreements, will enhance the capacities of the selected networks to contribute actively to the development and implementation of the EU policies in these areas.