1.   Introduction/background

This call for proposals is based on Regulation (EU) 2018/1475 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2 October 2018 laying down the legal framework of the European Solidarity Corps and amending Regulation (EU) No 1288/2013, Regulation (EU) No 1293/2013 and Decision No 1313/2013/EU (1), as well as on the 2018 Annual Work Programme of the European Solidarity Corps. The European Solidarity Corps covers the period 2018-2020. The general and specific objectives of the European Solidarity Corps are listed in Articles 3 and 4 of the Regulation.

2.   Description

Volunteering Teams in high priority areas are large-scale projects supporting volunteering teams activities with the aim to carry out short-term high-impact interventions that address societal challenges in policy areas defined at EU level.

3.   Objectives and priorities

The European Solidarity Corps aims to promote solidarity as a value, mainly through volunteering, to enhance the engagement of young people and organisations in accessible and high quality solidarity activities as a means to contribute to strengthening cohesion, solidarity, democracy and citizenship in Europe, while also responding to societal challenges and strengthening communities, with particular effort to promote social inclusion. It shall also contribute to European cooperation that is relevant to young people.

Volunteering Teams in high priority areas will particularly aim to:

—	address clearly defined unmet societal needs;

—	promote solidarity across Member States;

—	enable the young volunteer(s) to gain skills and competences which are useful for their personal, educational, social and professional development;

—	provide tangible benefits to the communities within which the activities are carried out;

—	reach out to young people with fewer opportunities including refugees, asylum seekers and migrants;

—	promote diversity, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, common values of freedom, tolerance and respect of human rights as well as on projects enhancing media literacy, critical thinking and sense of initiative of young people;

—	reinforce the capacities and international scope of the participating organisations;

—	raise participants’ awareness and understanding of other cultures and countries, offering them the opportunity to build networks of international contacts, to actively participate in society and develop a sense of European citizenship and identity.

In addition to pursuing the above objectives, proposals submitted under the present call must address one or more of the three priorities listed below:

—	European cultural heritage;

—	integration of third-country nationals (including asylum seekers and refugees);

—	response to environmental challenges, including disaster prevention, preparedness and recovery (excluding immediate disaster response).

As part of the European cultural heritage priority, reconstruction projects could be supported, including for example Notre Dame de Paris.

4.   Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants are public and private organisations holding a valid Erasmus+ volunteering accreditation or Quality Label for volunteering at the application deadline.

Only applications from legal entities established in the 28 Member States of the European Union are eligible.

For British applicants: Please be aware that eligibility criteria must be complied with for the entire duration of the grant. If the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU during the grant period without concluding an agreement with the EU ensuring in particular that British applicants continue to be eligible, you will cease to receive EU funding (while continuing, where possible, to participate) or be required to leave the project on the basis of the relevant provisions of the grant agreement on termination.

5.   Eligible activities and project duration

The following type of activities are eligible:

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Volunteering Teams are solidarity activities that allow teams of participants coming from at least two different countries to volunteer together for a period between 2 weeks and 2 months. In volunteering teams, European Solidarity Corps’ volunteers will carry out tasks for a project over a short period of time. Despite their shorter duration, these activities will be valuable both for the individuals and for the communities benefitting from this service.

—	Advance planning visits are planning visits before the start of the volunteering activities to ensure high quality activities by facilitating and preparing administrative arrangements, building trust and understanding and setting-up a solid partnership between the organisations and people involved.

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Complementary activities are relevant side activities designed to add value and augment the results of the project as well as to strengthen its impact on the local, regional, and/or European level. These complementary activities also aim at raising awareness of the value of volunteering for young people and for communities as well as at strengthening the recognition of the skills and competences gained by the volunteers.

The project duration must be between 3 and 24 months.

6.   Budget

The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is EUR 1 018 325 and is based on the 2018 annual work programme for the European Solidarity Corps. Financial contribution from the EU cannot exceed 80 % of the total eligible project costs.

The Agency expects to fund nine proposals.

The Agency reserves the right not to distribute all the funds available.

7.   Submission of applications

Applications must be submitted using an online grant application form (eForm). The eForm is available in English, French and German at the following internet address: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/documents/eforms_en and must be duly completed in one of the official languages of the EU.

The application — duly completed — must be submitted online by 19 September 2019, 12.00 (midday, Brussels time).

8.   Full details

The detailed conditions of this call for proposals are laid down in the Volunteering Teams in high priority areas Guide available at this address:

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/european-solidarity-corps/funding_en

The Volunteering Teams in high priority areas Guide constitute an integral part of this call for proposals and the conditions for participation and funding expressed therein apply in full to this call.

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(1)   OJ L 250, 4.10.2018, p. 1.