CALL FOR PROPOSALS — EACEA/41/2018

Erasmus+ Programme, Key Action 3 — Support for Policy Reform

Civil Society Cooperation in the field of Youth (1)

(2018/C 398/14)

Introduction

Cooperation with civil society organisations in the fields of education, training and youth is essential to create a broad sense of ownership in relation to learning strategies and policies, and to take into consideration stakeholders' ideas and concerns at all levels.

It is vital for securing the active involvement of stakeholders, for promoting their participation in the Erasmus+ Programme and other European programmes and for disseminating policy, programme results and good practice through their extensive membership networks.

1.   Aims and objectives

The objective of the present Call is to provide structural support, referred to as operating grants, to European non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) and EU-wide networks active in the field of youth and pursuing the following general aims:

—	Raise stakeholder awareness of the EU Youth Strategy (2) for the period 2019-2027, based on a Commission proposal (3) and expected to be adopted by the year's end.

—	Develop, promote and support actions to engage, connect and empower youth in the spirit of the EU Youth Strategy.

—	Increase awareness and youth participation in EU actions for young people, including the recently established ones such as European Solidarity Corps and Discover EU.

—	Increase stakeholder commitment and cooperation with public authorities for the implementation of policies in areas relevant for young people.

—	Boost stakeholder participation in the field of youth.

—	Boost stakeholder involvement in the dissemination of policy and programme actions including results and good practices among their membership and beyond.

These aims should be clearly embedded in the work plans, activities and deliverables of the applicant organisations.

Furthermore, the organisations active in the field of youth that will be supported under this Call are expected to carry out activities that aim to:

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Promote a stronger participation of all young people in democratic and civic life in Europe; contribute to the debate on/development of policy issues affecting young people and youth organisations at European, national, regional or local level; make young people's voices better heard in society; encourage voting in European parliamentary elections; foster the empowerment of young people in society, and their participation in the decision-making processes;

—	Encourage young people's fair and equal access to opportunities; facilitate the transition from youth to adulthood, in particular the integration into the labour market and youth employability; increase social inclusion of all young people and their participation in solidarity activities;

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Foster the development of competences and skills through non formal learning, youth organisations and youth work; promote digital literacy, intercultural learning, critical thinking, the respect of diversity, and the values of solidarity, equal opportunities and human rights among young people in Europe.

—	Promote the inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in society;

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Contribute to the implementation of the Declaration on promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education adopted in Paris on 17 March 2015 for example by mainstreaming the promotion of civic education, intercultural dialogue and democratic citizenship in their work programmes.

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Contribute to the implementation of the action plan on integration of third country nationals adopted on 7 June 2016 by launching and promoting actions and projects which deal with the integration into the hosting society of young people with a migrant background, including the newly arrived refugees.

All the above activities should contribute to widening the outreach towards young people to ensure a diversity of voices, reach young people within and beyond youth organisations and youth with fewer opportunities, thereby using a variety of channels.

2.   Eligibility

2.1.   Eligible applicants

This Call is open to two categories of bodies: European non-governmental organisations (ENGO) and EU-wide networks (informal network).

In the context of civil society cooperation in the field of youth, the following definitions apply:

Category 1 : A European non-governmental organisation (ENGO) must:

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Operate through a formally recognised structure, composed of a) European body/secretariat (the applicant) legally established for at least one year in a Eligible Country on the date of submission of the application and b) national organisations/branches in at least twelve Eligible Countries having a statutory link with the European body/secretariat;

—	Be active in the field of youth and run activities that support the implementation of the fields of action of the EU Youth Strategy;

—	Involve young people in the management and governance of the organisation.

Category 2 : An EU-wide network (informal network) must:

—	Be composed of legally autonomous non-profit organisations active in the field of youth and running activities that support the implementation of the fields of action of the EU Youth Strategy;

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Operate through an informal governance setting, composed of a) an organisation legally established for at least one year on the date of submission of the application in a Eligible Country with functions of coordination of and support to the network at European level (the applicant); and b) other organisations established in at least twelve Eligible Countries;

—	Involve young people in the management and governance of the network.

2.2.   Eligible countries

Applications from legal entities established in one of the following countries are eligible:

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EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom; 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 Article II.16.2.1 (a) of the General Conditions of the grant agreement.

—	The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries which form part of the European Economic Area (EEA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway;

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Candidate countries for which a pre-accession strategy has been established, in accordance with the general principles and general terms and conditions laid down in the framework agreements concluded with those countries with a view to their participation in EU Programmes: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia (4) and Turkey.

3.   Activities

The applicant bodies must present a consistent work plan integrating non-profit making, youth-led activities which are suitable for pursuing the objectives of the Call.

Notably:

—	Non-formal and informal learning and activity programmes targeted at young people and youth workers;

—	Activities for the qualitative development of youth work;

—	Activities for the development and promotion of recognition and transparency tools in the field of youth;

—	Seminars, meetings, workshops, consultations, debates of young people on youth policies and/or European matters;

—	Consultations of young people with a view to developing the tools, methodologies and formats of consultation in view of the future EU Youth Dialogue (5);

—	Activities for the promotion of young people's active participation in democratic life;

—	Activities for the promotion of intercultural learning and understanding in Europe;

—	Media and communication activities and tools on youth and European matters.

As a transversal principle, applicant bodies should pursue strategies to connect to young people at grassroot level from a diversity of backgrounds with a view to ensuring a growing number of young people at the grassroot levels are being reached.

Neither Erasmus+ National Agencies nor organisations having overwhelmingly Erasmus+ National Agencies as members (2/3 or more) are eligible organisations under this Call.

4.   Budget available

The present Call for proposals offers the opportunity to apply for Annual Operating Grants (6).

Annual Operating Grants focus on short-term cooperation at European level. Applications must contain a detailed 12-month work programme (annual work programme) for 2019 together with the information needed to calculate the grant.

5.   Award criteria

The quality of eligible applications will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria (7):

—	Relevance (maximum 30 points);

—	Quality of the work plan design and implementation (maximum 20 points);

—	Profile, number and diversity of background of participants and countries involved in the activities (maximum 30 points);

—	Impact, dissemination and sustainability (maximum 20 points).

6.   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/erasmus-plus/funding_en and must be duly completed in one of the official languages of the EU.

The e-Form duly completed must be submitted online by 6 December 2018 12.00 (midday, Brussels time) and include the relevant annex (8):

Compulsory additional annexes (9) must be sent by email to the Agency by the same deadline.

7.   Additional information

Applications must comply with the provisions contained in the Applicants' Guidelines — Call for proposals EACEA/41/2018, available on the Internet at the following address: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/funding_en

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(1)  See Erasmus+ Annual Work Programme as adopted in OJ C(2018) 6572 11/10/2018, WPI 3.77.

(2)  https://ec.europa.eu/youth/policy/youth-strategy_en

(3)  Commission Communication ‘Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’, 22.5.2018, COM(2018) 269.

(4)  The budgetary adaptations determined by Serbia's becoming a Programme Country of the Erasmus+ Programme shall apply from 1 January 2019 subject to the adoption of the Commission Decision approving the (amendment to the) Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Serbia on the participation of the Republic of Serbia in ‘Erasmus+’: the Union programme for education, training, youth and sport as of 1 January 2019

(5)  Which the Commission envisaged in the framework of the proposed EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027, put forward in the Communication ‘Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy’, 22.5.2018, COM(2018) 269. The future EU Youth Dialogue ‘will embrace new and alternative forms of participation, including online campaigns, consultations via digital platforms connected to the European Youth Portal. The dialogue will be coordinated at EU level, fed by youth at all levels and supported by National Working Groups with improved monitoring arrangements. It should be transparent and visible in terms of impact. To allow young people to form their opinion based on facts and arguments, access to quality information is essential’.

(6)  The total budget allocated in the year 2019 for the Civil Society Cooperation in the field of Youth is EUR 4 000 000 and it is divided as follows: EUR 3 500 000 — reserved for beneficiaries who signed the Framework Partnership Agreements Civil Society Cooperation in the field of Youth in 2018 and therefore not available for this call; EUR 500 000 — available for applicants submitting proposals for an annual operating grant under the present Call.

(7)  See Erasmus+ Annual Work Programme as adopted in OJ C(2018) 6572 11/10/2018, WPI 3.77.

(8)  Any other administrative document required in the Applicants’ Guidelines must be sent by email to the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency by 6.12.2018 (midday, Brussels time) at the following email address: EACEA-YOUTH@ec.europa.eu

(9)  For more details on the annexes to submit please refer to Section 14 of the Applicants' Guidelines.