Europe for Citizens: Bringing the EU closer to citizens

SUMMARY OF:

Europe for Citizens programme 2014-20 — Regulation (EU) No 390/2014

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS REGULATION?

• It establishes the objectives and structure of the 2014-2020 ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme.
• It also sets out the conditions for financing projects.

KEY POINTS

The overall aim of the programme is:

• to help Europeans better understand the EU, its history and its diversity
• to promote the idea of European citizenship and to make civic and democratic participation at EU level easier and more attractive.

Specific objectives

• Raise awareness of remembrance, the common history and values of the EU and the EU’s aims — to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its people.
• Encourage the democratic and civic participation of the general public at EU level, by developing their understanding of the EU policy-making process, and stimulating interest and involvement in EU policy-making.

Structure

The programme is divided into 2 strands:

• 1.

  European remembrance;

• 2.

  Democratic engagement and civic participation.

Financed actions

The EU will finance several types of action. These need to be either implemented across the EU or to have a European dimension. They include:

• exchange and cooperation activities such as:
  • town-twinning, network of twinned towns;
  • remembrance projects with a European dimension;
  • exchanges via social media and/or information and communication technologies;
• structural support for organisations such as Europe for Citizens contact points;
• EU-level studies relating to the objectives of the programme;
• promotional activities for supported initiatives such as:
  • EU-level conferences, seminars, commemorations and award ceremonies;
  • expert meetings and seminars.

Specific initiatives related to these types of action are described in the annexe to the Regulation.

WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2014.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• Europe for Citizens programme on the European Commission’s website.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Regulation (EU) No 390/2014 of 14 April 2014 establishing the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme for the period 2014-2020 (OJ L 115, 17.4.2014, pp. 3-13)

last update 04.10.2016