Citizens, equality, rights and values programme (2021–2027)

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2021/692 establishing the citizens, equality, rights and values programme

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It establishes the citizens, equality, rights and values programme (CERV programme) for the duration of the 2021–2027 multiannual financial framework, as laid down in Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 (see summary).
It lays down the objectives of the programme, the budget for the 2021–2027 period, the different forms of funding and the rules for providing that funding.

KEY POINTS

General objective

The general objective is to protect and promote rights and values as enshrined in the European Union (EU) treaties, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the applicable international human rights conventions, in particular by:

supporting civil society organisations and others actively involved at the local, regional, national and cross-border levels;
encouraging civic and democratic participation.

This is done in order to sustain and further develop open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies that are based on the rule of law.

Specific objectives

Each objective corresponds to a programme strand:

to protect and promote EU values – the Union values strand;
to promote rights, non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality, and to advance gender mainstreaming and the mainstreaming of non-discrimination – the equality, rights and gender equality strand;
to promote citizens’ engagement and participation in the EU’s democratic life and exchanges between citizens of different Member States, and to raise awareness of their common European history – the citizens’ engagement and participation strand;
to fight violence, including gender-based violence – the Daphne strand.

Who can participate?

The programme is open to organisations legally established in the EU or in an overseas country or territory linked to it, and to any international organisation.

It can also be open to organisations legally established in:

European Free Trade Association countries that are also members of the European Economic Area;
candidate countries and potential candidate countries for joining the EU, if they meet the relevant conditions;
other non-EU countries under certain conditions.

An operating grant may be awarded without a call for proposals to the European network of national equality bodies.

Work programmes

It is implemented by work programmes, adopted by the European Commission by means of implementing acts. The citizens, equality, rights and values work programme for 2021–2022 has been published by the Commission.

Budget

In the course of negotiations, the CERV programme’s budget received a major top-up, more than doubling the originally proposed figure of €642 million to over €1,55 billion for the 2021–2027 period.

Civil dialogue group

The Commission is to set up a civil dialogue group. This is to ensure a regular, open and transparent dialogue with the programme beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders, allowing them to exchange experiences and good practice and to discuss policy developments within the fields and objectives covered by the programme and other related fields.

Repeal

Regulation (EU) 2021/692 repeals and replaces Regulation (EU) No 1381/2013 (the previous rights, equality and citizenship programme) and Regulation (EU) No 390/2014 (the Europe for citizens programme).

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2021.

BACKGROUND

The programme supports a broad range of organisations with a strong focus on civil society organisations active at local, regional, national and cross-border level, as well as European networks, public authorities, equality bodies and national human rights institutions, national, regional and local authorities, academia/research institutes, think tanks and all those involved in the promotion of EU values and rights. The programme supports the capacity of key EU-level networks and umbrella organisations through operating grants (e.g. the European network of national human rights institutions).

The projects supported include training, capacity building, the exchange of good practices between Member States’ authorities and bodies, and town twinning.

They also include supporting grassroots organisations and civil society, raising people’s awareness oftheir rights and the benefits of EU policies in their daily lives, and supporting the development of knowledge-based EU policies and legislation through surveys, studies, and analyses.

For further information, see:

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (European Commission)
Funding & Tender portal – Citizens, equality, rights and values programme call for proposals (CERV) (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2021/692 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1381/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EU) No 390/2014 (OJ L 156, 5.5.2021, pp. 1–20).