Deadline: 26-Sep-2025
The Central European Initiative (CEI) has launched the 2025 Call for Proposals under the Know-how Exchange Programme (KEP), funded entirely by the Italian Government through the CEI Fund at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The KEP supports the transfer of knowledge, best practices, and expertise from EU-based public or private entities to counterparts in non-EU CEI countries. Its goal is to contribute to building stable, democratic, and prosperous societies on the path toward EU integration. Through co-financing capacity-building and technical assistance projects, KEP helps non-EU members progress toward aligning with EU standards and policies.
The total available funding for this call is up to €600,000. Each project can receive up to 50% of its total cost, with a maximum grant limit of €40,000. The remaining cost must be covered by the project partners, including through in-kind contributions.
Eligible activities under this call include on-the-job training, workshops, secondments, study visits, peer reviews, and support in preparing strategic documents. Other areas include technology transfer and broader technical or capacity-building assistance. Applicants must clearly outline the project timeline, objectives, implementation plan, expected outcomes, and any follow-up activities. A final event to share and promote project results is strongly recommended. All activities must occur within the CEI region unless approved otherwise. Projects can start from 1 January 2026, with a duration between 6 and 24 months.
The call supports projects that promote EU integration among CEI Member States that are EU candidates. It particularly values projects that encourage regional cooperation. All project goals must be clear, realistic, and linked directly to proposed activities, as overly ambitious or vague proposals will receive lower evaluation scores.
Applicants must be institutions (not individuals) registered in any CEI Member State. They may also serve as the project’s know-how provider or beneficiary. If the applicant is a know-how provider, it must be registered in an EU CEI country such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, or Slovenia. These providers can be public or private bodies, NGOs, or international organizations with strong expertise in the project’s focus area.
If the applicant is a know-how beneficiary, it must be registered in a non-EU CEI Member State, specifically Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, or Ukraine. These must also be institutional bodies and not individuals. Projects involving multiple beneficiaries will be evaluated based on their ability to sustainably impact all participants, ensuring that the proposed actions address the needs of each beneficiary involved.
For more information, visit CEI.
