Deadline: 11-Sep-2026
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme supports cooperation and capacity building between institutions in EU and non-EU CEI Member States. The programme funds projects that transfer expertise, strengthen institutions, share best practices, and support alignment with EU standards and policies. The total call budget is €550,000, with grants of up to €40,000 per project covering up to 50% of total project costs.
Overview
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme, also known as KEP, supports cooperation and capacity building through expert knowledge exchange between EU and non-EU countries.
The programme enables institutions from EU CEI Member States to share expertise with partners in non-EU CEI Member States.
It is designed to strengthen institutional development, improve technical capacity, and support progress towards EU-related standards, practices, and policies.
Key Programme Details
- Programme Name: CEI Know-how Exchange Programme
- Short Name: KEP
- Total Call Budget: €550,000
- Maximum Grant per Project: Up to €40,000
- Funding Share: Up to 50% of total project costs
- Eligible Applicants: Public or private entities registered in a CEI Member State
- Partnership Requirement: At least two partners
- Required Partnership Structure: One know-how provider from an EU CEI Member State and one know-how beneficiary from a non-EU CEI Member State
- Main Focus: Capacity building, institutional strengthening, technical assistance, EU integration support, and knowledge transfer
Purpose of the Programme
The purpose of the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme is to promote structured cooperation between institutions in EU and non-EU CEI Member States.
The programme helps non-EU partners access practical expertise, technical knowledge, and institutional experience from EU-based partners.
It supports development cooperation, regional cooperation, and alignment with EU standards by encouraging direct collaboration between organizations.
Focus Areas
The programme supports projects that strengthen institutions, improve technical skills, and promote EU-related policy alignment.
Key focus areas include:
- Capacity building
- Institutional strengthening
- Technical assistance
- Regional cooperation
- EU integration process support
- Transfer of expertise
- Sharing of best practices
- Alignment with EU standards
- Alignment with EU policies
- Development cooperation
- Institutional performance
- Governance improvement
- Practical knowledge exchange
- Cooperation between CEI Member States
What the Programme Supports
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme supports projects that enable practical transfer of experience and expertise.
Supported activities may include:
- Technical assistance missions
- Training and mentoring
- Institutional capacity-building activities
- Study visits
- Expert exchanges
- Workshops and seminars
- Development of tools, guidelines, or procedures
- Sharing of EU policy experience
- Support for EU integration-related reforms
- Improvement of governance systems
- Collaborative project implementation
- Exchange of best practices between partner institutions
What is Know-how Exchange?
Know-how exchange means the practical transfer of knowledge, experience, methods, tools, and expertise from one institution to another.
In this programme, the knowledge provider is based in an EU CEI Member State, while the beneficiary is based in a non-EU CEI Member State.
The aim is to help beneficiary institutions improve systems, adopt better practices, strengthen capacity, and align more closely with EU standards and policies.
Who is Eligible?
Applicants must be public or private entities registered in a CEI Member State.
Eligible applicants may include:
- Public institutions
- Private entities
- Government-related bodies
- Local or regional authorities
- Universities and research institutions
- Civil society organizations
- Development organizations
- Professional bodies
- Other eligible entities registered in CEI Member States
The applicant may be either the know-how provider or the know-how beneficiary.
Partnership Requirements
Each proposal must include at least two partners.
The required partnership structure includes:
- One know-how provider from an EU CEI Member State
- One know-how beneficiary from a non-EU CEI Member State
This structure ensures that knowledge, expertise, and best practices are transferred from EU-based institutions to non-EU partner institutions.
Role of the Know-how Provider
The know-how provider is the partner based in an EU CEI Member State.
The provider contributes expertise, technical knowledge, institutional experience, and best practices that can support the beneficiary partner.
The provider may support activities such as training, mentoring, technical assistance, policy guidance, institutional assessment, and knowledge-sharing.
Role of the Know-how Beneficiary
The know-how beneficiary is the partner based in a non-EU CEI Member State.
The beneficiary receives technical support, institutional knowledge, and practical guidance to strengthen its own systems, skills, and policy alignment.
The beneficiary should demonstrate a clear need for the proposed knowledge exchange and show how the project will improve its institutional capacity or performance.
Funding Information
The Call for Proposals has a total budget of €550,000.
Each selected project may receive a CEI grant of up to €40,000.
The grant may cover up to 50% of total project costs.
Applicants should prepare a realistic budget and ensure that the remaining project costs are covered through other sources or partner contributions.
Expected Results
Funded projects are expected to strengthen cooperation, institutional capacity, and practical knowledge transfer.
Expected results may include:
- Improved institutional performance
- Stronger technical capacity
- Better governance systems
- Increased alignment with EU standards
- Increased alignment with EU policies
- Stronger regional cooperation
- Improved knowledge-sharing between CEI Member States
- Enhanced cooperation between EU and non-EU institutions
- Stronger capacity to support EU integration-related reforms
- Practical tools, methods, or best practices adopted by beneficiary institutions
Why This Programme Matters
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme matters because institutional development often requires practical experience and direct peer-to-peer learning.
Non-EU CEI Member States can benefit from the experience of EU-based institutions that have already worked with EU standards, systems, and policy frameworks.
By funding cooperation between partners, the programme helps strengthen regional development, improve governance, and support the EU integration process.
How to Apply or Prepare
Applicants should prepare a proposal that clearly explains the partnership, knowledge exchange activities, expected results, and project budget.
Step 1: Confirm Applicant Eligibility
Applicants should confirm that they are public or private entities registered in a CEI Member State.
The applicant may be either the know-how provider or the know-how beneficiary.
Step 2: Build the Required Partnership
Each proposal must include at least two partners.
The partnership must include:
- A know-how provider from an EU CEI Member State
- A know-how beneficiary from a non-EU CEI Member State
The proposal should clearly explain why the partnership is relevant and how each partner will contribute.
Step 3: Define the Capacity Gap
Applicants should clearly describe the institutional or technical challenge the project will address.
This may include gaps related to governance, policy alignment, technical skills, institutional procedures, service delivery, or EU standards.
Step 4: Design the Knowledge Exchange Activities
The project should include practical activities that enable expertise transfer.
Possible activities include:
- Training sessions
- Expert missions
- Workshops
- Study visits
- Peer learning
- Technical assistance
- Mentoring
- Development of guidelines or tools
- Exchange of best practices
Step 5: Explain EU Relevance
Applicants should describe how the project supports alignment with EU standards, policies, or integration-related processes.
The proposal should show how the knowledge exchange will help the beneficiary institution improve its systems or practices.
Step 6: Prepare a Realistic Budget
Applicants may request up to €40,000 from CEI.
The CEI grant can cover up to 50% of total project costs.
The budget should clearly show:
- Total project cost
- Amount requested from CEI
- Partner contributions
- Other funding sources
- Costs linked to project activities
- Value for money
Step 7: Define Results and Impact
Applicants should explain what will change as a result of the project.
Strong proposals should include measurable outcomes such as improved skills, new procedures, stronger institutional cooperation, adopted best practices, or enhanced policy alignment.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid submitting proposals without the required EU and non-EU CEI partnership structure.
Projects should not be vague about the knowledge being transferred. The proposal should clearly explain what expertise will be shared and how it will be applied.
Applicants should avoid weak descriptions of the beneficiary’s needs. A strong proposal should show why the support is necessary and how it will improve institutional capacity.
Budgets should not exceed the maximum CEI grant amount of €40,000 or request more than 50% of total project costs.
Applicants should also avoid proposing activities that do not clearly support capacity building, institutional strengthening, EU alignment, or regional cooperation.
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should clearly demonstrate practical cooperation, strong partner roles, and measurable institutional benefit.
Applicants should:
- Build a clear EU and non-EU CEI partnership
- Define the know-how provider and beneficiary roles
- Explain the institutional need clearly
- Focus on practical knowledge transfer
- Include training, technical assistance, or peer learning activities
- Show how the project supports EU standards or policy alignment
- Prepare a realistic budget within funding limits
- Include measurable results
- Demonstrate long-term institutional value
- Show how the partnership will continue beyond the project
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CEI Know-how Exchange Programme?
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme is a grant programme that supports knowledge exchange, capacity building, and cooperation between institutions in EU and non-EU CEI Member States.
How much funding is available under the call?
The total Call for Proposals budget is €550,000.
What is the maximum grant amount per project?
The maximum CEI grant per project is up to €40,000.
What percentage of project costs can be covered?
The CEI grant may cover up to 50% of total project costs.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be public or private entities registered in a CEI Member State. The applicant may be either the know-how provider or the know-how beneficiary.
What partnership is required?
Each proposal must include at least two partners: one know-how provider from an EU CEI Member State and one know-how beneficiary from a non-EU CEI Member State.
What types of activities are supported?
Supported activities may include training, technical assistance, expert exchange, study visits, workshops, mentoring, institutional support, and sharing of best practices.
Conclusion
The CEI Know-how Exchange Programme supports practical cooperation between EU and non-EU CEI Member States through expert knowledge transfer and capacity building.
With a total call budget of €550,000 and grants of up to €40,000 per project, the programme helps institutions strengthen governance, technical capacity, regional cooperation, and alignment with EU standards.
This opportunity is best suited for public or private entities in CEI Member States that can build strong partnerships and deliver practical knowledge exchange with clear institutional benefits.
For more information, visit CEI.