Deadline: 15-Oct-20
The European Commission through its Representation in Portugal has announced a call for proposals to select partners to operationalize a EUROPE DIRECT in 2021-2025.
The EUROPE DIRECT is a proactive forum for dialogue and continuous with citizens to promote the European project. By organizing informative and participatory activities, EUROPE DIRECT allows citizens to make informed choices about the future of the EU by fully participating in the European democratic process.
By promoting a better understanding of how the EU and its parliamentary democracy work and what issues are the EU’s responsibility, EUROPE DIRECT increases citizens’ awareness of the benefits the EU brings them in their daily lives, while stressing added value.
The EUROPE DIRECT helps identify aspects of EU policies that are important at the local level and can tailor messages and initiatives to respond to local needs. By organizing awareness-raising and citizen participation activities, EUROPE DIRECT helps to pave the way for achieving the major political priorities of the Commission and Parliament.
The EUROPE DIRECT is also attentive to citizens’ expectations and transmits this information to the EU institutions.
The EUROPE DIRECT works closely with the Commission Representation and the European Parliament Office in the respective Member States. It also seeks to cooperate with other local awareness networks and EU contact points, including relevant local networks (if any), and to promote exchange and coordination between them.
Five Essential Functions
- Function 1: Information and involvement with citizens
- Function 2: Relations with the media and local multipliers
- Function 3: Knowledge of sensitive EU topics at the local level
- F unction 4: The EU in schools
- Function 5: Promote a regional network of networks
Funding Information
- The total budget earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals tender for the first year of implementation (2021) is EUR 396,000.
- The amount of each annual grant for the years 2022-2025 will be EUR 34,200.
Country of Establishment
Only applications from legal entities established in Portugal are eligible.
Requirements
- All EUROPE DIRECT must have:
- A “center open to the public” (hereinafter referred to as ” EUROPE DIRECTheadquarters “) with a sign affixed to the main façade of the place at street level and bearing as close as possible to the EUROPE DIRECT card the opening hours and / or information for scheduling meetings, as well as the contact telephone number;
- The Center must provide the public with easily accessible facilities, with an area for receive visitors and hold meetings, provide an information service to citizens, documentation, reading material, access to at least one computer with a connection the Internet, space to store information materials;
- A dedicated telephone line and email address;
- Online presence
- All EUROPE DIRECT must:
- Support the communication activities organized by the Representation of the Commission and the Office of the European Parliament, including the development community together.eu;
- Respond to individual requests for meetings;
- Responding to questions or directing people to the appropriate EU networks or to the Europe Direct Contact Center;
- Interact with the public through social networks;
- Distribute EU publications / information / videos / messages;
- Use a tool provided by the Commission to assess the activities of the EUROPE DIRECT;
- Provide monthly information, in English, on the activities of the respective EUROPE DIRECT, through the digital tool provided by the Commission.
Eligibility Criteria
- Proposals can be submitted by:
- a public body, such as a municipality or other level of local / regional authority, or
- a proven private-law body with a public service mission
- Natural persons are not eligible
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3kWJVtK