European Commission CFPs to Promote the Effective Implementation of the Principle of Non-Discrimination

Deadline: 1 April 2020

European Commission is seeking proposals to promote the effective implementation of the principle of non-discrimination with an aim to tackle at least one of the following grounds for discrimination: racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Priorities

Priority 1: Promoting diversity management and inclusion at the workplace, both in the public and private sector.

• This entails the increasing number of Diversity Charters by EU Member States, their signatories, and concrete actions that promote diversity and inclusion at the workplace with regard to the six grounds of discrimination or their intersectionality.
• Indicative budget of € 500 000

Priority 2: Fighting against discrimination based on sexual orientation in society and promoting the equality of LGBTI people through the implementation of the LGBTI List of Actions.

• Concrete and practical actions raising awareness for LGBTI equality in education, health and employment and/or to train professionals in relevant areas important for advancing equality of LGBTI people, in particular proposals focusing on transgender equality and on intersex equality.
• Indicative budget € 1 000 000

Priority 3: Fighting against discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin and/or multiple discrimination.

• The focus is to contribute to the enforcement and effective implementation of Union non-discrimination legislation (Racial Equality Directive 2000/43/EC), such as victims’ interest representation, independent monitoring, early warning and reporting.
• Indicative budget € 1 000 000

Priority 4: Strengthening the fight against anti-gypsyism and various forms of discrimination of Roma.

• Focus shall be on discrimination in (access to) education, employment, health and housing, such as spatial and schooling segregation, forced evictions, as well as multiple discrimination (of Roma youth, women, children, etc.); supporting transnational cooperation on fighting discrimination and promoting inclusion of EU-mobile Roma; fighting antigypsyism by combatting stereotypes, mistrust and raising the general public’s awareness about Roma history (including recognition of the Roma Holocaust as part of truth and reconciliation processes and promoting the inclusion of Roma history into pedagogical materials for pupils in cooperation with relevant national authorities); promoting inclusive public services and cooperation with the private sector for creating ethnically diverse work environments and encouraging public institutions and compagnies to include Roma in their diversity workplans. Supporting capacity building of Roma and pro-Roma civil society active in the above mentioned areas.
• Indicative budget € 1 000 000

Priority 5: Restricted to public authorities: promoting non-discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation

• This entails actions to prevent and combat discrimination on the ground, as well as initiatives aimed at empowering, supporting and protecting groups and individuals affected by forms of discrimination. It also aims at addressing under reporting and building trust between communities and public authorities. Actions may include capacity building of national, regional or local authorities, including equality bodies, enhancing coordination and cooperation to promote equal treatment, improve responses to discrimination, as well as ensuring better application and enforcement on the ground of EU policies and legislation in this field, in particular the Commission Recommendation C(2018) 3850 on standards for equality bodies and the 2013 Council Recommendation on Effective Roma Integretation Measures.
• Indicative budget € 1 000 000

Priority 6: Restricted to public authorities: collecting equality data

• To address common gaps and challenges in equality data across the EU.
• Indicative budget € 500 000

Funding Information

• The indicative maximum amount earmarked for the co-financing of projects under this call for proposals is estimated at EUR 5 000 000.
• The initial duration of the projects should not exceed 24 months.

Activities

The call will fund projects focused on one or more among the following activities:

• capacity building, antidiscrimination training of professionals and support to victims of (multiple) discrimination;
• mutual learning, exchange of good practices, cooperation, including identifying best practices which may be transferable to other participating countries;
• dissemination and awareness raising (including activities combatting stereotypes against Roma, promoting the recognition of the Roma Holocaust, such as commemoration practices, promoting the inclusion of Roma history into the school curricula and pedagogical materials), social media or press campaigns; encourage public institutions and compagnies to include Roma in their diversity workplans.
• data collection, survey, monitoring and reporting implementation of non-discrimination legislation;

Expected results

• Priority 1: Promoting diversity management and inclusion
  • increased number of Diversity charters and of companies affiliated to a charter;
  • increased business case of diversity through strengthened links between the academic/research community and the business world;
  • more inclusive workplaces and societies;
  • increased European wide tools measuring diversity and inclusion at the workplace.
• Priority 2: Fighting against discrimination based on sexual orientation
  • list of actions by the Commission to advance LGBTI equality are being implemented;
  • increased reporting of cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation;
  • increased awareness of challenges of LGBTI equality.
• Priority 3: Fighting against discrimination based on racial and/or ethnic origin
  • equal opportunities for people of all racial and/or ethnic origins is promoted;
  • increased knowledge of EU and national non-discrimination legislation as well as administrative practices in the non-discrimination field, including practices and policies covering multiple discrimination;
  • increased rights-awareness, protection and interest representation of victims of discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin;
  • more effective implementation and enforcement of the legislation on non-discrimination as well as improved independent monitoring and reporting.
• Priority 4: Strengthening the fight against discrimination of Roma
  • decreased discrimination and anti-gypsyism;
  • more effective implementation of the legislation on non-discrimination;
  • more positive narrative and tolerant perception of Roma in the general public;
  • increased contribution from national, regional or local activities to the development of policies fighting antigypsyism and discrimination;
  • enhanced Roma participation in design, implementation and monitoring of policies.
• Priority 5: Restricted to public authorities: promoting non-discrimination
  • enhanced citizens’ awareness of their right to equal treatment without discrimination;
  • improved support to victims;
  • enhanced cooperation promoting equal treatment/improved response to discrimination;
  • decreased discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.
• Priority 6: Restricted to public authorities: collecting equality data
  • identification of main gaps and shortcomings in equality data collection;
  • enhanced quality of equality data collection and improved methodological approach (e.g. definition and comparability of equality data) as well as the availability and accessibility of equality data;
  • better inter-institutional cooperation in collecting equality data.

Eligibility Criteria

• List of eligible countries:
  • Member States of the European Union, including their overseas departments
  • Iceland and Liechtenstein
  • The Republic of Serbia
• Eligibility of the lead applicant (i.e. coordinator) and participants (partners)
  • To be eligible under the first, second, third and fourth priority:
    • The applicant and the partners must be public bodies or private organisations, duly established in one of the countries participating in the programme, or international organisations.
    • Organisations that are profit-oriented may only submit applications in partnership with public bodies or private non-profit organisations.
  • To be eligible under the fifth and sixth priority:
    • Applicants must be public authorities of one of the countries participating in the Programme; partners must be public entities or private organisations, duly established in one of the countries participating in the Programme, or international organisations.
• Eligibility of the application
  • For the first, second, third and fourth priority:
    • The project can be either national or transnational;
    • The application must be submitted by a partnership, including at least two organisations (applicant and partner (s)), actively involved in the implementation of the proposed action;
    • The EU grant requested cannot be lower than EUR 75 000 and higher than EUR 250 000.
  • For the fifth and sixth priority:
    • The project can be either national or transnational;
    • The application may involve one or more organisations (applicant and partner (s));
    • The EU grant requested cannot be lower than EUR 75 000.

Note: For applicants and partners established in the UK: please be aware that they must comply with the eligibility criteria for the entire duration of the action for which a grant is awarded. If the UK withdraws from the EU during the grant period without concluding an agreement with the EU ensuring in particular, that UK applicants and partners continue to be eligible, they will cease to receive EU funding (while continuing, where possible, to participate) or be required to leave the project.

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