Call: Town Twinning

Under the overall aim of bringing the Union closer to citizens the general objectives are:

• to contribute to citizens' understanding of the Union, its history and diversity;
• to foster European citizenship and to improve conditions for civic and democratic participation at Union level.

In line with the general and specific objectives of the Programme, annual priorities are defined by the European Commission after consultation of the Programme Committee. Applicants are encouraged to develop projects in line with the objectives of the Programme and targeting the annual priorities. 

This subprogramme supports:

• Activities covering civic participation, focusing in particular on European Union policies
• Initiatives developing opportunities for mutual understanding, intercultural learning, solidarity, societal engagement and volunteering at EU level

For this purpose, three specific measures are foreseen:

• Town twinning – supporting projects bringing together citizens from twinned towns. By mobilising citizens at local and EU levels to debate on concrete issues from the European political agenda, this measure will seek to promote civic participation in the EU policy making process and develop opportunities for societal engagement and volunteering at EU level
• Networks of towns – providing funding to municipalities and associations working together on a common theme in a long term perspective, and wishing to develop networks of towns to make their cooperation more sustainable
• Civil society projects – supporting projects gathering citizens in activities directly linked to EU policies, providing an opportunity for direct participation in the policy making process. Funded activities may include: promotion of societal engagement and solidarity, gathering of opinions, volunteering.

Specific priorities for "Democratic engagement and civic participation" (Strand 2) for 2016 are:

1. Understanding and Debating Euroscepticism
2. Solidarity in times of crisis
3. Combatting stigmatisation of "immigrants" and building counter narratives to foster intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding
4. Debate on the future of Europe

This measure aims at supporting projects bringing together a wide range of citizens from twinned towns around topics in line with the objectives of the Programme. Priority is given to projects targeting the priorities annually defined for this measure. By mobilizing citizens at local and Union levels to debate on concrete issues from the European political agenda, this measure will seek to promote civic participation in the Union policy-making process.

A project must involve municipalities from at least 2 eligible countries of which at least one is an EU Member State.

A project must involve a minimum of 25 invited participants. "Invited participants" are international participants sent by the eligible partner/s.

Maximum duration of the meeting: 21 days.

Maximum eligible grant for a project: 25 000 €

Online via eForm

The European Commission has delegated the responsibility for tasks related to the implementation of the Programme to the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. 

EACEA - Unit C1 Europe For Citizens

Avenue du Bourget, 1 (BOUR 01/04A)
B-1049 Brussels - Belgium
Fax:+32 2 296 23 89

Strand 1. - European remembrance:
eacea-c1-remembrance@ec.europa.eu

Strand 2. - Democratic engagement and civic participation:
eacea-c1-civilsociety@ec.europa.eu (Civil society projects)
eacea-c1@ec.europa.eu (Town twinning & Networks of Towns)

Operating grants
eacea-c1-operatinggrants@ec.europa.eu
Europe for Citizens Contact Points in participating countries.