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  1. An institution, body, office or agency established by or based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Communities.

    All education and training facilities for people of different age groups.

    An intergovernmental organization having legal personality under public international law or a specialized agency established by such an international organization. An international organization, the majority of whose members are Member States or Associated Countries and whose main objective is to promote scientific and technological cooperation in Europe, is an International Organization of European Interest.

    A person with legal rights and obligations. Unlike a legal entity, a natural person does not have a legal act (e.g. association, limited liability company, etc.).

    An NPO is an institution or organization which, by virtue of its legal form, is not profit-oriented or which is required by law not to distribute profits to its shareholders or individual members. An NGO is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that does not represent business interests. Pursues a common purpose for the benefit of society.

    A partnership, corporation, person, or agency that is for-profit and not operated by the government.

    Any government or other public administration, including public advisory bodies, at the national, regional or local level.

    A research institution is a legal entity established as a non-profit organization whose main objective is to conduct research or technological development. A college/university is a legal entity recognized by its national education system as a university or college or secondary school. It may be a public or private institution.

    A microenterprise, a small or medium-sized enterprise (business) as defined in EU Recommendation 2003/361. To qualify as an SME for EU funding, an enterprise must meet certain conditions, including (a) fewer than 250 employees and (b) an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. These ceilings apply only to the figures for individual companies.

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  1. Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation 

    This topic focuses on strengthening governance, fostering institutional capacity, and enhancing cross-border cooperation. It includes promoting multilevel, transnational, and cross-border governance by designing and testing effective structures and mechanisms, as well as encouraging collaboration between public institutions on various themes. 

    Innovation capacity and awareness are also key, with actions aimed at increasing the ability of individuals and organizations to adopt and apply innovative practices. This involves empowering innovation networks and stimulating innovation across different sectors. 

    Institutional cooperation and network-building play a crucial role, supporting long-term partnerships to improve administrative processes, share regional knowledge, and promote intercultural understanding. This also includes cooperation between universities, healthcare facilities, schools, sports organizations, and efforts in management and capacity building. 

    This topic focuses on strengthening the agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sectors while ensuring sustainable development and environmental protection. It covers agricultural products (e.g., fruits, meat, olives), organic farming, horticulture, and innovative approaches to sustainable agriculture. It also addresses forest management, wood products, and the promotion of biodiversity and climate resilience in forestry practices.

    In the food sector, the focus lies on developing sustainable and resilient food chains, promoting organic food production, enhancing seafood products, and ensuring food security and safety. Projects also target the development of the agro-food industry, including innovative methods for production, processing, and distribution.

    Fisheries and animal management are essential aspects, with an emphasis on sustainable fishery practices, aquaculture, and animal health and welfare. This also includes efforts to promote responsible fishing, marine conservation, and the development of efficient resource management systems.

    Soil and air quality initiatives play a crucial role in environmental protection and public health. This includes projects aimed at combating soil and air pollution, implementing pollution management systems, and preventing soil erosion. Additionally, innovative approaches to improving air quality—both outdoors and indoors—are supported, alongside advancing knowledge and best practices in soil and air management.

    This topic focuses on protecting the environment, promoting biodiversity, and addressing the challenges of climate change and resource management. It includes efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, develop low-carbon technologies, and reduce GHG emissions. Biodiversity promotion and natural protection are key aspects. 

    It also covers improving soil and air quality by reducing pollution, managing contamination, preventing soil erosion, and enhancing air quality both outdoors and indoors. Water management plays an essential role, including sustainable water distribution, monitoring systems, innovative wastewater treatment technologies, and water reuse policies. Additionally, it addresses the protection and development of waterways, lakes, and rivers, as well as sustainable wetland management. 

    This topic focuses on preserving, promoting, and enhancing cultural and natural heritage in a sustainable way. It includes efforts to increase the attractiveness of cultural and natural sites through preservation, valorisation, and the development of heritage objects, services, and products. Cultural heritage management, arts, and culture play a key role, including maritime heritage routes, access to cultural sites, and cultural services like festivals, concerts, and art workshops. 

    Tourism development is also central, with actions aimed at promoting natural assets, protecting and developing natural heritage, and increasing touristic appeal through the better use of cultural, natural, and historical heritage. It also covers the improvement of tourist services and products, the creation of ecotourism models, and the development of sustainable tourism strategies. 

    This topic focuses on the sustainable management, protection, and valorisation of natural resources and areas, such as habitats, geo parks, and protected zones. It also includes preserving and enhancing cultural and natural heritage, landscapes, and protecting marine environments. 

    Circular economy initiatives play a key role, with actions aimed at innovative waste management, ecological treatment techniques, and advanced recycling systems. Projects may focus on improving recycling technologies, organic waste recovery, and establishing repair and re-use networks. Additionally, pollution prevention and control efforts address ecological economy practices, marine litter reduction, and sustainable resource use. 

    This topic covers labour market development and employment, focusing on creating job opportunities, optimizing existing jobs, and addressing academic (un)employment and job mobility. It also includes attracting a skilled workforce and improving working conditions for various groups. 

    Strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and boosting entrepreneurship are key priorities. This includes enhancing SME capacities, supporting social entrepreneurship, and promoting innovative business models. Activities may focus on creating advisory systems for start-ups, spin-offs, and incubators, fostering business networks, and improving the competitiveness of SMEs through knowledge and technology transfer, digital transformation, and sustainable business practices. 

    This topic focuses on fostering community integration and strengthening a common identity by promoting social cohesion, positive relations, and the development of shared spaces and services. It supports initiatives that enhance intercultural understanding and cooperation between different societal groups. 

    Demographic change and migration address key societal challenges, such as an aging population, active aging, and silver economy strategies. It also includes adapting public services and infrastructure to demographic shifts, tackling social and spatial segregation, and addressing brain drain. Migration-related actions cover policy development, strategic planning, and the integration of migrants to create inclusive and resilient communities. 

    All projects where ICT has a significant role, including tailor-made ICT solutions in different fields, as well as digital innovation hubs, open data, Internet of Things; ICT access and connecting (remote) areas with digital infrastructure and services; services and applications for citizens (e-health, e-government, e-learning, e-inclusion, etc.); services and applications for companies (e-commerce, networking, digital transformation, etc.).

    This is about the mitigation and management of risks and disasters, and the anticipation and response capacity towards the actors regarding specific risks and management of natural disasters, for example, prevention of flood and drought hazards, forest fire, strong weather conditions, etc.. It is also about risk assessment and safety.

    This topic focuses on enhancing education, training, and opportunities for children, youth, and adults. It covers the expansion of educational access, reduction of barriers to education, and improvement of higher education and lifelong learning. It also includes vocational education, common learning programs, and initiatives supporting labour mobility and educational networks. Additionally, it addresses the promotion of media literacy, digital learning tools, and the development of innovative educational approaches to strengthen knowledge, skills, and societal participation. 

    This topic emphasizes the role of culture and media in education and social development. It supports initiatives that foster creativity, cultural awareness, and artistic expression among children and youth. Activities include promoting cross-border cooperation in the audiovisual sector, enhancing digital content creation skills, and boosting the distribution of educational and cultural media products. Furthermore, it encourages the development of media literacy initiatives, helping young audiences critically engage with digital and media content. By connecting education, creativity, and media, this topic strengthens cultural identity and supports inclusive, knowledge-based societies. 

    This topic covers actions aimed at improving energy efficiency and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. It includes energy management, energy-saving methods, and evaluating energy efficiency measures. Projects may focus on the energy rehabilitation and efficiency of buildings and public infrastructure, as well as promoting energy efficiency through cooperation among experienced firms, institutions, and local administrations. 

    In the field of renewable energy, this encompasses the development and expansion of wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal, and other sustainable energy sources. Activities include increasing renewable energy production, enhancing research capacities, and developing innovative technologies for energy storage and management. Projects may also address sustainable regional bioenergy policies, financial instruments for renewable energy investments, and the establishment of cooperative frameworks for advancing renewable energy initiatives. 

    This topic focuses on promoting equal rights and strengthening social inclusion, particularly for marginalized and vulnerable groups. It covers activities enhancing the capacity and participation of children, young people, women, elderly people, and socially excluded groups. Activities can address the creation of inclusive infrastructure, improving access and opportunities for people with disabilities, and fostering social cohesion through innovative care services. It also includes initiatives supporting victims of gender-based violence, promoting human rights, and developing policies and tools for social integration and equal participation in society. 

    This area focuses on improving health and social services, enhancing accessibility and efficiency for diverse groups such as the elderly, children, and people with disabilities. It includes the development of new healthcare models, innovative medical diagnostics and treatments (e.g., dementia, cancer, diabetes), and the management of hospitals and care facilities. Additionally, activities addressing rare diseases, promoting overall wellbeing, and fostering preventive health measures fall under this theme. It also covers sports promotion, encouraging physical activity as a means to improve public health and social inclusion. 

    This area focuses on strengthening justice, safety, and security through cross-border cooperation and institutional capacity-building. It includes initiatives aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of police, fire, and rescue services, enhancing civil protection systems, and rapid response capabilities for emergencies like chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents. Activities also target the prevention and combatting of organized crime, drug-related crimes, and human trafficking, as well as ensuring secure and efficient border management. Furthermore, it covers initiatives promoting the protection of citizens, community safety, and the development of innovative security services and technologies. 

    This area focuses on the development and improvement of transport and mobility systems, covering all modes of transport, including urban mobility and public transportation. Actions aiming at improving transport connections through traffic and transport planning, rehabilitation and modernisation of infrastructure, better connectivity, and enhanced accessibility. Projects promoting multimodal transport and logistics, optimising intermodal transport chains, offering sustainable and efficient logistics solutions, and developing multimodal mobility strategies. Also, initiatives establishing cooperation among logistic centres and providing access to clean, efficient, and multimodal transport corridors and hubs. 

    Activities focusing on the sustainable development and strategic planning of urban, regional, and rural areas. This includes urban development such as city planning, urban renewal, and strengthening urban-rural links through climate adaptation, sustainable mobility, water efficiency, participatory processes, smart cities, and the regeneration of public urban spaces. Regional planning and development cover the implementation of regional policies and programmes, sustainable land use management plans, integrated regional action plans, spatial planning, and the efficient management of marine protected areas. Rural and peripheral development addresses the challenges of remote and sparsely populated areas by fostering rural community development, enhancing rural economies, improving access to remote regions, and promoting tailored policies for rural sustainability and growth. 

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Call key data

Town Twinning

Funding Program

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme

Call number

CERV-2024-CITIZENS-TOWN-TT

deadlines

Opening
09.04.2024

Deadline
19.09.2024 17:00

Call budget

€ 4,000,000.00

Estimated EU contribution per project

between € 8,455.00 and € 50,745.00

Link to the call

Link to the submission

Call content

short description

The objective of this call for proposals is to promote exchanges between citizens of different countries, in particular through town twinning, to give them practical experience of the wealth and diversity of the common heritage of the Union and to make them aware that these constitute the foundation for a common future.

Call objectives

This call aims to support projects that bring together a wide range of people from twinned towns, from different socio-economic background, gender and countries. By mobilising members of the public at the local and EU levels to debate specific issues on the European political agenda, this call seeks to promote mutual understanding, inclusion and cultural diversity and develop opportunities for civic engagement at the EU level.

More specifically:

  • promote exchanges between citizens of different countries;
  • give citizens practical experience of the wealth and diversity of the common heritage of the Union and to make them aware that these constitute the foundation for a common future;
  • guarantee peaceful relations between Europeans and to ensure their active participation at the local level;
  • reinforce mutual understanding and friendship between European citizens;
  • encourage cooperation between municipalities and the exchange of best practices;
  • support good local governance and
  • reinforce the role of local and regional authorities in the European integration process.

It is expected that Town-Twinning projects reflect on a new narrative for Europe, citizen-oriented, equality promoting, forward-looking and constructive that would be more engaging for the younger generation in particular. Projects may be based on the outcome of citizens’ consultations and may lead to debates about concrete ways to create a more democratic Union, to enable citizens to re-engage with the EU and to develop a stronger sense of ownership of the European project.

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Expected effects and impacts

  • To increase and encourage mutual understanding and friendship between citizens at a local level.
  • To support citizens from local communities to experience and recognise the added value that the EU provides through a grassroots approach.
  • To increase the sense of belonging to the EU.
  • To encourage a long-lasting bond between municipalities and between citizens.

Expected results

The CERV programme helps to promote intercultural dialogue by bringing people of different nationalities and different languages together and giving them the opportunity to participate in common activities. In this context, Town-Twinning projects will raise awareness of the richness of Europe's cultural and linguistic environment and promote mutual understanding and respect, contributing to the development of a respectful, dynamic and multifaceted European identity and the respect of common values, democracy and fundamental rights.

In view of this overall objective, the projects may address the following topics (the list is not exhaustive):

  • The EU is built on solidarity: solidarity between its citizens, solidarity across borders between its Member States, and solidarity through support actions in and beyond the EU. Solidarity is a shared value that creates cohesion and responds to societal challenges. Town-Twinning projects will help to overcome biases in national perceptions by fostering mutual understanding and by creating fora where common solutions can be discussed in a constructive way. Their aim should be to raise awareness of the importance of reinforcing the European integration process based on solidarity and EU values;
  • Town-Twinning projects will give citizens the opportunity to express what kind of Europe they want. Debates supported under the Town-Twinning call should be based on the EU's specific achievements and on lessons learnt from history and from European integration. They should also reflect on current trends and enable participants to challenge euroscepticism and to suggest possible actions that the EU could take to foster a sense of belonging to Europe, to increase an understanding of the benefits of the EU and to reinforce the EU's social and political cohesion.

Projects aiming at benefiting not only the direct participants but also the citizens of the participating towns are particularly encouraged, as these can help to multiply the practical experience of the richness and diversity of the common heritage of the Union. Also, there may be a general, but not exclusive, reflection on any impact the COVID- 19 pandemic may have had on life within the applicants’ local communities, on the way in which their communities function and on the forms that civic participation and solidarity took in the applicants’ towns under the COVID-19 crisis and how these forms could become sustainable in the future. Projects may also draw inspiration from or be related to the New European Bauhaus initiative.

Projects should propose innovative actions and approaches, focus in a gender-sensitive way on the needs and challenges faced by targeted groups in twinned municipalities.

Activities related to Town-Twinning may include, among others:

  • workshops,
  • seminars,
  • conferences,
  • training activities,
  • expert meetings,
  • webinars,
  • awareness-raising activities,
  • cultural events, festivals, exhibitions,
  • gathering and consultation of (sex-disaggregated) data,
  • development, exchanges and dissemination of good practices among public authorities and civil society organisations,
  • development of communication tools and the use of social media.

The gender equality perspective should be taken into account when designing and implementing the project activities, to ensure that they are accessible to women and men on equal terms, and both women and men are able to participate in the activities.

The design and implementation of the projects are expected to promote gender equality and non-discrimination mainstreaming within the scope of the activities. For example, applicants should conduct and include in their proposal a gender analysis of topics addressed by project activities. This can help to contextualise experiences and needs of Europeans of different gender. It can also map the different impact that the project and its activities could potentially have on women and men as well as on girls and boys in all their diversity. To this end, applicants are encouraged to consult the key questions listed on the "EIGE website” when conducting their gender analysis. This analysis could help avoid any unintended negative effects of the intervention on either gender (do no-harm approach).

Applicants are expected to design and implement their communication and dissemination activities in a gender-sensitive way. This includes, in particular, usage of gender-sensitive language. The same applies to the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities. Proposals that integrate a gender perspective across all their activities will be considered of higher quality.

If the project is of a very small scale and limited to one type of activity such as for example cultural events, the reflection on the gender perspective may be adjusted to the scope of your project.

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Eligibility Criteria

Regions / countries for funding

EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT)
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Ukraine (Україна)

eligible entities

Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs)

Mandatory partnership

No

Project Partnership

Only applications by single applicants are allowed (single beneficiaries). Proposals must involve municipalities from at least 2 eligible countries of which at least one is an EU Member State.


In order to be eligible the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

  • be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries: countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature (list of participating countries)
  • other eligibility conditions: 
    • Lead applicant and its associated partner(s) must be a public body or a non- profit organisation with legal personality formally established in one of the eligible countries. They must be towns/municipalities and/or other levels of local authorities or their twinning committees or other non-profit organisations representing local authorities.
    • The project must be transnational and must involve municipalities from at least two eligible countries of which at least one is an EU Member State.
    • Activities must take place in any of the eligible countries participating in the project.
    • Events must involve a minimum of 50 direct participants, of which a minimum of 25 participants are " invited international participants”

Specific cases:

  • Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of selfemployed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
  • International organisations are eligible. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.
  • Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
  • EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.
  • Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality'. Please note that if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible).

other eligibility criteria

  • Town-Twinning events must involve a minimum of 50 direct participants, of which a minimum of 25 participants are "invited international participants". "Invited international participants" are delegations from associated partners travelling from a country to another country hosting a Town-Twinning event.
  • On-line events are not eligible.
  • Projects will need to demonstrate a particular added-value in the description of the activities (e.g. innovation, best practices).
  • Applications that are repeated from one year to the other submitted by the same applicant should demonstrate in the application the added value of the new action/continuation of the action.
  • Projects should take into account the results of projects supported by other EU funding programmes. The complementarities must be described in the project proposals (Part B of the Application Form).
  • Projects must comply with EU policy interests and priorities (such as environment, social, security, industrial and trade policy, etc).
  • Financial support to third parties is not allowed.

Additional information

Topics

Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation, 
Arts & Culture, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, 
Demographic Change, European Citizenship, Migration

Relevance for EU Macro-Region

EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region

UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)

project duration

between 6 and 12 months

Additional Information

Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (accessible via the Topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.

Proposals (including annexes and supporting documents) must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System (NOT the documents available on the Topic page — they are only for information).

Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:

  • Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
  • Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
  • Part C contains additional project data and the project’s contribution to EU programme key performance indicators (to be filled in directly online)
  • mandatory annexes (to be uploaded):
    • lump sum calculator (template available to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed, assembled and re-uploaded)
  • supporting documents (templates available to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed, assembled and re-uploaded):
    • list of previous projects (key projects for the last 4 years) (template available in Part B). Not applicable for newly established organisations
    • a letter of support signed by the Municipality (applicable to applicants and partners under the category “Non for-profit organisation representing a local authority”). The document must be provided at the latest during GAP stage.
    • for any of the participants implementing activities involving children (youngsters below the age of 18): public entities must sign and attach a declaration on honour (template to be provided upon request by EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu); private non-profit entities must submit their child protection policy covering the four areas described in the Keeping Children Safe Child Safeguarding Standards

Proposals are limited to maximum 40 pages (Part B).

The grant will be a lump sum grant.

Contact

CERV Nationale Kontakstelle Österreich
+43 1 531 15–202907
ernst.holzinger@bka.gv.at
Website

CERV Contact Points 2021-2027
Website

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