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Call key data
Preparing the EU for future enlargement: challenges and opportunities
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
Call number
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-03
deadlines
Opening
15.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 10,500,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
zwischen € 3.000.000,00 und € 3.500.000,00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
The proposed research should improve on the one hand, the EU Member States’ understanding of the history, political and economic situation of the candidate countries and potential candidates, through socio-historical research, combined with a legal and economic approach (including expertise from relevant SSH disciplines). And, on the other hand, it should support EU citizens and civil society to gain a better understanding on challenges and opportunities related to potential future enlargements of the EU.
Call objectives
As stressed in several Commission’s communications and following the granting of the candidate country status to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, there is a need to invest more in understanding enlargement priorities, opportunities, and challenges based on the perspective of a EU counting more than 30 Member States. This also means that EU Member States need to be better prepared, while citizens and civil society must gain a better understanding of what enlargement entails.
The proposed research should improve on the one hand, the EU Member States’ understanding of the history, political and economic situation of the candidate countries and potential candidates, through socio-historical research, combined with a legal and economic approach (including expertise from relevant SSH disciplines). And, on the other hand, it should support EU citizens and civil society to gain a better understanding on challenges and opportunities related to potential future enlargements of the EU.
Reflecting on previous enlargements, the proposals should provide thematic insights on lessons learned and identify potential similarities with the candidate countries, focusing particularly on democracy, rule of law and governance-related topics.
Adopting a flexible and adaptive approach to enlargement, responsive to geopolitical dynamics and regional challenges, might be necessary. Utilizing foresight and scenario planning can help the EU and the Member States to anticipate future changes and strategically manage the enlargement process. This approach can also consider differentiation within EU governance to build resilient, inclusive, and participatory societies.
A comparative analysis of the detailed terms and conditions of membership in the accession treaties, both regarding terms and conditions issued by Member States and acceding countries upon joining the Union, such as transition periods for the freedom of movement of workers and persons, or the acquisition of real estate, could serve as an interesting case study for candidate countries and other stakeholders involved in this process. Public support and engagement for EU enlargement are crucial but fluctuate largely between Member States and candidate countries. To foster a more inclusive process, it is essential for the proposals to involve citizens early in the enlargement discussions, ensuring transparency and addressing political, economic and social concerns aiming at improving the credibility and acceptance of the enlargement process. The proposals should also address the EU’s readiness to enlarge, considering the “enlargement fatigue” and the rise of euroscepticism within the Union and in the candidate countries.
Building concrete knowledge through comparative analysis of the motives of candidate countries to join the EU would be beneficial to observe any similarities and whether these motivations are still present, strengthened or declining in the Member States. Efforts should also be directed towards effective and inclusive communication on the EU integration process and the benefits of enlargement.
Additionally, the proposals should collect evidence on the role of societal dialogues and education in proposing learning approaches to EU integration and enlargement prospect within the Union. This research could combine mutual, social and intercultural learning to support the development of local or regional initiatives by the civil society. These learning approaches could also be based on evidence from formal learning in education institutions or informal learning through civil society initiatives. Proposals should consider citizens’ engagement and dialogue, for seeking wider input and encourage youth participation.
To support this goal, the proposals should identify the most effective tools for public administration and policymakers to improve citizens’ understanding of the enlargement process, seizing educational opportunities and societal awareness. Utilising emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and social media could be beneficial in meeting the crucial needs to use digital communication.
Pilots should be carried out in at least four EU Member States to assess the effectiveness of these tools, which may also have synergies with people-to-people programmes such as Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, Interreg, or the Civil Society Facility, fostering a common European spirit between EU Member States and candidate countries.
Based on the research, policy recommendations should be developed to promote inclusive strategic communication and citizen engagement on EU integration and values within the Union and in the Member States. These policy recommendations should also explore how to support the reform process of candidate countries and/or learn from their existing reforms regarding Chapters of the Acquis, such as of Chapter 10 (Information Society and Media), Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights), Chapter 24 (Justice Freedom and Security), and Chapter 34 (Institutions).
Proposals are encouraged to network with and build on previously funded projects under Horizon Europe calls, Horizon 2020 or other EU programmes, e.g. Global Europe or the Instrument for Pre-accession. Clustering and cooperation with other selected projects under this topic and other relevant projects are strongly encouraged.
Applicants to this topic are also encouraged to consider the data offered by European Research Infrastructures in the social sciences and humanities domain.
Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).
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Expected results
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Policymakers and public administrations in each Member State, candidate country, potential candidate country, and at EU institutional level, are provided with thematic insights on lessons learned from previous enlargement processes for the development of future policies with particular attention to democracy, rule of law and governance related topics.
- Societal awareness of the enlargement process is increased both within the Union and in the candidate country(ies), or potential candidate country(ies), through a deeper understanding of the political, social and economic consequences of enlargement versus non-enlargement of the EU.
- EU authorities and public authorities in Member States benefit from better use of existing interactive tools to better inform and promote educational opportunities on enlargement process for citizens in the Union and in the enlargement countries.
- Public’s at large involvement in enlargement is enhanced through transparent and participatory processes, leveraging digital tools for broader engagement.
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Natural Person, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
The consortium must include at least one entity, as a beneficiary, established in one of the following countries: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo (This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine, or Türkiye.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- 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 to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
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)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 50 pages.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive SocietyHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society(1200kB)
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