Section 2: EU Programmes

Introduction

The following pages describe EU programmes that are either currently open to NGOs from CEE and NIS, or will be in the near future, for either funding or participation.

Each description begins with the title of the programme, and where available, the budget line number and the budget amount. The aims or goals of each programme are summarised in the section on objectives. The section concerning eligibility states what kinds of organisations are entitled to apply and under which conditions.

The section called geographical area specifies which countries are entitled to participate in the programmes. For the purpose of this guide, the geographical areas are:

  • EU: the 15 countries that are members of the European Union;
  • CEE: for the purpose of this guide CEE refers the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia);
  • NIS: refers to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. In the context of this guide, Mongolia is also included in references to NIS countries;
  • SEE: refers to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia

The section contact address includes the contact information for both the individual and/or the unit within the EU directorate general (DG) that administers the programme and the budget.

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Culture 2000

Budget Line Number

B3-2008

Budget Amount

euro 167 million (over 5 years)

Objectives

Culture 2000 is a EU programme which grants support for cultural co-operation projects in all artistic and cultural sectors (performing arts, visual and plastic arts, literature, heritage, cultural history, etc). The objectives of the programme are the promotion of a common cultural area characterised by both cultural diversity and a common cultural heritage. Culture 2000 aims to encourage creativity and mobility, public access to culture, the dissemination of art and culture, inter-cultural dialogue, and knowledge of the history of the peoples of Europe. The programme also views culture as playing a role in social integration and socio-economic development.

Funding is available in three main areas:

    1. Common European cultural heritage, such as, cooperation between museums, travelling exhibitions, conservation/restoration and projects involving the disadvantaged in non-movable and archaeological heritage;
    2. European artistic and literary creation, such as, books and reading, artistic creation, new forms of expression in the field of performing, visual and applied arts, music and travelling exhibitions;
    3. Mutual knowledge of the culture and history of the peoples of Europe.

Eligibility

This programme is open to public or private cultural organisations in the EU and CEE countries as well as international organisations competent in the field of culture.

Geographical Area

EU, CEE

Deadlines for Funding

15 November 2001 for annual projects
30 November 2001 for multiannual projects

Contact Name

Antonios Kosmopoulos

Contact Address

European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1040 Brussels
Tel: (32 2) 299 93 35
Fax: (32 2) 296 69 74
Websiste : http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/culture/index_en.html

Cultural contact point in the EU:

http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/culture/contact-point_en.html

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Leonardo da Vinci II

Important remark

With the aim of creating a European "educational area", which would provide the people of Europe with lifelong education and training, the Commission decided that for the period 2000-2004 there would be links between Community policies on education, training and youth. This means in effect that the programmes "Socrates", "Leonardo", and "Youth" include provisions for joint action to be taken with one or both of the other programmes.

In an effort to make participation in the Leonardo da Vinci programme simpler, the formal conditions for eligibility of the proposals have been reduced. Eligibility conditions can be found at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/simpl_en.html

Budget Line Number

B3-1021

Budget Amount

euro 1,150 million

Objectives

The Leonardo programme supports transnational co-operation projects in the field of vocational training. The broad objective is to raise the quality, innovation and the European dimension of vocational training systems and practices. Specific objectives are:

  • the social and vocational integration of young people;
  • broader access to skills;
  • consolidation of procedures for reintegration in the job market.

In common with Socrates and Youth, there are 6 measures which can be used jointly, in combination, or separately:

  • Physical mobility arrangements for young trainees and teachers;
  • "Virtual mobility" to promote the use of the new information and communication technologies;
  • Transnational pilot projects to encourage innovation, seek quality and organise ways of transferring them;
  • European networks for pooling expertise at Community level and to ensure that the results achieve wide circulation;
  • Improving language skills;
  • Community terms of reference for a more systematic and programmed approach to the various studies, surveys and analyses.

Eligibility

The Leonardo programme is open to private, public or semi-public organisations and institutions involved in vocational training. Proposals must involve partners from several participating countries, including a member state of the EU. There may be 2 or 3 partners depending on the type of measure. All proposals presented must be designed and implemented on a transnational basis.

Geographical Area

EU, CEEC and Cyprus and Malta. Turkey may participate but is not yet a full member.

How to Submit an Application

Application and selection procedures vary with each type of measures. All necessary information is contained in the guidelines which are available on the website.

Deadline for Funding

19 January 2002 for the year 2002. Other calls for proposals will follow for the periods 2003-2004 and 2005-2006.

The Joint Actions' (with Socrates and Youth programmes) application deadline is 31 August 2001.

Contact Name

Marta Ferreira Lourenco

Contact Address

European Commission
Directorate-General Education and Culture
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Tel: (32 2) 296 26 58
e-mail: eac-leonardo2@cec.eu.int or Marta.Feirreira@cec.eu.int
Website: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2_en.html

A list of national agencies' contact information can be found at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardo2/nalist2.html

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Socrates II

Important Remark

The Socrates programme is run in 31 European countries and will only support activities with a European dimension which are based on transnational cooperation. In practice, Socrates, through its various different actions, offers people grants to study, teach, undertake a placement, or follow a training course in another country. It provides support for educational establishments to organise teaching projects and to exchange experiences. It help associations and NGOs in organising activities on educational topics, etc. It targets all forums of learning irrespective of the level, ranging from nursery school to university.

With the aim of creating a European "educational area", which would provide the people of Europe with lifelong education and training, the Commission decided that for the period 2000-2004 there would be links between Community policies on education, training and youth. This means in effect that the programmes "Socrates", "Leonardo", and "Youth" include provisions for joint action to be taken with one or both of the other programmes.

The Socrates programme is largely managed by the National Agencies in each of the participating countries. The details can be found on the website: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates/nat-est.html.

Budget Line Number

B3-1001

Budget Amount

euro 1,850 million (2000-2006)

Objectives

Socrates II places the emphasis on lifelong learning as a means of fostering active citizenship and enhancing employability. Its objectives are the following:

  • to strengthen the European dimension in education at all levels and to facilitate broad transnational access to educational resources in Europe while promoting equal opportunities throughout all fields of education;
  • to promote a quantitative and qualitative improvement of the knowledge of the languages of the European Union, in particular those languages which are less widely used and less widely taught;
  • to promote cooperation and mobility in the field of education;
  • to encourage innovation in the development of educational practices and materials and to explore matters of common policy interest in the field of education.

These objectives will be pursued by means of the following 'actions':

- school education (Comenius) - which contains an action for Roma children;
- higher education (Erasmus);
- adult education (Grundtvig);
- teaching and learning of languages (Lingua);
- open and distance learning - information and communication technologies in the field of education (Minerva);
- observation and innovation in education systems and policies;

  • joint actions linking Socrates with other Community programmes;
  • accompanying measures.

Eligibility

Pupils, teachers, universities, schools and higher education establishments are eligible for funding.

Geographical Area

EU and CEE

Deadline for Funding

These depend on the various actions, and therefore it is best to consult the Socrates website, however, roughly for 2002 they are:

Erasmus, Lingua and Minerva 1 November 2001
Comenius and Grundtvig 1 November 2001 or 1 March 2002
Joint Actions 31 August 2001

How to Submit an Application

Application and selection procedures for Socrates vary considerably with each action. All necessary details are contained in the official guidelines.

Contact Address

The Socrates and Youth Technical Assistance Office
Rue Montoyer 70
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: (32 2) 233 0111
Fax: (32 2) 233 0150
Email: info@socrates-youth.be
Website: http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/education/socrates.html

Or at the European Commission the information correspondent is:

Laura Gatti
Directorate-General Education and Culture
Rue de la Loi 200
1049 Brussels
Tel. : (32 2) 296 57 65
Email:
Laura.Gatti@cec.eu.int

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Tempus III

Important Remark

Under Tempus III, CEE countries are no longer eligible for Tempus funding. These countries instead have access to the Community programmes for higher education and training: Socrates and Leonardo. However, Tempus III will seek to maintain links with this group of countries by associating them in the programme by the transfer of their experience and know-how to the partner countries within Tempus.

The latest phase of the programme, known as 'Tempus III', covers the 2000-2006 period. This new phase aims at extending the range of participants beyond the traditional academic community to include policy makers and civil society at large. By targeting professionals as well as academics, the programme can help in providing up-to-date training in vital areas such as justice, the environment and public service development. In addition, Tempus projects are encouraged to incorporate a regional dimension into their activities and to co-operate with candidate countries wherever possible in order to exploit to the full the expertise gained over the past decade.

Budget Line Number

B7-520

Budget Amount

The figures for 2001 are roughly: euro 8 million for CARDS countries and euro 19 million for Tacis countries

Objectives

The Tempus programme is the EU's cooperation scheme for higher education which facilitates the adaptation of higher education to the new socio-economic and cultural needs of the eligible countries.

Under the new phase of the programme Tempus seeks to contribute to:

- the reform of higher education structures and institutions and their
m
anagement;
- issues of curriculum development and overhaul in priority areas;
- the development of administrative and institutional structures by providing the framework and resources for the training of staff;

  • the development of skill-related training to address specific higher and advanced level skill shortages during economic reform, in particular through improved and extended links with industry;
  • strengthening regional cooperation particularly in South East Europe but also between different partner countries from NIS and Mongolia, by encouraging the participation of several partner countries in the same project.

Funding is available for different types of programmes: Joint European Projects (JEP), Networking Projects (NP) and Individual Mobility Grants (IMG).

The overall aim of the Joint European and Networking Projects is to restructure and modernise higher education systems and their role in society by providing a framework for partnerships between universities. The Individual Mobility Grants support visits which can take place either from partner countries to the EU member states or vice-versa, from partner countries to other partner countries, or to the candidate countries from CEE.

Eligibility

Universities, industries, companies, public authorities, business organisations, professional associations, social partners.

Geographical Area

EU, NIS and Mongolia, and SEE

The candidate countries of CEE, countries belonging to the G24 Group, Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey, may participate, but will not themselves receive funding from Tempus.

Deadline for Funding

The guide for applicants has been submitted to the Council of Ministers and is due to be approved and officially published around March 2002, the deadlines for applications are likely to be 15 December 2002. However, there may be an additional call for individual applications in Spring 2002.

Contact Address

Since the criteria differ from country to country, we suggest that you contact the Tempus support organisations in your country for application forms and more detailed information. Application forms and information can also be obtained on the following website: http://www.etf.eu.int.

Phare Countries: http://www.etf.eu.int/etfweb.nsf/pages/Natempof
Tacis Countries: http://www.etf.eu.int/etfweb.nsf/pages/temptip

The European Commission unit dealing with the Tempus programme:

Directorate-General Education and Culture, Unit A5
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Desk officer responsible for Tempus Programme: Susanne Buefing
Tel. (00 32 2) 295 06 04
Fax (00 32 2) 296 32 33
Email: Susanne.Buefing@cec.eu.int

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Youth

Important remark

With the aim of creating a European "educational area", which would provide the people of Europe with lifelong education and training, the Commission decided that for the period 2000-2004 there would be links between Community policies on education, training and youth. This means in effect that the programmes "Socrates", "Leonardo", and "Youth" include provisions for joint action to be taken with one or both of the other programmes.

Budget Line Number

B3-1010

Budget Amount

euro 520 million (2000-2006)

Objectives

The programme "Youth" aims at allowing young people to acquire knowledge and skills and to exercise responsible citizenship. It pursues three specific objectives :

  • inducing a greater sense of solidarity;
  • involving young people in the European ideal;
  • encouraging a spirit of initiative, enterprise, and creativity.

The following actions are covered under this programme:

A. Youth for Europe (exchanges between groups)
B. Youth initiatives (youth initiatives to encourage self-reliance)
C. Joint actions
D. European Voluntary Service (individual mobility)
E. Support measures (cooperation between organisations and local and national authorities, exchanges of youth workers, etc)

Eligibility

NGOs and youth organisations may apply. The transnational activities must include at least one organization based in one EU member state.

Geographical Area

EU, CEE, SEE, NIS

In addition, it will be possible to carry out activities in the youth field involving cooperation with other countries.

How to Submit an Application

There are two procedures that may be followed when submitting an application:

- decentralised actions - these should be addressed to the National Agencies;

- centralised actions - these should be addressed directly to the Commission in Brussels, with a copy sent to the Youth for Europe National Agency in your country for their information.

In order to ascertain which area your project falls under, please contact the National Agency in your country (see address below) or the European Commission in Brussels.

Deadline for Funding

Deadlines vary greatly depending on which form of action you are submitting. Please contact the relevant National Agency for specific information.

For example, Action 5, Support Measures call for proposals deadline is 1 October 2001.

Contact Name

Pierre Mairesse

Contact Address

European Commission
Education B7 3/26
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: (32 2) 296 20 09
Fax:(32 2) 299 41 58
Email: Pierre.Mairesse@cec.eu.int
Website: http://europa.eu.int./comm/education/youth.html

Or the national agencies whose contact details can be found at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/youth/programme/natage.html

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