Europe for Citizens Programme is one of the Community’s programmes (which was passed by the Act on Confirming the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Community and the Republic of Croatian on the Europe for Citizens programme) for the period between 2007 and 2013 opened for Croatia.
With this programme, implemented by
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency – EACEA, the aim is to promote active European citizenship, bringing citizens at the centre of attention, offering them the possibility to take over responsibility as (future) citizens of Europe and allowing them to discuss and exchange opinions on the European Union. The objective of the programme is to strengthen European identity, develop a sense of belonging to the European Union and promote intercultural dialogue among citizens. The aim is to promote active European citizenship, bringing citizens into the focus, offering them the possibility to take over responsibility as (future) citizens of Europe and allowing them to discuss and exchange opinions on the European Union.
The programme is a response to the necessity of more active citizens’ participation in the building of Europe and it encourages cooperation among citizens and their organizations in different countries with the aim of meeting, united action and development of their own ideas in the European environment. Special objectives of the Europe for Citizens programme are to connect people from local communities for the purpose of exchange, learning and building, get Europe closer to its citizens and encourage interaction between citizens and civil society organizations.
Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs and National Foundation for Civil Society Development organized an Info day about the Europe for Citizens programme in the
Crystal Hall of the Westin Hotel from 10 .m. to 1 p.m. on 22 October 2007. The Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs is in charge of implementing the programme. A its presentation the audience was addressed by
Igor Vidačak, the Head of the Government Office for Cooperation with NGOs,
Cvjetana Plavša Matić, the Director of the National Foundation for Civil Society Development,
Davor Čilić, Deputy State Secretary of the Central Office for Development Strategy and Coordination of EU Funds,
Mladen Andrlić, the Head of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of External Affairs and European Integration,
Pavel Tychtl, a representative of the European Commission, Directorate General for Education and Culture and
Vincent Degert, the Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Croatia.
You can download the programme of the info day
here.
The purpose of the Info-day was to present the Citizens for Europe 2007-2013 programme to the public and its potential users, introduce them to the procedures and rules of their implementation and with all activities and possibilities of receiving financial support they offer.
The Head of the Office, Mr. Igor Vidačak, pointed out that this is a new programme of the European Union that aims to encourage more active participation of citizens and civil society organizations in the process of European integration, and Croatia is the first non-member of the EU to be included in the Programme and she equally participates in the use of its funds. The programme is also available to local authorities, citizens' groups, civil society organizations, i.e. active European citizenship that will promote better understanding and communication of the citizens of the European Union by developing their own ideas and cooperating with other similar organizations from other countries and through meetings and joint participation. For the period before 2013, the Programme would provide 215 million euros, said Mr. Vidačak and the distribution of funds will depend on the quality of submitted projects.
You can find detailed contents of the programme, conditions and procedures for submitting a project in the Programme Guide that can be downloaded
here.
You can find the general calendar of deadlines for application
here.
Before the end of this year, project proposals can be submitted for the award of
structural support for think-tanks and civil society organisations at European level, as a part of activity 2 „Active Civil Society for Europe“ before 23 November 2007.
