The programme contains four different programme actions:

• Action 1 "Active citizens for Europe" involves citizens directly, either through activities linked to town-twinning or through other kinds of citizens’ projects.
• Action 2 "Active civil society for Europe" is targeted to Europe-wide civil society organisations, receiving either structural support on the basis of their work programme or support trans-national projects.
• Action 3 "Together for Europe" supports high visibility events, studies and information tools, addressing the widest possible audience across frontiers and making Europe more tangible for its citizens.
• Action 4 : "Active European Remembrance" supports the preservation of the main sites and archives associated with the deportations and the commemoration of the victims of nazism and stalinism.

The general objectives of the Europe for citizens Programme are to contribute to:

• giving citizens the opportunity to interact and participate in constructing an ever closer Europe, which is democratic and world-oriented, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity, thus developing citizenship of the European Union;
• developing a sense of European identity, based on common values, history and culture;
• fostering a sense of ownership of the European Union among its
• enhancing tolerance and mutual understanding between European citizens respecting and promoting cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.

The Programme is open to all stakeholders promoting active European citizenship. For example:

• local authorities and organisations
• European public policy research organisations (think-tanks)
• citizens’ groups
• civil society organisations
• non-governmental organisations
• trade unions
• educational institutions
• organisations active in the field of voluntary work
• organisations active in the field of amateur sport, etc.

(Some actions of the Programme may target a more limited range of organisations though.)
Participating countries are the Member States of the European Union.
The Western Balkan countries are in the list of potentially participating countries (together with the EFTA countries which are parties to the EEA Agreement), provided that certain legal and financial obligations are fulfilled.
Via its website /link/2193.html the European Citizen Programme informs about the state of play of association.

The current situation (update January 2008) is described as follows:

Candidate countries:
Croatia is a participating country as of November 5, 2007
Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has officially expressed interest in participating in the programme "Europe for citizens" and is expected to be eligible from 2008.
Turkey has not specified when it intends to participate.

Countries from the Western Balkans:
Albania has officially expressed an interest in participating but it is unclear when it will be eligible (2008 ?).
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro have not specified whether they intend to participate.
Furthermore, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway have expressed an interest in participating, but it's not yet clear when they will be eligible (2008 ?).

Source: EECA Website