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 citizens;
• enhancing tolerance and mutual understanding between European citizens respecting and promoting cultural and linguistic diversity, while contributing to intercultural dialogue.

Which types of actions does the programme support?

Action 1 – Active Citizens for Europe: involving citizens either through activities linked to town-twinning or through other kinds of citizens' projects.

Action 2 – Active civil society in Europe: targeted to civil society organisations either through structural support on the basis of their European level work programme or through support to projects.

Action 3 - Together for Europe: including high visibility events, studies and information tools

Action 4 – Active European Remembrance: support to projects aiming at preserving the sites and archives associated with deportations as well as the commemorating of victims of Nazism and Stalinism.

The call for proposals for 2009 refers to the following actions:

• Action 1/Measure 1.1 -  Town twinning citizens' meetings (submission deadlines: March 1, 2009, April 1, 2009, June 1, 2009 and September 1, 2009)
• Action 1/Measure 1.2 - Thematic networking of twinned towns (submission deadlines: March 1, 2009 and September 1, 2009)
• Action 1/Measure 2.1 – Citizens' projects (submission deadline: June 1, 2009
• Action 1/Measure 2.2 - Accompanying measures (submission deadline: June 1, 2009)
• Action 2/Measure 3: Support for projects initiated by civil society organisations (submission deadline: March 15, 2009)
• Action 4 – Active European Remembrance (submission deadline: April 30, 2009)

The Programme is targeting ‘European’ citizens, which includes for the purpose of this Programme citizens of EU-Member States, citizens of other participating countries (i.e. Croatia) s well as legal residents in the participating countries.

Source/programme website: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/guide/index_en.htm

Download the programme guide: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/citizenship/guide/documents/programme_guide_2009_en.pdf