Broad public support for the enlargement process is essential as well as maintaining the reform momentum and the credibility of the enlargement policy in the candidate and potential candidate countries. Therefore, DG Enlargement intends to support a series of projects aimed at enabling and promoting a better informed debate about the EU and its policies with particular emphasis on subjects related to the EU' s enlargement policy.

The main objectives of this initiative are:

• To familiarise media professionals with sources of information as well as information tools and techniques with a view to strengthening their professionalism and to contribute to the development of free and independent media;
• To better equip media professionals in the candidate and potential candidate countries, to inform about EU policies as well as subjects related to the reform process on the way to EU membership in a user-friendly language and form accessible to the general public or relevant specific audiences;
• To encourage researchers in academia and/or think tanks to promote the dissemination of research results about benefits and challenges of the preparation for membership.

The following types of actions will be eligible for funding:

• Actions aimed at increasing the professional skills of journalists, including traineeship schemes or other types of information projects for journalists.
• Platforms of cooperation and operational networking between media, with the objective to result in concrete communication synergies, including co-productions of programmes.
• Exchange schemes for radio/TV or web content.
• Web site development.
• Organisation of trans-national encounters such as workshops, summer schools or other forms of networking.

An important criterion for selecting proposals in the context of this call for proposals is the expected multiplier effect, i.e. reaching a maximum audience, or reaching groups of multipliers, or serving as a model for similar communication actions by relevant actors, the expected mid and long term impact of the actions proposed and the sustainability of the communication synergies to be established beyond the duration of the supported project.

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 550.000. Any grant awarded under this programme must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts: EUR 30.000 – 120.000. In addition, no grant may exceed 90 % of the total eligible costs of the action.

Eligible actors should be nationals of a Member State of the European Union, a country that is a beneficiary of the Council Regulation (EC) N° 1085/2006, of 17 July 2006, establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), a country that is a beneficiary of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, or a Member State of the European Economic Area.

The planned duration of an action may not exceed 12 months. The actions must deal with EU policies relevant to the priority themes of the EU integration process in the candidate and potential candidate countries. Actions must take place in one or more of the following countries: EU member States and candidate and potential candidate countries.

Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/call_for_proposals/ipa_call_en.htm
E-mail: ELARG-A2-DebateACT@ec.europa.eu