How the EU Budget is Spent: Europe for Citizens (2014-2020)

Abstract

The European Union (EU) programme, Europe for Citizens (EFC), aims at encouraging direct participation of citizens at EU level and promoting dialogue between the EU institutions, civil society organisations and municipalities. The programme has been running since 2004. For the 2014-20 period the EFC focuses on enhancing European citizens' awareness of remembrance and the history of the EU, and on actively involving European civil society in shaping EU policy. The current programme has two general objectives: first, to contribute to citizens' understanding of the EU, its history and diversity; and second, to foster European citizenship and improve civic participation at EU level. These objectives are pursued in two areas. 'European remembrance' supports initiatives to preserve the memory of the past in Europe. A total of 42 project grants and seven specific annual operating grants are planned for this area. 'Democratic engagement and civic participation' has the main goal of fostering closer engagement of European civil society in EU policy-making. A total of 312 town twinning projects, 42 urban networks, 33 action grants for civil society projects and 29 operating grants are scheduled for this area.