Europe for citizens

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Europe for Citizens is a funding program of the European Union to support the development of active European citizenship . The program aims to involve citizens more closely in European integration and therefore supports cooperation between citizens and their organizations from different countries. It runs from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2020 and has a budget of 185.468 million euros. It is managed by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), which is subordinate to the European Commission in Brussels .

Goals and funding areas

The declared aim of the program is to bring Europe closer to the citizens, to give them knowledge of the history and diversity of the European Union, to enable them to participate in the European unification process and to promote their social and intercultural engagement. With the help of this program, citizens should have the opportunity to gain transnational experiences, to build up collaborations and to deal with topics of European relevance in order to develop a European identity and a sense of responsibility for the future of the EU.

The program comprises two program areas, for which applications for funding can be submitted to the EACEA, as well as a cross-sectoral action ( valorisation ) for which no application is possible:

  • Program area 1: “European awareness of history” supports projects that deal with the causes of totalitarian regimes and key moments in recent European history
  • Program area 2: "Democratic engagement and participation" comprises three funding measures:
    • “Citizens' Encounters” promotes encounters between citizens from municipalities in different countries, in particular within the framework of municipal partnerships
    • “Networking of twin cities” promotes long-term cooperation between European municipalities on local political issues of European relevance
    • “Civil Society Projects” promotes transnational cooperation between civil society organizations on European policy issues

Funding advice

National contact points have been set up in almost all member states to publicize the program and advise municipalities, institutions and organizations on applications. In Germany, this function is taken over by the Germany Contact Point “Europe for Citizens” (KS EfBB), which is supported by the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft in Bonn. In addition to general information on the funding program, which is distributed in publications, seminars and lectures and on the website, KS EfBB offers individual advice in all phases of the application process. In Austria, the contact point is called Europe for Citizens Point and is affiliated with the Federal Chancellery.

background

The creation of this funding program was preceded by a number of European decisions that can be seen as the basis for today's »Europe for citizens«. In 1984, for example, the European Council set up a commission to bring forward proposals to overcome the European Communities' distance from the citizens. The committee for the “Europe of the Citizens” , usually referred to as the “Adonnino Committee” after the committee chairman, developed a large number of measures to this end. In 1988 the report by Nicole Fontaine, Member of the European Parliament, followed. a. highlighted the importance of town twinning for European unification. As a result, funds for the promotion of town twinning were entered into the European Community budget for the first time in 1989. Also on the initiative of the European Parliament, the promotion of memorials was decided in 1993, which is intended to remember the victims of National Socialism with the preservation and maintenance of the Nazi concentration camps as memorials and memorials and to provide information about the historical background.

These forerunners were brought together in an action program to promote active European citizenship that the Council of the European Union decided on January 26, 2014. This program created a basic act for the granting of grants to promote active European citizenship for a period of three years (2004-2006). The subsequent citizenship program 2007-2013 pursued the goals and measures that had been started and at the same time implemented some innovations.

Active European citizenship

With the “Europe for Citizens” program, the EU pursues the goal of promoting “active European citizenship”. “Active citizenship” refers to “participation in civil society, social, economic and political life, characterized by mutual respect and non-violence and in harmony with human rights and democracy”. For a better understanding, the term »active European citizenship« can be divided into the aspects of civil rights, participation and engagement.

Citizens' rights are described in Art. 20 of the EU Treaty of Lisbon . a. the active and passive right to vote in local and European elections and the right to freedom of movement within the EU. Civil rights and fundamental rights, i.e. freedom of expression, freedom of the press and assembly, etc., make it possible - even if they are not interpreted the same way in all Member States - to participate in social and political events in Europe. Citizens' rights are derived from Union citizenship, which was introduced in 1992 with the Maastricht Treaty , Article 17 of the EC Treaty.

Participation refers to the fact that citizens actually use these civil rights. Be it by participating in elections, by using clubs and associations or by participating in public debates, for example through discussions on social networks, letters to the editor or citizens' initiatives. If citizens also put themselves up for election, found their own associations or take on voluntary or political offices, there is a large overlap between participation and commitment.

In the context of active European citizenship, the term engagement aims in particular at volunteering and voluntary work . A prominent example of commitment at the European level is the European Voluntary Service . Young volunteers complete several months of service in other European countries in a social, environmental or cultural institution.

The examples make it clear that engagement, participation and the exercise of civil rights cannot be separated from each other, but rather are mutually dependent: the initiation or participation in a European citizens' initiative links the exercise of civil rights with participation, the assumption of a political honorary office connects these aspects Participation and engagement.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Regulation (EU) No. 390/2014 of the Council of April 14, 2014 on the “Europe for Citizens” program for the period 2014–2020. In: Official Journal of the European Union . L115, April 17, 2014.
  2. ^ Report of the Ad Hoc Committee for a Citizens' Europe in the Bulletin of the European Communities. March 1985, No. 3, pp. 128-134.
  3. ↑ No. 2004/100 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on a Community action program to promote active European citizenship (civic participation) , Official Journal of the European Union L30 / 6, 4.2.2004 (PDF)
  4. ↑ Decision No. 1904/2006 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of December 12, 2006 on the Europe for Citizens program to promote active European citizenship (2007–2013) . In: Official Journal of the European Union . L378, December 27, 2006.
  5. ^ Bryony Hoskins: Active Citizenship for Democracy. 2006.