Funding Opportunities 2021-2027

CESIE aims to inform its partners and beneficiaries about the new funding and cooperation opportunities offered by the European Commission for the period 2021-2027, under the new Programmes.

It will be our pleasure to constantly update this section with the latest news from the European Commission. Find below an overview of the programmes of education, youth, sport, research, justice, culture and citizenship.

Erasmus+

Enriching lives, opening minds through the EU programme for education, training, youth and sport

The new Erasmus+ 2021-2027 has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion, nearly doubling the funding compared to its predecessor programmes (2014-2020), complemented by around €2.2 billion from EU external cooperation instrument. 70% of the budget will support mobility opportunities for all, in a lifelong learning perspective. 30% of the budget will be invested in cooperation projects and policy development activities where organisations gain experience in international cooperation, strengthen their capacities, produce innovative approaches, exchange good practices and network. Through these actions, Erasmus+ will play an important role in strengthening resilience and supporting recovery and innovation in the fields of education, training, youth and sport.

The programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transition, as well as on promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.

Deadlines

Key Action 1

Mobility of individuals in the field of higher education

23 February 2023 at 12:00

Mobility of individuals in VET, school education and adult education fields

23 February 2023 at 12:00

Mobility of staff in the field of sport

23 February 2023 at 12:00

International mobility involving third countries not associated to the programme

23 February 2023 at 12:00

Erasmus Accreditations in VET, school education and adult education

19 October 2023 at 12:00

Erasmus Accreditations in the field of youth

19 October 2023 at 12:00

Mobility of individuals in the field of youth

23 February 2023 at 12:00

Mobility of individuals in the field of youth

4 October 2023 at 12:00

DiscoverEU inclusion Action

4 October 2023 at 12:00

Virtual exchanges in the field higher education and youth

26 April 2023 at 17:00

Key Action 2

Cooperation partnerships in the fields of education, training and youth, except for those submitted by European NGOs

22 March 2023 at 12:00

Cooperation partnerships in the fields of education, training and youth submitted by European NGOs

22 March 2023 at 17:00

Cooperation partnerships in the field of sport

22 March 2023 at 17:00

Cooperation partnerships in the field of youth except for those submitted by European NGO’s

4 October 2023 at 12:00

Small-scale partnerships in the fields of school education, vocational education and training, adult education and youth

22 March 2023 at 12:00

Small-scale partnerships in the fields of school education, vocational education and training, adult education and youth

4 October 2023 at 12:00

Small-scale partnerships in the field of sport

22 March 2023 at 17:00

Centres of Vocational Excellence

8 June 2023 at 17:00

Erasmus Mundus Action

16 February 2023 at 17:00

Alliances for Innovation

3 May 2023 at 17:00

Forward-looking projects

15 March 2023 at 17:00

Capacity building in the field of Higher Education

16 February 2023 at 17:00

Capacity building in the field of Vocational Education and Training

28 February 2023 at 17:00

Capacity building in the field of Youth

8 March 2023 at 17:00

Capacity building in the field of Sport

22 March 2023 at 17:00

Non-for-profit European Sport Events

22 March 2023 at 17:00

Key Action 3

European Youth Together

9 March 2023 at 17:00

 

Jean Monnet Actions and Networks

14 February 2023 at 17:00

 

Asylum and Migration Fund

Supporting a robust, realistic and fair EU policy

The main priorities that will be addressed under the Asylum and Migration Fund are: a stronger and more efficient Common European Asylum System, greater support for integration and faster and more frequent returns. The programme will support the early integration of migrants and asylum applicants.

Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)

€79.5 billion for a new instrument to finance the EU external action and lead the global recovery through international partnerships

The NDICI will be the EU’s main financial tool to contribute to eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development, prosperity, peace and stability. It will support regions most in need to overcome their long-term challenges while contributing to achieving the international commitments and objectives that the EU has set, especially with regard to the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.

International Security Fund (ISF)

Fighting against terrorism and radicalization, serious and organized crime, cybercrime and protecting the victims

With an overall budget of €1.9 billion, the Internal Security Fund, will finance actions in the field of fight against terrorism and radicalization, serious and organized crime, cybercrime and the protection of victims. The ISF will contribute in particular to: increasing the exchange of information between EU law enforcement authorities and enhancing co-operation and cross border operations; cross-border cooperation via intensifying cross-border joint operations; fight against crime via strengthening capabilities to combat and prevent crime and reinforcing protection against terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime.

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) 

Contributing to sustain and further develop open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies based on the rule of law

The new €1.55 billion CERV programme aims at protecting and promoting the rights and values as enshrined in the Treaties, the Charter and in the applicable international human rights conventions. It will be based on four strands: (i) Union values; (ii) Equality, Rights and Gender Equality and participation; (iii) Citizens’ engagement; (iv) Daphne.

Justice

Contributing to the further development of a European area of justice based on the rule of law

The Justice Programme is running from 2021 to 2027. It provides funding to support judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters such as training to judges and other legal practitioners and effective access to justice for citizens and businesses. It contributes to the further development of a European area of justice based on the rule of law, including independence and impartiality of the judiciary, on mutual recognition, mutual trust and judicial cooperation. It is strengthening democracy, rule of law, and fundamental rights.

Digital Europe

Accelerating the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe

With €7.6 billion, the Digital Europe Programme will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. The programme focuses on building the strategic digital capacities of the EU and on facilitating the wide deployment of digital technologies, to be used by Europe's citizens and businesses. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.

Creative Europe

Promoting, strengthening and protecting European cultural and linguistic diversity, cultural heritage and creativity

Culture plays a pivotal role in addressing key societal and economic challenges, especially in promoting active citizenship, common values, wellbeing, innovation, economic growth and job creation. With a total budget of €2.4 billion, the Creative Europe programme will continue to promote cultural and linguistic diversity, heritage and competitiveness, and will allow cultural and creative organisations and professionals to co-create and cooperate across borders and to reach wider audiences, tackling current societal questions and supporting emerging artists.

Interreg Europe

Interreg Europe is an interregional cooperation programme aiming at supporting the exchange of good practices and policy learning among European regions in 29 countries - the EU27, Norway and Switzerland. The European Union strives to reduce disparities in the levels of development, growth and quality of life in and across Europe’s regions. The programme contributes to this objective by creating an environment and opportunities for sharing solutions to regional development issues.

The programme’s budget is MEUR 379 to help local, regional and national governments across Europe to develop and deliver better policy.

Tender Opportunities

EU institutions, agencies and other bodies, as well as various international donors regularly publish Calls for tenders for the provision of services (technical assistance, studies etc.) in different sectors. Tendering is a competitive bidding process that awards contracts to the candidate proposing the best quality-price ratio.

CESIE’s main priority fields are:

  • Entrepreneurship, employment and employability
  • Education – Elementary and Secondary School Education; VET
  • Gender Equality
  • Social Inclusion, support to civil society organisations
  • Radicalisation and extremism prevention
  • Digitalisation; online communication and online campaigning, e-learning
Learn more

The European Commission’s department for International Partnerships launches calls for tenders in the context of the external action of the EU. Thematic focus areas of the DG International Partnerships include: Democracy and human rights; Education and skills; Energy; Environment; Gender equality; Health; Urban and regional development; Nutrition and food security; Peaceful and inclusive societies; Sustainable economic growth; Water and sanitation; Partners (Local Authorities and Civil Society. Geographically, the external action encompasses Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Overseas Countries and Territories.

Call for tenders are also regularly launched by DG NEAR for the regions of the Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood of the EU.

Other DGs (e.g. the Directorate-General for Education and Culture, DG EAC) use tender procedures as well for the procurement of a variety of services inside the European Union.

Further to this, calls for tenders are used by other donors, such as the German Development Cooperation Agency GIZ.

Some of these tender opportunities follow an open procedure, where interested tenderers are asked to send directly their proposal within an established deadline; some also foresee a two-step selection process, where the tenderer first has to submit an “Expression of Interest” and then, if pre-selected, receives the complete Terms of Reference together with the invitation to submit the complete proposal within a given deadline.

Learn more about tender opportunities:

CESIE