General objectives:

• Contribute to citizens’ understanding of the EU, its history and diversity;
• Foster European citizenship and improve conditions for civic and democratic participation at EU level.

Specific objectives:

• Raise awareness of remembrance, common history and values and the Union's aim that is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples by stimulating debate, reflection and development of networks;
• Encourage democratic and civic participation of citizens at Union level, by developing citizens' understanding of the Union policy making-process and promoting opportunities for societal and intercultural engagement and volunteering at Union level.

Annual priorities of the "Europe for Citizens" Programme

In line with the general objectives of the Programme, annual priorities are defined by the European Commission after consultation of the Programme Committee. Applicants are encouraged to develop projects in line with the objectives of the Programme and targeting the annual priorities.

PRIORITIES FOR 2016-2020

Strand 1 – European remembrance

1.1 Commemorations of major historical turning points in recent European history

1.2 Civil society and civic participation under totalitarian regimes
1.3 Ostracism and loss of citizenship under totalitarian regimes: drawing the lessons for today
1.4 Democratic transition and accession to the European Union

Strand 2 – Democratic engagement and civic participation

2.1 Understanding and Debating Euroscepticism
2.2 Solidarity in times of crisis
2.3 Combatting stigmatisation of "immigrants" and building counter narratives to foster intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding
2.4 Debate on the future of Europe

The Programme is implemented through two Strands:

Strand 1: EUROPEAN REMEMBRANCE

This strand supports activities inviting reflection on European cultural diversity and on common values. It aims to finance projects reflecting on causes of totalitarian regimes in Europe's modern history (especially, but not exclusively, Nazism that led to the Holocaust, Fascism, Stalinism and totalitarian communist regimes) and to commemorate the victims of their crimes. This strand also concerns other defining moments and reference points in recent European history. Preference will be given to projects encouraging tolerance, mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation.

Strand 2: DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION

The strand includes three specific measures:

Town twinning – supporting projects bringing together citizens from twinned towns. By mobilising citizens at local and EU levels to debate on concrete issues from the European political agenda, this measure will seek to promote civic participation in the EU policy making process and develop opportunities for societal engagement and volunteering at EU level.

Networks of towns – providing funding to municipalities and associations working together on a common theme in a long term perspective, and wishing to develop networks of towns to make their cooperation more sustainable.

Civil society projects – supporting projects gathering citizens in activities directly linked to EU policies, providing an opportunity for direct participation in the policy making process. Funded activities may include: promotion of societal engagement and solidarity, gathering of opinions, volunteering.

OPERATING GRANTS support the permanent, usual and regular activities of organisations, with European outreach, contributing to the objectives of the programme, raising awareness of European remembrance or encouraging democratic and and civic participation.

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• EU member states
• EU candidate and potential candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia
• Serbia fully participates in all parts of the programme.

• Associations;
• Association networks;
• Educational institutions and research institutes;
• Local and regional authorities;
• European networks and umbrella organisations;
• European public policy research organisation (think-tanks);
• Civil society organisations;
• Youth organisations;
• NGOs;
• Trade Unions, etc.

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)

Contact information can be found at the following link:
https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/europe-for-citizens/contacts_en

Serbian Government
The Office for Cooperation with Civil Society
Palace of Serbia - east entrance
Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 2, 11070 Belgrade, Serbia

https://civilnodrustvo.gov.rs/%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%82/%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%82.100.html

PROGRAMME DOCUMENTS

1. Guide to the Europe for Citizens program (valid from January 2017)

EU DOCUMENTS AND INITIATIVES

1. Guidelines for EU support to civil society in countries in the accession process 2014-2020.

STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

1. Education development strategy of the Republic of Serbia until 2020
2. Action plan for the implementation of the Education Development Strategy of the Republic of Serbia until 2020

STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS OF THE AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA

1. AP Vojvodina Development Program 2014-2020.
2. Action plan for the realization of the priorities of the Development Program of AP Vojvodina 2014-2020.