Grants
The European Commission (or in some cases the European Neighbourhood Instrument partner country / Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance beneficiary country managing EU funds on the Commission’s behalf) makes direct financial contributions in the form of grants in support of projects or organisations which further the interests of the EU or contribute to the implementation of an EU programme or policy. Interested parties can apply by responding to calls for proposals.
Calls for proposals are published on EuropeAid website.
Tenders
The European Commission (or in some cases the European Neighbourhood Instrument partner country / Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance beneficiary country managing EU funds on the Commission’s behalf) uses public contracts to buy goods and services - studies, technical assistance and training; consultancy, conference and publicity services; books and IT equipment etc. The providers are selected via calls for tenders which are issued by the Commission departments, offices and agencies around Europe.
Calls for tenders are published on EuropeAid website.
Communication and Visibility Requirements for EU External Actions
The general purpose of the new Communication and Visibility guidelines (Communicating and raising EU visibility: Guidance for external actions - European Commission) is to ensure that all EU-funded external actions will inform specific or general target audiences about the reasons for the action, the EU's support for the country or region concerned, and above all about the outcomes and impact of that support.
The new Requirements have replaced, since the July 2022, the old Communication and Visibility Requirements from 2018 that only continues to apply for all actions launched before July 2022.
Visibility
Ensuring proper visibility of the EU’s financial support provides accountability and transparency on the use of EU funds to taxpayers and the citizens of partner countries. The EU emblem should always be used with a simple funding statement mentioning the EU’s support.
The new Guidelines reflect a shift from communication and visibility budgets and activities in individual projects/programmes (formerly prepared in a Communication and visibility plan) to a more strategic approach in cases where the EU has agreed that partners implement communication activities. As a general rule, implementing partners are no longer required to include a specific communication budget and plan for each project/ programme. Exceptionally and with prior agreement of the EU, communication activities for specific projects/programmes may be funded as part of the action. In these limited cases, the project prepares a strategic communication plan.
However, all implementing partners are contractually required to always refer also to the communication and visibility guide, that applies to their action, when planning and carrying out communication activities and when producing a variety of communication and visibility products: briefings, written material, press conferences, presentations, invitations, road signs, commemorative plaques and all other tools used to highlight the EU contribution.
Strategic Communication
Strategic communication plays a key role in raising awareness of the EU political priorities and demonstrating the EU’s positive contribution to people’s lives. This enables the EU to demonstrate its positive offer to partner countries and contributes to positioning the EU as a partner of reference, strengthening the EU’s role in the world, fostering democratic debate and increasing the credibility of the EU. The EU intends to focus its communication effort on key political priorities and activities that demonstrate scale and impact. Exceptionally, the EU may therefore decide to finance communication actions on selected political priorities as part of specific programmes and/ or projects. These communication activities should focus not only on what the action is, but why it is needed, including by emphasising shared values, interests and impact. By doing so, these will help ensure awareness, understanding and perception of the EU and its role in the world, in both the EU and partner countries and regions, is commensurate with the scale, scope and ambition of its sustained engagement.