Annexes to COM(2015)652 - Implementation, results and overall assessment of the "Europe for Citizens" programme 2007-2013 - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2015)652 - Implementation, results and overall assessment of the "Europe for Citizens" programme 2007-2013. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2015)652  |
| date | December 16, 2015 |
Moreover, the EFCP played an additional role at national level as there were scarcely similar initiatives run by the Member States over the same period.
3.3. Promoting values
An important number of projects of the EFCP contributed to promoting fundamental values on which our European societies are based, such as peace, tolerance, mutual understanding and solidarity. The promotion of these values, the involvement of European citizens in the process of integration as well as the concept of European remembrance are issues intrinsically related to the European project. These are matters of common concern where pooled resources can add value.
The evaluation of the programme's implementation showed that bringing together Europeans from different Member States to discuss and work together on issues of common concern increased their awareness of fundamental values, their degree of engagement in society and ultimately their involvement with the European Union. At the same time supporting activities promoting mutual understanding, diversity, dialogue and respect for others can help to develop a sense of belonging and a European identity, based on a shared understanding of European values, culture, history and heritage. These initiatives have the potential to create changes in the attitudes of participants towards other European citizens and to boost their involvement in democratic processes, as well as their knowledge and interest in the European Union, EU institutions and processes.
This was the reasoning behind almost all EFCP projects and activities, ranging from very small town twinning projects with relatively small number of citizens and participating countries for a one-off series of events to large operating grants allowing NGOs to pursue citizenship-focused goals at a more political and institutional level 5 (see examples in the annex).
3.4. Impact on participating organisations
The programme helped to advance the town twinning movement by encouraging towns and municipalities to think in more thematic, policy-related ways. Networks of twinned towns were a new measure introduced by the Commission shortly after the start of the EFCP 2007-2013 to complement the traditional town-twinning measure by a new type of larger-scale projects with the aim to increase their impact and sustainability. This was innovative in itself and provided participating towns with an opportunity to forge lasting links, produce substantial outputs and get involved with policy-making processes. The number of applications for the measure "networks of twinned towns" thus increased by more than 50% between 2007 and 2013.
The programme targeted civil society organisations through both operating grants and project funding. The EFCP reached a range of EU-focused organisations that pursued active citizenship in a variety of different ways. This ensured continued attention to relevant areas and the presence of independent voices during EU policy debates. In addition, participating in the programme allowed civil society organisations and their partners to build their capacity and international experience, learn from each other and, in some cases, form sustainable networks.
Remembrance gained increasing prominence during the life of the programme. In the sensitive area of projects relating to the Holocaust and genocide, the intervention of the Commission added substantial value to the debates by encouraging free exchange and the consideration of others’ points of view.
Over the 2007-2013 period, the 'Europe for Citizens' programme had approximately 7 million direct participants.
The programme reached almost 25 000 towns and cities in Europe and created 350 networks of towns and cities around common issues. 4 250 civil society organisations were mobilised to meet citizens' concerns. More than 500 organisations were involved in remembrance activities vis-à-vis citizens.
3.5. Impact on the policy-making process
With regard to making a policy impact, the EFCP was able to extend its coverage and to involve citizens at local and regional levels. However, small projects targeting citizens at local level were relatively unlikely to incorporate the expertise and ambition needed to influence policy. Regarding larger-scale projects such as networks of twinned towns, civil society projects and support measures, they provided a way to influence policy while involving citizens, but had difficulties reaching individuals who were not already actively engaged.
Potential impact could as well be achieved when it was possible to create links with the policy-making process. Operating grants and civil society projects aimed at impacting policy processes at European level and succeeded partially, depending on their particular mechanisms, target groups and methods. Factors such as establishing sustainable networks (for example the European Year of Citizens Alliance EYCA) and involving specific target groups (such as children, young people or disadvantaged groups, for example people coming from remote rural areas) proved to play a crucial role.
In addition, the EFCP contributed to policy-making at EU level through the so-called structured dialogue 6 , which ensured the presence of independent civil society voices in EU debates, carried out research on citizenship related issues and offered a forum for dialogue with the Commission and other institutions.
A tangible policy-impact was reached during the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and the European Year of Citizens 2013 when projects funded by the EFCP contributed to raise awareness on the EU's role in the areas of volunteering and citizenship and thus established synergies with the European policy agenda in these fields.
4. Conclusions
The Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013 triggered a lot of interest amongst citizens, as the steady growth in number of applications clearly shows. Citizens are eager to take part in discussions and to have their say in EU policies that affect their daily lives. Considering European citizenship as an important element in strengthening and safeguarding the process of European integration, the European Commission used EFCP to give citizens this opportunity and more generally to encourage their engagement in the European project. This approach was based on the idea that participation helps strengthening awareness on EU issues, developing mutual understanding and identification with Europe, and therefore contributes to consolidating the long-term process of European integration.
Even if the long-term impact of the EFCP is difficult to assess, the programme effectively fostered civic participation and democratic engagement and reached large numbers of citizens who otherwise would not have been engaged with the European project. As the only EU programme that targets citizens directly the EFCP provided a unique forum to involve ordinary citizens in the EU through a bottom-up approach. Over the final three years of the programme, the fact that the projects were of higher quality and larger in scale, with closer links to the main themes associated with citizenship and civic participation and that many first time participants were involved considerably augmented its impact. In future, and taking into account the budgetary requirements, the programme will continue to be developed with a view to maximise its impact and deploy its funding strategically focussing on activities targeting citizens directly.
The interim evaluation of the successor programme Europe for Citizens 2014-2020 due in December 2017 will be used to verify in how far the evaluation recommendations of the ex-post evaluation have been followed.
ANNEX
ANNEX 1: 'Europe For Citizens' programme: Examples of good practice projects
Town-Twinning and Networks of Twinned Towns
Volunteering for Europe EUR-VOL
During the European Year of Volunteering 2011, the city of Trogir (Croatia) welcomed delegates from seven European partner towns for a four-day event addressing the value of voluntary activities with the aim to raise public awareness, involvement and understanding of the contribution that volunteering organsiations make to society. This conference paved the way for the creation of new cooperation networks and common volunteering actions in the areas of environment, art and language learning. At the end of the conference, the representatives of the towns signed an official cooperation memorandum.
Charter of European Rural Communities
Since 1989, the European Charter of Rural Communities has brought together 28 rural communities from all 28 EU Member States. This extensive network has chosen to focus on ‘liveability in European communities’ and to examine its various aspects including education, employment, integration of people with disabilities, participation in democracy at local level and involving young people in community life. The motto of the Charter is ‘people meet people’ and this is reflected in the way meetings between Charter members are organised. A major network meeting is organised every year, accompanied by specialised thematic meetings for specific target groups. One of the results of the project is an overview of the way participation in local democracy is organised in different European countries.
Civil Society Projects
Waves of legality, waves of citizenship
In 2011, the Italian Foundation Giovanni e Francesca Falcone together with partner organisations from 4 other countries organised two international events aimed at reinforcing the role of organized civil society in combating and preventing crime. An international conference organised in Paris explored the role of youth. More than 2.000 young people had the opportunity to embark on the Boat of legality travelling from Naples to Palermo and to participate in the ensuing city rallies. The project had excellent media coverage and contributed to raising public awareness of the of role civil society in preventing and fighting organised crime.
European Remembrance Projects
Train of Remembrance
The Train of Remembrance is a project commemorating children and young people from many European countries deported to concentration and extermination camps during the Second World War. The exhibition, held within real train carriages drawn by a steam engine, displays the biographies of young victims from eight European countries. It pays tribute to the aid provided by allied anti-Nazi forces saving the life of thousands of children and young people. The train visited over 100 railway stations attracting 380 000 visitors. The exhibition drew attention to a particular aspect of the Holocaust, i.e. the deportation and extermination of children and young people and brought it to the attention of large numbers of European citizens of today.
(1)
Decision N° 1904/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013 the programme 'Europe for Citizens' to promote active European citizenship, OJ L 378, 27.12.2006, p. 32-40.
(2)
Ex post evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme, Coffey International and Deloitte, 2015.
(3)
Council Decision 2004/100/EC of 26 January 2004 establishing a 'Community action programme to promote active European citizenship' (civic participation).
(4)
The following organisations were earmarked for structural support: Council of European Municipalities and Regions, Groupement d'études et de recherche Notre Europe and Institut für Europäische Politik, Platform of European Social NGOs, the European Movement and the European Council of Refugees and Exiles, Association Jean Monnet, Centre Européen Robert Schuman and Maisons d'Europe.
(5)
Ecorys, Interim evaluation of the Europe for Citizens Programme 2007-2013, 2011.
(6)
The structured dialogue consisted of regular meetings between the Commission services and approximately 50 key European organisations actively involved in the EFCP to discuss all matters relating to this programme and its implementation.