Definition
These rules apply to all content relating to EU funding, independently from its allocation field (e.g. education, research and innovation etc.). Extensive external user research with stakeholders has shown that content relating to EU funding is one of the three main reasons why visitors are using the Commission’s websites. These rules are intended to ensure that such content is made as clear and as helpful as possible for stakeholders.
Funding categories
There are different categories in the European Union’s funding scheme:
- grants: direct financial contribution from the European Union’s budget in a form of a donation
- public procurement contracts: purchase of services, supplies or work
- financial instruments: loans, guarantees and equity implemented in partnership with public and private institutions
- subsidies: direct cash payment aiming at reducing economic and social disparities
- prizes: financial contribution given as a reward following a contest.
Learn more about EU funding categories in the EU funding for beginners section of the European Commission’s website.
Funding management
The funding proposal and application process depends on how the funding is managed. As a consequence, the obligations in terms of publication will also depend on its management mode. There are three different modes:
- Direct management: the European Union is responsible for carrying out all the steps of the process.
- Shared management: the Member States’ administrations are in charge of the selection and award procedures.
- Indirect management: the implementing partner (United Nations, World Bank, etc.) acts as the contracting authority and sets the application process.
Learn more about funding management types in the funding by management mode section of the European Commission’s website.
Two main types of calls published on a DG website
- A call for proposal is the official publication of a funding proposal submission. Applicants will find all necessary information on the award process on the call.
- A call for tender is the official publication of tender for public procurement of services, supplies or work.
Purpose
Effective web communication around funding programmes helps to:
- attract the right and best candidates, proposals and contractors (e.g. by simplifying the (digital) application process)
- promote and raise awareness about funding opportunities
- show the impact (on policy) of the funding programmes and public procurement
- improve connections between and with stakeholders
- show best practices for projects, based on projects that have received funding
- provide transparency of the processes and where the funding goes
- support the work of the European Commission in improving citizens’ life in various fields
- communicate rules and guidance on public procurement to governments and other stakeholder.
Rules
Calls for proposal
The European Commission’s website www.ec.europa.eu publishes an overview of the funding opportunities financed by the programmes to:
- offer a consistent way to present information on all EU funding programmes
- improve access to detailed information about the results of funding programmes
- provide links to calls for proposals for direct management programmes on a single page with links to content managed by the DGs or to the authority’s website.
If DGs are required to provide further information on a programme they have authority on for this content, DG COMM will be in touch with the Unit concerned.
Programmes under direct management
To ensure this effective and consistent communication of EU directly-managed programmes across the European Commission’s web presence, DGs must register the calls for proposal on the European Commission’s official Funding & Tender opportunities platform, also known as Single Electronic Data Interchange AREA (SEDIA).
If they wish to, DGs can communicate about a funding programme on their own website or a dedicated one but must link this content to the call for proposal on the funding and tender opportunities platform.
Communicate on your website
The call for proposals content provides the information users need in order to apply for funding (grants), and to understand the selection process. This content type includes a detailed summary of each call, alongside contact details, other documents of interest and related links surrounding the programme.
Guidance
What to include
A Call for proposal should include:
- A brief description of the call for proposal
- A detailed description of the call, including summary of the qualifications for projects and candidates.
- Contact information for the programme
- A link to the programme details (either on the DG site, or to the programme page in the Funding, Tenders section of the core web site).
- All documents needed by applicants, or required by law.
When to use this template
Use the Call for proposal template for any call that is funded through shared management or indirect management. Calls should be listed together within the Funding section of a DG's or agency's web site.
When to consider something else
Calls for proposals under direct management are published on the Funding and Tenders Portal (SEDIA). Learn more about funding management modes.
Usability guidance
- Understand your users. What do your applicants need to know?
- Don’t make it too complicated. Stick to the essential information that applicants need in order to apply, and link to the programme details and other relevant information.
Publishing tips
Upload your documents in the order in which you want them to appear. Any instructions specific to a document or group of documents can be added in the document upload interface.
Programmes under shared or indirect management
Programmes under shared or indirect management have dedicated sites or are hosted on the responsible DG’s or the managing authority’s website. The rules of the authority in charge of the selection and award procedures apply.
Calls for tender
Where to publish calls for tender
- it is mandatory to save calls for tender that are worth 140k€ or higher on the eTed Tendering platform.
- it is recommended to save calls for tender that are worth less than 140k€ on the eTed Tendering platform. If they are not saved on the eTed Tendering platform, they should at least be hosted on the programme site and/or the DG’s website.
How to organise calls for tender on your site
Your DG or funding programme website should provide access to calls for tender.
- preferred: include a dedicated page or section on your site: Funding and tenders
- provide a link to the eTed Tendering platform, towards search results for your DG, programme
- for calls for tender associated with direct-managed programmes: link to the Funding & Tender opportunities platform which in turn will link to the TED eTendering platform.
For more information about the the eTed Tendering platform, please contact: OP-TED-HELPDESK@publications.europa.eu.
For sites developed on Corporate web development platforms
If your site is developed with the corporate web development platforms (Europa Web Publishing Platform or Open Europa), you must use the call for proposals content type for funding programmes and the call for tenders content type to launch a tender.
For more information on the content types, please go to the step by step guides to content types.
Contact and Support
Need further assistance on this topic? Please contact the team in charge: COMM Europa Management and EC-FUNDING-TENDER-SERVICE-DESK@ec.europa.eu.