Call for proposals � EACEA/06/12: Youth in Action Programme: Action 3.2 � Youth in the world: Cooperation with countries other than the neighbouring countries of the European Union

This call offers grants to support projects which promote cooperation in the youth sector between Youth in Action Programme Countries and Partner Countries other than those which are neighbours of the EU.

It is addressed to organisations working in the youth sector that are interested in running projects promoting cooperation in this field, involving youth workers and youth leaders, young people themselves and other actors involved in youth organisations and structures.

Its objectives are as follows:
— to improve the mobility of young people and youth workers, as well as youth employability;
— to promote youth empowerment and active participation;
— to foster capacity-building for youth organisations and structures in order to contribute to civil society development;
— to promote cooperation and the exchange of experience and good practice in the field of youth and non-formal education;
— to contribute to the development of youth policies, youth work and the voluntary sector;
— to develop sustainable partnerships and networks between youth organisations.

Preference will be given to those projects which best reflect the following priorities:
(i) Permanent priorities of the Youth in Action Programme (participation of young people; cultural diversity; European citizenship; inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities).
(ii) Annual priorities of the Youth in Action Programme (youth unemployment, poverty and marginalisation; spirit of initiative, creativity and entrepreneurship, employability; grassroots sport and outdoor activities; global environmental challenges and climate change).
(iii) Cooperation with specific Partner regions or countries (as a follow-up to the 2011 EU-China Year of Youth and in the context of the 2012 EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue, attention will be given to projects promoting dialogue, exchange and cooperation in the field of youth between the EU and China. Attention will be given in particular to projects aiming at ensuring follow-up and sustainability to the cooperation initiated in 2011 and/or to projects focusing on the promotion of intercultural dialogue between young people from the EU and China).

Proposals must be submitted by non-profit organisations which are: non-governmental organisations (NGOs); public bodies at regional or local level; or national youth councils. The same applies to partner organisations. Applicants must have been legally registered for at least two years in one of the Programme Countries.

The Programme Countries are: the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Croatia, Turkey.

Bodies established in the following countries may participate as partners but may not submit proposals under this call. Countries which are parties to agreements with the European Union regarding the youth field are deemed to be Partner Countries. These are:
— Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela;
— Africa: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Guinea, Rwanda, Sao Tome e Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe;
— Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sainte-Lucia, Saint-Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago;
— Pacific: the Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu;
— Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the People's Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen;
— Industrialised countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, United States of America.

Projects must involve partners from at least four different countries (including the applicant organisation), including at least two Programme Countries, of which at least one is an EU Member State, and two Partner Countries.

An exception is granted to projects involving China as a Partner Country in relation with the follow-up to the 2011 EU-China Year of Youth or the 2012 EU-China Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In those cases, projects may involve one single Partner Country (China) and one or more Programme Countries of which at least one must be a Member State of the European Union.

The project must include activities of a non-profit-making nature that are related to the field of youth and non-formal education. Activities supported under this call may include, but are not limited to, the following:
— large-scale youth events, seminars, conferences;
— activities encouraging the development of partnerships and networks;
— activities encouraging the policy dialogue in the field of youth;
— information and awareness campaigns in favour of and by young people;
— training and capacity-building of youth workers, youth organisations and multipliers;
— job-shadowing and long-term mobility for youth workers.

Projects must start between 1 September 2012 and 31 December 2012, with a minimum duration of six months and a maximum duration of 12 months.

The total budget is estimated at €3 million. Financial assistance will be a maximum 80% of total eligible expenses, with a maximum grant of €100,000.

The deadline for applications is 15 May 2012.

Additional information is available on the EACEA website

Reference: 2012/C 75/04

(Added 2012-03-14)