The EU’s “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values” programme

The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV) has the objective to protect and promote rights and values as anchored in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In particular, the programme that runs in the time frame 2021 – 2027, aims at actively supporting civil society organisations at local, regional, national and transnational level.

The programme is designed to sustain and develop open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies. The target is to support a vibrant and empowered civil society, encouraging people’s democratic, civic and social participation and cultivating the rich diversity of European society, based on our common values, history and memory.

CERV is based on the following four strands:

• Equality, Rights and Gender Equality – promoting rights, non-discrimination, equality (including gender equality), and advancing gender and non-discrimination mainstreaming.
• Citizens’ engagement and participation – promoting citizens engagement and participation in the democratic life of the Union, exchanges between citizens of different Member States, and raising awareness of the common European history.
• Daphne – fight violence, including gender-based violence.
• Union values – protect and promote Union values.

The total budget for the time frame 2021 – 2027 is € 766.3 million, that is distributed as follows:

2022

209.4

2024

92.1

2026

92.2

2021

97.2

2022

209.4

2023

91.8

2024

92.1

2025

92.2

2026

92.2

2027

91.5

Together with the EU’s Justice programme (JUST), the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme forms the Justice, Rights and Values Fund.

The programme supports projects that involve training, capacity building, exchanges of good practices between the EU Member States’ authorities and bodies and town-twinning. It further funds the development of knowledge-based EU policies and legislation through surveys, studies, and analyses. It also encourages the development of the capacity of key EU level networks (notably the annual work programme of EQUINET, the EU network of equality bodies).

Funding and Tenders

Current funding opportunities are to be found here.

For further details on the objectives, admissibility, eligibility and application concerning CERV, please feel free to contact the EUFUNDINGHUB.