This year in the framework of the re-granting scheme the EaP CSF Secretariat received 59 proposals, out of which 49 passed the eligibility screening. The majority of the eligible proposals were submitted under the priorities of the Working Group 1 “Democracy, Human Rights, Good Governance & Stability”, Working Group 2 “Economic Integration & Convergence with EU Policies, and Working Group 4 “Contacts between People”.

The Selection Committee decided to provide funding for 17 projects conditionally on the implementation of specific recommendations to be communicated to the applicants. The selected projects cover at least three Eastern Partnership countries. Not all proposals are fully funded, the grant agreements are expected to be signed in the coming weeks. The selected applicants will be contacted by email after 28 March.

The selection process included:

  • selection of proposals that should be potentially supported based on the rating and comments of the Selection Committee’s individual members
  • discussion of each proposal and the Selection Committee agreement on recommendations, as well as on the grants’ amounts

The level of participation was high with many applications of good quality and with the requested amount that exceeded several times the total budget available for this scheme. It is our hope that the EaP CSF will be able to provide sub-grants for a greater number of projects the next year.

List of Selected Projects and Lead Organisations

Working Group 1

  1. Joining Efforts and Skills to Confront Propaganda (Yerevan Press Club, Armenia)
  2. Security Alert on EU’s Eastern Doorsteps (Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, Georgia)
  3. From Inclusion to Participation in Decision-making (Unison NGO, Armenia)
  4. Consolidating the Efforts of the Civil Society Organisations in Fighting the Political Corruption (Promo-LEX, Moldova)
  5. Developing a Single Strategy on Gender Equality Issues of the EaP CSF (Belarusian Organization of Working Women, Belarus)
  6. Update on Public Administration and Local Governments Reform in EaP (ALDA – Association of Local Democracy Agencies, EU)

Reserve list:

  1. Framing the Scopes of Judicial Reforms in EaP Countries (Protection of Rights without Borders, Armenia)
  2. Tune to Minority Voices in Europe: Toward Mainstreaming the Minority Policies into EU-EaP Relations (Minority Rights Group Europe, EU)

Working Group 2

  1. Empowered Women for Social Integration (Martuni Women’s Community Council, Armenia)
  2. EaP – Information Society Instead of War (Center for Development and Management, Ukraine)
  3. Small Business Act for Europe and DCFTA of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine Using Experience of Latvia Overcoming Economic Crisis (Small Business Association of Moldova)
  4. Enhancing the Role of Civil Society and SME from Eastern Partnership Countries in the Implementation of European Standards (Moldovan Branch of the Romanian Centre for European Policies)

Reserve list:

  1. DCFTAs’ Enshrined Geographic Indications (GIs) for Non-Wine Food Products: a Boost for Partnerships’ Based Rural Development in EaP (Ecological Movement of Moldova)

Working Group 3

  1. Implementation of Waste Management Policies in EaP Countries According to the Association Agreement (National Environmental Centre, Moldova)
  2. Promotion of Paludiculture in Black Sea Region Wetlands for Carbon Sequestration, Sustainable Development and Community-Based Renewable Energy (Environment People Law, Ukraine)
  3. Mapping the Route for EaP Countries and the EU Cooperation within the Energy Union (Center for Global Studies “Strategy XXI”, Ukraine)

Reserve list:

  1. Strengthening the Role of CSOs of EaP in Implementing the Sustainable Development Principles of Agenda 2030 (Foundation Caucasus Environment, Georgia)

Working Group 4

  1. EaP Countries Cooperation to Ensure the Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Strengthening Higher Education Reforms in the Eastern Partnership Countries – the Selection Committee suggested to merge the projects (European Institute for Political Studies of Moldova, the Humanitarian Techniques’ Agency, Belarus)
  2. Communities, Classrooms and Civil Society: Sharing Experience and Developing Regional Approaches to Addressing the Rights and Needs of Children with Disabilities in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine (HealthProm, EU)

Reserve list:

  1. Toward Internationalization of Life-Long Education in EaP- Region (Association of Life-long Learning and Enlightenment, Belarus)
  2. Comparative report on Vocational Education Policies: realizations and best practices in Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine (Foundation for Advancement of Moldova)

Working Group 5

  1. Advanced Reforms, Advanced Civil Society (Armavir Development Center, Armenia)
  2. Vulnerable Employment in Machinery in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine: Setting a Common Policy Agenda (Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions)

Reserve list:

  1. Strengthening social dialogue through better cooperation (Resource and Analysis Center “Society and Environment”, Ukraine)