Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme · European Union

Remembering democratic transitions, the (re-)building of democratic institutions, and strengthening society…

Full title in the source: Remembering democratic transitions, the (re-)building of democratic institutions, and strengthening society based on the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights.

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The EU's Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme programme expects to make awards, from a total budget of €28 million. Applications close on 24 Feb 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

Deadline: 24 Feb 2027 (in 101 days)
Grant amount: €28 million total budget
Funding rate: Varies by programme — see the call conditions
Total budget: €28 million
Type of action: CERV Lump Sum Grants · CERV Lump Sum Grant
Likely applicant types: Non-profits, Public bodies, Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Universities & research From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV)
Reference: CERV-2026-CITIZENS-REM-TRANSITION
Call: CERV-2026-CITIZENS-REM
Last checked: 14 Nov 2026

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Scope

Objective:

1. CERV-2026-CITIZENS-REM-TRANSITION - Remembering democratic transitions, the (re-)building of democratic institutions, and strengthening society based on the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental rights.

The EU is a community of values, and all its Member States committed to respect the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental rights . Europe's experiences in the 20th century demonstrates the need for resilient democracies and the need for people to actively engage in and protect democratic institutions and values. Historical experience such as in the 1920s and 1930s, when some European democracies went through particularly challenging times, are stark reminders of the importance to promote democracy, also in a historical perspective. Today, democracy faces several challenges, which underlined the need to strengthen public trust in democratic processes and institutions and to recall the importance of democracy in people’s daily life.

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Democratic transitions (defined as the transition from a non-democratic to a democratic system, a transition undertaken by several European countries before joining the EU) are not only political and legal processes but also societal transformations.The transition and consolidation of democracies through institutional and legal reforms have been essential. In addition, delivering justice to victims and affected communities after the fall of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes (including communist and fascist dictatorships) can aid in societal healing, bolster and reinforce resilience against present and future threats to democracies.

Projects under this topic can focus on:

• The ongoing development and nurturing of democracies in the context of past transitions from authoritarian and totalitarian regimes (including communist and fascist dictatorships) across various European countries, reveals important lessons for defending and upholding EU values such as democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.

• They can also reflect on both shared patterns and national specificities, while underlining the lasting impact of the totalitarian or authoritarian past, and how its difficult legacy continues to be remembered, interpreted, and engaged with today.

• Examining and giving visibility to acts of resistance and organised opposition to past totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, as part of the ongoing effort to nurture and protect democracy in the face of enduring and emerging challenges.

• Transition from authoritarian and totalitarian regimes (including communist and fascist dictatorships) towards democracy.

• Promoting remembrance and education about past events in which fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, assembly, thought, conscience, religion, and electoral rights were suppressed under past totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. These examples serve to reinforce the importance of protecting democratic values today, including the right to express…

Topics

Authoritarian regimes Civil society Crimes against humanity Democracy Democratic engagement and civic participation Democratic transition Discrimination EU accession EU integration Equality Europe in a changing world European identity Extremism Fake-news Gender Healing of society Human rights Inter-cultural dialogue LGBTQ+ Minorities

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-02-24. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

How to apply

Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
Check the topic conditions for the minimum number of partners.
Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where applicants must be based: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where to apply: Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Read the EU application guide

Where these facts come from

Fact	Value	How we know	Taken from the source
Deadline	24 February 2027 “Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-02-24. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).”	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Amount per applicant	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Total budget	€28 million	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Funding rate	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Who can apply	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Where to apply	Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.	read from the official text	15 Nov 2026

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.