European Disability Stragegy and Europe for Citizens Programme

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1 European Disability Stragegy and Europe for Citizens Programme Rita Sassu ECP Europe for Citizens Point Rome, 10 May 2013

2 Europe for Citizens Programme The "Europe for Citizens" i Programme is established through Decision n. 1904/2006/CE (12 December 2006) This Programme supports a wide range of activities and organizations promoting active European citizenship, especially the involvement of citizens and civil society organizations' in the process of European integration. The Programme "Europe for citizens" with a total bd budget of feur 215 millions has started on 1 January 2007 and will end on 31 December 2013

3 Programme management/implementation The Programme is managed by the European Commission, DG COMM - Directorate General Communication

4 Programme management/implementation The European Commission relies on an Executive Agency, which is the EACEA - Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, established by decision 2005/56/EC of the European Commission of 14 January 2005), responsible for the practical implementation of most of the Actions of the "Europe for Citizens" Programme and the management of the complete life cycle of the projects. The EACEA is in charge of the ECP - Europe for Citizens Points, thatare are national structures whose main task is to spread the knowledge of the "Europe for Citizens" Programme on national territory by disseminating practical information to general public and targeted groups (through conferences, info-day, seminars, workshops, publications, i web sites, etc.) and to guide and support those interested in participating in the Programme.

5 Programme management/implementation The Italian Europe for Citizens Point is established in the Ministry of Culture, Rome

6 ECP Italy s tasks ECP Italy' tasks include: To organize conferences, seminars, courses, workshops on the Programme; To give citizens practical information on the Programme and on financing opportunities; ii To help and to assist potential beneficiaries; To exchange information, experience with other ECPs; To cooperate with EACEA and with European Commission as far as the Programme is concerned; To promote the results of selected projects; To manage ECPItaly's website i i ; To manage the phone help-desk and the help-desk (antennadelcittadino@beniculturali.it) To realize e publications related to "Europe for Citizens" Programme main themes (for example: town twinning)

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8 ECP Italy Publications - "Europe for Citizens" Programme brochure: this publication sums up Europe for Citizens main features, such as objectives and priorities, calls, selction criteria, deadlines; - Il Gemellaggio e l Unione Europea (Town twinning and the European Union): this publication provides information on town twinning, explaining how to stipulate a town twinning agreement and illustrating the main relevant laws and institutions on the subject, as well financial opportunities;

9 ECP Italy Publications - Fostering the Dialogue between Citizens, Civil Society Organisations, National and European Institutions. An Introduction to the European Year of Voluntary Activities promoting Active Citizenship European: this publication deals with volunteering - L Unione Europea e i suoi cittadini (The European Union and its citizens): this publication illustrates the meaning of European citizenship and contains a selection of Italian selected projects - European citizenship through ages: this publications concerns the concept of citizenship from antiquity up to today

10 Potential beneficiaries The Programme is open to all stakeholders promoting active European citizenship. For example: local authorities European public policy research organisations (think-tanks) citizens groups civil society organisations non-governmental organisations trade unions educational institutions organisations active in the field of voluntary work

11 Elegible countries EU countries: Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom Albania Croatia The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Bosnia and Herzegovina ego Montenegro Serbia

12 Elegible countries

13 Programme Guide The "Europe for Citizens" Programme Guide, intends to guide all interested applicants through the different aspects of the Programme. It has the status of a call for proposals Download dfrom ii

14 General objectives "Europe for Citizens" Programme pursues a series of general objectives: - development of a sense of ownership of the European Union among its citizens; f E id tit - sense of European identity, based on shared values, common history and culture;

15 General objectives - the promotion of the citizenship of the European Union, by giving citizens the opportunity to meet, to interact and to participate in the construction of a closer Europe, which is democratic and world-oriented, united in and enriched through its cultural diversity; - the furtherance of intercultural dialogue, through the enhancement of mutual understanding between European citizens and by respecting cultural and linguistic diversity.

16 Specific objectives The specific objectives of the Programme aim to: - bring together people coming from different European nations, who are allowed to meet during the project's activities, in order to exchange experiences, to know each other and to build together the future of Europe; - to promote active citizenship, civic i participation i and democracy; - to foster the knowledge of European Union and Europe's values and achievements, so that Europe can prove to be closer to its citizens, and to preserve its past; - to encourage cooperation and interaction between citizens, civil society organizations and local authorities in participating countries, thus contributing to intercultural dialogue and to the building of Europe's unity, enriched by its diversity.

17 Programme Structure Action 1 Active Citizens for Europe Measure 1.1 Town Twinning Citizens Meetings Measure 1.2 Networks of Twinned Towns Measure 2.1 Citizens projects Measure 2.2 Support measures Action 2 Active Civil Society in Europe Measure 3 Support for projects initiated by civil society organizations Action 3 Together for Europe Action 4 Active European Remembrance

18 Action 1 Active Citizens i for Europe This Action is directed specifically at activities involving citizens, in line with the objectives of the Programme and in particular the following specific objective: bringing together people from local communities across Europe to share and exchange experiences, opinions and values, to learn from history and to build for the future. It seeks to encourage meetings, exchanges and debates among European citizens from different countries and through different means. This action is divided in two measures: Measure 1 Town Twinning This measure consists in benefiting from the links established at local level between twinned municipalities for fostering exchanges and cooperation. Measure 2 Citizens projects and support measures This measure explores innovative methods of citizens participation.

19 Action 1 Active Citizens i for Europe Example of successful project: Enabling the disabled of Europe: Finding innovative ways to improve the daily lives of disadvantaged people Selected in Measure 1.2 Network of twinned towns Grant awarded: euros Countries involved: Hungary, Austria, Italy, Romania

20 Action 1 Active Citizens i for Europe The project aimed to explorate how differently abled people can find employment and be integrated in society. In fact, it is estimated that 40 million (1%) of Europeans have some form of disability. The project also meant to stress that disability does not mean marginalisation.

21 Action 2 Active Civil Society in Europe This Action is targeted at civil ilsociety, in line with the objectives of the Programme and in particular with the objective to: foster action, debate and reflection related to European citizenship and democracy, shared values, common history and culture through h cooperation within civil society organisations at European level. The Action includes the Measure 3 Support for projects initiated by civil society organizations. The aim of this measure is to support concrete projects of civil society organisations from different participating countries. Projects should raise awareness on issues of European interest and on concrete solutions that can be found through cooperation or coordination at European level.

22 Action 2 Active Civil Society in Europe Example of successful project: Disabled People on the Move Selected in Measure 2.3 Support for projects initiated by civil society organizations Countries involved: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Sweden, Spain and the United Kingdom

23 Action 2 Active Civil Society in Europe The project, promoted by the European Blind Union, dealt with citizenship from the perspective of equal treatment and non discrimination. Project s results are published on

24 Action 3 - Together for Europe This action aims at deepening the concept of "active European citizenship" and at promoting its understanding all over Europe, therefore contributing ti to "bringing i Europe closer to its citizens", through three sets of measures: High-visibility iibilit events such as commemoration of fhistorical i events, the celebration of European achievements, artistic events, European-wide conferences Studies Information and dissemination tools

25 Action 3 - Together for Europe Example of financied activity: Study on volunteering in the European Union

26 Action 4 - Active European Remembrance The European Union is built on fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and respect for human rights. In order to fully appreciate their meaning, it is necessary to remember the breaches of those principles caused by Nazism and Stalinism in Europe.

27 Action 4 - Active European Remembrance The Action aims to: - To commemorate the victims of Nazism and Stalinism - To preserve the sites and archives associated with deportations, Europeans will preserve the memory of the past, including its dark sides. The objective of this action, in line with the objectives of the Programme, are twofold: fostering action, debate and reflection related to European citizenship and democracy, shared values, common history and culture and bringing Europe closer to its citizens by promoting Europe s values and achievements, while preserving the memory of its past.

28 Action 4 - Active European Remembrance Example of successful project: The train of Remembrance Selected in Action 4 Active European Remembrance Applicant country: Germany

29 Action 4 - Active European Remembrance The project aimed to preserve the memory of the children and the young people who were victims of Nazism. A permament exibition was mounted in the train, that reached many European stations.

30 Future "Europe for Citizens" Programme Two Strands: European Remembrance Democratic engagement and civic participation

31 Disability and UE EU actions and initiatives regarding differently abled people: Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) requires the Union to combat discrimination based on disability when defining and implementing its policies and activities (Article 10)

32 Disability and UE The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, requires States to protect and safeguard all human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities. According to the UN Convention, people with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

33 European disability Strategy The Strategy aims to build a barrier-free Europe, adressing both physical and psicological i ldifferently abled people. Main field of Actions:

34 European disability Strategy The Strategy aims to build a barrier-free Europe, adressing both physical and psicological differently abled people.

35 European disability Strategy Main fields of Actions: Accessibility, Participation, Equality, Employment, Education and training, Social protection, Health External Action

36 Opportunities offered by "Europe for Citizens" Programme The Programme gives people the chance: - To meet - To discuss together issues of common interest - To cooperate together to solve European problems - To develop their European identity - To promote reciprocal and mutual understanding - To foster peace and tolerance

37 Contacts RITA SASSU ECP Europe for Citizens Point Italy Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities Via del Collegio Romano Rome, Italy Tel