The YOUTH program offers various opportunities for cooperation with third
countries. Projects under Actions 1, 2 and 5 may involve or take place in third
countries, provided they clearly comply with the objectives, rules and specific
criteria set out below.
Objectives of third-country cooperation
Cooperation with young people and partners from countries in other regions of
the world ("third countries") can help promote universal peace, dialogue,
tolerance and solidarity amongst young people. In order to give a human and
cultural dimension to its cooperation agreements, the European Union is
increasingly seeking to extend and deepen cooperation and solidarity between
people.
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In supporting youth activities with third countries, the European Commission's
main aims are to build long-lasting and solid partnerships, as well as promoting
the exchange of youth work expertise and know-how between non-governmental and
governmental structures in the European Union and third countries. |
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Activities involving third countries should give participants a better
understanding of their respective situations and cultures and help them explore
their identities. They are also intended to contribute to the development of the
voluntary sector and civil society in the partner countries.
Which countries can participate?
Please see the list of countries and priority regions in section B.3.
What are the general rules for activities with third countries?
 | Only Action 1 (Youth for Europe), Action 2 (European Voluntary Service)
and Action 5 (Support Measures) are open to third-country cooperation |
| Each third-country project has to involve one or more E. U Member States
depending on the Action |
| Projects should involve third countries from the same region |
| Pre-accession and E. E. A/EFTA countries involved in a project should not
outnumber E. U Member States |
| Activities can take place in any of the countries which are involved in
the respective project |
What are the special conditions for pre-accession countries' activities
with third countries?
Pre-accession countries may only participate in third country activities
with the neighboring priority regions:
| Central and Eastern European pre-accession countries (Bulgaria, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak
Republic, Slovenia) may only participate in third-country multilateral
projects with countries in the CIS and South Eastern Europe |
| Cyprus and Malta, as well as being pre-accession countries, are also
Mediterranean partner countries. Consequently, they can participate as third
countries in projects with E. U Member States and other Mediterranean partner
countries. However, they cannot participate in projects with other third
countries. |
How to apply?
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The National Agencies provide the official application forms, which may also
be downloaded from the Commission's and other websites (see Annex).
Applications must be submitted by the deadlines for selection at European
level indicated in section B.5. Please contact the National Agency or National
Coordinator in your country for assistance with filling in the forms. |
One of the partner organizations takes the lead in submitting the application
as well as in implementing the project. This organization is responsible for
submitting the grant application. It will receive the grant for the whole
project and is responsible for transferring, to each partner organization, its
respective share of the grant. It is also responsible for reporting and
presenting final accounts.
For projects with Mediterranean partner countries
The applicant may be any of the project partners, i.e. a sending or host
group/organization based either in a Program country or in one of the
Mediterranean partner countries. It submits the application, on behalf of all
the partners, to the relevant National Agency/National Coordinator, which
forwards it to the European Commission, where the selection of projects takes
place.
For projects with other third countries
The applicant has to be one of the partners based in a
Program country. It
submits the application, on behalf of all the partners, to the relevant
National Agency, which forwards it to the European Commission, where the
selection of projects takes place.
European youth organizations
European youth organizations which are based in one of the
Program countries
and have member branches in at least eight Program countries may apply
directly to the European Commission or through their national branches to the
relevant National Agency.
Other considerations
Visas and residence permits
Regulations concerning visas and residence permits differ from country to
country. There is no general rule or status for E. V. S volunteers, for
example, so the necessary arrangements for each volunteer must be made. The
European Commission can help by issuing a letter confirming participation in a
European project. National Agencies and National Coordinators may also be able
to provide assistance.
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Vaccination and health care
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Please contact the relevant health institutions concerning health
recommendations for traveling to the third country concerned. When planning
the time schedule and budget for the project, take account of medical checks
and vaccinations that may be required. |
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