Preparing the EU for future enlargement: challenges and opportunities
Innovative Research on Democracy and Governance
Funding Amount
€3.0M - €3.5M
Deadline
16/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Preparing the EU for future enlargement: challenges and opportunities Call?
Grant Description
This call supports research on European Union enlargement processes focusing on democracy, rule of law and governance. Funded projects should analyse lessons learned from past enlargements using socio-historical, legal and economic approaches; develop and pilot digital interactive tools in at least four EU Member States to engage citizens and policymakers; increase societal awareness; foster transparent and participatory processes; produce policy recommendations; leverage existing EU research in...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Projects should deliver:
• Thematic insights for policymakers and public administrations (EU institutions and Member States) on lessons learned from previous enlargements, with emphasis on democracy, rule of law and governance.
• Increased societal awareness within the EU and candidate/potential candidate countries of political, social and economic consequences of enlargement versus non-enlargement.
• Better use of existing interactive tools by EU and national authorities to inform and promote educational opportunities on the enlargement process.
• Enhanced public involvement through transparent, participatory processes leveraging digital tools for broader engagement.
• Evidence-based policy recommendations for inclusive strategic communication, citizen engagement and support of candidate country reform processes (Chapters 10, 23, 24, 34 of the Acquis).
• Validated pilots demonstrating the effectiveness of digital engagement tools in at least four Member States.
• Strengthened networking and synergies with people-to-people programmes and European Research Infrastructures, fostering a common European spirit.
• Thematic insights for policymakers and public administrations (EU institutions and Member States) on lessons learned from previous enlargements, with emphasis on democracy, rule of law and governance.
• Increased societal awareness within the EU and candidate/potential candidate countries of political, social and economic consequences of enlargement versus non-enlargement.
• Better use of existing interactive tools by EU and national authorities to inform and promote educational opportunities on the enlargement process.
• Enhanced public involvement through transparent, participatory processes leveraging digital tools for broader engagement.
• Evidence-based policy recommendations for inclusive strategic communication, citizen engagement and support of candidate country reform processes (Chapters 10, 23, 24, 34 of the Acquis).
• Validated pilots demonstrating the effectiveness of digital engagement tools in at least four Member States.
• Strengthened networking and synergies with people-to-people programmes and European Research Infrastructures, fostering a common European spirit.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must:
• Improve EU Member States’ understanding of candidate countries through combined socio-historical, legal and economic methodologies.
• Provide thematic insights and lessons learned from past enlargements, with focus on democracy, rule of law and governance.
• Adopt a flexible, adaptive approach responsive to geopolitical shifts, including differentiation within EU governance.
• Utilize foresight and scenario planning to anticipate future changes and strategic management of the enlargement process.
• Conduct a comparative analysis of accession treaties’ membership conditions and transition periods for candidate-country stakeholders.
• Involve citizens early in enlargement discussions, ensuring transparency and addressing political, economic and social concerns.
• Address enlargement fatigue and rising euroscepticism in both Member States and candidate countries.
• Analyze motives of candidate countries for EU accession, comparing with motivations of past Member States.
• Collect evidence on the role of societal dialogues and education in EU integration learning approaches, combining formal and informal settings.
• Identify the most effective digital tools for public administrations and policymakers to improve citizens’ understanding of enlargement.
• Implement pilots in at least four EU Member States, with potential synergies with people-to-people programmes.
• Develop policy recommendations to promote inclusive strategic communication, citizen engagement and support for reform processes in candidate countries.
• Improve EU Member States’ understanding of candidate countries through combined socio-historical, legal and economic methodologies.
• Provide thematic insights and lessons learned from past enlargements, with focus on democracy, rule of law and governance.
• Adopt a flexible, adaptive approach responsive to geopolitical shifts, including differentiation within EU governance.
• Utilize foresight and scenario planning to anticipate future changes and strategic management of the enlargement process.
• Conduct a comparative analysis of accession treaties’ membership conditions and transition periods for candidate-country stakeholders.
• Involve citizens early in enlargement discussions, ensuring transparency and addressing political, economic and social concerns.
• Address enlargement fatigue and rising euroscepticism in both Member States and candidate countries.
• Analyze motives of candidate countries for EU accession, comparing with motivations of past Member States.
• Collect evidence on the role of societal dialogues and education in EU integration learning approaches, combining formal and informal settings.
• Identify the most effective digital tools for public administrations and policymakers to improve citizens’ understanding of enlargement.
• Implement pilots in at least four EU Member States, with potential synergies with people-to-people programmes.
• Develop policy recommendations to promote inclusive strategic communication, citizen engagement and support for reform processes in candidate countries.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
Consortium and funding rules:
• Type of Action: HORIZON-RIA lump sum; single-stage submission; Part B page limit 50 pages.
• Mandatory detailed budget table using the template in the Submission System.
• At least one beneficiary must be established in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine or Türkiye.
• Eligible costs take the form of lump sums; follow the Decision of 7 July 2021 on lump sum contributions under Horizon Europe and Annexes A–G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
• Proposals must use the specific application form (HE RIA lump sum) and comply with MGA HORIZON-AG-LS rules.
• Data produced must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR) and where applicable leverage EOSC federated infrastructures and Data Spaces.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to network and cluster with relevant past and ongoing EU-funded projects and to use services offered by European Research Infrastructures in the social sciences and humanities domain.
• Proposals must adhere to evaluation, eligibility, financial and operational capacity criteria as described in Work Programme General Annexes.
• Type of Action: HORIZON-RIA lump sum; single-stage submission; Part B page limit 50 pages.
• Mandatory detailed budget table using the template in the Submission System.
• At least one beneficiary must be established in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine or Türkiye.
• Eligible costs take the form of lump sums; follow the Decision of 7 July 2021 on lump sum contributions under Horizon Europe and Annexes A–G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
• Proposals must use the specific application form (HE RIA lump sum) and comply with MGA HORIZON-AG-LS rules.
• Data produced must be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR) and where applicable leverage EOSC federated infrastructures and Data Spaces.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to network and cluster with relevant past and ongoing EU-funded projects and to use services offered by European Research Infrastructures in the social sciences and humanities domain.
• Proposals must adhere to evaluation, eligibility, financial and operational capacity criteria as described in Work Programme General Annexes.
Important dates
Open from: 15/05/2025
Deadline:16/09/2025
Application period has ended
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