Open Call: CEE Special Fund 2027 (Germany and France)

Deadline: 01-Nov-2026

The CEE Special Fund supports innovative trilateral and multilateral youth exchanges and training courses involving France, Germany, and a third country. Supported by the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO), the programme aims to strengthen European values, democratic participation, social cohesion, European integration, and mutual understanding while addressing contemporary sociopolitical challenges. The fund particularly encourages innovative educational approaches, active participant involvement, new target groups, and projects that generate concrete results.

About the CEE Special Fund

The Franco-German Youth Office has supported trilateral youth exchanges and training programmes for decades. The CEE Special Fund builds on this experience by supporting innovative projects that respond to current sociopolitical issues and strengthen cooperation between young people from France, Germany, and another participating country.

The programme seeks projects that:

- Promote European values and integration - Strengthen European cohesion - Encourage active youth participation - Introduce innovative educational approaches - Engage new groups of young people - Address contemporary sociopolitical challenges - Produce concrete and meaningful results Who Can Participate? The programme supports exchanges involving young people from France, Germany, and a third country.

Participants can include

- Children - School pupils - Apprentices - Students - Young jobseekers - Young professionals - Young people involved in youth work The exchanges are designed to be broadly accessible and particularly welcome young people who have had limited opportunities to participate in international mobility programmes. Age Eligibility The mobility activities target young people aged 3 to 30.

The programme also supports:

- Young professionals up to age 35 - Apprentices up to age 35 This broad age range allows projects to engage children and young people at different stages of education, training, employment, and professional development. Project Structure Projects funded through the CEE Special Fund must consist of three distinct encounter phases.

Each phase must:

- Take place in one of the partner countries - Be part of the overall trilateral or multilateral project - Last between 4 and 21 nights The overall project can run for between one and three years. This structure is intended to create meaningful and sustained exchanges rather than a single short international meeting.

Participating Countries

Projects must involve:

- France - Germany - A third country The fund therefore provides a framework for international cooperation that extends beyond traditional Franco-German exchanges and brings an additional country into the partnership.

Priority Theme 1: Democracy and Peace in Europe

One priority area focuses on young people’s active engagement in democracy and peace in Europe.

Projects may address themes such as:

- Elections - Young people’s participation in public debates - Strengthening the rule of law - Democratic participation - Youth involvement in European political and social life The aim is to empower young people to understand democratic processes and actively contribute to peaceful and cohesive societies.

Priority Theme 2: History, Remembrance and Peace Education

The fund also supports projects that improve understanding of history and strengthen mutual understanding through remembrance work and peace education.

Activities can encourage young people to:

- Explore historical experiences - Understand different national perspectives - Learn through remembrance - Promote mutual understanding - Develop approaches to peace education

Priority Theme 3: Inclusion, Civil Society and Rights

Another priority is increasing participation among young people and civil society.

The fund highlights:

- Peace and reconstruction in Ukraine - Innovative ideas for cultural infrastructure - Minority rights - Gender equality - LGBTQIA+ rights - Broader participation in civil society Projects can use youth exchange as a platform for discussing social inclusion, equality, rights, and contemporary European challenges.

Priority Theme 4: Sustainable Development

Young people’s involvement in sustainable development is another key theme.

Projects may address:

- Consumption patterns - Sustainable mobility - Artificial intelligence in the context of climate change - Energy-saving initiatives - Youth participation in environmental issues - Sustainable development The objective is to encourage young people to develop practical ideas and take an active role in responding to environmental and climate-related challenges.

Priority Theme 5: Vocational Training and Young Entrepreneurship

The fund also supports vocational training and sustainable young entrepreneurship.

Projects can focus on:

- Improving access to the labour market - Vocational training - Sustainable entrepreneurship - Youth employment - Gender equality in education - Gender equality in professional life - Developing innovative approaches to career opportunities These activities can help young people strengthen skills and explore pathways into employment and entrepreneurship. Funding Available Financial support is provided by the Franco-German Youth Office, with funding from the Federal Foreign Office and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Funding can amount to a maximum of €25,000 (approximately $27,000 USD) per project phase. The final grant amount depends on factors including: - Project duration - Number of participants - Structure of the project - Individual project phases The maximum amount therefore does not necessarily represent the amount awarded to every project. Project Duration The total duration of a CEE Special Fund project can range from one to three years. Within this period, projects must implement the required three encounter phases. The longer project structure can allow participants to build relationships over time, develop ideas coll