This call aims to provide citizens with larger choices of quality online news content, by supporting the production and distribution of digital news content on EU affairs. The call has the objective to support media players in establishing and/or developing online news platforms across the EU, and to enhance EU citizens’ access to reliable digital information, in particular about EU affairs. Applicants are encouraged to use innovative editorial formats and dissemination strategies.
- Grants will support the production of digital formats and their distribution across borders.
- The available budget is EUR 5 million and the co-financing is limited to a maximum of 95% of the total eligible costs.
- The Commission expects to fund two projects. The maximum grant amount per project is set at EUR 2,7 million.
- Projects will start by end June 2025 for a duration of 18 to 24 months.
- Applications can be submitted by single applicants or a consortium.
- Editorial independence will be guaranteed by a charter of independence that will be part of the agreement between the European Commission and the beneficiary.
- Projects must reach as many EU citizens as possible and ensure maximum impact of the action.
Proposals should mainly focus on the production of digital formats on EU affairs. Formats can include daily/weekly digital content (audiovisual, textual in-depth reporting, debates, news…), live coverage, news about the EU institutions’ work and decisions, rich media (images, video, soundbites, infographics, data visualisations, animations, interactive content, maps…), social media posting, user-generated content, community engagement.
Applicants should propose dedicated platforms/cross-platforms online to ensure free access, discoverability and sorting, user-friendliness and dissemination of content in a minimum of 6 EU languages. We encourage the development of distribution media (web portals, apps, plug-ins, newsletters, social media, etc.), the use of innovative digital technologies (AI, data processing, augmented reality, blockchain) and the integration and optimisation of readily available, off the shelf technical digital tools (translation modules, AI bots, search engines, crawlers, recommendation systems, user IDs, etc).
Projects should aim for the largest possible audience, reaching at least 100.000 unique EU digital visitors per month across the proposed digital platform(s). The proposal should include adequeate tools to measure the audience reach of the project. Applicants are invited to include common content offerings through common visual identity, branding and visibility activities.
Background information
This call for proposals is part of the Multimedia Actions, which funds general EU information, news and programmes for the public from European perspectives. Their aim is to increase the visibility of the EU institutions’ work, the decisions they make, and the steps involved in building the EU. The goal is to make citizens aware of how the decisions made at EU level affect them.
The Commission publishes annual financing decisions, constituting the annual work programme for the implementation of Multimedia Actions. The 2024 Financing Decision includes a call covering EU digital reporting.
Further information
- The call for proposals, application forms and all relevant documents are available below.
- Questions can be sent to CNECT-NEWSMEDIA@ec.europa.eu until 10 September 2024.
- All questions and answers will be published, anonymously, on this page.
- Visit our webpage on EU funding opportunities for the news media sector for an overview of the available grants.
- Subscribe to receive notifications about the publication of articles related media on CONNECT’s website.
- Find an Overview of news media projects.
If you are reading in a language other than English, please refer to the original English version of the call documents for the most accurate information.