The European Commission has launched a call for proposals dedicated to local and regional authorities, with the aim of supporting the enhancement of the capacities of municipalities and regions and supporting projects related to local governance in EU partner countries.
 
The deadline for submission of all call for proposal concept notes is 1 February 2012 at 16:00, Brussels, Belgium, date and time.
 
Actions proposed in the concept note should focus on institutional capacity building, decentralised cooperation, development education and raising awareness of development issues in Europe.  Actions should also engage European local authorities and associations of local government in campaigning on and fostering changes in local development-related public policies and issues.
 
Funding opportunities will be greater under the second objective, which revolves around global learning and campaigning on development cooperation in EU and candidate countries, which means that a greater number of projects will be selected than under the first objective (decentralisation in EU partner countries).
 
The call for proposal was launched in the framework of the EU thematic programme “Non-state actors and local authorities in development”, which co-finances initiatives put forward and implemented by local authorities and civil society organisations in EU member states and partner countries.