EU Announces €1.5 Million Grant Call to Strengthen the Role of Civil Society in Ukraine’s EU Accession Process

At the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) in Rome on July 10, the European Union and Ukraine announced a €1.5 million call for project proposals under the flagship initiative Ukraine2EU – EU Accession Support Programme.

The grant call, set to launch on August 1, 2025, aims to provide Ukrainian civil society organisations with the opportunity to directly contribute to Ukraine’s overall EU integration efforts and the alignment of Ukrainian legislation with the EU acquis. The announcement underscored the shared conviction that Ukraine’s sustainable progress towards EU membership requires strong partnerships between state institutions and civil society.

Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, highlighted the importance of this cooperation:

“Ukrainians are making significant progress on reforms aimed at EU accession. This is possible, in part, thanks to a strong civil society that works with the government – and sometimes challenges it. Many people in this sector bring great expertise and skills. This initiative will fund civil society proposals to ensure that EU accession remains a project that involves society as a whole.”

Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration – Minister of Justice of Ukraine, welcomed the initiative:

“We are making Ukraine’s EU accession process more open and practical, so that reforms are not only defined by institutions but shaped with the participation of civil society. Through this call, we invite civil society to be active participants in Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership.”

Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, underlined the value of civil society’s contribution to Ukraine’s EU accession process:

“Denmark is delighted to support Ukraine’s EU accession process. We have strong traditions of civil society in Denmark, which contributes to decision-making that shapes the country’s future. We are impressed by the dedication of Ukrainian civil society in informing and influencing decision-making, which underscores Ukraine’s strong democratic spirit.”

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová emphasised civil society’s ability to connect reforms with citizens’ interests:

“Civil society plays a key role in Ukraine’s path to EU integration. This call is a clear signal of the EU’s determination to work with civil society to ensure that European integration is understood, supported, and embraced by all Ukrainians.”

The grant call aims to support 8–15 projects, each with funding of up to €200,000 (with an optimal ceiling of €125,000) and a duration of up to 24 months.

The call is open to a broad range of activities, including advocacy, public consultations, communication, legislative analysis and drafting, contributions to negotiation processes and EU integration issues, as well as other initiatives. Preference will be given to proposals targeting the fields of agriculture, industry, energy, free movement of workers, and the environment (within Clusters 2–5). Proposals under Cluster 1 “Fundamentals of the Accession Process” and Cluster 6 “External Relations” will also be considered if clear relevance is demonstrated.

The competition will proceed in two stages. Concept notes must be submitted by September 1, 2025. Selected applicants will then be invited to submit full project proposals. Projects are expected to begin in December 2025 or January 2026.

Background

The Ukraine2EU Programme is a key EU initiative designed to help Ukraine successfully complete the accession process and prepare for EU membership. The Programme is implemented by Lithuania’s Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) with funding from the European Commission, Denmark, Lithuania, and Sweden.

Detailed information about the call will be published on the CPVA website and the Ukraine2EU Programme’s social media channels on August 1, 2025.