The EU offers 14 million euros for projects regarding migration, borders, and combating human trafficking.

The European Union has opened three funding lines, with a total budget of 14 million euros, for projects carried out by institutions from member states together with authorities and organizations from partner countries. The funds can be used to improve asylum and legal migration systems, border control, travel document security, combat human trafficking, and crisis intervention related to migration.

In short, six million euros are available for projects regarding migration and mobility policies, asylum, protection, and the administrative capacity of partner countries. Five million euros are allocated for external border control, identity and travel document security, visa policy cooperation, and the development of necessary infrastructure or systems. Another three million euros can finance the fight against the illegal entry of migrants and human trafficking, cooperation between law enforcement authorities, and preparedness for migration-related crises. The calls do not have a fixed calendar deadline. Concept notes can be submitted until funds are exhausted or until the calls are closed. The procedure has two stages: applicants first submit a brief project presentation, and those selected are invited to submit a complete application. Funded projects must be completed by June 30, 2031.

The three calls are administered through the Migration Partnership Facility, a program funded by the European Commission for cooperation between member states and non-EU countries in the field of migration and mobility. Each call covers a different area and uses money from a distinct European fund.

The largest budget, of six million euros, is reserved for partnerships in the field of migration. Projects can support partner countries in modifying their policies and legal framework regarding migration and mobility, developing asylum and protection systems, or improving the management of legal migration.

Activities may include preparing legislation, strategies, and action plans, training officials, strengthening institutions, and developing services for migrants. Information campaigns or mechanisms that facilitate access to protection and available administrative procedures can also be funded.

The main applicant for this line can be a public authority from the EU or a private legal entity registered in a member state, such as a non-governmental organization, foundation, or university. When the applicant is a private organization, the project must include a government institution as a co-applicant.

This criterion means that a non-governmental organization or a university cannot submit a project alone without the participation of a public authority. The available documents do not establish that any partnership meeting this condition will receive funding, as projects are evaluated before inviting applicants to the complete stage.

The second call has a budget of five million euros and concerns border management. Projects that improve border checks, identity and travel document security in partner countries, or cooperation regarding visa policy can be supported.

Funding can cover the development of legislation and procedures, staff training, expert exchanges, studies, equipment, and infrastructure used in integrated border management. Investments in large-scale IT systems are also eligible, as long as they are related to the objectives of the call.

Applicants for border projects must be government bodies or authorized agencies and operators. Universities, foundations, and non-governmental organizations are not presented as eligible main applicants under this line.

The budget of three million euros for internal security can be used for projects against irregular migration, illegal entry of migrants, and human trafficking. The call also covers the development of the capacity of authorities to prevent and manage migration-related crises.

Eligible activities may include cross-border cooperation, joint operations, networks between authorities, staff training, and the acquisition of necessary equipment or IT systems for investigations and interventions. Equipment must be related to the project's objectives and does not represent a separate funding category from the proposed action.

In the case of internal security, the applicant must be a government institution or an authorized agency or operator. The available documents do not provide a comprehensive list of institutions that can receive this status in each member state, so concrete eligibility must be verified in the documentation of each call.

The three calls are open continuously and do not have a single date by which all proposals must be submitted. An organization can submit a concept note as long as the relevant call is open and there are still available funds.

This procedure differs from a fixed deadline call, where all applications are compared after the same deadline. In this case, a later submission carries the risk that the budget may have already been allocated or that the call may have been closed.

The first stage consists of submitting a concept note that describes the problem, objectives, partners, activities, and expected results. Applicants whose proposals pass the initial evaluation are invited to prepare a complete application, with a budget and additional information regarding implementation.

Acceptance of a concept note does not equate to approval of funding. The decision is made after evaluating the complete application and verifying the conditions set for the applicant, partners, activities, costs, and involved countries.

Grants can start from 200,000 euros, and the common documentation does not set a fixed maximum value for a project. European funding can cover up to 95% of eligible costs, and the difference must be secured from other sources.

The lack of a single ceiling does not mean that an applicant can request the entire budget of the call without justification. The proposed value must correspond to the activities, duration, partners, and results of the project and remains subject to evaluation.

Proposals must include at least one eligible European country and one partner country from the regions specified in the documentation. Target areas include the southern neighborhood of the EU, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and countries in South and West Asia.

Projects are encouraged to involve authorities from partner countries, EU delegations, and, when relevant, European agencies such as Frontex, Europol, Eurojust, or the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training from the outset. The participation of an agency is not, however, mandatory for each project and does not guarantee selection.

The calls require the integration of fundamental rights in the preparation and management of projects. Interventions must respect principles such as non-discrimination, participation of affected persons, accountability of institutions, the rule of law, transparency, and access to information.

Compliance with these principles also applies to projects aimed at border control, combating the illegal entry of migrants, or information exchange between authorities. The documents do not provide for the suspension of obligations regarding the protection of individuals just because an action has a security objective.

All selected projects must be completed by June 30, 2031. This date represents the deadline for implementing funded actions, not the deadline by which proposals can be automatically submitted.

The Migration Partnership Facility has been operational since 2016 and finances the EU's external cooperation in the field of migration. The program is administered by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and uses funds from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Border Management and Visa Instrument, and the Internal Security Fund.

The three calls do not directly fund individuals seeking employment, international protection, or travel assistance. Grant beneficiaries are the eligible institutions and organizations that carry out the projects, and services for individuals may be part of the approved activities.

A separate line for legal migration and labor mobility is announced for a later stage in 2026. This is not part of the total budget of 14 million euros for the three calls currently underway.