Eurodesk Brussels Link B u l l e t i n December 2013
Deadlines up to 15 March 2014 Documentation European Opportunities Highlights Upcoming Events Quote of the month EBL Activities Network Calendar
Deadlines Deadlines up to 15 March 2013 Deadline Reminder: http://www.eurodesk.eu/edesk/SearchDb.do?go=1 Reference number EU0010000301
8 December 2013
eTwinning - School partnerships in Europe
EU0010000504
10 December 2013
Preparatory Action-Your first Eures job
EU0010000568
11 December 2013
European Social Innovation Competition
EU0010000476
15 December 2013
International Millennium Youth Camp 2014
EU0010000302
15 December 2013
EU0010000322
20 December 2013
EU0010000595
24 December 2013
EU0010000450
30 December 2013
danceWEB - European Scholarship Programme for Contemporary Dance Europe for Citizens Programme (2014-2020) operating grants 2014-2017 Comic strip competition - Democracy and Human Rights at School Most Youth Friendly European Region Award
EU0010000587
31 December 2013
Raoul Wallenberg International Essay Competition
EU0010000581
31 December 2013
EU0010000443
31 December 2013
International Student Design Competition 2014 - A Society for All Ages Traineeship at the European Railway Agency
EU0010000387
3 January 2014
EU0010000510
5 January 2014
Traineeships at the European Agency Model European Union 2014
EU0010000413
15 January 2014
Bogliasco Fellowships Programme
EU0010000040
15 January 2014
EU0010000064
20 January 2014
PROGRESS (2007-2013) Employment and Social Solidarity Vulcanus in Japan
EU0010000386
20 January 2014
European Charlemagne Youth Prize
EU0010000260
21 January 2014
Innovact Awards
EU0010000389
30 January 2014
EU0010000412
31 January 2014
Traineeship at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) International Radio Playwriting Competition
EU0010000225
31 January 2014
European University for Postgraduate Research
EU0010000263
31 January 2014
Internships at the World Bank
EU0010000599
1 February 2014
EU0010000004
1 February 2014
EU0010000530
7 February 2014
College of Europe Scholarships for university graduates from ENP countries Traineeships and Study Visits at the European Parliament Young Researcher of the Year Award 2014
EU0010000545
10 February 2014
International Schools Essay Competition and Debate
EU0010000028
13 February 2014
EU-Japan Training programmes
EU0010000178
15 February 2014
EU0010000560
15 February 2014
EU0010000210
1 March 2014
Translation Traineeships at the European Parliament for university graduates Translation training placements at the European Parliament Young European of the Year Award - Travel Fellowships & InterRail-Global-Passes
Deadline
Programme Title
Maritime
Safety
Programme
for
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EU0010000349
1 March 2014
Fulbright - Schuman Programme
EU0010000468
1 March 2014
Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships
EU0010000282
3 March 2014
Erasmus Mundus (2009-2013)
EU0010000534
15 March 2014
International Children’s painting Competition on the Environment
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Documentation Eurobarometer: The experience of traineeships in the EU According to the Eurobarometer survey on the quality of traineeships in the EU, a significant number of trainees feel that their working conditions could be improved and that the learning content of their traineeship is insufficient. Even if the majority of trainees consider their experience useful, the survey shows that almost one in three traineeships is dissatisfactory with regard to working conditions or learning content. An analysis based on the Eurobarometer results found a significant correlation between the quality of traineeships and the employment outcome. In other words, those that had completed a substandard traineeship were significantly less likely to find a job afterwards. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/flash_arch_390_375_en.htm#378 Eurobarometer on Cyber security The survey finds that EU Internet users are very concerned about cyber-security: 76% agree that the risk of becoming a victim of cybercrime has increased in the past year, slightly more than in a similar study from 2012. While 70% are confident of their ability to use the Internet to shop or bank online, only about 50% actually choose to do so. This gap shows the negative impact of cybercrime on the digital single market. The two main concerns about online activities are related to the misuse of personal data (mentioned by 37%) and the security of online payments (35%). More EU citizens feel well informed about the risks of cybercrime compared to 2012 (44% - up from 38%). There are large differences in Internet use by age groups and education level. Younger respondents, for example, are more confident than older groups in the use of Internet. http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb_special_419_400_en.htm#404 ESN Research Study on Visas and Residence Permits The study is the result of a survey conducted by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in the context of the revision of the European Union’s Directive regulating the entry and residence of third country nationals. The study gives some valuable insights into the current situation of young people that want to travel and live abroad and finds that obtaining both visas and residence permits is very often costly and time-consuming. According to it, visa requirements should be waived entirely, in particular for young people, students and volunteers. http://esn.org/sites/default/files/201310_Visas&ResidencePermit_Report.pdf Quality Jobs for Young People Published by the European Youth Forum, the publication analyses to what extent young people are involved in temporary jobs, part-time jobs, internships and apprenticeships as well as their possibilities of making the transition to permanent, full-time work, and what impact this has on their level of job security. The publication also looks at young people's rights to social protection and minimum income and analyses the working conditions of young people in Europe. Finally, it focuses on whether special issues need to be addressed with regards to discrimination in the debate around youth employment. http://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_qualityjobs_en_issuu_ EP Infographic on 2014 European elections: national rules The InfoGraphic from the European Parliamentary research service looks at the forthcoming European elections (22-25 May 2014), comparing key data for each Member State. The map provides information on the number of Members to be elected in each Member State including information about voting systems and
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division into constituencies. It also gives information about systems in place to allow voting from abroad, on the differing thresholds, of up to 5%, governing the allocation of seats and the minimum age to be eligible to stand as a candidate in the European elections in each Member State. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eplibrary/InfoGraphic-2014-European-electionsnational-rules.pdf Official webpage for Erasmus+ The European Commission launched the official web page for Erasmus+, the EU's new programme for education, training, youth and sport (2014-2020). The page is meant for anyone who is interested in new opportunities to study and train abroad or in learning about the EU's new programme. http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasmus-plus/index_en.htm HEInnovate website for universities to measure entrepreneurial impact Launched by the European Commission together with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), this new online tool enables all higher education institutions (Universities, University Colleges, Polytechnics) to measure how entrepreneurial they are. Institutions can assess their performance in seven areas: leadership and governance, organisational capacity, teaching and learning, pathways for entrepreneurs, university-business exchange, the internationalised institution, and impact measurement. https://heinnovate.eu New web portal to learn French Parlons français, c’est facile! is a new portal, which raises awareness of the French language and culture. The portal is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish and offers 40 workshops and many interactive exercises online. The project is coordinated by the Centre international d'études pédagogiques (CIEP). http://parlons-francais.tv5monde.com
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European Opportunities eTwinning Prizes 2014 The European eTwinning Prizes competition aims to highlight best practice in collaborative school projects using Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This year the prizes will be awarded in three age categories (4-11; 12-15; 16-19) and five special categories: - Spanish Language Prize - French Language Prize - Marie Skłodowska Curie Prize - Mevlana Prize for Intercultural Understanding - English as a second language Prize. To join the competition, projects must have been awarded the European Quality Label in any year of the project’s lifespan. Only the partners of a project who have received the European Quality Label can apply for and win a European Prize. All projects must demonstrate that they have been active in the 2012-2013 school year. Deadline: 8th December 2013. Find out more: http://www.etwinning.net/en/pub/progress/awards/european_prizes.htm Traineeship at the European Railway Agency The European Railway Agency traineeships are organised twice a year, each for a period of 3 to 5 months, beginning in March and October. The traineeship programme is addressed to young university graduates, without excluding those who, in the framework of lifelong learning, have recently obtained a university diploma and are at the beginning of a new professional career. Applicants should come from the 28 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Trainees will receive a monthly grant of 1,087.40 EUR. This amount might be subject to a positive indexation in 2014. Deadline: 31st December 2013. Find out more: Traineeship-2014-.aspx
http://www.era.europa.eu/The-Agency/Jobs/Pages/ERA-
Traineeship at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Offered by the European Maritime Safety Agency, the traineeship programme aims to provide trainees with work experience in the field of maritime safety legislation, response to pollution at sea and cooperation among member states in safety at sea matters. It will also enable trainees to acquire practical experience by means of their work and put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during their academic studies or professional careers. The traineeships will start on 1 st March 2014 and finish on 31st July 2014. Trainees will be awarded a monthly grant of € 924.29 and a travel allowance. Deadline: 3rd January 2014 (Lisbon time). Find out more:
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http://91.231.216.7/work/jobs/vacancies/170-positions-available/1903-emsatraineeship-2014-01.html Model European Union 2014 This unique simulation of EU decision-making and politics takes place annually in Strasbourg and brings together highly skilled and motivated young Europeans from 18 to 26 years old, from the EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey. Participants will have the opportunity to have a first-hand experience of the functioning of European institutions right on the premises of the European Parliament in Strasbourg from 29th March to 5th April 2014. The proposals up for debate in MEU 2014 are the following: - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund; - EU-US Trade Agreement/ Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Applicants will have to submit a well-thought and well-structured essay that reflects independent thinking and good research skills and answer one of the following questions: 1. Would the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnerships contribute to European recovery, and in which way(s)? 2. To what extent will the recent youth unemployment measures adopted by the EU institutions affect turnout of young voters in the EP elections? 3. Assess the role of EU Member States' governments in trade negotiations with the US. The deadline for submitting applications is 5th January 2014 at 11.59pm CET. Find out more: http://meu-strasbourg.org Europe for Citizens Programme (2014-2020) - operating grants 2014-2017 The new programme “Europe for citizens” is the follow-up of the 2007-2013 program with the same name. The aim of the call for proposals for operating grants is to select organisations with European outreach which, through their permanent, usual and regular activities, make a tangible contribution to the objectives of the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme. It concerns structural support, referred to as operating grants, to bodies pursuing an aim of general Union interest, to raise awareness on European remembrance (strand 1) or to encourage democratic and civic participation (strand 2). Support is granted to organisations in the form of Framework Partnerships for four years (2014-2017). Under these framework partnerships annual operating grants will be awarded every year. Deadline: 20th January 2014 at 12.00 (noon) CET. Find out more: http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/newsevents/news/06112013_callforproposals_en.htm The Innovact Campus Awards 2014 Young students from European universities and higher education institutes, with a creative idea for a business project, are invited to join the competition. The aim of the award is to single out the best European innovation project in terms of development, growth and employment. The contest awards projects in three categories:
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- Campus: for innovative student projects; - Creation: for innovative projects close to implementation; - Startup: for startups that were established less than 3 years ago. For the 2014 edition the Campus category is open to European participants and the other two categories are only open to French participants. From 2015 all the categories will be open to European candidates. The winners will receive from EUR 3,000 to EUR 7,000 and will benefit from media coverage and coaching sessions. The finalist candidates will be invited to participate in the Innovact Forum, the European forum for innovative start-ups, from 1st to 2nd April 2014 in Reims, France. Deadline: 21st January 2014. Find out more: http://forum.innovact.com/fr/les-innovact-awards/les-innovact-awards-nouvellegeneration-article155.html College of Europe Scholarships for university graduates from ENP countries The College of Europe, founded in 1949, is a unique postgraduate institute specialising in European education and training. Intensive programmes are offered in European integration issues, with particular emphasis on law, economics, political and social sciences. The European Commission offers a large number of scholarships to university graduates coming from European Neighbourhood Policy countries for post-graduate studies at the College of Europe during the academic year 2014-2015. The scholarships will cover academic expenses, accommodation, meals and travel costs. Candidates should be university graduates coming from: Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine. Deadline to submit applications: 1st January 2014. Find out more: https://www.coleurope.eu/website/study/admission/scholarships/scholarshipsuniversity-graduates-coming-european-neighbourhood Erasmus Mundus (2009-2013), action 2, implementation in 2014 Erasmus Mundus is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to promote European higher education, to help improve and enhance the career prospects of students and to promote intercultural understanding through cooperation with third countries, in accordance with EU external policy objectives in order to contribute to the sustainable development of third countries in the field of higher education. As from 2014 the new Erasmus+ programme will provide the framework for EU programmes for international higher education cooperation and mobility. There will therefore be no more calls for proposals under Action 1 and Action 3. However, a final Call for Proposals under Action 2 was launched for projects to be implemented in 2014. The call has two stands: Action 2: Erasmus Mundus Partnerships (EMA2) Action 2 – STRAND 1: Partnerships with countries covered by the ENPI, DCI, IPA and ICI (ICI +) instruments, Action 2 – STRAND 2: Partnerships with countries and territories covered by the Industrialised Countries Instrument (ICI) Deadline: 3rd March 2014 at 12:00 hrs CET.
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Find out more: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/funding/2014/call_eacea_18_13_en.p hp Please also look at the Programmes folder within the Eurodesk intranet for news on European and international (funding) opportunities.
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Highlights Erasmus+ Programme approved Erasmus+, the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport, due to begin in January has been approved by the European Institutions. Aimed at boosting skills, employability and supporting the modernisation of education, training and youth systems, the seven-year programme will have a budget of € 14.7 billion, 40% higher than current levels. More than 4 million people will receive support to study, train, work or volunteer abroad, including 2 million higher education students, 650,000 vocational training students and apprentices, as well as more than 500,000 going on youth exchanges or volunteering abroad. Students planning a full Master's degree abroad, for which national grants or loans are seldom available, will benefit from a new loan guarantee scheme run by the European Investment Fund. Erasmus+ will also provide funding for education and training staff, youth workers and for partnerships between universities, colleges, schools, enterprises, and not-for-profit organisations. http://ec.europa.eu/education/erasm us-plus/index_en.htm Horizon 2020 research programme approved Horizon 2020, the EU's € 70.2 billion framework programme for research and innovation in 2014-2020, has been approved by the European Institutions. The programme has three main pillars: • Societal challenges (includes investments in health, energy, transport, climate action and freedom and security research projects), • Excellent science (includes grants to top-level individual researchers, and investments in future technologies and training for researchers), • Industrial leadership (includes investments in biotechnology and space technologies, access to risk
finance and support for innovative small firms). The programme will start on 1st January 2014. http://tinyurl.com/neoz3xz Youth policy symposium with Eastern European and Caucasus countries On 13th-14th November 2013 policymakers, researchers, youth workers, representatives of youth organisations and young people from the Eastern Partnership countries, the Russian Federation, Member States of the Council of Europe and the EU, representatives of the Eastern Partnership Youth Regional Unit of UNESCO and UNFDPA gathered in Yerevan (Armenia) to better understand and promote the role of youth work in education for democratic citizenship and participation. Participants underlined the need for raising awareness and understanding of youth work and youth participation in the region, their recognition, quality and innovation, but also an enhanced outreach to the local and regional level. They also emphasised the need for improving face-to-face and virtual communication between the different actors in the youth field through the development of adequate and sustainable tools. The symposium was organised by the EU-Council of Europe youth partnership, in cooperation with the Armenian Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and SALTO Resource Centre for Eastern Europe and Caucasus. http://youth-partnershipeu.coe.int/youthpartnership/events/Armenia2013/Arm enia2013.html Ganja: European Youth Capital 2016 Ganja, Azerbaijan’s second-largest city, was awarded the European Youth Capital 2016 title.
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The European Youth Forum gave the award based on an application from Ganja that focused on strong local and European youth participation and the commitment to work on human rights. "Connecting" will be the key theme for Ganja as European Youth Capital 2016. The programme aims to promote close cooperation across borders and bring together policy, research and practice for young people. The Azerbaijani government and local youth-related organisations are committed to working in close cooperation with young people, paying special attention to disadvantaged and marginalised youth. Ganja won over rival bids from Vilnius (Lithuania), Varna (Bulgaria), Galway (Ireland), La Laguna (Spain) and Badajoz (Spain). The award ceremony took place on the 21st of November, during the European Youth Forum’s Council of Members in Thessaloniki, which becomes European Youth Capital in 2014. http://www.youthforum.org/pressrele ase/ganja-european-youth-capital2016 25th-26th November 2013: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council Conclusions EU Ministers for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport met in Brussels on 25th and 26th November. In the field of youth, ministers adopted conclusions on enhancing the social inclusion of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs). These include proposals to enhance the social inclusion of NEETs in the fields of prevention of becoming a NEETs, education, training, out-ofschool activities, transition and employment. The conclusions thereby emphasise the role that youth work can play in helping to ensure the inclusion of young people and to improve their employability. Member States and the Commission were invited to establish and implement strategies in the areas of education,
training, non-formal employment.
learning
and
http://tinyurl.com/nchssqe Creative Europe Programme approved by European Parliament The new programme, with a budget of € 1.46 billion over the next seven years, 9% more than current levels, will provide a boost for the cultural and creative sectors, which are a major source of jobs and growth. Creative Europe will provide funding for at least 250,000 artists and cultural professionals, 2,000 cinemas, 800 films and 4,500 book translations. It will also launch a new financial guarantee facility enabling small cultural and creative businesses to access up to € 750 million in bank loans. Creative Europe builds on the experience and success of the Culture and MEDIA programmes. The new programme includes a Culture subprogramme, supporting performing and visual arts, heritage and other areas, and a MEDIA sub-programme, which will provide funding for the cinema and audiovisual sector. A new cross-sectoral strand will support policy cooperation, transversal measures and the new financial guarantee facility, which will be operational from 2016. The Creative Europe programme will be adopted by the Council (28 Member States) in the weeks to come and will enter into force in January 2014. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_IP-13-1114_en.htm European Heritage Label: first sites named The first sites to receive the new European Heritage Label (EHL) have been named today by an independent selection panel set up by the European Commission. The four sites are: Carnuntum Archaeological Park, a Roman reconstructed city quarter in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, Austria; the medieval Great Guild Hall in Tallinn, Estonia; the 100-year-old Peace Palace in The Hague, and Camp
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Westerbork, a World War II Nazi transit camp at Hooghalen, also in the Netherlands. The European Heritage Label (EHL) aims to raise awareness of sites which have played a significant role in the history, culture and development of the European Union, as well as to highlight their European dimension through information and educational activities. Furthermore, the EHL objective is to strengthen people's sense of belonging to the European Union. The European Commission will formally nominate the sites in January 2014. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_IP-131177_en.htm?locale=en EC urges Member States implement Youth Guarantee
At the high-level conference on youth unemployment, hosted by French President Fançois Hollande in Paris on 12th November, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor, urged Member States to put in place the structural reforms and infrastructure to make the Youth Guarantee a reality as soon as possible, helping young people to get a job and reduce the unacceptable levels of youth unemployment. They also welcomed the six Member States (Czech Republic, Croatia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland and Slovakia) that have already submitted their first draft implementation plans to the Commission for comments. http://tinyurl.com/q2ty33k
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Please also look at the News folder within the Eurodesk intranet for other European news from the network.
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Upcoming Events 5th December 2013: International Volunteer Day (IVD) Each year this day offers an opportunity for volunteer organisations and individual volunteers to concretely show their contributions to peace and development. Find out more on: http://www.volunteeractioncounts.org 5th December 2013: ReAct Event in Frankfurt, Germany ReAct Frankfurt is the third in a series of five interactive conferences on EU subjects, ahead of the European elections in May 2014. The event, organised by the European Parliament, will focus on the EU budget and the value of investing in European values. The event will be webcast live here from 14.00 CET. Find out more: http://tinyurl.com/pq5kwy7 10th December 2013: Virtual Careers Fair For 24 hours, participants to the second virtual career fair will be able to post questions to organisations about different careers opportunities, watch videos about the application process, competitive examinations and competency-based interviews. The following international organisations will join this edition: The United Nations Secretariat (UN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPs) and the European Personnel Selection Office (EU Careers). Find out more: http://careerfair.un.org 12th-13th December 2013: Closing Conference of the European Year of Citizens 2013 Under the auspices of the Lithuanian EU Presidency, around 350 participants from various EU NGOs, governmental and European institutions are gathering in Vilnius (Lithuania) for the closing event of the European Year of Citizens 2013. Opening addresses will be given by the leaders of Lithuania, the Vice-President of the EC and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights, and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly and the first leader of Lithuania after the restoration of independence Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis. Find out more: http://tinyurl.com/nhbnkh5 6th-14th February 2014: Study visit "Initiate Now! Explore employment in transnational youth initiatives" Cork, Ireland The study visit is an opportunity to explore good practices of Youth Initiatives with a focus on employability and entrepreneurship. It also represents an occasion to practice backpack journalism and to develop transnational youth initiatives and contacts for future cooperation. The project is addressed to youth workers, youth leaders, project managers, active youth and coaches from all Youth in Action programme countries. Deadline to apply: 30th December 2013. Find out more: http://tinyurl.com/nhvpscs 7th-8th February 2014: EU Studies Fair 2014, Brussels, Belgium
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The EU Studies Fair 2014, organised by European Voice, is an education and networking event bringing together universities, prospective students and representatives of EU institutions. Over 40 academic institutions from across the world are expected to be present at the event to provide information about their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in EU studies, international relations, business and law. Around 500 prospective students and young professionals are also expected to attend. The event programme will include a keynote address by Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, and seminars on the topics of European and international studies and Business and Law. Find out more: http://www.eustudiesfair.com 13th-14th March 2014: Conference World Business Dialogue, Cologne, Germany The world’s largest student-run business convention bringing together excellent students with renowned executives, founders, politicians and scientist will be held in Cologne on 13th-14th March 2014. It will discuss current innovations and trends regarding their impact on existing business models and their chances to generate new business models. There are participation fees. Deadline to apply: 15th December 2013, 23:59 (CET). Find out more: http://www.world-business-dialogue.com 9th-11th May 2014: European Youth Event, EP, Strasbourg, France Next May the European Parliament will open its doors to up to 5,000 young people (aged between 16 and 30 years) from Member States, candidate states and neighbourhood countries for the European Youth Event (EYE) 2014, which is aimed at generating “Ideas for a better Europe”. There is no fee for attending the EYE 2014 event. However, participants will need to cover their own transport, accommodation and meals. The deadline to register a group of young people is 31st December 2013. Find out more: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eye2014/en/news/news.html Salto-Youth: Training Calendar The European Training Calendar contains current training offers of different institutions and organisations, such as SALTO, the National Agencies for the YOUTH IN ACTION Programme, non-governmental youth organisations, the European Youth Centres of the Council of Europe and the Partnership Programme on European Youth Worker Training. They are addressed to young people, group leaders, mentors, trainers and other specialists. Find out more: http://www.salto-youth.net/tools/european-training-calendar
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