The "Citizens' Participation in EU Enlargement" Project (PEN, No. 101252437) is a transnational initiative funded under the grant agreement of the European Union's "Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values" programme (CERV-2025-CITIZENS-CIV). The project aims to enhance citizen participation in the EU enlargement process, particularly with regard to the Western Balkan countries and Ukraine.

Strategic Goal

Ensuring the democratic legitimacy and public support of EU enlargement through the systematic engagement of citizens, youth, experts, and non-governmental organizations from member states and candidate countries. The project is implemented by a consortium of leading organizations from eight countries, including Poland, Germany, Hungary, Ukraine (State University of Trade and Economics, SUTE), Serbia, Albania, and Montenegro.

The project duration is 18 months.

Project Activities:

The project envisages the phased implementation of 16 work packages, including:

• National interactive trainings in eight countries to build active citizenship competencies and test participation tools
• Transnational negotiation simulations using the Train-the-Trainer methodology
• Large-scale international events:
• European Future Exchange (101–125 participants)
• Youth policy labs (three events)
• Civil society strategy forum
• Final youth dialogue with representatives of European institutions

Methodological Basis:

A hybrid approach combining formal methods (structured dialogue, round tables, policy labs) with non-formal methods (gamification, the World Café method, role-playing games).

Key Principles:

• Gender balance and inclusiveness
• Prioritization of multipliers (youth leaders, activists, educators)
• Creation of safe spaces for constructive discussions
• A transnational format to ensure mutual understanding

Strategic Outcomes:

• Empirical data on citizens' preferences regarding participation methods
• A Participatory Toolkit for EU enlargement
• Knowledge transfer through trainer preparation and networking
• Policy recommendations for EU institutions based on citizens' positions
• Sustainable networks for long-term transnational cooperation

The project directly implements the EU's 2024–2029 strategic priorities on citizen participation in enlargement, overcoming the democratic blind spots of the traditional top-down approach and ensuring sustained public support for European integration.

All project activities are carried out in accordance with the CERV programme's Child Protection Policy, which guarantees:

• The safety of minor participants
• The prevention of any forms of violence or exploitation
• Compliance with the highest EU ethical standards
• The creation of safe spaces for all age groups

CERV-2025-CITIZENS-CIV