The Franco-German Citizen Fund

The Franco-German Citizen Fund was established by the Treaty of Aachen, which was signed in 2019 between France and Germany to encourage and enhance cooperation between them, 56 years after the Élysée Treaty was signed in 1963. This agreement emphasized strengthening initiatives and renewing civil society twinning programmes. The Fund provides financial and structural support for these initiatives.

The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) is responsible for managing the Citizen Fund for a pilot phase of 3 years. Since 1963, the FGYO has been promoting exchanges between young people from France and Germany. It has contacts with thousands of civil society stakeholders in both countries.

The Citizen Fund is equally funded by France and Germany. In 2021 it had a budget of €2.4 million.

“The Citizen Fund marks a new chapter in the history of Franco-German relations: the momentum created by the Élysée Treaty and the creation of the FGYO is continuing with the Treaty of Aachen and the Franco-German Citizen Fund. The people of France and Germany need each other, now more than ever”.
Anne Tallineau and Tobias Bütow, General Secretaries of the FGYO.

What projects receive funding?

The Franco-German Citizen Fund supports projects which:

• Stimulate, renew or enhance dialogue between French and German citizens;
• Strengthen democracy;
• Promote European understanding and diversity.

Particular focus is placed on issues like sustainable development, intergenerational dialogue, culture, the fight against discrimination, sport and the digital transition.

Since its creation, over 600 projects have been funded, such as a digital guided tour of Strasbourg and Cologne, an exchange of initiatives between French and German neighbours to combat the isolation of older people, litter collection initiatives along the River Rhine, meetings between twinning programmes, podcasts, interactive theatre projects and tandem-format language and intergenerational exchanges.

For an insight into the supported projects, log on to the Franco-German Citizen Fund website or Instagram account.

Who can take part?

The Franco-German Citizen Fund is open to people actively involved in creating an engaged European civil society, working on shared, intergenerational projects beyond the borders between France and Germany. It supports citizens’ associations and initiatives, twinning partnerships between cities and regions, foundations and actors from the social economy, education and scientific institutes working towards a vibrant Europe.

The Franco-German Citizen Fund celebrates its second anniversary

13 April 2022 marks the 2nd anniversary of the French-German Citizen Fund! It will be an opportunity to celebrate this event on the theme of “utopia”: that of a French-German civic commitment to Europe.

Take part in the event:
https://www.fondscitoyen.eu/actualites/utopies-2-ans-fonds-citoyen

This event must give new momentum to the Citizen Fund. It will bring together Olivier Guez (Editor of “Le Grand Tour: a self-portrait of Europe through the eyes of its writers”)

• Corinna Oetken, Bérengère Aubineau (Founders of the Chance Festival)
• Jonathan Spindler (Director of Partnerschaftsverband/4er-Netzwerk e.V.)

For further information:

Learn more and submit project ideas at https://www.fondscitoyen.eu/

Updated in April 2022