European Commission Launches New Call to Boost Circulation of European Literary Works

The European Commission has announced a new call for proposals, Circulation of European Literary Works, aimed at supporting projects that enhance the translation, publication, distribution, and promotion of European fiction. The initiative aligns with the EU’s cultural priorities, emphasizing linguistic diversity, inclusivity, and the professional recognition of literary translators.

Supporting European Literature Across Borders

The call, identified as CREA-CULT-2025-LIT, seeks applications from legal entities established in eligible countries, with a focus on organisations active in the publishing and book sector. Both single applicants and consortium-led applications are eligible.

The program’s priorities include:

• Promoting the transnational circulation of works, particularly those written in lesser-used European languages.

• Encouraging a wide audience to engage with Europe’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

• Supporting fair remuneration and visibility for literary translators while maintaining high translation standards.

• Encouraging collaboration between publishers, booksellers, libraries, and other key actors in the literary value chain.

The initiative complements existing EU efforts such as the Day of European Authors and the European Union Prize for Literature. In a notable addition, the program will support projects providing literary works in Ukrainian to refugees and displaced persons, reflecting the EU’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine.

Applicants are encouraged to allocate 20–30% of their budgets to translator remuneration and to ensure translators receive credit, ideally on book covers. Professional literary translators must be contracted and referenced in the Creative Europe database, adhering to national standards and best practices.

Funding and Application Details

The estimated budget for this call is €5 million, with grants of up to €200,000 available for individual applicants and up to €300,000 for consortium-led projects. Proposed projects can last up to 36 months, with extensions considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applications will be evaluated based on four criteria: dissemination, relevance, content quality, and project management.

Interested parties must submit their proposals electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal by 11 February 2025 at 17:00 Brussels time.