European Parliament call for Application on European Charlemagne Youth Prize 2024

The European Charlemagne Youth Prize is an award that is given to youth-run projects that support democracy in Europe and promote cooperation and understanding both in Europe and internationally. It highlights the daily work by young people in strengthening a shared sense of European identity and rewards their active participation in the development of Europe.

The award is run jointly by the European Parliament and the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen, and was established in 2008.

• Table of Content
• About European Parliament
• European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize
• Aim and Benefits of European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize
• Requirements for European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About European Parliament

The European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at the EU level. The Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States to represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically.

European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize

Aim and Benefits of European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize

1. The three winning European projects receive the following awards: first prize is €7,500, second prize €5,000, and the third prize €2,500.
2. Representatives from each of the national winning projects are invited to the Charlemagne Youth Prize award ceremony in Aachen.
3. As part of the prize, the European laureates are invited to visit the European Parliament (in Brussels or Strasbourg).
4. One representative from each of the 3 European laureates will be offered the opportunity of a Schuman traineeship in the European Parliament. A representative nominated to take the traineeship should be part of the core team of the winning project and meet all the eligibility criteria for the traineeship scheme. The traineeship could be taken up starting on either 1 October or on 1 March in the 12 months following the award of the Prize. Details about this opportunity will be communicated directly to the national winning projects ahead of the Award Ceremony.

Requirements for European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize Qualification

In order to participate in the Charlemagne Youth Prize, you will need to:

• Have a European project with which you wish to apply;
• Be between 16 and 30 years old;
• Be a resident of one of the EU Member States - You can submit a project either as an individual applicant or on behalf of an organisation or a group of young people.

Interview date, Process and Venue for European Parliament European Charlemagne Youth Prize

Award Criterial

Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• How well the objectives of the prize have been achieved;
• The creativity and originality of the project, including innovative initiatives;
• Projects with transnational dimension (involving young people from more than one Member State) will be prioritised.

Selection Procedure

The selection is made in two steps. First, the national jury in every Member State decides the best national project. After that, out of 27 national winning projects, the European jury decides the three winning European projects.

The national jury in every Member State consists of two Members of the European Parliament and a representative from the youth sector, and is selected annually.

For more information on the national selection procedure in your Member State, please refer to the European Parliament Liaison Office in your country.

The European jury selecting the three European laureates consists of:

• The President of the European Parliament;
• Two Members of the European Parliament;
• Three representatives of the Foundation of the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen;
• Two representatives of the youth sector (including former prize winners).

The decision of the European jury is final.

Time table for 2024  

• 18 January 2024 launch of the competition
• 12 February 2024: deadline for submitting projects
• March 2024: announcement of the national winners
• May 2024: Award ceremony in Aachen

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Before applying, make sure you read the full version of the rules of the European Charlemagne Youth Prize. Projects that do not fulfil the criteria identified in the rules will not be taken into account for evaluation.

Projects must meet the following criteria in order to qualify:

1. They must have displayed achievements in the following areas:

• Promoting cooperation and understanding both across Europe and internationally, based on democratic values (such as, for example, respect for human dignity, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights)
• Promoting a shared sense of European identity and European integration;
• Encouraging other young people in Europe to get involved in our democracy;
• Offering practical examples of Europeans living together as a community.

2. They must have been submitted by a young person residing in one of the 27 EU Member States and aged 16 to 30 on the date of the application.

For more details visit: European Parliament website.