Behind this single entry are actually two distinct calls under the CERV programme (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), both managed under the “Citizens’ engagement and participation” strand and aimed at local authorities, but with different goals and scale.
Town-Twinning funds individual events/exchanges between citizens of twinned (or soon-to-be-twinned) municipalities from different countries: meetings, seminars, workshops on European citizenship topics. Each event must involve at least 50 direct participants, at least 25 of them from abroad. It’s the most accessible format for a small municipality taking its first steps: grants range roughly from about €8,500 to just over €50,000 per project, with a total 2026 budget of €6 million. Official Town-Twinning call (PDF).
Networks of Towns has a broader scope: the goal is to build and consolidate a stable transnational network between municipalities from at least three different EU countries, with a series of activities linked over time, not a one-off event. The minimum grant is €100,000 with no maximum cap; the 2026 budget is €12 million. Official Networks of Towns call (PDF).
In practice: if your municipality wants to organise a first exchange with a twinned town, Town-Twinning is the natural starting point; if you already have an established network of partners and want to fund a multi-year programme of activities, Networks of Towns is the right call.