| Dokumendiregister | Justiits- ja Digiministeerium |
| Viit | 7-6/3916-1 |
| Registreeritud | 14.05.2026 |
| Sünkroonitud | 15.05.2026 |
| Liik | Sissetulev kiri |
| Funktsioon | 7 EL otsustusprotsessis osalemine ja rahvusvaheline koostöö |
| Sari | 7-6 EL ühtekuuluvus- ja siseturvalisuspoliitika (EÜSF) ja taaste- ja vastupidavusrahastu (RRF) projektid |
| Toimik | 7-6/25-1 |
| Juurdepääsupiirang | Avalik |
| Juurdepääsupiirang | |
| Adressaat | Siseministeerium |
| Saabumis/saatmisviis | Siseministeerium |
| Vastutaja | Karl-Erik Ansmann (Justiits- ja Digiministeerium, Kantsleri vastutusvaldkond, Justiitshalduspoliitika valdkond, Justiitshalduspoliitika osakond, Kohtute talitus) |
| Originaal | Ava uues aknas |
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111
Office: LX46 05/006 - Tel. direct line +32 229-59293
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR MIGRATION AND HOME AFFAIRS
Directorate E – Borders, Migration and Security in Member States I
The Director (acting)
Brussels HOME.E.2/JG
NOTE FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
FOR THE HOME AFFAIRS FUNDS
Ref.: HOME-Funds/2026/22
Subject: Launch of the call for expression of interest under the Specific Action
“Protecting third-country workers’ rights while fighting against
illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals”
under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) –
Reference AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1.
1. INTRODUCTION
Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July
2021 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund provides that Member
States may receive funding for specific actions in addition to their initial allocations in
their respective programmes.
Specific actions aim to fund transnational or national projects that bring Union added
value in accordance with the objectives of the Fund for which one, several or all Member
States may receive an additional allocation to their programmes.
They will be implemented as one of the components of the Thematic Facility in line with
Art. 11 AMIF of the above-mentioned Regulation and in accordance with the relevant
financing decisions and work programmes for the Fund (1).
By the present note, the Commission launches a call for expression of interest for
Specific Action “Protecting third-country workers’ rights while fighting against illegal
employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals”, in line with the actions listed
in the above-mentioned Commission’s financing decision and work programme.
(1) Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027) (europa.eu).
2
2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Specific actions will be implemented by one or more Member States participating in the
Fund via funding received in addition to the allocation under their Fund programmes.
Funding for specific actions is added to the Member States’ programme by means of a
programme amendment. That additional funding is earmarked for the specific action
concerned and shall not be used for other actions in the Member State’s programme,
except in duly justified circumstances and as approved by the Commission through the
amendment of the programme.
Whereas the regular EU co-financing rate under the Member States’ programmes will not
exceed 75% of total eligible expenditure, projects implemented under specific actions
may benefit from an increased co-financing rate of up to 90% of total eligible
expenditure.
The specific action must be implemented by the Member States in accordance with the
AMIF (2) Regulation and the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) (3). This includes
compliance with fundamental rights.
As regard the value added tax (“VAT”) eligibility regime, Article 64 (1)(c) of the CPR
provides that VAT is not eligible, except:
(i) “for operations the total cost of which is below EUR 5 000 000 (including
VAT);
(ii) for operations the total cost of which is at least EUR 5 000 000 (including
VAT) where it is non-recoverable under national VAT legislation”.
3. CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
3.1. Indicative Budget available
The indicative amount envisaged for this call AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. is EUR 10 million.
The requested amount (i.e., the Union contribution to the Member State’s AMIF
programme under the Specific Action):
• should not be lower than EUR 1 000 000.00 per application.
• should not be higher than EUR 2 500 000.00 per application.
(2) Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing
the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
(3) Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying
down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund
Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and
Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund,
the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa
Policy.
3
3.2. Background for the specific action
The EU economy faces labour shortages and relies significantly on third-country national
(TCN) workers in certain sectors. Legally residing and irregular TCNs are
disproportionately represented in high-risk sectors across Member States. They are more
frequently affected by exploitation, trafficking in human beings, labour law
infringements, undeclared work and breaches of occupational, health and safety (OSH)
rules than nationals. Seasonal third-country workers and TCNs staying irregularly are the
most exposed to situations of vulnerability. Preventing such situations of vulnerability is
essential for the well-functioning of legal pathways, to ensure the integration of third-
country nationals residing in the EU and to fight against irregular migration, which are all
essential components of a comprehensive approach to migration.
3.2.1. EU legal and policy framework
The European Commission’s political guidelines 2024-2029 set the priorities to boost
the EU’s competitiveness and manage migration effectively and fairly under the
comprehensive framework created by the Pact on Migration and Asylum. The
guidelines underline the need to “act to ensure that migrants are not exploited in the EU
labour market and have good working conditions”. The Quality Jobs Roadmap focuses
on strengthening the enforcement of labour rights of all workers, amongst other
objectives. The European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy stresses the
need to step up the fight against illegal employment and abuse of third-country workers
in the EU underlining that illegal employment is among the main drivers of illegal
migration and needs to be tackled more effectively, particularly in the sectors more
exposed to those risks.
The Commission is launching this call together with implementation reports of the
Employers Sanction Directive and the Seasonal Workers Directive. The Employers
Sanction Directive (4) aims to prevent and respond to illegal employment of irregularly
staying migrants, by sanctioning their employers and establishing safeguards to protect
their rights, including through mechanisms to claim outstanding wages, facilitate
complaints and the possibility to issue temporary residence permits to victims of
particularly exploitative working conditions and minors. The Seasonal Workers
Directive (5) aims to provide easily accessible pathways for seasonal work through fair
and transparent rules for the admission of third-country nationals to the EU to meet
labour demand legally and thus reduce irregular migration. It also aims to ensure decent
working and living conditions by providing equal treatment rights, a right to adequate
accommodation, enforcement mechanisms, and safeguards to better protect third-country
seasonal workers from exploitation.
(4) Directive 2009/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 providing for
minimum standards on sanctions and measures against employers of illegally staying third-country
nationals: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/52/oj/eng
(5) Directive 2014/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the
conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal
workers: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0036
4
The two Directives form part of a set of measures taken by the EU to effectively tackle
irregular migration and illegal employment of TCNs and enhance the protection of
legally employed third-country workers. Other measures include enhanced cooperation
with third countries, integrated management of operational borders, an effective return
policy and reinforced legislation (6) and strategy to combat trafficking in human
beings (7).
3.2.2. Current challenges and gaps
It is essential for the EU to prevent labour law infringements, illegal employment,
trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation and particularly
exploitative working conditions, not only to protect TCN workers, regardless of their
status, but also to ensure a level-playing field in the European labour market and among
business operators. Ensuring adequate working conditions for legally residing TCN
workers is also essential to present legal migration as a credible tool to improve the EU’s
competitiveness, to foster cooperation with partner countries on migration management
and pave the way for the successful integration of third-country nationals into EU
societies.
TCNs rarely use complaints and legal redress mechanisms to enforce their rights. Despite
intensified inspections by national authorities, protection efforts remain insufficient for
TCN workers. This is particularly evident in certain labour-intensive sectors where risks
of labour law infringements and exploitation, undeclared work and trafficking in human
beings remain high, such as seasonal agriculture, domestic and care work, construction
and hospitality.
More specifically, the report on the implementation of the Employers Sanctions Directive
found that in 2021-2024, while Member States have strengthened risk assessment
methodologies in inspections planning, leading to more targeted inspections in high-risk
sectors, and a higher number of proceedings opened against infringing employers
compared to previous reporting periods, there are discrepancies on how the legislation is
applied across the concerned Member States, including on the application of sanctions.
Moreover, the findings indicate persisting data gaps, notably concerning the number of
claims introduced by migrant workers, the issuance of temporary residence permits and
the number of actual back-payments obtained. Vulnerable irregular migrants are often
insufficiently informed of their rights, whilst effective access to and use of complaint
mechanisms remains limited. The report on the implementation of the Seasonal Workers
Directive (8) found that while overall, Member States have stepped up their efforts to
ensure employers’ compliance, the provision of information on rights, obligations and
access to complaint procedures for seasonal workers still needs improvement, especially
(6) Directive (EU) 2024/1712 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending
Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its
victims (OJ L, 2024/1712, 24.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1712/oj).
(7) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, The Council, The European
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions o the EU Strategy on Combatting
Trafficking in Human Beings 2021- 2025 (COM/2021/171 final) and the new EU Strategy on
Combatting Trafficking in Human beings planned for adopted 2026 (Q3).
(8) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Directive 2014/36/EU on
the conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal
workers.
5
in employer-driven admission procedures where authorities are not in direct contact with
the worker. Complaint and legal redress mechanisms are not sufficiently used by
seasonal workers in case of abuses. Monitoring, inspections and sanction mechanisms
often remain insufficient.
Strengthening the capacities of labour inspectorates and the cooperation among labour
market actors, including economic and social partners, employers, employment services,
and labour inspectorates, is essential to ensure adequate protection of migrant workers’
rights and to prevent trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation and particularly
exploitative working conditions of both legally residing and irregular TCNs. Civil society
organisations, including migrant associations, play an important complementary role in
outreach, awareness-raising and helping migrants accessing their rights.
3.2.3. Complementarity and sustainability
The actions to be financed under this call should be complementary to any actions that
Member States may finance under the AMIF 2021-2027 Programmes or other EU
funding instruments, such as the ESF+.
The proposals should describe how the sustainability of the measure will be ensured after
the finalisation of the project and how the project would complement other sources of
funding, if relevant.
Moreover, with reference to the investments on staffing/services, the proposals should
refer to the measures to be put in place to ensure the sustainability of the foreseen
interventions at national level after the end of the action. To this end, proposals will need
to outline the cooperation and active participation of all the national administrations
and/or institutions benefitting from it, from the preparation to the implementation phase.
3.2.4. Minimum requirements for the proposals
The call invites Member States that face challenges in protecting migrant workers’ rights,
including seasonal workers, while fighting illegal employment of irregularly staying
third-country nationals, to launch initiatives improving their national situation.
The proposals should be aligned with any existing national plan and strategy in relation
to the protection of migrant workers’ rights, particularly exploitative working conditions,
illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals and countering
trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. They should be embedded in a
whole-of-government approach that includes inter-agency cooperation and the
involvement of local and regional authorities, civil society and social and economic
partners.
In particular, Member States should refer to their National Asylum and Migration
Strategies and to include existing or planned measures to counter illegal employment and
step up the enforcement of the Directives 2009/52/EC and 2014/36/EU. They should also
outline their plans to counter particularly exploitative working conditions, including
measures addressing trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation.
The application should describe the baseline situation, the national plans and strategies
concerned and the expected results. The challenges described need to be justified with
supporting information, including (but not limited to) data (including estimates) and
6
qualitative information of the extent of undeclared work, legal and illegal employment of
third country nationals in specific risk sectors, including posted third country nationals.
The proposals should include a description about steps to be taken to ensure
sustainability after the end of the project.
The Commission encourages the preparation of applications in a multi-stakeholder
approach, namely with the involvement of national and local authorities, civil society and
social partners (trade unions, employers’ associations).
The proposals should consider the existing EU legislative framework, guidance and
manuals (e.g. from the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) (9), the European Labour
Authority (ELA) (10), and the EU Anti-Trafficking Hub (11) concerning actions to support
the protection of TCN workers and fight against illegal employment, and build on good
practices in other Member States, if appropriate, including those mentioned in the
implementation reports of Directives 2009/52/EC and 2014/36/EU.
For proposals selected, Member States are expected to participate in monitoring and
dissemination activities, such as:
- Collection of information and data on project activities (participation of project
beneficiaries in questionnaires, information and awareness-raising campaigns,
studies).
- Workshops where Member States’ specific actions would be presented and discussed
with the aim of disseminating best practices in the Member States, including in
specific high-risk sectors.
- Report on the implementation of the action and discuss the outputs in the Irregular
Migration Expert group on the Employers Sanctions Directive, the Contact Group on
Legal Migration, the European Platform to enhance cooperation in tackling
undeclared work and/or other relevant EU fora (such as the Labour Migration
Platform).
3.3. Scope and purpose of the specific action
The objective of this specific action is to:
(1) better protect the rights of third-country national workers in the EU, including
seasonal third-country workers;
(2) fight against the illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals.
This call targets in particular Member States where TCN workers are employed in sectors
where risks of labour law infringements, particularly exploitative working conditions and
(9) https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2024/workplace-inspectors-training-manual
(10) https://www.ela.europa.eu/en/news/new-guide-empowers-workplace-inspectors-combat-labour-
exploitation-eu
(11) EU Anti-trafficking Hub Study on the concept of trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour
exploitation
7
undeclared work remain high, such as seasonal work, as well as agriculture, domestic and
care work, construction, transport and hospitality.
The activities described below are meant to be consistent with the findings of the reports
on the implementation of the Employers Sanctions Directive and the Seasonal Workers
Directive. The activities financed under this call can include, but are not restricted to, the
following:
− Information provision and awareness-raising for TCN workers and employers in
high-risk sectors:
o Develop and disseminate multilingual information materials and channels
(e.g. mobile apps, digital portals, hotlines, “rights vans” and peer
mediators) to ensure TCN workers are informed of their employment and
residence-related rights, complaint mechanisms, and access to justice.
o Conduct targeted awareness-raising campaigns for employers and
workers.
o Support trade unions, equality bodies and civil society organisations to
provide tailored legal advice and representation to TCN workers.
− Legal aid and psychosocial support to TCN workers in high-risk sectors:
o Provide open legal advice and psychosocial support near seasonal work
clusters, including trauma-informed counselling and interpretation
services.
o Support the development of training curricula for lawyers, trade union
representatives, mediators and inspectors on cultural mediation, trauma-
informed interviewing, and equal-treatment obligations.
o Pilot initiatives to facilitate the inclusion of TCN workers into trade
unions and social dialogue structures.
− Targeted inspections and enforcement:
o Capacity building measures to enhance national labour inspectorates’ risk-
based and rights-focused inspections in sectors and regions at risk of
illegal employment and labour exploitation.
o Specialised training for labour inspectors and law enforcement authorities
on detecting cases of illegal employment, severe exploitation, and
trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, as well
as on the rights of TCNs in irregular situations.
o Establish or reinforce multi-agency cooperation frameworks among
inspectorates, law enforcement, migration authorities, equality bodies,
social partners, and prosecutors, including regional or cross-border
coordination mechanisms, to further improve a risk-management-based
enforcement of the relevant EU acquis.
o Enhance the use of joint and concerted inspections (i.e. involving
authorities of at least two Member States).
o Support national labour inspectorates through training or capacity
building, and provision of expertise, including interpretation/cultural
mediation.
o Promote the use of the training manual aimed at labour inspectorates
prepared by FRA in 2024, also taking advantage as appropriate of the
8
practical exercises on the manual prepared by FRA in 2025 (12), through
seminars and training sessions, as well as its translation.
− Improving access to complaint and redress mechanisms:
o Develop or upgrade safe and accessible complaint channels including by
implementing firewalls, anonymous and digital options with case-tracking
and multilingual support, which ensures that reporting labour law
breaches does not automatically trigger immigration enforcement, in line
with national law.
o Facilitate simplified and remote administrative procedures for wage
recovery and legal representation, including for returned workers.
− Strengthening data collection, monitoring and coordination:
o Support Member States in improving systematic, disaggregated data
collection on inspections, complaints, sanctions and temporary residence
permits.
o Develop or upgrade digital tools (e.g. national reporting portals) for
automated reporting, visualisation, and analysis.
o Reinforce inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, establish a function
of national coordinator focusing on the employment of irregularly staying
third country nationals or designate national contact points for monitoring
and reporting on the implementation of the relevant legislation (e.g.
Employers Sanctions Directive, Seasonal Workers’ Directive).
o Facilitate outreach and information exchange through cooperation with
consulates, visa centres, recruitment agencies and seasonal work hubs.
3.4. Expected results following the call
The aim of the specific action is to finance four to ten proposals aimed at protecting
third-country workers’ rights, including of seasonal workers, while fighting against
illegal employment of irregularly staying TCNs.
The proposals are expected to lead to tangible, and when feasible, quantified
improvements in the protection of TCN workers’ rights in the EU, regardless of their
status, including:
(1) Increased awareness among workers and employers of legal employment
conditions and complaint mechanisms;
(2) Stronger and better-coordinated inspection and enforcement systems, thereby
reducing the incidence of labour law infringements, particularly exploitative
working conditions of third-country nationals and illegal employment of
irregularly staying TCNs;
(3) Improved access to justice and redress for TCN workers affected by labour law
infringements and particularly exploitative working conditions.
(12) How workplace inspectors can protect third-country workers' rights - Training manual | European
Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
9
The proposals should provide figures and, if appropriate, qualitative indications,
including in the form of targets, for:
• the number and nature of information and awareness-raising campaigns;
• the number and content of trainings/seminars carried out;
• the number of TCN workers reached during the project’s activities, including,
when appropriate, per sector;
• the number of officials/labour inspectors and third-party organisations (civil
society, social partners) involved;
• improvements in the quantity or quality of complaints mechanisms.
The proposals should also indicate how these activities are expected to affect the overall
national capacity to counter labour law infringements, particularly exploitative working
conditions and illegal employment of TCNs and to improve their access to information.
Overall, the action should contribute to reducing protection and enforcement gaps by
enabling Member States to take targeted measures in line with their specific situations.
Considering the approaching end of the 2021-2027 financial period and the nature of the
projects involving partnerships and potentially public procurement procedures, we draw
the attention of the Managing Authorities to the need to ensure close supervision of the
activities by the beneficiaries so that the timeline in the applications is respected, in line
with the eligibility rules, and the selected projects will be concluded before 31 December
2029.
4. PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION
4.1. Admissibility and assessment aspects
All EU Member States participating in the AMIF are eligible.
Each Member State may submit one application only.
DG HOME will assess the proposals submitted by the Member States.
To be considered admissible, a proposal must:
1. be submitted within the deadline below to the AMIF specific actions functional
mailbox [email protected] ;
2. consist of the official AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. Application Form attached to this
note together with its annexes, which must be readable and complete (all fields
necessary for assessment are filled in);
3. be submitted and signed by the Managing Authority on behalf of the entity in the
Member State responsible for the implementation of the specific action;
4. contain a written confirmation by the Member State to participate in the
monitoring activities organised by the Commission, in case of selection.
5. identify a project beneficiary (an entity) responsible for the implementation of the
specific action in the Member State (in the lead for the action) without excluding
the possibility for other entities to be involved in the implementation of the
specific action as co-beneficiaries.
DG HOME will assess admissible proposals based on the following criteria:
10
A. Relevance and content (40 points –minimum score 20 points):
1. Definition of the national situation and degree to which the Member State
concerned has specific needs in line with the requirements of the call (section
3.2.4)
2. Adequacy of the activities in the proposal in relation to the national
challenges (section 3.2.4)
3. Clarity and consistency of the objectives and scope of the proposal against the
objectives identified in this call (section 3.3)
4. Alignment of the actions with existing national strategies related to fighting
illegal employment and protecting the rights of TCN workers (section 3.2.4)
B. Quality (30 points – if appropriate: minimum score 20 points):
1. Maturity of the proposal: clarity and adequacy of the project design and
implementation plan (timetable); involvement of relevant entities for the
design of the call; robustness of the work organisation and project
management structure, including sound operational and financial
management; effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation; and identification of
key risks with appropriate mitigation measures
2. Complementarity of the action with past, current or future use of national
budget or other EU funding instruments: degree to which the proposal ensures
synergies with ongoing and potentially future projects (section 3.2.3)
3. Cost-effectiveness: reasonability and feasibility of the estimated costs, and the
methodology for the calculation of the costs.
4. Compliance with the EU acquis, recommendations, guidance and good
practices established in the EU (in particular but not exclusive to 3.2.1).
C. Impact (30 points – if appropriate: minimum score 15 points):
1. Multi-stakeholder approach in the implementation of the action (section
3.2.4.)
2. Impact or effect of the proposal vis à vis the objective of the call (Union
added value) (section 3.4)
3. Efforts planned to share and scale (up) the results of the proposal in the
Member State concerned 4. Sustainability of the results achieved with the funded action (section 3.2.3).
Member States must ensure respect for the horizontal principles described in Article 9 of
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, including respect for fundamental rights and compliance
with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Moreover, Member
States must ensure that the envisaged actions are not affected by a reasoned opinion
delivered by the Commission in respect of infringement proceedings under Article 258 of
the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) that put in doubt the
legality and regularity of expenditure or the performance of the actions (Article 11(6) of
Regulation (EU) 2021/1147).
4.2. Application procedure
Deadline for the application: Member States are invited to submit their proposals on
28/08/2026 at the latest, using the official AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. Application Form
attached to this Note, together with its annexes. The applicant can submit an application
in any official EU language (project summary should however always be in English). For
reasons of efficiency, it is strongly advised to use English for the entire application.
11
In line with the Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (13), any document held by the
Commission, including documents containing sensitive information, may be subject to a
request for public access. Therefore, if relevant, the Managing Authorities should submit
each application in a separate email. Likewise, clarifications where needed/required per
application should be sent in separate emails.
To ensure equal and fair treatment of the proposals and allow the Commission to allocate
at the same date all the available funding, DG HOME will assess all proposals
simultaneously. Therefore, proposals submitted after the deadline will not be
admissible.
The Members of the Committee for the Home Affairs Funds will be informed at the latest
10 working days before the deadline for the submission of the proposals in case the
deadline for the submission of proposals is extended.
E-mail address for the application: The proposals should be submitted to the AMIF
specific actions functional mailbox HOME-AMIF-SPECIFIC-
[email protected] Member States may submit additional documentation if
necessary.
No modification to the application is allowed once the deadline for submission has
elapsed. However, if there is a need to clarify certain aspects or to correct clerical
mistakes, the Commission may contact the applicant during the evaluation process. A
reply should be provided by the Member State within 3 working days from the request
date.
Any requests for clarification of the Member States on this call for the expression of
interest may be sent by 26/06/2026 at the latest, to HOME-AMIF-SPECIFIC-
Requests should only be sent by the Managing authority. It is the Managing
Authority’s role to explain potential beneficiaries the applicable rules and specificities of
the programmes in general and of a specific action in particular and to help prepare
applications for a specific action. The Managing Authority is the contact point and takes
the responsibility to review questions from potential beneficiaries and, only where
necessary, raise questions to or request clarifications from the Commission services. As
projects under specific actions are managed at national level, according to national rules,
specific questions on eligibility of costs need to be addressed first to the Managing
Authority.
To respect the equal treatment and transparency, replies to written requests for
clarification will be sent to all Member States, via HOME-AFFAIRS-FUNDS-
DG HOME will inform Member States of the outcome of the assessment of the proposals
towards November 2026.
(13) Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001
regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents
12
5. AMENDMENT OF THE AMIF PROGRAMME AND ELIGIBILITY OF EXPENDITURE
After having been informed of the outcome of the call for expression of interest, each
successful Member State shall submit to the Commission a request to amend its AMIF
programme via SFC. The amended programme should include a short description of the
specific action, adjusted output and result indicators, and include the costs and codes
(14) linked to this specific action (respectively in the description and under tables 1, 2
and 3 of the relevant specific objective, and table 6 of the programme).
Yours faithfully,
Silvia MICHELINI
(14) Expenditure which becomes eligible as a result of a programme amendment is only eligible from the
date of the submission of the corresponding request to the Commission (Art. 63(7) of Regulation (EU)
2021/1060).
Electronically signed on 26/03/2026 13:24 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121
From: Piret Loorand <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 6:12 PM
To: Joosep Kaasik <[email protected]>; Janek Mägi <[email protected]>; Krista Aas <[email protected]>;
Marina Kadak <[email protected]>; Lii Mahlberg <[email protected]>; Jana Laane <[email protected]>;
Eva Lillemäe <[email protected]>; Ele Russak <[email protected]>; Külvi Noor - JUSTDIGI <[email protected]>;
Annika Leevand - JUSTDIGI <[email protected]>; Annika Sepp - MKM <[email protected]>; Triin Raag - SOM <[email protected]>
Cc: Ade Brecher <[email protected]>; Margit Ratnik <[email protected]>; Alla Voinova <[email protected]>;
Kristi Maajärv <[email protected]>; Tairi Pallas <[email protected]>; Ave Osman <[email protected]>;
Martin Eber <[email protected]>; Ülle Leht <[email protected]>; Heidi Maiberg <[email protected]>
Subject: Euroopa Komisjon avas uue erimeetme taotlusvooru (AMIF)
|
Tähelepanu!
Tegemist on välisvõrgust saabunud kirjaga. |
Tere
Annan teada, et DG HOME kuulutas 8. mail välja Euroopa Varjupaiga-, Rände- ja Integratsioonifondi (AMIF) erimeetme taotlusvooru nr AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1 „Protecting third-country workers’ rights while fighting against illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals“.
Vooru eesmärgiks on paremini kaitsta kolmandate riikide kodanike (sh hooajatööliste) õigusi ELis ning samal ajal võidelda illegaalse töötamisega. Toetust saab küsida näiteks teadlikkuse tõstmiseks, õigusabi ja psühhosotsiaalse toe pakkumiseks, kontrollisüsteemide tõhustamiseks, kaebuste esitamise lihtsustamiseks, andmekogumise ja seire arendamiseks. Palun tutvuge täpsemalt lisatud taotlusvooru kutsega.
Vooru tingimustest:
Ajakava taotluse esitamiseks on järgmine:
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26.06.2026 |
Viimane võimalus küsida EK-lt kirjalikult lisainfot |
Küsimused lähevad Euroopa Komisjonile SiMi kaudu (saata inglise keeles aadressile [email protected]) |
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22.07.2026 |
Lõplik taotlus SiM VVOle: [email protected], koopia [email protected] |
Palume täidetult saata kõik vajalikud vormid. Lisaks EK vormidele peab taotlus sisaldama ka horisontaalsete eeltingimuste täitmise kirjeldust (manuses) |
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28.08.2026 |
Taotluse esitamine EK-le |
Taotluse esitab Siseministeerium kui AMIFi korraldusasutus |
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Nov 2026 |
Liikmesriike teavitatakse vooru tulemustest |
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Täidetud taotlusvorm tuleb esitada SiM välisvahendite osakonnale (VVO) enne EK taotlusvooru kutses toodud tähtaega, hiljemalt 22. juuliks 2026, sest tulenevalt EL määrusest saab taotluse EK-le esitada üksnes korraldusasutus, so SiM. SiM VVO peab enne taotluse esitamist EK-le hindama selle vastavust nõuetele.
PS Enne taotlusvormi täitmist palume projektiidee arutamiseks leppida meiega (SiM VVO) kokku lühike aruteluaeg, et oleksime kursis teie plaanidega ning saaksime algusest peale ka nõuga toeks olla.
Piret Loorand
nõunik
Siseministeerium
[email protected]
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111
Office: LX46 05/006 - Tel. direct line +32 229-59293
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR MIGRATION AND HOME AFFAIRS
Directorate E – Borders, Migration and Security in Member States I
The Director (acting)
Brussels HOME.E.2/JG
NOTE FOR THE ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
FOR THE HOME AFFAIRS FUNDS
Ref.: HOME-Funds/2026/22
Subject: Launch of the call for expression of interest under the Specific Action
“Protecting third-country workers’ rights while fighting against
illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals”
under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) –
Reference AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1.
1. INTRODUCTION
Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July
2021 establishing the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund provides that Member
States may receive funding for specific actions in addition to their initial allocations in
their respective programmes.
Specific actions aim to fund transnational or national projects that bring Union added
value in accordance with the objectives of the Fund for which one, several or all Member
States may receive an additional allocation to their programmes.
They will be implemented as one of the components of the Thematic Facility in line with
Art. 11 AMIF of the above-mentioned Regulation and in accordance with the relevant
financing decisions and work programmes for the Fund (1).
By the present note, the Commission launches a call for expression of interest for
Specific Action “Protecting third-country workers’ rights while fighting against illegal
employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals”, in line with the actions listed
in the above-mentioned Commission’s financing decision and work programme.
(1) Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027) (europa.eu).
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2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Specific actions will be implemented by one or more Member States participating in the
Fund via funding received in addition to the allocation under their Fund programmes.
Funding for specific actions is added to the Member States’ programme by means of a
programme amendment. That additional funding is earmarked for the specific action
concerned and shall not be used for other actions in the Member State’s programme,
except in duly justified circumstances and as approved by the Commission through the
amendment of the programme.
Whereas the regular EU co-financing rate under the Member States’ programmes will not
exceed 75% of total eligible expenditure, projects implemented under specific actions
may benefit from an increased co-financing rate of up to 90% of total eligible
expenditure.
The specific action must be implemented by the Member States in accordance with the
AMIF (2) Regulation and the Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) (3). This includes
compliance with fundamental rights.
As regard the value added tax (“VAT”) eligibility regime, Article 64 (1)(c) of the CPR
provides that VAT is not eligible, except:
(i) “for operations the total cost of which is below EUR 5 000 000 (including
VAT);
(ii) for operations the total cost of which is at least EUR 5 000 000 (including
VAT) where it is non-recoverable under national VAT legislation”.
3. CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
3.1. Indicative Budget available
The indicative amount envisaged for this call AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. is EUR 10 million.
The requested amount (i.e., the Union contribution to the Member State’s AMIF
programme under the Specific Action):
• should not be lower than EUR 1 000 000.00 per application.
• should not be higher than EUR 2 500 000.00 per application.
(2) Regulation (EU) 2021/1147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing
the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund.
(3) Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying
down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund
Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and
Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund,
the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa
Policy.
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3.2. Background for the specific action
The EU economy faces labour shortages and relies significantly on third-country national
(TCN) workers in certain sectors. Legally residing and irregular TCNs are
disproportionately represented in high-risk sectors across Member States. They are more
frequently affected by exploitation, trafficking in human beings, labour law
infringements, undeclared work and breaches of occupational, health and safety (OSH)
rules than nationals. Seasonal third-country workers and TCNs staying irregularly are the
most exposed to situations of vulnerability. Preventing such situations of vulnerability is
essential for the well-functioning of legal pathways, to ensure the integration of third-
country nationals residing in the EU and to fight against irregular migration, which are all
essential components of a comprehensive approach to migration.
3.2.1. EU legal and policy framework
The European Commission’s political guidelines 2024-2029 set the priorities to boost
the EU’s competitiveness and manage migration effectively and fairly under the
comprehensive framework created by the Pact on Migration and Asylum. The
guidelines underline the need to “act to ensure that migrants are not exploited in the EU
labour market and have good working conditions”. The Quality Jobs Roadmap focuses
on strengthening the enforcement of labour rights of all workers, amongst other
objectives. The European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy stresses the
need to step up the fight against illegal employment and abuse of third-country workers
in the EU underlining that illegal employment is among the main drivers of illegal
migration and needs to be tackled more effectively, particularly in the sectors more
exposed to those risks.
The Commission is launching this call together with implementation reports of the
Employers Sanction Directive and the Seasonal Workers Directive. The Employers
Sanction Directive (4) aims to prevent and respond to illegal employment of irregularly
staying migrants, by sanctioning their employers and establishing safeguards to protect
their rights, including through mechanisms to claim outstanding wages, facilitate
complaints and the possibility to issue temporary residence permits to victims of
particularly exploitative working conditions and minors. The Seasonal Workers
Directive (5) aims to provide easily accessible pathways for seasonal work through fair
and transparent rules for the admission of third-country nationals to the EU to meet
labour demand legally and thus reduce irregular migration. It also aims to ensure decent
working and living conditions by providing equal treatment rights, a right to adequate
accommodation, enforcement mechanisms, and safeguards to better protect third-country
seasonal workers from exploitation.
(4) Directive 2009/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2009 providing for
minimum standards on sanctions and measures against employers of illegally staying third-country
nationals: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/52/oj/eng
(5) Directive 2014/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the
conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal
workers: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32014L0036
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The two Directives form part of a set of measures taken by the EU to effectively tackle
irregular migration and illegal employment of TCNs and enhance the protection of
legally employed third-country workers. Other measures include enhanced cooperation
with third countries, integrated management of operational borders, an effective return
policy and reinforced legislation (6) and strategy to combat trafficking in human
beings (7).
3.2.2. Current challenges and gaps
It is essential for the EU to prevent labour law infringements, illegal employment,
trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation and particularly
exploitative working conditions, not only to protect TCN workers, regardless of their
status, but also to ensure a level-playing field in the European labour market and among
business operators. Ensuring adequate working conditions for legally residing TCN
workers is also essential to present legal migration as a credible tool to improve the EU’s
competitiveness, to foster cooperation with partner countries on migration management
and pave the way for the successful integration of third-country nationals into EU
societies.
TCNs rarely use complaints and legal redress mechanisms to enforce their rights. Despite
intensified inspections by national authorities, protection efforts remain insufficient for
TCN workers. This is particularly evident in certain labour-intensive sectors where risks
of labour law infringements and exploitation, undeclared work and trafficking in human
beings remain high, such as seasonal agriculture, domestic and care work, construction
and hospitality.
More specifically, the report on the implementation of the Employers Sanctions Directive
found that in 2021-2024, while Member States have strengthened risk assessment
methodologies in inspections planning, leading to more targeted inspections in high-risk
sectors, and a higher number of proceedings opened against infringing employers
compared to previous reporting periods, there are discrepancies on how the legislation is
applied across the concerned Member States, including on the application of sanctions.
Moreover, the findings indicate persisting data gaps, notably concerning the number of
claims introduced by migrant workers, the issuance of temporary residence permits and
the number of actual back-payments obtained. Vulnerable irregular migrants are often
insufficiently informed of their rights, whilst effective access to and use of complaint
mechanisms remains limited. The report on the implementation of the Seasonal Workers
Directive (8) found that while overall, Member States have stepped up their efforts to
ensure employers’ compliance, the provision of information on rights, obligations and
access to complaint procedures for seasonal workers still needs improvement, especially
(6) Directive (EU) 2024/1712 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 amending
Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its
victims (OJ L, 2024/1712, 24.6.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1712/oj).
(7) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, The Council, The European
Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions o the EU Strategy on Combatting
Trafficking in Human Beings 2021- 2025 (COM/2021/171 final) and the new EU Strategy on
Combatting Trafficking in Human beings planned for adopted 2026 (Q3).
(8) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Directive 2014/36/EU on
the conditions of entry and stay of third-country nationals for the purpose of employment as seasonal
workers.
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in employer-driven admission procedures where authorities are not in direct contact with
the worker. Complaint and legal redress mechanisms are not sufficiently used by
seasonal workers in case of abuses. Monitoring, inspections and sanction mechanisms
often remain insufficient.
Strengthening the capacities of labour inspectorates and the cooperation among labour
market actors, including economic and social partners, employers, employment services,
and labour inspectorates, is essential to ensure adequate protection of migrant workers’
rights and to prevent trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation and particularly
exploitative working conditions of both legally residing and irregular TCNs. Civil society
organisations, including migrant associations, play an important complementary role in
outreach, awareness-raising and helping migrants accessing their rights.
3.2.3. Complementarity and sustainability
The actions to be financed under this call should be complementary to any actions that
Member States may finance under the AMIF 2021-2027 Programmes or other EU
funding instruments, such as the ESF+.
The proposals should describe how the sustainability of the measure will be ensured after
the finalisation of the project and how the project would complement other sources of
funding, if relevant.
Moreover, with reference to the investments on staffing/services, the proposals should
refer to the measures to be put in place to ensure the sustainability of the foreseen
interventions at national level after the end of the action. To this end, proposals will need
to outline the cooperation and active participation of all the national administrations
and/or institutions benefitting from it, from the preparation to the implementation phase.
3.2.4. Minimum requirements for the proposals
The call invites Member States that face challenges in protecting migrant workers’ rights,
including seasonal workers, while fighting illegal employment of irregularly staying
third-country nationals, to launch initiatives improving their national situation.
The proposals should be aligned with any existing national plan and strategy in relation
to the protection of migrant workers’ rights, particularly exploitative working conditions,
illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals and countering
trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. They should be embedded in a
whole-of-government approach that includes inter-agency cooperation and the
involvement of local and regional authorities, civil society and social and economic
partners.
In particular, Member States should refer to their National Asylum and Migration
Strategies and to include existing or planned measures to counter illegal employment and
step up the enforcement of the Directives 2009/52/EC and 2014/36/EU. They should also
outline their plans to counter particularly exploitative working conditions, including
measures addressing trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation.
The application should describe the baseline situation, the national plans and strategies
concerned and the expected results. The challenges described need to be justified with
supporting information, including (but not limited to) data (including estimates) and
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qualitative information of the extent of undeclared work, legal and illegal employment of
third country nationals in specific risk sectors, including posted third country nationals.
The proposals should include a description about steps to be taken to ensure
sustainability after the end of the project.
The Commission encourages the preparation of applications in a multi-stakeholder
approach, namely with the involvement of national and local authorities, civil society and
social partners (trade unions, employers’ associations).
The proposals should consider the existing EU legislative framework, guidance and
manuals (e.g. from the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) (9), the European Labour
Authority (ELA) (10), and the EU Anti-Trafficking Hub (11) concerning actions to support
the protection of TCN workers and fight against illegal employment, and build on good
practices in other Member States, if appropriate, including those mentioned in the
implementation reports of Directives 2009/52/EC and 2014/36/EU.
For proposals selected, Member States are expected to participate in monitoring and
dissemination activities, such as:
- Collection of information and data on project activities (participation of project
beneficiaries in questionnaires, information and awareness-raising campaigns,
studies).
- Workshops where Member States’ specific actions would be presented and discussed
with the aim of disseminating best practices in the Member States, including in
specific high-risk sectors.
- Report on the implementation of the action and discuss the outputs in the Irregular
Migration Expert group on the Employers Sanctions Directive, the Contact Group on
Legal Migration, the European Platform to enhance cooperation in tackling
undeclared work and/or other relevant EU fora (such as the Labour Migration
Platform).
3.3. Scope and purpose of the specific action
The objective of this specific action is to:
(1) better protect the rights of third-country national workers in the EU, including
seasonal third-country workers;
(2) fight against the illegal employment of irregularly staying third-country nationals.
This call targets in particular Member States where TCN workers are employed in sectors
where risks of labour law infringements, particularly exploitative working conditions and
(9) https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2024/workplace-inspectors-training-manual
(10) https://www.ela.europa.eu/en/news/new-guide-empowers-workplace-inspectors-combat-labour-
exploitation-eu
(11) EU Anti-trafficking Hub Study on the concept of trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour
exploitation
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undeclared work remain high, such as seasonal work, as well as agriculture, domestic and
care work, construction, transport and hospitality.
The activities described below are meant to be consistent with the findings of the reports
on the implementation of the Employers Sanctions Directive and the Seasonal Workers
Directive. The activities financed under this call can include, but are not restricted to, the
following:
− Information provision and awareness-raising for TCN workers and employers in
high-risk sectors:
o Develop and disseminate multilingual information materials and channels
(e.g. mobile apps, digital portals, hotlines, “rights vans” and peer
mediators) to ensure TCN workers are informed of their employment and
residence-related rights, complaint mechanisms, and access to justice.
o Conduct targeted awareness-raising campaigns for employers and
workers.
o Support trade unions, equality bodies and civil society organisations to
provide tailored legal advice and representation to TCN workers.
− Legal aid and psychosocial support to TCN workers in high-risk sectors:
o Provide open legal advice and psychosocial support near seasonal work
clusters, including trauma-informed counselling and interpretation
services.
o Support the development of training curricula for lawyers, trade union
representatives, mediators and inspectors on cultural mediation, trauma-
informed interviewing, and equal-treatment obligations.
o Pilot initiatives to facilitate the inclusion of TCN workers into trade
unions and social dialogue structures.
− Targeted inspections and enforcement:
o Capacity building measures to enhance national labour inspectorates’ risk-
based and rights-focused inspections in sectors and regions at risk of
illegal employment and labour exploitation.
o Specialised training for labour inspectors and law enforcement authorities
on detecting cases of illegal employment, severe exploitation, and
trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, as well
as on the rights of TCNs in irregular situations.
o Establish or reinforce multi-agency cooperation frameworks among
inspectorates, law enforcement, migration authorities, equality bodies,
social partners, and prosecutors, including regional or cross-border
coordination mechanisms, to further improve a risk-management-based
enforcement of the relevant EU acquis.
o Enhance the use of joint and concerted inspections (i.e. involving
authorities of at least two Member States).
o Support national labour inspectorates through training or capacity
building, and provision of expertise, including interpretation/cultural
mediation.
o Promote the use of the training manual aimed at labour inspectorates
prepared by FRA in 2024, also taking advantage as appropriate of the
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practical exercises on the manual prepared by FRA in 2025 (12), through
seminars and training sessions, as well as its translation.
− Improving access to complaint and redress mechanisms:
o Develop or upgrade safe and accessible complaint channels including by
implementing firewalls, anonymous and digital options with case-tracking
and multilingual support, which ensures that reporting labour law
breaches does not automatically trigger immigration enforcement, in line
with national law.
o Facilitate simplified and remote administrative procedures for wage
recovery and legal representation, including for returned workers.
− Strengthening data collection, monitoring and coordination:
o Support Member States in improving systematic, disaggregated data
collection on inspections, complaints, sanctions and temporary residence
permits.
o Develop or upgrade digital tools (e.g. national reporting portals) for
automated reporting, visualisation, and analysis.
o Reinforce inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms, establish a function
of national coordinator focusing on the employment of irregularly staying
third country nationals or designate national contact points for monitoring
and reporting on the implementation of the relevant legislation (e.g.
Employers Sanctions Directive, Seasonal Workers’ Directive).
o Facilitate outreach and information exchange through cooperation with
consulates, visa centres, recruitment agencies and seasonal work hubs.
3.4. Expected results following the call
The aim of the specific action is to finance four to ten proposals aimed at protecting
third-country workers’ rights, including of seasonal workers, while fighting against
illegal employment of irregularly staying TCNs.
The proposals are expected to lead to tangible, and when feasible, quantified
improvements in the protection of TCN workers’ rights in the EU, regardless of their
status, including:
(1) Increased awareness among workers and employers of legal employment
conditions and complaint mechanisms;
(2) Stronger and better-coordinated inspection and enforcement systems, thereby
reducing the incidence of labour law infringements, particularly exploitative
working conditions of third-country nationals and illegal employment of
irregularly staying TCNs;
(3) Improved access to justice and redress for TCN workers affected by labour law
infringements and particularly exploitative working conditions.
(12) How workplace inspectors can protect third-country workers' rights - Training manual | European
Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
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The proposals should provide figures and, if appropriate, qualitative indications,
including in the form of targets, for:
• the number and nature of information and awareness-raising campaigns;
• the number and content of trainings/seminars carried out;
• the number of TCN workers reached during the project’s activities, including,
when appropriate, per sector;
• the number of officials/labour inspectors and third-party organisations (civil
society, social partners) involved;
• improvements in the quantity or quality of complaints mechanisms.
The proposals should also indicate how these activities are expected to affect the overall
national capacity to counter labour law infringements, particularly exploitative working
conditions and illegal employment of TCNs and to improve their access to information.
Overall, the action should contribute to reducing protection and enforcement gaps by
enabling Member States to take targeted measures in line with their specific situations.
Considering the approaching end of the 2021-2027 financial period and the nature of the
projects involving partnerships and potentially public procurement procedures, we draw
the attention of the Managing Authorities to the need to ensure close supervision of the
activities by the beneficiaries so that the timeline in the applications is respected, in line
with the eligibility rules, and the selected projects will be concluded before 31 December
2029.
4. PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION
4.1. Admissibility and assessment aspects
All EU Member States participating in the AMIF are eligible.
Each Member State may submit one application only.
DG HOME will assess the proposals submitted by the Member States.
To be considered admissible, a proposal must:
1. be submitted within the deadline below to the AMIF specific actions functional
mailbox [email protected] ;
2. consist of the official AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. Application Form attached to this
note together with its annexes, which must be readable and complete (all fields
necessary for assessment are filled in);
3. be submitted and signed by the Managing Authority on behalf of the entity in the
Member State responsible for the implementation of the specific action;
4. contain a written confirmation by the Member State to participate in the
monitoring activities organised by the Commission, in case of selection.
5. identify a project beneficiary (an entity) responsible for the implementation of the
specific action in the Member State (in the lead for the action) without excluding
the possibility for other entities to be involved in the implementation of the
specific action as co-beneficiaries.
DG HOME will assess admissible proposals based on the following criteria:
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A. Relevance and content (40 points –minimum score 20 points):
1. Definition of the national situation and degree to which the Member State
concerned has specific needs in line with the requirements of the call (section
3.2.4)
2. Adequacy of the activities in the proposal in relation to the national
challenges (section 3.2.4)
3. Clarity and consistency of the objectives and scope of the proposal against the
objectives identified in this call (section 3.3)
4. Alignment of the actions with existing national strategies related to fighting
illegal employment and protecting the rights of TCN workers (section 3.2.4)
B. Quality (30 points – if appropriate: minimum score 20 points):
1. Maturity of the proposal: clarity and adequacy of the project design and
implementation plan (timetable); involvement of relevant entities for the
design of the call; robustness of the work organisation and project
management structure, including sound operational and financial
management; effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation; and identification of
key risks with appropriate mitigation measures
2. Complementarity of the action with past, current or future use of national
budget or other EU funding instruments: degree to which the proposal ensures
synergies with ongoing and potentially future projects (section 3.2.3)
3. Cost-effectiveness: reasonability and feasibility of the estimated costs, and the
methodology for the calculation of the costs.
4. Compliance with the EU acquis, recommendations, guidance and good
practices established in the EU (in particular but not exclusive to 3.2.1).
C. Impact (30 points – if appropriate: minimum score 15 points):
1. Multi-stakeholder approach in the implementation of the action (section
3.2.4.)
2. Impact or effect of the proposal vis à vis the objective of the call (Union
added value) (section 3.4)
3. Efforts planned to share and scale (up) the results of the proposal in the
Member State concerned 4. Sustainability of the results achieved with the funded action (section 3.2.3).
Member States must ensure respect for the horizontal principles described in Article 9 of
Regulation (EU) 2021/1060, including respect for fundamental rights and compliance
with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Moreover, Member
States must ensure that the envisaged actions are not affected by a reasoned opinion
delivered by the Commission in respect of infringement proceedings under Article 258 of
the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) that put in doubt the
legality and regularity of expenditure or the performance of the actions (Article 11(6) of
Regulation (EU) 2021/1147).
4.2. Application procedure
Deadline for the application: Member States are invited to submit their proposals on
28/08/2026 at the latest, using the official AMIF/2026/SA/2.4.1. Application Form
attached to this Note, together with its annexes. The applicant can submit an application
in any official EU language (project summary should however always be in English). For
reasons of efficiency, it is strongly advised to use English for the entire application.
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In line with the Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (13), any document held by the
Commission, including documents containing sensitive information, may be subject to a
request for public access. Therefore, if relevant, the Managing Authorities should submit
each application in a separate email. Likewise, clarifications where needed/required per
application should be sent in separate emails.
To ensure equal and fair treatment of the proposals and allow the Commission to allocate
at the same date all the available funding, DG HOME will assess all proposals
simultaneously. Therefore, proposals submitted after the deadline will not be
admissible.
The Members of the Committee for the Home Affairs Funds will be informed at the latest
10 working days before the deadline for the submission of the proposals in case the
deadline for the submission of proposals is extended.
E-mail address for the application: The proposals should be submitted to the AMIF
specific actions functional mailbox HOME-AMIF-SPECIFIC-
[email protected] Member States may submit additional documentation if
necessary.
No modification to the application is allowed once the deadline for submission has
elapsed. However, if there is a need to clarify certain aspects or to correct clerical
mistakes, the Commission may contact the applicant during the evaluation process. A
reply should be provided by the Member State within 3 working days from the request
date.
Any requests for clarification of the Member States on this call for the expression of
interest may be sent by 26/06/2026 at the latest, to HOME-AMIF-SPECIFIC-
Requests should only be sent by the Managing authority. It is the Managing
Authority’s role to explain potential beneficiaries the applicable rules and specificities of
the programmes in general and of a specific action in particular and to help prepare
applications for a specific action. The Managing Authority is the contact point and takes
the responsibility to review questions from potential beneficiaries and, only where
necessary, raise questions to or request clarifications from the Commission services. As
projects under specific actions are managed at national level, according to national rules,
specific questions on eligibility of costs need to be addressed first to the Managing
Authority.
To respect the equal treatment and transparency, replies to written requests for
clarification will be sent to all Member States, via HOME-AFFAIRS-FUNDS-
DG HOME will inform Member States of the outcome of the assessment of the proposals
towards November 2026.
(13) Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001
regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents
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5. AMENDMENT OF THE AMIF PROGRAMME AND ELIGIBILITY OF EXPENDITURE
After having been informed of the outcome of the call for expression of interest, each
successful Member State shall submit to the Commission a request to amend its AMIF
programme via SFC. The amended programme should include a short description of the
specific action, adjusted output and result indicators, and include the costs and codes
(14) linked to this specific action (respectively in the description and under tables 1, 2
and 3 of the relevant specific objective, and table 6 of the programme).
Yours faithfully,
Silvia MICHELINI
(14) Expenditure which becomes eligible as a result of a programme amendment is only eligible from the
date of the submission of the corresponding request to the Commission (Art. 63(7) of Regulation (EU)
2021/1060).
Electronically signed on 26/03/2026 13:24 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121