The project aims at promoting the European culture, understood as feeling part of the European Community, within the Italian local authorities (municipalities and provinces). The Italian authorities are not fully aware of important opportunities carried out by European institutions, and the use of subsidies provided by European funding programmes are often overlooked.
To understand the Italian local communities’ awareness of European culture and opportunities, a survey was conducted in the province of Parma. The results showed that there are only three organisational structures dedicated to European design. A very small number of entities are familiar with and participated in calls for tenders relating to European programming for direct management (2014–2020). Moreover, many local bodies mentioned being interested in obtaining organisational and technical support from the province for access to European funding calls.
Based on the results, the project aimed at creating an organisational structure within the province of Parma, dedicated to the dissemination of European culture in the local authorities of the province of Parma. This would include methodological support to municipalities in participating in European calls for proposals for direct management 2021–2027 and the project would facilitate networking and experience-sharing among the local bodies. A European office was created in the region, as a structure dedicated to encouraging local authorities to make the best use of European projects and calls.