Open Call: European Greenways Award (12th Edition)

Deadline: 21 May 2025

Nominations are now open for the 12th edition of European Greenways Award to promote examples of best practices and to support their replication on other greenways all over Europe.

The European Greenways Award will only be granted to greenways under the Lille Declaration, as well as to initiatives already in existence.

Award Categories

This biennial award will recognise examples of greenways best practices in three categories:
- Excellence awards: In this category the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded to three exemplary greenways that show the best integration of the various characteristics which define greenways (Art. 1 of Regulations) and that also demonstrate specific strengths which, in the opinion of the jury, make them exemplary.
- Exemplary initiatives: The 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize will be awarded to exemplary initiatives carried out in relation to greenways. This category is open to any activity related to greenways in its broadest sense.
- Special award, Green transition in greenways: A single award will be granted to reward actions that contribute to green transition in the greenways ecosystem, and contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Initiatives will be related to the greenway itself, or to greenway-based tourism services or products that integrate sustainability criteria, and aimed at either one or more of these trails.

Prize Information

Each winner will receive a diploma and a trophy symbolising the objectives pursued by the EGWA.
The Award-winners will benefit from the publicity and communication on the award which will be broadcast at a Europe-wide level so as to publicize examples of best practice and ‘know-how’ in the field of greenways. Also, the award-winning candidates will have their projects exhibited on the EGWA site and promoted internationally as examples of good practices in conferences, social networks and other promotional tools EGWA related.
One representative of each award-winning candidacy will be invited by the organisation to receive the award at the presentation ceremony to be held at Abanto-Zierbena (Bizkaia), Basque country, in Spain, 9th October 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications can be submitted by public or private organisations, associations involved with the development of greenways or those that set up exemplary initiatives in the field of greenways, as well as small and medium size enterprises (SME), that work towards the generation of tourism business and the commercialisation of integrated tourism packages based on these trails, likewise companies operating in the cultural and creative sectors (CCIs) in one of the Member States of the European Union, EFTA countries, the official Candidate Countries for European Union membership, as well as other member states of the Council of Europe.
Candidates wishing to apply for more than one category must submit one application per category.

Ineligibility Criteria