Grants (Over $500K) in EU

Expected Outcome: The targeted outcomes reflect the above challenges and cover a comprehensive Front End module design which: Covers the FR3 range as defined by the relevant Agenda Item of WRC 27 (7 to 15 GHz range) with possible extension up to 24 GHz if required by some regional implementations, with inherent tuning capabilities to accommodate potential regional variations. Mitigates interferences with incumbent FR3 band users and maximises sharing capabilities across the band in line with the European regulatory approach on spectrum sharing. Enables integration of a large number of antenna elements beyond the State of the Art and support massive MIMO implementation with compensation of increased path loss compared to 5G FR1 implementations. Enables at least an order-of-magnitude increase in RF processing compared to 5G FR1 implementations. Enables 5G cell site reuse and minimises deployment complexity on top of 5G sites deployment. Enables low-cost and low energy implementation of the elementary constituent modules, efficient packaging and is mainly based on the integration of microelectronics heterogeneous technologies where European industry has strong expertise and…

Expected Impact: Projects funded under this call are expected to deliver tangible industrial outputs that demonstrably advance the readiness and affordability of future governmental Ka-band user terminals for IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM services. Expected outputs include, for example: qualified production processes, calibrated sub-assemblies, pilot-run units, validated manufacturing equipment chains or manufacturing cost models. Purely analytical deliverables (studies, design reports) are not sufficient as primary outputs but may complement the above. Where relevant, outputs shall include documented design assumptions, interface parameters or process specifications enabling adaptation to different terminal configurations with limited re-engineering, so as to support uptake in follow-on integration, pilot deployment and scale-up activities. Objective: The aim of this call for proposals is to advance the industrial readiness of European Ka-band user terminal technologies, subsystems and manufacturing processes, with a view to enabling cost-effective production of user terminals for services provided under the Union secure connectivity programme (IRIS²) and GOVSATCOM. The target reference…

Expected Outcome: Objectives and profile of the ERC Plus Grant Principal Investigator The ERC Plus Grant supports outstanding Principal Investigators who address a major scientific challenge. Applications for ERC Plus Grants should be for projects that could not be carried out with a regular ERC grant. Applicants should explain how the proposed project aims go beyond those of a regular ERC project, for example, because they have a vision to transform their field or open a new field of research. Scholars at all career stages can apply for an ERC Plus Grant if they have an outstanding record of scientific achievement at the forefront of their field. Their intellectual leadership will be evaluated in comparison to peers at their own career stage. It is expected that a researcher may be the Principal Investigator of only one ERC Plus Grant in their lifetime. Applicants should be aware that every year, only some 30 ERC Plus Grants can be awarded across all fields and all career stages, compared to approximately 1000 Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grants. This level of competitiveness should be taken into account when considering whether to submit an application. Size of ERC Plus…

Expected Outcome: Practical chip design experience integrated into education at multiple levels; at least 1,000 students across Europe completing funded tape-outs over 4 years; stronger reskilling pathways for students from adjacent fields; and a sustainable, continent-wide pipeline of chip design talent to support Europe's semiconductor ambitions. Scope: This call funds a comprehensive Chip Design Skills Programme to lower barriers to entry in chip design and tape-outs. At least 60% of the budget must support hands-on tape-out experiences (via multi-project wafers) for university and secondary school students.

Scope: Proposals innovations should address one or more of the several domains : WBG substrates to reduce EU dependency on material and provide more sustainable, industrially compatible solutions. WBG platform for cost effectiveness, available in 300mm for GaN and/or SiC to improve yield and power density and close gaps in the value chain. A toolbox (e.g. wafer cut, smart stacking, thin layer transfer, epitaxy, UWBG materials) for further innovation schemes. Next generation or optimised new power semiconductor devices fitting their application. Adding intelligence to power semiconductor devices on control and/or sensor side. Facilitate the propagation of EU Packaging/Integration excellence along the entire value chain e.g. pre-packages or power semiconductor device packaging solutions to enable power device/system integration and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in advanced packaging. Explore the use of heterogeneous and functional integration for improved performance, reliability, robustness and cost competitiveness. Rising operative voltage, frequency, current and thermal features that are common challenge on power electronics across the different application sectors. Provide…

Expected Outcome: the proposals under this call are expected to address one or more of the following subjects : • Enhanced personalized monitoring, care and treatments, focusing on the development of highly customized healthcare solutions, including the required research and diagnostic tools, tailored to individual needs, covering various scenarios such as chronic disease management, physiotherapy, precision diagnosis, personalized medicine/treatment, pre- and postoperative care, and daily assistance in homes and common spaces. It also targets effective management of chronic diseases and elderly care through personalized monitoring and interventions facilitated by advanced sensor technologies and edge-to-cloud solutions. This includes the development and integration of solutions for Hospitalization at Home, enabling patients to receive complex, remotely supervised care using intelligent medical devices capable of sensing, analysing, and transmitting real-time data. This requires a continuum, from in-hospital diagnostics to robust, long-term patient support at home via AI-driven care pathways and hospitalization at home. • Prevention and treatment of diseases, allowing the improved…

Expected Outcome: Europe's first long-term VET provider network for semiconductors; a larger and more diverse pool of qualified technicians; and increased intra- and extra-EU mobility of students and workers to fill skills gaps in semiconductor facilities. Scope: This call supports the establishment of a European-level federation of Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers focused on semiconductor industry roles. Projects should develop industry-aligned micro-credentials and reskilling programmes, with a strong emphasis on workers transitioning from other industrial sectors and on cross-border recognition of qualifications.

Expected Outcome: The proposals under this topic should address the design/specification and implementation/testing of the key microelectronics building blocks of an FR3 FEM paving the way towards their future integration into a complete integrated FEM system. • Progresses the State of the art to optimise the cost-performance trade off to serve the target ITU IMT 2030 specifications, notably for what concerns maximum data rate, user data rate, spectral efficiency, whilst enabling 50% mobile transmission system energy consumption; • Allows operational implementation of spectrum sharing with other spectrum users within the selected FR3 sub-band; • Enables large arrays integration for increased path loss compensation at FR3 frequencies with very compact, low power, high efficiency FEM integration; • Enables high bandwidth for carrier aggregation with broadband RF transceivers; • Enables SBFD (Sub-Band non overlapping Full-Duplex) for UL coverage extension (Rel.-19 5G-Advanced in 3GPP) with appropriate interference cancellation techniques; • Enables ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communications) supporting monostatic as well as bistatic radar functionality, and addressing interference…

Expected Outcome: Proposals submitted to this call are expected to address several of the following elements: • Scaling of wafer-level photonic processes for key materials (e.g. SiN, InP, GaAs),including process integration, yield optimisation, and manufacturability at highvolumes. • Development of packaging and test solutions that are scalable, automated, andcompatible with co-packaged optics and advanced photonic-electronic integration. • Integration of heterogeneous materials and components, such as on-chip lasers,modulators, and detectors, using advanced packaging and assembly approaches. • Design-process-equipment co-optimisation, enabling repeatable, cost-effectiveproduction of complex photonic circuits and systems, including use of PDKs andvalidated building blocks. • Demonstration of system-level functionality through application-relevant use casesin strategic sectors (e.g. AI, sensing, telecommunication, mobility, health, defence),with quantified performance metrics and clear market relevance.

Expected Outcome: The expected outcomes of this topic are : A common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, with transparent KPIs, workloads and benchmark reports used for Chips JU selection and procurement decisions. First pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for EU sovereign partitions of AI infrastructure. Structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers, supporting deployment, integration and optimisation of European AI compute solutions. Stronger EU demand for European AI chips and racks, helping to create a market for deployment-ready solutions. Increased EU technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacentres.

Expected Outcome: Expected outcomes: A sustained pipeline of highly qualified semiconductor graduates, with shorter time-to-readiness for industry roles; greater inflow of diverse talent including women and underrepresented groups; improved intra- and extra-EU student mobility; and strong complementarity with existing Chips Act infrastructure such as pilot lines, design platforms, and Competence Centres. Scope: This call funds the creation of specialised academic "Hubs of Excellence" in critical semiconductor technology areas (e.g. chip design, manufacturing, photonics, power electronics). Projects should build industry-aligned Bachelor, Master, and PhD programmes.

Expected Outcome: The focus needs to be on areas where Digital Partnership countries bring strong complementary expertise, including advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and photonic chip technologies. The topic would aim to foster collaboration between European and Digital Partnership countries’ R&I communities. Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: • Innovative design and integration concepts for neuromorphic computing systems supporting very low energy consumption, connectivity, embedded functions for mobile applications. • Alternative manufacturing process technologies for semiconductor chips including frontend or backend for heterogenous integration. The technologies should sustain in the mid- and long-term the fast-paced evolution of device performance, miniaturisation and cost, while reducing the environmental footprint. • Very advanced packaging solutions aiming heterogeneous integration of multiple functions and materials for applications in communication (RF, mmW or THz), sensing, actuating, power management and active/passive integration.

Expected Outcome: This action will establish a strategic European initiative to develop scalable, modular, and interoperable photonic quantum computing platforms. Proposals for this topic are expected to address and provide credible solutions to at least two major technical roadblocks currently limiting the advancement of photonic quantum computing such as: The lack of deterministic, high-efficiency photonic entanglement and loss-tolerant architectures suitable for fault-tolerant scaling The absence of a standardised, integrated control stack combining photonic hardware, firmware, and system software with reliable benchmarking across platforms Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: By 2028, demonstration of a photonic NISQ processor with ≥100 photonic qubits, integrating deterministic single-photon sources, low-loss waveguides, on-chip detectors, and a firmware stack (scheduler, controller, compiler), validated via hardware-agnostic benchmarks and hybrid photonic-HPC applications demonstrating classical-quantum crossover By 2030, delivery of a full-stack, high-connectivity photonic quantum computer, with modular scalability, integrated…

Expected Outcome: Projects are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Advanced heterogeneous integration, particularly in 2.5D and 3D packaging and integrated photonics, to support AI functionalities. Standardised chiplet interfaces, enabling interoperability and fostering a dynamic chiplet ecosystem Expected outcomes should have direct and immediate impact on European industry. Furthermore, proposed projects should demonstrate solutions across laboratory and pilot environments, with verification in semiconductor manufacturing use cases. The centre of gravity of envisaged work should address Technology Readiness Levels 5-7. Proposals also need to facilitate knowledge transfer and promote stakeholder engagement through industry workshops, publications, and networking events.

Expected Outcome: This flagship pilot is the culmination of the entire activity catalogue carried out by the CCAM Partnership since its launch in 2021. It will combine in one project the most promising CCAM use-cases across three key domains, with the technological advancements from all its R&I clusters [1] supporting and enabling CCAM systems and services towards market uptake. This action is expected to contribute to all the following outcomes: Large-scale demonstrations of inclusive, user-oriented, and well-integrated CCAM systems and services for people and goods in mixed traffic through Field Operational Tests (FOTs), Technology Pilots, and Living Labs, building upon advanced and emerging SAE Level 2 systems to move towards SAE Level 3 and 4 functionalities, at multiple test sites and corridors showcasing CCAM potential [2] , for a minimum of 12 months. Validation of enabling technologies that facilitate the extension of Operational Design Domains (ODDs) in large-scale operations and enhance perception performance under poor lighting and adverse weather conditions in large-scale demonstrations and pilots. Assessment of deployment readiness and demonstration of technological…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Insights, recommendations, strategies, guidelines, methods and tools supporting full AI integration in CCSI practices become available to CCSI, policymakers, and stakeholders. Scenarios for co-created solutions tailored to CCSI needs, utilizing quality data and federated data sources, along with digital infrastructures, and inclusive cooperation processes, become available. Generally made available AI-powered and ethically designed solutions, tools and services in several CCSI areas benefit creators, cultural professionals, and society, including persons with disabilities and other specific needs, fostering innovative creative expressions and improving creative business models while preserving and enhancing cultural diversity, and inclusion. By mastering ethical and inclusive AI, CCSI are empowered drivers of culture, innovation, competitiveness and societal wellbeing. Scope: AI technologies are transformative, providing unprecedented opportunities for human creativity, experimentations and co-creations. AI profoundly impacts cultural and creative sectors and industries, changing practices,…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Enhanced understanding, accompanied by documented good practices, showing what works to encourage multilingualism in society and what type of practices have led to safeguarding linguistic heritage, including lesser used, endangered and historically marginalised languages. Rigorous policy-relevant evidence, strategies and policy recommendations for promoting multilingualism and safeguarding linguistic diversity are available to policy makers, and users are involved in their development, especially the younger generation. Non-linguistic benefits of language maintenance and revitalisation are well documented, communicated and understood by different stakeholders. Citizens are empowered and engaged in the sustainable management of their own linguistic heritage and resources, with a focus on intergenerational dialogue and education activities, with particular attention to communities where oral transmission is the primary mode of language preservation. Maps and visual presentations showing the linguistic diversity in Europe are available, including a variety of existing languages (regional and minority…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased evidence collection and intelligence gathering, effective cross-border and cross-domain cooperation and uptake by the Law Enforcement Authorities (LEA) and experts of the consolidated tools and platforms within their operational systems and methodologies in accordance with the different user’s requirements. Capacity building and consolidated training ecosystem, developed with concrete, validated, actionable, interactive training materials tailored to the specific needs of different user groups across EU Member States and beyond. European Union law enforcement, judiciary and other competent authorities and practitioners gain a better understanding and enhanced capabilities in addressing crimes related to cultural heritage thanks to the consolidations of existing solutions, standardized and tailored trainings and workshops and practical learning materials. Actionable solutions to the threat to cultural heritage trafficking by illicit excavations crime that do not necessarily amount to organised crime but are still illegal activities that considerably endanger Europe’s cultural heritage,…

Expected Outcome: Proposals should contribute to the first two expected outcomes, and either the one listed under Focus 1, or the one listed under Focus 2. The potential of art-science and/or technology collaborations to address societal challenges and drive innovation is better understood. Guidance, toolkits, and actionable methodologies are developed to promote these collaborations, providing policymakers, professionals, and training organisations with clarity on intervention scope, applicability across various fields, and evaluation methods, metrics, or tools. New and existing national, European or international networks for art-science-technology collaborations are established or strengthened, expanding opportunities for artists to engage with science and technology. Focus 1 Approaches, methodologies and model interventions for integrating arts and creative practices to enhance soft skills across public and private sectors are developed, tested and disseminated. Focus 2 The effectiveness of critical artists’ engagement in interdisciplinary teams is demonstrated alongside the assessment of the viability of research-intensive emerging technologies through at least three low…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all following points: The projects must fulfil the performance targets, at the cell and system level, corresponding to the specific targeted application, to be specified in the proposal. Appropriate KPI must be defined for the energy density (volumetric and gravimetric), Power density and C-rate, number of cycles and cost defined under operational conditions. Boost EU competitiveness in next-generation battery technologies for mobility applications. Develop pilot manufacturing capability for next generation lithium-based batteries. Strengthen the EU battery value chain, including new manufacturing equipment, automation, and scalable production processes. Advance the understanding of next-generation battery interfaces at an industrial scale, ensuring manufacturability, durability, and cost-effectiveness. In the case of aviation, the battery requirements should be compatible at minimum with EASA CS.23 (level 4), CS.27 and preferably with CS.25 categories. Scope: This topic will support the scaling-up of next generation (i.e., beyond generation 3) lithium-based batteries (e.g., semi and all-solid state, generation5) from cell…

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts and contribute to the following EU policies/initiatives: deliver innovative, early technology solutions that contribute to addressing strategic unmet public health needs across multiple therapy areas to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment; leverage the unique network and scale of IHI JU members to create a pipeline to support innovative startups in the health industry, fully integrated into European initiatives in support of start-ups and entrepreneurship; drive early cross-sector health R&D and innovation to strengthen the European healthcare industry’s global competitiveness, contributing to the EU Industrial Strategy and Pharmaceutical Strategy objectives; create a sustainable network of European healthcare incubators to guide and support highly talented and innovative early-stage companies; harness digital health and data-sharing technologies (e.g., AI and big data) to enable interoperable health solutions, contributing to the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and improved evidence based care;- the action should generate a portfolio of early‑stage companies that have…

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Faster and more informed decision-making through the use of an AI-driven NAM (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and increased efficiency through rapid processing of vast amounts of data [1] . Increased consistency and standardisation in a NAM-based approach, specifically an AI model, used by industry in the efficient development, testing and production of safe and effective innovative health technologies, improving industrial competitiveness. Regulatory adoption of a NAM-enabled second species waiver model (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and weight-of-evidence framework, in line with recommendations and more consistent global decision-making on waiving second species testing. Reduction in animal use, accelerated timelines and lower costs, enhancing the competitiveness of the European health industry through economical and ethical benefits. Improved public health as patients will benefit from safe and effective medicines developed faster using validated NAMs. The action is expected to contribute to the EU Directive (2010/63/EU) [2] on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and…

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Accelerate EU access to more cost-effective interventions in an increasingly ageing population by identifying personalised treatment approaches for elderly-onset immune diseases. Decrease disease risk later in life by defining specific prevention strategies based on ageing biomarkers and risk factors. Halt age-associated disease exacerbation by the identification of predictive and digital biomarkers that can stratify patients for early intervention. Improve quality of life for healthy individuals and patients by preventing further health decline, avoiding escalating care costs, and properly stratifying individuals earlier in the diagnostic pathway. Accelerate adoption of innovative diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic strategies, strengthening the EU’s position as a healthcare innovator. Evaluate digital biomarker as potential regulatory endpoints in the ultimate goal to develop medicines for ‘healthy ageing’. Integrate fragmented research efforts by bringing together health industry sectors and stakeholders to develop clinical and multi-omics data integration capabilities. Enable new…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Provide policymakers, education and training institutions, and social partners with a solid understanding of which competences young people and workers need to support the EU economy towards the green transition to reach carbon neutrality and protect natural ecosystems. Develop actionable advice to policymakers and education and training institutions about which education and training programmes and policy measures can promote the acquisition of those competences by young people and workers in a lifelong perspective, including the gender and disability dimensions. Provide policymakers with guidance on how to address the interconnection between fostering the competences for the green transition and those for the digital transition. Scope: Environmental challenges have been one of the key drivers of labour demand and skills supply across all sectors for the past years. More data and analysis from research on competences that young people and workers need for the green transition are warranted to properly implement the Union of Skills and support people in upskilling and reskilling. The…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Policymakers, educators, and other relevant actors have tools and recommendations to put in place more opportunities for lifelong civic and citizenship [1] learning, in support of democracy and democratic participation, including by relying on the opportunities offered by digital means, notably civic tech. Policymakers at local, regional, national and EU level have tools and recommendations for ensuring the participation of citizens in democratic life, whatever their background, especially those who face barriers to participation in democratic processes. Scope: A healthy democracy relies on citizens being able to make informed democratic choices, in free and fair elections. Meaningful and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement can further complement and reinforce representative democracies and foster trust in public institutions. Education plays a major role in supporting active interest in democratic participation and citizen engagement. Accessible education in matters of democracy and participation in public-policy making is a lifelong process that concerns all age groups in society…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU institutions and national decision-makers are equipped with science-based tools, toolkits, training models, monitoring frameworks, and recommendations to proactively promote inequality reduction, human rights and democracy, in order to lead to more resilient and inclusive democratic societies in low-income and low-middle income countries [1] EU institutions and national decision-makers are better able to proactively promote democratic values, principles and practices in low- and low-middle income countries grounded in a better understanding of the actors at local level including their capacity and needs when engaging in democratic practices. EU institutions, national decision-makers, and civil society organisations can access and use (evidence-based) good practices for working in fragile contexts [2] EU institutions and national decision-makers understand the role of decentralization processes in low-income and low-middle income countries, and its impact on the quality of public services and on acceptance of democratic processes among citizens. In addition, projects should contribute to at…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Greater integration of SSH and STEM [1] research and innovation in R&I initiatives funded at EU level, national and/or regional level, as well as in R&I policies by promoting dialogue, mutual learning and strategic cooperation among research funders and policy makers in the EU. Developing and maintaining a new, common, comprehensive ‘Monitoring and Impact Evaluation Framework’ for SSH integration in current and future EU R&I initiatives. Enhanced facilitation of knowledge exploitation and support to the cooperation between projects and stakeholders, as well as R&I policies involved in projects and other types of cross-border networks dealing with SSH and STEM research and innovation. Scope: As mentioned in the Report ‘Align, Act, Accelerate: Research, Technology and Innovation to boost European Competitiveness’ [2] , European RD&I can provide a new understanding of and solutions to tackle societal challenges. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) improve the research activities, outcomes and impacts of Horizon Europe, because they enable a…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Provide policymakers, education practitioners and citizens with a solid understanding of how social media, video gaming and other leisure uses of digital tools relate to the educational outcomes of young people, including through their impact on well-being and mental health. Generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence about policies and practices aiming to inform and regulate young people’s use of digital tools for non-educational purposes, such as smartphones, at school. Develop actionable advice for policymakers and citizens about how to promote young people’s healthy use of digital tools for leisure, both at school and outside school. Describe and quantify the relationships of using digital tools for leisure and communication with students’ motivation, study habits, attention span and concentration, time management, engagement, social integration and overall well-being. Scope: The increasing prevalence of digital devices in young people’s life has raised concerns about the potential impacts of the use of digital tools for leisure and communication on primary-, secondary- and higher education…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU and national policymakers and relevant stakeholders get an enhanced understanding of the drivers of violence against women and LGBTIQ people who are politically active or political aspirants. Enhanced prevention and early intervention through better understanding of the drivers and impacts of violence (short- and long-term) on women and LGBTIQ people engaged, or aspiring to engage, in online and offline political activities and how their participation evolves after experiencing violence and harassment. Uptake of evidence-based policy recommendations by policymakers and relevant stakeholders on tackling gender-based violence alongside violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people, promoting equal political participation and addressing harmful narratives. Broader adherence to media guidelines on responsible, ethical, and safe portrayals of and reporting on gender-based violence in a political context, embedding gender-sensitive and intersectional reporting and incorporating successful practices with demonstrable, positive outcomes. Promotion of an inclusive environment that…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: The concept of sustainable competitiveness is analysed taking into account the shifts in geopolitics, global trade patterns, as well as changes in climate, the environment (including biodiversity loss [1] ), technology and demography. Policymakers are provided with recommendations and innovative solutions, including a toolbox to boost Member States and Associated Countries (labour) productivity while ensuring high social and environmental standards and increasing competitiveness within planetary boundaries. Scope: The Future of European competitiveness report (also known as the Draghi report) [2] analysed and discussed the reason for European declining competitiveness, productivity and growth vis-a-vis its main competitors. A competitive economy is defined as an economy whose sustained rate of productivity is able to drive growth and, consequently, income and welfare. Both the economy and the European social model have to adapt to the great drivers of change, including demography, technology, global trade patterns, climate, and geopolitical shifts. From its side, the European social model is…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU national and local policymakers develop and implement effective strategies for sustainable peace and democratic reconstruction in post-conflict areas, promoting stability, inclusivity, equity, security, human rights, and strengthening integrity and anticorruption measures to ensure transparent, accountable, and ethical use of reconstruction aid. EU and national policymakers inform their decision-making with evidence-based recommendations on international cooperation, EU democracy support, and civil society engagement in post-conflict reconstruction, leading to more effective, inclusive and sustainable reconstruction efforts. Local civil society organisations and community groups, with a focus on persons and groups in a vulnerable situation in post-conflict countries, provide guidance and support to educators, media professionals, public administrators, and other stakeholders on promoting reconciliation, accountability, and sustainable peace. Specialised service providers, including NGOs and community organisations, offer support services and programmes to veterans and the persons and groups…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Deepened understanding and comprehensive evaluation of cultural policy models, creative industry ecosystems, and strategies for promoting creative industries across world regions, identifying good practices, success stories and replicable models. Innovative practices, policy approaches, shared challenges, and opportunities for cross-regional collaboration and global development of creative industries are identified. International equal partnerships and collaborations are established to exchange cultural policy approaches, boost creative industries, and/or support collaborative production or co-creation, facilitating knowledge transfer and capacity building among participating actors. Actionable strategies are available to policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders, for cross-regional collaborations that strengthen cultural ties, leverage creative industries, culture, and the arts as central to Global Europe, and support global culture- and creativity-driven innovation and resilience. Scope: This topic explores how international partnerships can strengthen cultural policies and creative…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Availability and integration of advanced, trustworthy, energy-efficient perception systems, exploiting technological advancements of Generative AI (GenAI) to enhance situational awareness and support safe decision-making; Enhanced Vulnerable Road User (VRU) safety, based on elevated, more temper-proof perception and understanding of their behaviour and intention predictions; Enhanced robustness of CCAM systems - both on-board and on the infrastructure side - in critical situations due to their training, virtual testing and validation in scenarios generated by GenAI, complementing existing scenario databases for the testing and validation of CCAM systems; Enhanced understanding of the relevance and limitations of using GenAI for CCAM; Tools and harmonised approaches for the use of GenAI in mobility technology development, training and validation, as well as for systemic applications such as traffic management and remote control, integrating them into existing approaches. Scope: Pilots and demonstrations using Level 3 and 4 vehicle services face major challenges in perception and…

Expected Outcome: Project should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Research funders, policymakers and research communities in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) are provided with a multi-annual R&I programme on social transformations and resilience, responding to megatrends like climate change and biodiversity loss, digitalisation, demographic changes and unexpected shocks. Research investments on social protection and essential services, future of work, education and skills, and a fair transition to climate neutrality are increased. Stakeholders, including social partners and civil society, and policymakers are provided with evidence-based knowledge, tools and innovative solutions, which contribute to new policies and strategies for strengthening resilience, fairness, inclusiveness and social cohesion at European, national and regional level. Scope: Europe is undergoing critical social transformations driven by macro drivers of change, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, digitalisation and demographic change, which have been accelerated by events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. These transformations…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Implementation of the NWRSA methodology for secondary rural roads; Innovative and effective enforcement strategies, incentive mechanisms and measures raising risk awareness for fostering safer behaviour; Prevention strategies for reducing road fatalities and serious road traffic injuries on rural roads along with the respective implementation guidelines and policy measures tailored to the responsible stakeholders (regional authorities, police, healthcare professionals, national governments, etc.); GIS-based application to assist local and regional authorities in identifying and mapping the impact of extreme weather phenomena and other natural disasters (such as floods, fires, storms, heavy snowfall etc.) on the safety and resilience of the road network in their jurisdiction. Scope: With more than 50% of all EU road fatalities occurring in rural areas along with evidence suggesting that crashes and crash-related fatalities in rural roads vary from those in urban roads or motorways, it is imperative to understand and mitigate the safety risks in rural roads in view of the EU’s…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Advanced tools and solutions are developed and demonstrated to enhance the competitiveness of European multimodal freight transport networks, ensuring sustainability, resilience, security and increased freight transport capacity; Solutions provide real-time visibility, tracking and predictive analytics for multimodal services, performance, and network status (e.g., disruptions, maintenance) to support better planning and increase shippers' adoption of multimodal transport; Strengthened integration of multimodal (e.g. rail, inland waterway transport and short sea shipping) data, along with improved synchromodal solutions, enabling more agile, flexible, responsive and resilient multimodal transport logistic systems. Scope: Freight transport demand in Europe is expected to double in the coming decades, making it essential to enhance the capacity, efficiency, and resilience of freight transport to maintain the European competitiveness. Despite policy goals to strengthen multimodal transport, double rail freight’s share by 2050, and increase transport by inland waterways and short sea…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes. Country government innovation info sheets, trends, inspiring good practices, the most innovative solutions recently developed or work in progress for next-generation governance and future-informed public decision making in EU Member States and Associated Countries (MS/AC). Policy recommendations for both EU level and MS/AC level actions on adopting new governance paradigms, and strategies for enhanced (technical and financial) support for internal government innovation efforts. Publication of lessons learned to enlighten government officials and the public about the often-invisible internal innovation strategies and impactful solutions in national governments. A comprehensive MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) for government officials with relevant examples and cases. Fostering of closer ties and collaboration among MS/AC (and any other relevant actors) to leverage national capabilities in innovative governance and maintain peer learning through e.g. relevant networks and knowledge exchange platforms. Scope: In an era characterized by numerous concurrent crises, accelerated technological…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Policymakers gain insights into the cost of child poverty and the returns from securing access of disadvantaged children to quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in the EU. Policymakers receive operational advice on ways to reduce this cost and support participation of disadvantaged children in quality ECEC to close the gap with other children in the EU. Scope: Past studies researched the cost of child poverty, and the returns yielded by and ways to secure disadvantaged children’s participation to ECEC, yet their relevance to the current EU context is limited (i.e. most of them were conducted outside of the EU or they are now outdated). Producing EU-specific insights on these issues is the aim of this topic, which should help close the ECEC participation gap and improve social outcomes, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights, while fostering fiscal sustainability and inclusive growth. The proposals may: Define disadvantaged children, by going beyond monetary aspects of disadvantages, building on the EU’s concept of risk of poverty or social exclusion, and taking into…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Policymakers are made aware and are equipped with the knowledge and tools to integrate inclusive and intersectional perspectives into their policymaking, which strengthens their capacity to promote and protect democracy, fundamental rights, and EU values. Researchers gain insights on how to translate their findings on intersectional inequalities and democracy into actionable, evidence-based recommendations, enabling them to effectively inform policy and practice at local, regional, national, and EU levels. Innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe and other EU-funding programmes empower equally all citizens, to participate in democratic processes and decision-making. Scope: This call topic aims to establish a Research and Innovation Network for a Union of Equality. The proposed network should bring together academic institutions, public bodies and civil society organisations to collaborate and promote the advancement of inclusive, equal, and resilient democratic societies. The proposed network should contribute to the development of a comprehensive approach to democracy, fostering a…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU institutions and national decision-makers, have a better understanding of how to foster democratic resilience through media and digital literacy, equipping societies to adapt and thrive in the face of evolving technological, political, and societal challenges. Citizens are empowered to navigate the digital landscape with discernment and critical thinking, actively engaging with media and other source of information, ensuring informed democratic participation. Scope: As recalled by the “Safer together” report [1] , “over the past years, the Commission has already taken steps to counter hybrid threats (including foreign information manipulation and interference/FIMI) and enhance democratic resilience across the EU. It adopted, among other initiatives, the European Democracy Action Plan [2] to build more resilient democracies across the EU by promoting free and fair elections, strengthening media freedom, countering disinformation and FIMI and promoting information integrity. With the adoption of the Digital Services Act [3] (DSA) and its binding obligations for online platforms to combat the…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Provide policymakers with a more detailed understanding of the contribution of basic skills on the economy in the short and medium term, with a focus on their contribution to productivity and innovation, to sustain EU competitiveness and growth. Develop actionable advice about how, in a lifelong perspective, education and training systems can help foster basic skills. Promote productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth, including by reducing gender, disability and socioeconomic gaps in basic skills. Scope: In the context of the Union of Skills, the 2025 European Commission’s Action Plan on Basic Skills identifies five basic skills: literacy, mathematics (including also financial literacy), science, digital and citizenship. Strong basic skill levels among young people and adults are key to sustaining EU productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth, as also explained in the 2024 Draghi Report [1] . Other key EU initiatives support lifelong learning as a driver for productivity, innovation, and economic growth, for instance the 2022 Council Recommendation encouraging the…

Expected Outcome: Objectives This pilot project seeks to integrate social economy principles into sustainable tourism and foster transnational cooperation among local communities along one or more selected long trails or specific portion of one or several long trails crossing EU Member States. The objective is to promote socio-economic and territorial development through a bottom-up approach, using existing long-distance tourist trails as test cases for sustainable tourism, notably in rural areas. The project targets transnational consortia to explore and test sustainable tourism models along these trails, based on social economy approaches, creating blueprints for possible replication across other EU regions. This initiative complements other existing EU efforts by leveraging local capacities to foster smart social economy models for sustainable rural development. Expected impact The call is expected to: Explore and test ideas on how to better integrate social economy principles into sustainable tourism; Facilitate transnational cooperation of local communities and cross-border transfer of good practices; Increase awareness about the potential of the social economy and the social…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Advance in the achievement of the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan’s research and innovation priorities and targets for wind energy; Efficient and effective support to wind energy research and innovation through alignment and cooperation among different actors, avoiding fragmentation of efforts; Energy producers and consumers benefit from increased performance of wind energy technologies with the focus on efficiency and flexibility, reduced cost, improved reliability and sustainability, operation and maintenance, safety, robustness and security during all stages of the lifetime of a wind energy farm from installation, operation and maintenance to decommissioning; Increased contribution of wind energy to the energy system, with minimal impacts on health and the environment (notably biodiversity and pollution) and at the lowest possible cost. Scope: The action contributes to address the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan’s research and innovation priorities and targets for wind energy, as defined by the Implementation Working Group (IWG) on wind energy, the European…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Development of systems that utilize real-time data analytics to dynamically respond to disruptions, allowing transport and infrastructure operators to adjust operations swiftly and efficiently; Development of predictive maintenance strategies applying innovative Generative AI solutions and utilizing other digital technologies to anticipate and prevent infrastructure and equipment failures; Development of guidelines and tools to support passenger transport operators and authorities to ensure minimal disruption in unexpected and critical situations and organise real life emergency simulations; Deployment of training programme for transport and infrastructure operators on how to handle transport disruption, including tools and catalogue with contingency planning for specific transport disruptions; Reduction of average passenger delay at corridor level (at least 20%) during planned disruptions, compared to the baseline and of (at least 40%) time needed from the generation to the dissemination of a response plan to different stakeholders (e.g. transport operators, passengers, citizens)…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Based on the results of the project, at least one industrial sector with a significant heating demand in the EU and Associated Countries develops pathways and business models to measurably increase the recovery and upgrade of locally available heat for covering process needs and significantly or totally phasing out of fossil fuel use, while preserving or enhancing its global competitiveness. Measurable improvement of renewable and/or industrial excess/waste heat recovery and upgrade solutions, possibly combined with thermal and/or electrical energy storage, in terms of energy efficiency, flexibility of electrical demand, climate and environment protection, reliability and safety, physical and cyber security, and profitability. Scope: This topic aims to satisfy the need for process heat in the more industrial sectors by upgrading excess/waste heat from the process itself, possibly combined with heat recovered in nearby locations or local renewable heat, as a cost-efficient way to improve energy efficiency and reduce the GHG emissions and air pollutants and the use of fossil…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all following points: Significantly reduced EU dependency on imported battery-grade raw materials, specifically emerging technologies and carbon-based electrode materials. Established European value chains for next-generation battery materials, enhancing the EU's technological leadership and strategic autonomy. Scope: Proposals under this topic are expected to address all aspects for one of the following categories: 1. Sustainable Processing and Refining of next generation batteries-grade Material, delivering all of the following: Development and validation of innovative, environmentally friendly refining technologies for producing battery-grade metals and materials suitable for next-generation battery chemistries. This covers raw and advanced electrode materials for the components of sodium-ion batteries or beyond generation 3 [1] lithium-ion batteries Development of processes achieving significant reductions in carbon and ecological footprint, emissions of pollutants, energy usage, and chemical inputs. The selected processes should not negatively impact any of the aspects above or cause significant harm. Validation of…

Expected Outcome: Battery recycling is of strategic importance for both Europe and India, not only to keep raw materials in the respective territories but also to reduce the environmental impact of the recycling process. R&I in this area has been identified as a priority by the EU-India Trade and Technology Council’s Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technology to reinforce bilateral cooperation. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Battery recyclers based in the EU and India benefit from of the improved sustainability, safety, and affordability of innovative recycling processes. Stakeholders on battery recycling based in the EU and India benefit from each other’s experience on recycling logistics, including the informal processes and supply chain constraints. The cooperation between EU and India key researchers, institutions and industries which are active in battery recycling is supported and strengthened. Scope: Projects are expected to build a jointly operated recycling pilot line on Indian soil demonstrating innovative recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries going beyond the current state of the art in terms of…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence on the factors that may influence students, researchers, and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to move to and remain in the EU. Provide policymakers and higher education/research institutions with guidance on which policies and programmes could be effective in attracting talented students, researchers and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to the EU. Develop actionable advice to policymakers and higher education/research institutions about how to retain talented students, researchers and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to ensure a long-term positive impact on the EU economy’s innovation and competitiveness. Provide evidence-based policy insights/options to improve the coherence of migration pathways for skilled talent across the EU. Support the development of more flexible and attractive mobility schemes, reducing administrative barriers, increasing accessibility and enhancing retention mechanisms to enhance the EU’s competitiveness in research, innovation, and cultural exchange. Scope: The EU’s ability to compete on a…

EIC STEP Scale Up Defence

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes: Valorisation, cross-fertilisation and dissemination of innovative solutions for sustainable urban mobility, from EU and national projects through the CIVITAS initiative; Contribution to the accelerated deployment of innovative urban mobility solutions, increasing competitiveness of European urban mobility actors while achieving European mobility policy objectives. Cities are equipped with a relevant knowledge, necessary soft and technical skills to successfully deploy smart and sustainable mobility solutions, for passenger and freight. A vibrant community of urban innovative mobility stakeholders is maintained and strengthened. Scope: Effective and efficient urban mobility systems are the backbone of competitive cities, without them the economy comes to a standstill. While cities are going through a rapid digital, green and social transformation, local and regional authorities play bigger roles and take on greater responsibilities in contributing to the prosperity, climate-neutrality and competitiveness of the European Union. However, the deployment of innovative sustainable mobility…

Expected Outcome: The action should establish a supply chain data platform, as a digital twin of the semiconductor supply chain, which should: • Gather secure, anonymized data shared by companies, coming from both upstream and downstream industries. • Possibly make use of an existing digital reference14 of the semiconductor supply chain (based on semantic web technologies). • Be managed by a trusted intermediary and hosted on a trusted data sharing infrastructure (potentially leveraging secure Multi-Party Computation). • Provide access to each participating company (providing its data) to its own data and aggregate anonymised data. The action should support the data gathering from the companies involved. The action should support a global mapping of the semiconductor value chain, as regards to the capabilities and the products of each main company and its supply chain relationships. The action should also support conducting stress tests of the supply chain and develop risk analysis of the EU semiconductor supply chain. Finally, the action needs to support issuing early warnings and recommendations for proactive measures to the Commission and Member States to avoid any potential…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased evidence of factors such as physiological, behavioural, social, environmental and cultural that influence how different user and demographic groups perceive and use smart, secured, integrated energy efficient building systems, and how it affects the building whole-life cycle and energy savings, as well as occupant satisfaction, health and well-being; The design and operation of smart building systems and smart buildings are improved making them more user-friendly and effective. Scope: Significant investments have been made in developing hardware and software for smart buildings. There is still limited understanding how smart buildings solutions impact the energy performance of buildings and users’ comfort in practice. Research is required on the technical, social, and economic factors that influence how different groups – defined by their social, educational, age, and financial status – use and interact with smart buildings and systems. The whole-life cycle impacts of smart building have to be better understood, from design and construction to operation, maintenance,…

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Steer a European agenda to catalyse the development of a full software defined and hardware-enabled vehicle AD stack “built in Europe”, from onboard-compute architecture up to software in-vehicle up to the cloud. Establish structured intersectoral linkages between software, AI/data, hardware and deployment actors, ensuring that architectural decisions in the European AD stack are aligned across computing platforms, AI models, validation frameworks and real-world deployment environments. Promote a European R&I roadmap establishing pathways for the accelerated development of a European AI-powered AD stack, notably in close liaison with the relevant ECAVA Working Groups and relevant OSS initiatives. Ensure the engagement of key stakeholders across the Automotive value chain (including relevant OSS initiatives) toward an open-source software autonomous driving stack, including required industrial partners (such as OEMs, suppliers, tool-providers), and innovative R&I stakeholders (RTOs, universities, start-ups. If useful, already existing OSS AD stack initiatives together with the reference stacks (as…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the Chemical Industry Action Plan, and the Clean Industrial Deal. Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Wider availability of bio-based thermoset materials meeting high technical performance requirements. Improved circularity of thermosets and downstream application(s) against specified market benchmarks taking into account production, use and EoL. Scope: Bio-based thermosets have a proven capability to achieve challenging technical performances for high demanding applications including transport, energy, electronics, among others. However, due to their cross-linking nature, the recycling of thermoset materials (including composites) is more challenging without compromising the technical performances. Thus, eco-designing bio-based thermoset materials to be both circular and high-performing remains a significant challenge in scaling-up towards competitiveness and higher sustainability. Some of the key challenges to address for bio-based thermosets include…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing and the EU Life Sciences Strategy as well as the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the upcoming EU Biotechnology Act and EU Circular Economy Act. Projects’ results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) for the production of nutritional food ingredients. Resilience and strategic autonomy of EU food sectors via diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources. Increased environmental sustainability of food sectors (e.g. addressing issues like land use, water use, energy consumption, nitrogen cycle, other nutrients, etc.). Improved consumers awareness and acceptance of nutritional food ingredients from alternative sources, contributing to sustainable healthy diets. Scope: Human nutrition is a key area where the bio-based industries can play an important role in addressing the present societal and climate challenges. Considerable attention is given to the utilisation of alternative sources of proteins, fibres and oils/fats, due to the increasing world population…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased number of building information tools, assessments and/or certificates makes use of digital data exchange platforms; More accurate and reliable EU-aligned life cycle inventories of embodied environmental flows in construction materials and products; Increased number of already existing building standards and certification schemes refer to GWP to support national decarbonisation strategies in line with relevant European legislation (such as Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, Construction Products Regulation and delegated acts, voluntary label for carbon footprint of steel, Delegated Act for carbon removal certification in long-lasting products); Improved data availability and interoperability for whole life carbon assessments across different building lifecycle stages. Scope: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast places an increased emphasis on addressing whole life carbon and the calculation of the global warming potential (GWP) of buildings as part of its holistic approach to enhancing building sustainability. Several projects have focused…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Measurable reduction in the costs of deep renovation compared to current best practices; Measurable increase in resource and energy efficiency compared to current best practices; Measurable reduction in the number of days when occupants are disturbed due to renovation works; Measurable reduction of dust, noise, waste and pollutant and greenhouse emissions on the construction site compared to current best practices. Scope: Meeting Europe’s ambition for the renovation of the housing stock requires innovative approaches that improve buildings’ energy performance and occupants’ satisfaction, at a reduced cost while speeding up the renovation process and minimising impact on the construction site and disturbance for occupants. Renovation approaches should cover the whole workflow from design, off-site manufacturing and on-site installation to strategies for maintenance, operation and end of life. Proposals are expected to address all of the following: Demonstrate cost-effective approaches (comprising design, planning and construction processes and techniques) for deep renovation to…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: Assessment of Europe’s CCAM position in global competition, identifying strategic vulnerabilities, dependencies and opportunities across business models, supply chains, critical components, technological capabilities, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks, supported by advanced AI-driven analytics and innovation mapping tools. Stakeholder-driven, participatory future scenarios and strategic pathways that define Europe’s leading role in the evolving geopolitical, technological, and economic landscape of CCAM. These should be developed using advanced foresight methods ( e.g. qualitative scenarios, horizon scanning, technology roadmapping, etc.), complemented by iterative validation through a minimum of 3 dedicated Living Labs selected to represent diverse European regions, urbanisation levels, and governance capacities, ensuring a structured, robust, and anticipatory approach to long-term decision-making. A data-driven understanding of the socioeconomic effects of different CCAM deployment pathways, based on a quantified assessment across Member States and Associated Countries,…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing and the EU Life Sciences Strategy as well as the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the Clean Industrial Deal, the European Chemical Industry Action Plan, the upcoming EU Biotechnology and Circular Economy Acts. Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Increased added value of residual biomass for biorefinery applications. Availability of a wider portfolio of sustainable bio-based products via industrial biotech. Robust, scalable and efficient biotech process(es) applicable to residual biomass. Scope: Diversifying biomass feedstock resources for bio-based products is key to contribute to resilience and strategic autonomy of bio-based operations. Industrial biotechnologies have showcased that they can play a key role to address residual biomass into valuable bio-based products. However, scaling up from research to demo scale requires addressing systemic and technical challenges. This entails the integration of adequate pretreatment and conversion processes, tailored to the targeted residual biomass and its…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Deepened knowledge of specific factors favouring the growth of creative startups [1] , in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation [2] and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, is made available and promoted to policymakers, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies. Effective methods to favour the growth of creative startups, in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, are developed, tested and put in practice by industry, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies, and relevant decision makers. Examples of creative startups scaling up and/or engaging in disruptive innovation are made available, with a view to increase the visibility and recognition of the innovative power of Europe’s creative startups. In addition, proposals should contribute to at least one of the following expected outcomes, depending on the option chosen (a or b below): The effectiveness of the methods developed is demonstrated by at least one creative startup supported via the action becoming a scaleup [3] in a Member State or an…

Expected Impact: The European Capital of Innovation Awards aim to champion inspiring cases of municipality-enabled innovation flourishing in cities. The Awards are a prestigious recognition for city administrators who are courageous enough to open up their governance practices to experimentation, to boost innovation by all means, to be a role model for other cities, and to push the boundaries of technology for the benefit of their citizens. In addition to the monetary reward, the prize brings high visibility in the form of renewed public interest and increased media coverage. A European prize to the most innovative cities ecosystems. The award will raise the profile of the cities that have developed and implemented innovative policies; established frameworks that boost breakthrough innovation; enhanced the city attractiveness towards investors, industry, enterprises and talents; helped to open up connections and strengthen links with other cities, promoting the replication of best practices in the innovation field; enhanced citizens’ involvement in the decision-making process; and supported cities resilience. Expected Outcome: The European Capital of Innovation Awards aim to…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Better understanding of the factors and interdependencies that influence levels of renovation of rental properties in the affordable housing sector; Increased number of policy makers revise policies, regulations, instruments and business models to increase the rate of renovation of rental properties in the affordable housing sector. Scope: The Renovation Wave strategy sets out measures across the whole renovation chain that aim to increase the rate and depth of renovations. One of the key principles for housing renovation towards 2030 and 2050 is affordability, i.e. making energy efficient, comfortable, healthy, sustainable and climate-resilient buildings widely available, in particular for medium and lower-income households and vulnerable people and areas. A better understanding of the impact of current policy frameworks on the affordable housing sector and on energy poverty is needed. Proposals are expected to address all of the following: Research the effectiveness and implications of existing policies at different levels of governance (from local to European), regulations,…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU institutions, Member States and decision-makers worldwide, relevant international organisations, civil society organisations and other societal actors have a better shared understanding of the systemic challenges and the underlying drivers and motivations that undermine managing global commons sustainably. EU institutions, Member States and decision-makers worldwide, relevant international organisations, as well as academies of science, higher education institutions and research-performing organisations are better equipped with the tools needed to improve the science-policy interface in the area of foreign and security policies in general, and multilateral / national science advisory bodies in the field of foreign policy in particular with a recognition of the need to engage citizens in a more participatory and inclusive approach to research and policy-making. Rules-based multilateralism is strengthened by the development of concepts, methods, processes, and information relevant for decision-making that foster the sustainable governance of global commons within the evolving geopolitical…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU, national and local policymakers possess the necessary knowledge to inform the development of election regulations, standards and tools that address the use of digital technologies in elections and political campaigns, ensuring their integrity, inclusiveness, accessibility, fairness, transparency, and security. Organisations involved in electoral processes develop and implement guidelines for the responsible use of digital technologies in elections and political campaigns, aligned with EU and national regulations. Enhanced transparency and accountability in AI-powered political campaigns, achieved through requirements for AI system audits, data disclosure, transparency regarding algorithms and sources of Large Language Models (LLMs), and responsible AI development. Scope: The integrity of electoral processes in Europe is facing challenges in the digital age. The digital transformation of democratic processes has created new avenues for citizen engagement, but it also poses significant risks from disinformation to the integrity of electoral and other democratic processes. Concerns about…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to the following outcomes: Increased commercialisation of academic research results, by facilitating access for industry, startups and scaleups to the intellectual assets of academic research; Strengthened collaboration between industry and academia, reflected in an increased number of technology transfer deals and joint R&D projects resulting in market-ready innovations; Introduced more startup friendly intellectual asset transfer/licensing policies in universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Increased number of spinoffs by enabling researchers to overcome the barriers to commercialising their intellectual assets; Reduced transaction costs related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) negotiations by establishing more standardised asset transfer policies across universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs; Optimised transfer/licensing processes by universities/research and higher education institutions/RTOs based on grouping intellectual assets in portfolios that can be commercialised in package deals that are more attractive for industry and investors. Scope: Academic knowledge…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to either the first and second (combined), or the third and fourth (combined) of the following expected outcomes: Improved implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum through evidence-based insights in asylum and migration management, age assessment of minors, and resettlement frameworks, ensuring fair and efficient migration governance. Insight into legal pathways addressing both EU Member States’ needs and potential offers of circular and permanent migration schemes in selected partner countries. Enhanced health equity for migrants, including refugees by integrating robust health data into national systems, addressing governance barriers, and tackling intersectional inequities in healthcare access, identifying data/indicators on basic needs in health and sanitation, including as compared to adequate treatment. Comprehensive evaluation of long-term social inclusion and integration strategies, providing evidence-based policy recommendations for labour market access, housing, education, health (including mental health), recognition of qualifications and validation of skills, youth participation, and social, political, and…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Reinforced digital transformation of the news media industry by facilitating the development of new business models, contributing to a more resilient and inclusive democracies. Citizens, particularly those facing systemic disadvantages, are empowered and better equipped to make informed decisions, and news media’s role as contributor to a healthy, reinvigorated and fair democracy is enhanced. Stronger engagement with emerging media creators (such as influencers and other online content producers) to promote transparency and accountability in their role in sharing information, and to foster reliance on trustworthy media sources. Scope: Democracies are at risk when reliable and independent journalism is at risk. Yet, in order to be truly independent, media need sustainable financing models. At present, journalistic newsrooms are under severe economic pressure. Social media forces them to compete for citizens’ attention with other forms of infotainment, which sometimes entail unverified opinions and low-quality or malicious sources. To promote a well-informed democratic debate, citizens must be…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: An in-depth analysis of the socio-economic dimensions and impacts of generative AI on the cultural and creative sectors and related societal implications. Particular attention should be paid to rights and remuneration of creators, diversity of cultural expression, audience perception, consumption patterns, market dynamics, value chains, royalty allocation and the effectiveness of copyright infrastructure. Scenarios, value chains, standards and robust, agile solutions to ensure transparency and trust in the generative AI supply chain are developed, aiming for a fair and transparent market for cultural and creative content. This includes: systems for content provenance detection of AI-generated and manipulated creative content; tools and infrastructure that reinforce rights management, creators’ consent, control, and fair compensation for the use of their works in AI training and generation; measures supporting the findability and discoverability of trustworthy cultural and creative content; mechanisms for the long-term preservation and stewardship of AI-generated creative works. Adaptive policy…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Evaluate the effectiveness and resilience of existing long term-care (LTC) policies at national and regional levels. Provide policy makers with scientific knowledge and data for evidence-informed policies to address the rising demand for affordable, accessible and high-quality long-term care, with the focus on efficient use of resources, including human, financial and technological. Propose new policy solutions to address rising long-term care needs and to ensure smooth (in)formal care transitions, including from the perspective of active and healthy ageing policies and the development of integrated care service provision at local level. Scope: In the EU, the number of people with long-term care needs is projected to increase in the future. In 2070, this number is expected to be 21% higher than in 2020.This increase is largely due to the acceleration of population ageing and also relates to higher needs for palliative care. At the same time, many Member States already struggle to meet all the long-term care needs now due to workforce shortages, which are likely to aggravate in future as the…

Expected Outcome: The expected outcomes of this topic are : Functional demonstrators of working AI chip prototypes (PCB-level) designed by EU fabless companies and physically integrated with their system partners. Validation of AI chip solutions on a common EU evaluation platform (provided by the Topic X.B consortium), delivering comparative evidence on key performance indicators. A shortlist of European AI chip solutions awarded the AI Compute Excellence label and qualified to proceed to full rack development under Topic X.A2.

Expected Outcome: Projects funded under this call are expected to deliver the following outcomes, which together constitute a complete and durable impact monitoring and assessment framework: Complete Indicator Framework : A validated indicator framework of short-term actions, outcomes and long-term impacts, for both the ECS programme and the Chips for Europe Initiative, integrating Horizon Europe indicators, common JU indicators, and Chips JU-specific indicators. Data Collection and Exploitation Monitoring Platform : A standardised, multi-user platform for the systematic collection of programme-level monitoring data from all Chips JU projects and key external stakeholders, covering both the periodic tracking of programme indicators and the continuous monitoring of exploitation and commercialisation progress across all active and recently closed projects. Scalable Impact Assessment Methodology : A documented, scalable and auditable methodology for conducting structured periodic impact assessments of the full Chips JU programme, providing the analytical framework for interpreting programme monitoring data and producing credible, comparable and externally auditable assessments of…

Expected Impact: The European Capital of Innovation Awards aim to champion inspiring cases of municipality-enabled innovation flourishing in cities. The Awards are a prestigious recognition for city administrators who are courageous enough to open up their governance practices to experimentation, to boost innovation by all means, to be a role model for other cities, and to push the boundaries of technology for the benefit of their citizens. In addition to the monetary reward, the prize brings high visibility in the form of renewed public interest and increased media coverage. A European prize to the most innovative cities ecosystems. The award will raise the profile of the cities that have developed and implemented innovative policies; established frameworks that boost breakthrough innovation; enhanced the city attractiveness towards investors, industry, enterprises and talents; helped to open up connections and strengthen links with other cities, promoting the replication of best practices in the innovation field; enhanced citizens’ involvement in the decision-making process; and supported cities resilience. Expected Outcome: The European Capital of Innovation Awards aim to…

Expected Outcome: This action will support and accelerate the development and adoption of European and international standards for quantum technologies, enhancing interoperability quality/reliability assurance, and trust in quantum systems. It will strengthen Europe's leadership in the global quantum standardisation landscape and ensure that European industrial and research priorities are well represented and integrated into emerging standards. Expected outcomes include: Delivery of concrete, EU-relevant pre-normative standards and technical specifications across quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Substantial contribution of European stakeholders, notably SMEs and start-ups in international standardisation bodies (e.g., ISO/IEC, ITU-T, ETSI), with alignment to EU industrial strategies. Promotion of cross-sectoral interoperability through standardised interfaces, control protocols, reliability in operating conditions and benchmarking methodologies, reducing market fragmentation and technical barriers. Creation of practical support tools such as user guidelines, training modules, and best practices to accelerate the uptake and implementation of quantum…

Expected Outcome: This topic is the first phase of a two-phase competitive structure supported by Horizon Europe, implemented via a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) in close collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB). Phase 1 (this topic): A CSA focused on readiness-analysis in terms of exploitation and investments, benchmarking the commercial viability of quantum enabled navigation systems. The aim is to deliver concrete outputs that improve the conditions for use of the supported projects through credible technical, industrialisation and financial roadmaps, validated against investor requirements (e.g. EIB, InvestEU). Activities also include analyses of investor-readiness and supply-chain sovereignty. Phase 2: For further information, see the indirectly managed action “HORIZON-CL4 Quantum Top-Up to InvestEU: Grand Challenge Phase 2” in the Cluster 4 part of the Horizon Europe 2026/2027 Work Programme. This CSA is designed to allow the best possible application in Phase 2 and the current CSA results may therefore inform applications by beneficiaries to investment support managed by the EIB under InvestEU (separate procedures). Under Phase 1 projects are expected…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Increased understanding of policymakers and relevant security practitioners of the phenomenon of terrorism and lone-actor violence towards citizens in confined places such as schools, in the European context; Terrorist and lone-actor attacks to citizens in confined places such as schools, are prevented in Europe by, e.g., detecting and tackling early signs of isolation and radicalisation, as well as the promotion of a secure and inclusive environment; European schools and other confined places, e.g., places of worship, public administration or other buildings accessible to the public, are provided with state-of-the-art means of ensuring their security; Cooperation between Police Authorities in Europe and relevant staff (in schools, public administration, etc.) is improved. Scope: Citizens in European schools and other confined spaces (e.g., places of worship, public administration and other buildings accessible to the public) increasingly face various forms of terrorism and lone-actor violence. This topic aims at providing such places with solutions for ensuring civil…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the Clean Industrial Deal, the European Chemical Industry Action Plan and the upcoming Circular Economy Act. Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Identification of technical, market and regulatory barriers and possible solutions for industry to ‘switch to bio-based’. Contribution to filling the gap between bio-based sectors and the broader industrial landscape. Scope: While the share of bio-based products and processes in traditionally non-bio-based markets has been growing substantially in recent years, many non-bio-based, partially bio-based and more traditional bio-based industries (such as food industry) still perceive market and regulatory situations as uncertain and may therefore be reluctant to invest in new bio-based value chains. These uncertainties may relate to cost competition versus fossil-based counterparts, first-mover hesitation, lack of investment attractiveness, regulatory issues, uncertainties in feedstock quality and availability, lack of knowledge, shortage of relevant skills, etc.. Notwithstanding these challenges, industries…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved skills, tools and training curricula for Police Authorities in Europe and Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) to work with at-risk groups to prevent persons from going missing. Those improved skills, tools and training curricula are to take into account European multicultural dimension, as well as legal and ethical rules of operation; Enhanced investigation tools and methodologies for Police Authorities in Europe to tackle cold cases in the context of missing persons, based on modern (forensic) technologies and criminology; Modern training curricula for Police Authorities, their improved cross-border cooperation and enhanced tools and methodologies to tackle new cases of missing persons; Enriched European common approaches applied by Police Authorities in Europe to fight the issue of missing persons relying on the synergy of technology, the latest socio-psychological knowledge learned from cases, as well as field experience of Police Authorities and entities dealing with victims, while fully respecting fundamental rights such as…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: A community of EU civil security practitioners with common user/functional needs for innovative technology solutions is identified, supported by an industrial base, in particular SMEs and Startups, to access the public procurement market and scale up their business; Procurers facilitated the commercialisation of the innovative solutions developed by their successful suppliers by providing them with first customer references for the validation and first pilot deployment; Tested and validated capacity of EU technology and industrial base to develop and produce technology prototypes that meet the diverse needs of the EU user community, regardless of their gender, age and ability; Improved delineation of the EU market (including demand and supply) for innovative civil security systems that can articulate alternative options for uptake in function of different industrialisation needs, commercialisation needs, acquisition needs, deployment needs and additional funding needs (beyond R&I funding). Scope: As past experience shows that pre-commercial procurement opens up the…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes: Critical infrastructure operators and authorities have access to efficient, adaptable, resilient and reliable tools and processes enabling or improving virtual and physical stress tests of their respective assets/ and operations; Critical entities have broader and deeper understanding of their technical and operational vulnerabilities and adaptive capabilities, improving the scenario building and stress tests exercises; Systems allowing notification and collaboration under stress conditions are available for relevant stakeholders; Critical entities are better equipped for post-incident investigations, including data collection, analysis and improved learning, management and sharing in a secure manner; Improved operational procedures including incidents management and training curricula are developed. Scope: The resilience of critical entities is of paramount importance as disruptions to these systems can have significant consequences for the whole economy, public health, security or safety. These systems, responsible for providing essential services for modern society, are…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved detection, localization, characterization and, when applicable, neutralisation, of unmanned vehicles alone or in swarms, involved in trafficking or smuggling activities across external borders, while complying with legal and ethical guidelines; Improved border situational awareness, especially in the context of large-scale movements of people across borders, including from potential instrumentalisation of irregular migration, conflicts, social, economic, environmental and climate stress; Better safeguard and promotion of fundamental rights thanks to enhanced situational awareness; Reliable, redundant detection and reaction capacities without putting staff and society at risk. Scope: Capabilities for situational awareness and surveillance of land and sea borders need improvement, in consideration of potential future challenges that may require updated capabilities. These challenges may include potential future large-scale movements of people across external borders, resulting from future attempts to instrumentalisation of irregular migration, but also from…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Police Authorities in Europe are equipped with specialised skills and technologies to counter an increase in illegal activities related to the climate change and the emergence of new (opportunistic) criminal patterns; Improved understanding by policymakers of the effects of climate change on law enforcement with a view of developing related effective European policies; improved knowledge of the impacts of climate change phenomena on social dynamics which can raise demands from public authorities to keep public order, moving beyond traditional perspectives about crime and terrorism. Scope: Global climate change is a megatrend expected to affect our societies over the next decade. As stated in “Germany: National interdisciplinary climate risk assessment” [1] , “We are already living in the climate crisis. This brings substantial security risks at global and national levels. (...) Anyone thinking about security needs to think about climate as well”. Climate change will affect European law enforcement in various ways [2] , [3] . Notably, it is likely to create new…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved trusted, secure, and easier automated seamless facilitation for travel, border crossing through border crossing points (BCPs), and/or visa procedures with an integrated approach, minimized risk for bias, and accessible for all travellers minimising digital divides; Facilitated solutions with same approach adaptable by all European border control staff, in all conditions and border control points (BCPs); Reduced workload and improved safety, user experience and performance of practitioners’ staff involved in border management. Scope: Facilitation of travel and border crossings at border crossing points (BCPs) across the external EU borders went, and is further going, through developments thanks to updated procedures and regulatory frameworks and to innovative European technologies. From automated border control (ABC) gates to “no-gate” solutions and “seamless travel”, and with systems like the Entry-Exit System (EES), the Electronic Travel and Information Authorisation System (ETIAS), and the development of digital travel credentials and digital identity more in…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Integrated single-hazard systems into multi-hazard next generation predictive models to assess cascading effects (e.g., heatwave, floods, droughts, landslides, heavy rain) and interactions across meteorological, geophysical, and technological hazards; Enhanced hazard forecasting and response through research on model integration and platform interoperability; Development of holistic risk and resilience metrics to support multi-hazard prevention strategies, encompassing main physical, economic and social effects; Improvement of analysis models considering evolving vulnerability state, due to cascading and cumulative effects, through numerical simulations and experimental tests, possibly also supported by AI applications; Collected reliable data (same granularity and format) and ways to share and analyse it. The interoperability of all kinds of systems and information sharing is crucial, based on the need-to-know principle; Improved knowledge/experience-sharing from past emergencies to cope with future emergencies, also strengthening trans-national knowledge and data…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes: Improved understanding of systemic vulnerabilities of critical entities including physical, digital, operational, and cross-sectoral dimensions, in the face of compound natural and human-made disaster risks; Verification of existing measures countering potential NaTech risks; Demonstration of advanced technological solutions that enhance the ability of public and private providers of critical services to prepare for, respond to, and recover from complex, multi-hazard scenarios, including cascading or hybrid NaTech events; Deployment of common platforms and operational tools for dynamic risk assessment, decision support, between public authorities, first responders, and critical infrastructure operators during disruptive events; Strengthened multi-level and cross-border cooperation frameworks for integrated emergency and continuity management, ensuring seamless coordination across sectors, governance levels, and jurisdictions. Scope: Recent compound and cascading disasters have demonstrated the urgent need to reinforce the resilience of critical entities against a wide spectrum of…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes: Identification and analysis of potential new security risks related to innovative technologies being deployed in the urban and peri-urban environments; Innovative and modern tools to identify and measure changes in urban and peri-urban areas caused by the green transition, insofar as they concern security and possible resilience approaches; Verification of measures countering potential safety and security risks, hazards and challenges arising in areas hosting green technologies; Contribution to building awareness and societal acceptance for the safety and security aspects of the green transition; Impacts of incidents involving new and emerging technologies are examined, including environmental and climate risks; Security, safety and resilience aspects of the supply chains of green technologies are analysed, including the technological and resource dependencies, and their aligning with the European strategic autonomy principle; Authorities and critical infrastructure operators are equipped with efficient evaluation methodologies for safe and secure deployment and integration of…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Creation of cutting-edge tools, processes, equipment and technologies to enhance disaster and emergency response capabilities for various practitioners as well as for assets, such as vehicles, aircraft, and heavy equipment; Taking into consideration existing technologies, development of autonomous drones, robotics, and other technologies specifically designed for emergency medical response and search and rescue operations in hazardous conditions such as wildfires, earthquakes and large-scale events; Improvement of response efficiency and safety for survivors and emergency practitioners through the adoption of advanced, technology-driven solutions in disaster scenarios; Consider needs of existing EU-level capacities, emergency reserves, and stockpiling in the deployment of the assets and being able to move them. Scope: The scope of this topic is the development of innovative tools, equipment, and technologies to enhance the capabilities of emergency responders operating in complex and hazardous disaster environments. By leveraging advancements in smart protective…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Identification and prioritization of climate security scenarios, assessing cascading and compounding risks across multiple sectors; Development and validation of advanced tools, technologies, and data-driven solutions for climate - and environmental - risk forecasting, crisis management, and adaptation, including risk analytical and assessment tools, weather alerts and forecasts; Development and validation of advanced tools and technologies to assess and monitor climate-induced disasters, also providing risk information on adaptation and risk reduction measures; Strengthened engagement with stakeholders, ensuring end-user involvement in defining requirements, testing, and validation of climate security solutions; Development and validation of new risk-management tools, technologies and data, closer to operational environment. Focus on local and regional risk-management and climate adaptation work should be prioritized; Pre-crisis analysis and post-crisis situational awareness in case of those disasters related to climate change (floods, fires, landslides, heat waves,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Police Authorities in Europe are empowered with modern, accessible and validated tools, methodologies and training curricula to anticipate and cope with the misuse of new and emerging technologies for criminal purposes, with the aim to facilitate prevention, detection, efficient data access and investigation of criminal offences in a lawful manner and with full respect of fundamental rights, including the right to protection of personal data and to privacy; Reinforced interdisciplinary collaboration at the European level through the establishment of partnerships among technologists, policymakers and Police Authorities, resulting in a holistic understanding of the challenges posed by emerging technologies and in sharing of best practices; Clear guidelines and frameworks are created, including on procedures and rules, that ensure lawful access to data, balancing the needs of security with respect for privacy and that foster a European approach to the related challenges for the police and the judiciary. Scope: New and emerging technologies (e.g., new communication technologies,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Housing-led approaches [1] aligned with the NEB are made available to stakeholders involved in tackling homelessness [1] . Robust evidence on NEB-aligned housing-led approaches tackling homelessness (including people temporarily hosted by acquaintances and family) to inform the development and/or update of policies and services for prevention and early intervention in the context of the green transition [1] in neighbourhoods [1] . Scope: Social and affordable housing is being advanced in the EU, including through the Affordable Housing Initiative [5] . Despite efforts, current policies for the green transition are failing to adequately address the housing crisis. Homelessness remains a structural challenge across Europe, with negative impacts on both individuals experiencing it (e.g. physical and mental health, social and economic conditions) and neighbourhood communities [1] (e.g. pressure on public services, erosion of social fabric [1] , etc.). Research and innovation gaps in tackling homelessness range from data collection (i.e. the variety of approaches to defining,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Accelerated adoption of high-TRL (Technology Readiness Level) disaster risk solutions across diverse sectors; Facilitated integration of innovative technologies into existing disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery frameworks; Promoted collaboration among stakeholders to scale proven solutions and enhance resilience; Addressed barriers to deployment, ensuring accessibility and usability of advanced DRS technologies; Strengthened evidence-based decision-making through demonstration and validation of high-TRL solutions in real-world scenarios; Promoted visibility of civil security research results. Scope: This topic aims to foster the widespread adoption and integration of high-TRL (Technology Readiness Level) disaster risk solutions (DRS) across multiple sectors, enhancing societal resilience to various hazards, including climate. The focus is on overcoming barriers to deployment, ensuring accessibility, and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation uptake. Projects should promote the adoption of high-TRL solutions by public and…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Development of innovative tools and methodologies to monitor and improve risk awareness across society, integrating diverse community perspectives and leveraging advanced technologies; Development and uptake solutions and tools for the successful increase of safety culture and societal resilience of communities with concrete material, while considering also the inclusion and protection of marginalized populations in disaster scenarios; Creation of comprehensive, inclusive preparedness plans that involve all societal sectors and governance levels, ensuring coordinated and effective responses to disasters (such as from early warning to early action), including scarcity of resources; Establishment of a resilient, adaptive response framework that enhances collaboration between public authorities, communities, and private sectors, improving overall disaster resilience. Scope: Building on the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach, this topic should contribute to enhancing risk awareness and disaster preparedness through the development of innovative tools,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Creation of an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems to support civil security operations across Europe; Advancement of next-generation capabilities, ensuring robust, scalable, and interoperable communication systems for critical civil security functions relevant for the future EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS). Scope: The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) is a flagship initiative aiming at gradual development of a unified, secure, and interoperable communication infrastructure to support critical public safety and civil security operations across Europe. Aims to provide law enforcement, first responders, emergency services, and other critical sectors with reliable, real-time communication capabilities, even in challenging or high-risk environments. This topic aims to streamline the creation of an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems that support civil security operations across Europe. It aims to advance next-generation capabilities, ensuring robust, scalable, and interoperable…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved understanding of links between addictions and crime, including drivers of criminality; Innovative and effective solutions, including training curricula, for Police Authorities in Europe and relevant Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) to prevent addictions and related crimes, with a special attention to young people at risk; Evidence-based support to modernising European criminal justice system’s approach when dealing with addiction-related offenses; Novel approaches of collaboration between different stakeholders, primarily Police Authorities in Europe and Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations), to increase communities’ addiction resilience, security and safety. Scope: A close and complex relationship exists between addictions, such as gambling, drug or alcohol use, and crime (e.g., criminals are often under the influence of drugs while committing crimes, gamblers or drug users commit crimes to pay for their debts or drugs). In this topic, successful proposals are expected to analyse the specific nexus…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased understanding of European policy makers, research community, biotech companies, and relevant security practitioners of the threat of bioterrorism and of synthetic biology, including a thorough lawful analysis of what needs to be monitored in this context, what needs to be regulated and how; Awareness raised within the related scientific community how research in synthetic biology can be used for malicious purposes. Scope: The rising threat of bioterrorism is driven by recent scientific advancements, notably by growing accessibility of synthetic biology, genetic engineering, related commercial services and public databases, which in turn enhance their obtainability to non-state actors and individuals with malicious intentions. The proliferation of do-it-yourself biohacking and community laboratories, including gene editing and sequencing technology, dropping costs of equipment and increased simplicity of use may inadvertently facilitate knowledge and skills dissemination about biological threats and open new pathways for bioterrorism. Challenges in detection,…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Higher availability of innovative solutions for vertical space [1] use on the market. The application of innovative solutions for vertical space use allows for a more efficient use of the existing built environment [1] and provides green spaces and/or affordable housing in neighbourhoods [1] . Scope: The increased demand for housing and thus land can conflict with the need to preserve and restore nature and biodiversity in our neighbourhoods. Rethinking the way we use existing buildings and applying a smart and efficient use of space is thus crucial to limit urban sprawl. There is therefore a need to develop solutions that make use of the under-used and un-used vertical space above our streets and buildings. Urban vertical farming, community gardens on rooftops, vertical extensions and other alternative multifunctional structures making use of these spaces might be suitable solutions to high-quality, sustainable [1] and affordable housing and green spaces while limiting land use. However, if not carefully planned and integrated, these solutions might face challenges such as…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Demonstrated approaches aligned with NEB allow architects, designers, spatial planners and neighbourhood [1] decision makers to ensure an efficient and effective integration of user perspectives in the spatial design and/or transformation of public spaces. The demonstrated approaches deliver positive climate, environmental, social and cultural impact (such as addressing inequalities and enhancing social cohesion, community [1] resilience, civic engagement and a sense of security, ownership and belonging). Scope: The design of neighbourhood public spaces defines their functionality, but also other aspects such as power dynamics and sense of belonging. A fair green transition [1] calls for neighbourhood public spaces to be designed and managed for diverse users. Integrating new methods (such as research-by-design, security-by-design [4] , or life-centric design) in the architectural design and spatial planning of public space can help reflect on the values, practices and stakeholder relations that underpin the design of public spaces; rethink how public spaces are understood;…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: An increased number of local authorities systematically identify and quantify vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces for reuse in neighbourhoods [1] in a context-sensitive way to address local community [1] challenges and needs. Increase in renovated, renatured, or converted spaces that address local community challenges and needs. Scope: Europe’s housing needs, inefficient use of the existing building stock, environmental commitments, and the EU’s goal of “no net land take” by 2050 make a compelling case for reusing the significant number of existing spaces, including buildings and infrastructure, that are vacant, obsolete or underutilised. In Europe, there are, for instance, an estimated 19,000 km² of underutilised brownfield land and 300 km² of vacant or underutilised office space [3] . The reuse of vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces, following circularity [1] and sufficiency principles, can help address community challenges and needs thanks to their typical proximity and connection to essential infrastructure and services. While vacant, obsolete or underutilised…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Extended service life and reduced life cycle environmental impacts of existing buildings, contributing to a more sustainable [1] built environment [1] . Easier application and more frequent use of predictive maintenance in existing buildings. Scope: Prolonging the lifespan and improving the performance of existing buildings are among key strategies to decrease new construction rates, which will help reduce the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing of new construction products, generating less waste and thus reducing GHG emissions and contributing to a more sustainable built environment. Recent legal and policy developments such as the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) reinforce the importance of preserving and upgrading existing buildings as part of Europe’s climate and circular economy [1] objectives. However, maintenance and repair intervention are often reactive, which can lead to inefficiencies and a lack of environmental sustainability. They can also take time, be costly and disruptive for the building’s users and inhabitants as they can cause…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Robust evidence on how inhabitants experience their neighbourhood [1] and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. The research informs policies, strategies, neighbourhood planning and procurement for the green transition [1] of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive [3] transformation and climate resilience. Scope: Neighbourhoods are human-social constructs and environments. They are shaped by complex inter-connections and interdependencies of human and non-human actors in the natural and built environment [1] they comprise. An increasing body of research is looking at the relationship between people and the built environment, from neuro-architectural aspects of space to atmosphere and ambiance aspects in urban design and planning, influencing also the perception of beauty. Digitalisation is also allowing to understand, map and enhance how inhabitants experience the built environment. Yet, more evidence is needed on how inhabitants react to and identify with their neighbourhoods as well as the effects of these experiences on their physical and…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Last mile support to previous pre-commercial procurement (PCP) actions; Development and deployment of innovative security solutions to address emerging threats, including post-quantum cryptography to counter emerging quantum threats, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public security services; Implementation of pilot projects and real-world testing, ensuring scalability and contributing to innovative security technologies. Scope: This Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (PPI) initiative aims to advance the adoption of innovative civil security solutions. The focus is on solutions that have been partially demonstrated on a small scale and are nearly or already available in small quantities but have not yet been widely adopted or produced at scale. These solutions should demonstrate a clear market potential and be new to the procurers, their market segment, or the internal EU market, and must be relevant to procurers across EU Member States and/or Associated Countries. This PPI will specifically target innovative solutions that can address critical…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved protection of minors, including by more reliable age assessments and by minimising the use of intrusive age assessment methods; Improved adaptation, preparedness and cooperation of authorities in the fight against human trafficking; Expanded European-based knowledge on reliability, accuracy and effectiveness of age assessment methods. Scope: Many unaccompanied children and young persons arriving at the external EU borders and seeking asylum, lack official documents showing their identity and age. Age assessment methods are important as they contribute to the determination of, for example, where an individual will be initially housed and what services, supports, and legal processes they will receive to ensure protection and, if applicable, child protection. In other cases, minors are victim of trafficking of human beings (THB) criminal activities, either across the EU external borders, or within the EU borders. In other cases again, age assessment methods are necessary for law enforcement investigations on protecting children, forensic investigation, and/or the…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Significantly higher awareness of the construction ecosystem actors about solutions that are inspired by vernacular knowledge [1] , nature-based solutions [1] , bioclimatic design and/or frugal innovation [1] . The application of the developed solutions helps to achieve and maintain the thermal comfort in buildings while significantly reducing life cycle energy use, GHG emissions and costs compared to solutions that currently dominate the market. Scope: Reducing life cycle GHG emissions in buildings is key to meet the Green Deal’s objectives and make the built environment more sustainable [1] . However, achieving thermal comfort inside buildings with poor thermal resilience often relies on energy-intensive solutions, such as air conditioning which not only emits GHGs and represents significant energy costs, but also contributes to urban heat island effects, impacting the health and well-being in neighbourhoods [1] , particularly for groups in a vulnerable situation such as the elderly and low-income households. There is therefore a need to further develop and demonstrate the…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved preparedness, evidence-based approaches and response capabilities, along with a strengthened ability to mitigate risks from diverse threats, by integrating validated disruptive technologies into real-world operations; Accelerated adoption of innovative solutions by reducing barriers through rigorous testing and validation, fostering collaboration among public authorities, industry, and researchers to align technologies with real-world needs. Scope: This topic aims to support the integration of disruptive technological innovations [1] into civil security by strengthening research and innovation activities that enhance preparedness, response capabilities, and risk mitigation. A key focus is bridging the gap between early-stage, low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research and applied security solutions, ensuring that emerging technologies are effectively transitioned into operational use. Proposals should prioritize disruptive solutions that address diverse security threats while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of civil security operations. Emphasis…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Project promoters, public authorities, and investors have a better understanding of the capital market demand and supply dynamics that underlie investments in projects fostering the transformation of neighbourhoods [1] in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB). Increased investments towards NEB-aligned projects for the sustainable [1] and inclusive [1] transformation of neighbourhoods. Scope: Increased investment in projects for the transformation of neighbourhoods in line with the New European Bauhaus (NEB) may be hindered due to a discrepancy between the demand and supply of capital in terms of size, diversity, returns, and risk. Small-scale NEB-aligned projects typically encounter large, short-term oriented, and highly risk-averse investment funds, which seek investment opportunities able to absorb large amounts of funding, driven by present legislation [4] . Place-based impact investing is an approach that can contribute to investments in NEB-aligned neighbourhood projects by providing risk-adjusted financial returns while creating local social, cultural, aesthetic [5] and…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Evidence of the structural social infrastructure [1] and services needed to address homelessness [1] at neighbourhood [1] level is made available to stakeholders involved in tackling homelessness. Improved availability and accessibility of key social infrastructure and services for homeless groups in the targeted neighbourhoods. Scope: Based on 2024 data, over 1.2 million people are estimated to experience homelessness in Europe [4] , with a significant proportion (45%) of surveyed homeless individuals finding themselves in a situation of chronic homelessness for over two years [5] . While housing-led approaches [1] are crucial to tackle homelessness, addressing the structural and multidimensional causes of homelessness also requires systemic interventions focusing on social infrastructure and services in neighbourhoods. Social infrastructure and services include the physical places as well as public and community [1] sector facilities and services that support and enable access to healthcare, employment, education, community integration, and other social services. They must be…

Expected Outcome: Integration of quantum computing into data pre-processing pipelines and learning workflows for data-heavy or computationally intensive tasks, demonstrating clear improvements in processing speed, computational complexity, modelling accuracy, and reduced sample requirements at scales achievable with NISQ-era devices, Reliable and scalable Quantum Machine Learning (QML) models and algorithms, integrated with existing AI frameworks and pipelines, enabling faster data processing, improved prediction accuracy, and enhanced computational capabilities, Validated quantum-enhanced AI methods demonstrating measurable improvements over classical baselines in terms of speed, accuracy, data efficiency, complexity, or scalability, supported by rigorous benchmarking and complexity analysis, Robust, noise-aware QML techniques suitable for NISQ hardware , including error-mitigation strategies and algorithmic adaptations that improve reliability, performance, and reproducibility on real quantum processors, Demonstrators or proof-of-concept applications showcasing the relevance of QML for real-world challenges (e.g. climate and environmental modelling, Earth observation, healthcare…