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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core Objective: To advance research and technological development towards sustainable, low-carbon, and circular steel production and applications within the European Union, contributing to the EU Green Deal's objectives.
Target Recipient: Entities involved in steel research and production, including research organizations, universities, and industrial companies.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic Scope: EU Member States.
Key Filtering Criteria: Focus on the steel industry, commitment to decarbonization and environmental sustainability, and a strong research and development component.
Grant Frequency: This is part of the annual RFCS-2025 call, indicating a recurring program within the 2021-2027 programming period.

Financial Structure

Total Budget for RFCS-2025-02-RPJ: 20,500,000 EUR for the year 2025.
Minimum Grant Amount: Not specified per project.
Maximum Grant Amount: Not specified per project.
Currency: EUR.
Eligible Costs: Implied to cover costs related to research and technological development for steel production, processes, and applications, in line with RFCS program guidelines.
Matching Fund/Co-financing Requirements: Not explicitly detailed in the provided information.
Financial Reporting & Audit Requirements: Details on these aspects, as well as the overall legal and financial set-up of the grants, are described in section 10 of the call document and the RFCS Model Grant Agreements.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type & Location

Eligible Countries: Organizations established in EU Member States are eligible.
Organization Type: Not explicitly defined as 'SME' or 'Enterprise', but typically research organizations, universities, and industrial companies active in the steel sector.

Project Requirements

Project Focus: Proposals must address one or more research areas outlined in Articles 8, 9, 10, or 10a of the RFCS Regulation, focusing on new sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking processes, advanced steel grades and applications, resource conservation, environmental protection, circular economy, or workforce management and working conditions.
Green Deal Alignment: Projects must explicitly consider and contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal, aiming for decarbonization, resource efficiency, and a competitive economy.
Impact Assessment: Each proposal must include an assessment of its anticipated industrial, economic, social, and environmental benefits (Article 26 of RFCS Regulation).

Admissibility & Capacity

Proposal Format: Proposals must adhere to the page limits and layout specified in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form.
Financial & Operational Capacity: Applicants must meet the financial and operational capacity requirements detailed in section 7 of the call document.
Application Forms: Must use the standard RFCS application form and detailed budget table, both available in the Submission System.

Application Process

Application Deadlines

Planned Opening Date: 2025-06-18.
Submission Deadline: 2025-09-24 00:00:00+0000.

Application Procedure

Submission Platform: Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal's Electronic Submission Service.
Selection: Applicants must correctly select 'RFCS Project Grants' as the type of action and 'RFCS Action Grant Budget-Based' as the model grant agreement.
Draft Proposals: Existing draft proposals can be accessed via the 'My Proposals' page in the 'My Area' section of the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Submission Model: The call operates on a single-stage submission model.

Required Documentation

Application Form: The standard RFCS application form, specific to this call, which is available in the Submission System.
Detailed Budget Table: A specific RFCS detailed budget table is required.
Evaluation Forms Content: Refer to Annex 3 of the Call document for content of evaluation forms.
Page Limits and Layout: Adherence to proposal page limits and layout as described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form is mandatory.

Application Support

Help Resources: Support is available through the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, FAQs, and IT Helpdesk for technical queries.

Post-Award Requirements

Grant Setup: The legal and financial set-up of the grants is detailed in section 10 of the call document and in the RFCS Model Grant Agreements.

Evaluation Criteria

General Evaluation Information

Evaluation and award criteria are described in detail in section 9 of the call document.
Submission and evaluation processes are explained in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.

Expected Impact and Strategic Relevance

Contribution to the European Green Deal: Proposals are evaluated on their potential to help the EU achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, foster a resource-efficient and competitive economy, and decouple economic growth from resource use.
Decarbonization of Steel: Significance of contribution to clean steel breakthrough technologies leading to a zero-carbon steel making process by 2030.
Assessed Benefits: Quality of the assessment of anticipated industrial, economic, social, and environmental benefits of the proposed research.

Quality of Research and Innovation

Near-Zero-Carbon Steel Production: Effectiveness in developing, demonstrating, and improving near-zero-carbon steel production processes, including raising product quality and increasing productivity.
Environmental Performance: Potential for substantial reduction in emissions, energy consumption, carbon footprint, and other environmental impacts, alongside resource conservation.
Advanced Technologies: Relevance and feasibility of proposed technologies and solutions (e.g., carbon direct avoidance, smart carbon usage, process chain optimisation, digitalization, AI, energy efficiency, clean hydrogen economy).
Product Development: Innovation in advanced steel grades and applications, new near-zero-carbon products, and creation of new market opportunities.
Property Improvement: Impact on improving steel properties, prolonging service life, and advancing predictive simulation models.

Societal and Workforce Aspects

Resource Conservation & Circular Economy: Effectiveness of techniques for recycling, waste treatment, pollution control, and designing for circularity.
Workforce Development: Contribution to developing and disseminating competencies for new near-zero-carbon steel production processes (e.g., digitalization, lifelong learning).
Working Conditions: Impact on improving working conditions, including health, safety, and ergonomics.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Foundational Legislation: Compliance with Council Decision 2008/376/EU (amended by Council Decision EU 2021/1094) concerning the RFCS program.
Financial Regulations: Adherence to EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.
Legal Entity Validation: Compliance with Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment.
Grant Agreement: Adherence to the EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
Portal Terms: Compliance with Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement.

Environmental and Sustainability Standards

Green Deal Alignment: Strong mandatory alignment with the European Green Deal's objectives for climate neutrality, resource efficiency, and sustainable economic growth.
Environmental Impact: Projects must integrate substantial reduction of emissions, energy consumption, carbon footprint, and other environmental impacts as an integral part of their activities.
Circular Economy: Explicit focus on techniques for recycling, waste treatment, recovery of secondary raw materials, and promoting a circular economy within the steel sector.

Ethical and Safety Standards

Workforce Conditions: Research projects should address improving working conditions, including health, safety, and ergonomics in the workplace (Article 10a).
Safety Issues: Safety considerations must form an integral part of research and technological development work in both steel production and utilisation (Article 10).

Innovation and Strategic Alignment

Breakthrough Technologies: Emphasis on developing and demonstrating breakthrough technologies leading to zero-carbon steel making processes.
Cross-Sector Activities: Encouragement of innovative technologies and solutions promoting cross-sector activities, integration of zero-carbon energy production, or contribution to a clean hydrogen economy.
Expected Impact: Proposals must comprehensively assess and demonstrate anticipated industrial, economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Grant Details