Open topic on testing / validating tools, technologies and data used in cross-border prevention, preparedness and responses to climate extreme and geological events and chemical, biological or radiological emergency threats

Grant Purpose and Target

• Core Objective: To enhance European and global interoperability of existing tools and technologies for disaster response. The grant supports the testing and validation of tools, technologies, and data used in cross-border prevention, preparedness, and responses to climate/geological events and chemical, biological, or radiological (CBRN) emergency threats.

• Funding Organization: European Commission.

• Target Recipients: Consortia of legal entities including, but not limited to, first responders, disaster management authorities, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), research organizations, universities, and industry partners.

• Sector Focus: SECTOR-SPECIFIC. The focus is on civil security, disaster risk reduction, emergency response, climate change adaptation, and management of CBRN threats. Proposals must address one of the following technology areas:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML) tools for first responders.
  • Miniaturized sensors for threat detection and victim identification.
  • Secure information exchange and communication systems.
  • Alert systems for CBRN threats.

• Geographic Scope: Open to consortia from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Legal entities from Latin America and Caribbean (LAC), African, and Central Asian countries are also exceptionally eligible for funding and are encouraged to participate.

• Key Filtering Criteria:

  • Project Scale: The expected EU contribution is approximately EUR 4.5 million per project.
  • Technology Readiness Level (TRL): Projects are expected to start at TRL 6 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project.
  • Consortium: A specific consortium structure is mandatory (see Eligibility Requirements).
  • Funding Type: This is an Innovation Action (IA) funded as a Lump Sum grant.

Financial Structure

• Funding Range: The EU contribution is expected to be EUR 4.5 million per project. The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 13.5 million, intended to fund approximately 3 projects.

• Co-financing: This is an Innovation Action (IA). The funding rate is 70% of total eligible costs for for-profit legal entities. Non-profit legal entities are eligible for a funding rate of 100%.

• Eligible Costs:

  • This grant is awarded as a Lump Sum. The budget must be detailed in the application to justify the lump sum amount.
  • Eligible costs include direct costs such as personnel, subcontracting, and purchases (travel, equipment, other goods and services), plus a 25% flat-rate for indirect costs (calculated on direct costs, excluding subcontracting and financial support to third parties).
  • Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP): Beneficiaries must allocate between 5% and 20% of the requested EU funding to provide financial support to third parties (practitioners and/or SMEs) in the form of grants. The maximum amount for each third party is EUR 100,000.

• Ineligible Costs: Standard Horizon Europe rules apply. Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

  • Costs not directly related to the project.
  • Identifiable indirect taxes, including VAT (unless the applicant cannot recover it).
  • Interest owed, provisions for future losses or debts.
  • Currency exchange losses.

• Payment & Reporting: Payments are tied to reporting periods. The structure typically includes:

  • An initial pre-financing payment.
  • Interim payments based on periodic reports.
  • A final payment of the balance upon submission and approval of the final report.

Eligibility Requirements

• Formal Criteria: Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of legal entities. The consortium must meet the following composition requirement:

  • At least three independent legal entities established in different countries, with at least one in an EU Member State and at least two others in different Member States or Associated Countries.
  • Additional Condition: The consortium must include, as beneficiaries, at least two First responders or disaster management authorities and two Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

• Organizational Status:

  • Applicants must be legal entities (e.g., companies, research organizations, public authorities, NGOs).
  • As of 2022, public bodies, research organisations, or higher education establishments from EU Member States and Associated Countries must have a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in place.
  • Specific roles for 'First responders' and 'Disaster management authorities' are defined. First responders are those directly engaged in field operations (e.g., paramedics, firefighters). Disaster management authorities are official bodies designated by states for managing disasters.

• Technical Expertise: The consortium as a whole must possess the necessary expertise to address the chosen project option, which may include AI/ML, sensor technology, secure communications, or CBRN detection systems. The effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and experts is required.

• Exclusion Criteria:

  • Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
  • Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or non-government controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible to participate.
  • As this is an Innovation Action, legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, or subcontractors. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Application Practical Information

• Deadlines:

  • Call Opening: 12 June 2025
  • Submission Deadline: 12 November 2025, 17:00:00 Brussels Time (CET)

• Required Documents: The application consists of:

  • Part A: Administrative forms completed directly in the submission system.
  • Part B: A narrative technical description of the project, uploaded as a PDF. The page limit is 50 pages for lump sum Innovation Actions.
  • Annexes:
    • Detailed budget table (lump sum specific template).
    • 'Information on Security Practitioners' template.
    • 'Information on financial support to third parties' template.

• Application Process:

  • Proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
  • The submission process is a single-stage procedure.

• Support:

  • Financial Support: The grant provides a lump sum contribution of approximately EUR 4.5 million.
  • Guidance: Applicants can access support from the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, National Contact Points (NCPs), and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).

• Post-Award Obligations:

  • Reporting: Beneficiaries must submit periodic reports and a final report detailing technical progress and use of resources.
  • Deliverables: A mid-term deliverable assessing the project's outcomes, performed by the practitioners involved, is required.
  • Dissemination & Exploitation: A detailed plan for the exploitation and dissemination of results must be submitted within the first six months and regularly updated.
  • Audits: The granting authority may conduct checks, reviews, or audits during the project and up to two years after the final payment.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals are evaluated based on three main criteria, each scored out of 5. The individual threshold for each criterion is 3/5, and the overall threshold is 10/15.

• Scoring Factors:

  • Excellence (Threshold: 3/5)
  • Impact (Threshold: 3/5) - This criterion is given a weight of 1.5 for Innovation Actions like this one, making it the most important factor.
  • Quality and efficiency of the implementation (Threshold: 3/5)

• Innovation & Impact:

  • Ambition: The proposal must be ambitious and go beyond the state-of-the-art.
  • Impact Pathways: Applicants must provide a credible pathway to achieve the expected outcomes and impacts, demonstrating the likely scale and significance of the project's contributions. This includes enhancing the interoperability of tools and improving practitioners' capacities to prevent, prepare, and respond to disasters.
  • Dissemination & Exploitation: The quality of measures to maximize outcomes and impacts, as detailed in the dissemination and exploitation plan, is critical.

• Project Quality:

  • Methodology: The soundness of the proposed methodology is assessed, including the underlying concepts, models, assumptions, and inter-disciplinary approaches. The quality of open science practices is also evaluated.
  • Work Plan: Evaluators will assess the quality and effectiveness of the work plan, risk assessment, and the appropriateness of resources allocated to work packages.
  • Consortium: The capacity and role of each participant are evaluated, along with the extent to which the consortium as a whole brings together the necessary expertise, including SSH experts.

• Strategic Fit:

  • Proposals must align with the EU Preparedness Union Strategy and follow recommendations from DG ECHO.
  • Projects must address one of the four specific options: (a) AI/ML tools, (b) Miniaturized sensors, (c) Information exchange/Communication, or (d) CBRN alert systems.
  • A portfolio approach will be used for selection: grants will be awarded to ensure at least one highest-ranked project from each of the four options is funded, provided they meet all thresholds.

• Cross-cutting Themes:

  • SSH Integration: The effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts are required to enhance societal impact.
  • Gender Dimension: While the topic states that the gender dimension should be addressed 'only if relevant', gender balance among researchers is a ranking criterion for proposals with the same score.
  • Environmental Impact: Proposals with solutions that contribute to lower environmental impact, better cost-efficiency, and better energy-efficiency are welcomed.

Compliance and Special Requirements

• Regulatory Compliance:

  • Security: This is a Security Sensitive Topic. Activities may involve using classified background information (EUCI) or producing security-sensitive results. Proposals will undergo a security review, and successful projects must comply with the Horizon Europe Programme Security Instructions.
  • Satellite Data: If using satellite-based data for earth observation, positioning, navigation, or timing, beneficiaries are required to use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS services. Other data sources may be used in addition.
  • Ethics and Data Protection: Standard Horizon Europe rules on ethics, research integrity, and data protection (including GDPR) apply.

• IP Policy: Standard Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement rules apply. Beneficiaries own the results they generate. They must ensure exploitation of the results, particularly within the EU. A plan for exploitation and dissemination is a mandatory part of the application and subsequent reporting.

• Unique Aspects:

  • Lump Sum Funding: The grant is provided as a lump sum, which simplifies financial reporting as costs are not declared. Payment is based on the successful completion of work packages.
  • Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP): It is mandatory to dedicate 5% to 20% of the budget to cascade funding to practitioners and SMEs. This requires managing an open call process.
  • Portfolio Balance: Funding decisions will aim to select at least one project from each of the four thematic options (a, b, c, d) to ensure a balanced portfolio.
  • Practitioner Involvement: Active involvement of practitioners (first responders, disaster management authorities) is essential, including a mid-term assessment of project outcomes by them.

• Industry-Specific Rules: No industry-specific rules are mentioned beyond the security and satellite data requirements.