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Grant Details

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant aims to provide advisory support and establish a network to effectively counter disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).
  • Core Objective: To enhance understanding and implement solutions to prevent and counter FIMI and related disinformation, providing science-based tools and policy recommendations to EU institutions, national decision-makers, practitioners, and civil society.
  • Target Recipients: Legal entities, including public bodies, NGOs, fact-checkers, civil society organisations, policymakers, educational bodies, law practitioners, media companies, public and private broadcasters, online news platforms, and digital service providers.
  • Size Preference: Not explicitly stated, but the nature of a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) suggests a capacity to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
  • Designation: SECTOR-SPECIFIC
  • Geographic Scope: Primarily targets EU Member States and Associated Countries, with exceptional participation possible for legal entities established in non-associated third countries.
  • Key Filtering Criteria: Focus on countering disinformation and FIMI, building on prior EU-funded research, and engaging a wide range of professional and societal actors.
  • Grant Frequency and Program Context: This is part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, specifically under the 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society' cluster, indicating a recurring program with specific annual calls.

Financial Structure

  • Budget Range: The grant has a total budget of 3,500,000 EUR for one expected grant in 2025.
  • Minimum Grant Amount: Projects can request a minimum contribution of 3,000,000 EUR.
  • Maximum Grant Amount: Projects can request a maximum contribution of 3,500,000 EUR.
  • Currency: All financial amounts are in EUR.
  • Funding Type: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum contribution.
  • Lump Sum Calculation: The lump sum is an approximation of the beneficiaries' underlying actual costs, determined by the granting authority based on the proposal's estimated direct and indirect costs.
  • Eligible Costs (Lump Sum Basis):
    • Personnel costs (employees, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries)
    • Subcontracting costs
    • Purchase costs (travel, subsistence, equipment, other goods/services)
    • Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, research infrastructure access, procurement costs)
  • Indirect Costs: A 25% flat rate for indirect costs is included in the lump sum calculation, where applicable.
  • Ineligible Costs: Costs that are ineligible under Horizon Europe rules must be excluded from the lump sum calculation.
  • Payment Schedule and Mechanisms:
    • Payments do not depend on costs actually incurred.
    • Lump sum contributions per work package are paid if the corresponding work packages are properly implemented and all other grant agreement obligations are met.
    • Payments are made to the coordinator.
    • Lump sum contributions for work packages not met in a reporting period are not paid but can be paid in a subsequent period if conditions are met.
    • If conditions are never met, the grant is reduced accordingly.
  • Financial Reporting: No report of actual costs is required for lump sum payments. Financial checks will focus on technical implementation and fulfillment of work package conditions, not detailed cost reporting.
  • Financial Guarantees: A percentage (between 5% and 8%) of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
  • Co-financing: The co-financing principle is ensured by checking that the total estimated costs of the action are greater than the estimated Union contributions. Reimbursement rates (not specified here) are reflected in the lump sum calculation.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Organization Types
  • Legal entities established in EU Member States and Associated Countries are generally eligible.
  • Legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate as a beneficiary or affiliated entity, if eligible for funding through specific provisions (refer to Horizon Europe Programme Guide for details).
  • Specific categories of stakeholders whose involvement is required include:
    • Public bodies
    • NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations)
    • Fact-checkers
    • Civil society organizations
    • Policymakers
    • Educational bodies
    • Law practitioners
    • Media companies
    • Public and private broadcasters
    • Online news platforms
    • Digital services providers (e.g., under Digital Services Act (DSA))
  • Research teams and universities are implicitly eligible given the focus on building on prior research.
Qualifications and Certifications
  • Not explicitly detailed in the provided grant material, but proposals should demonstrate capacity to implement recommendations, toolkits, and methodologies.
Organizational Size and Capacity
  • Not specified; however, the nature of a Coordination and Support Action implies a need for sufficient operational capacity to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects and disseminate research results widely.
Geographic Location
  • Primarily EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe (as per Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes).
  • Non-associated third countries may participate exceptionally if funding provisions exist.
Track Record and Experience
  • Proposals should build on results from previously EU-funded research (e.g., Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values, Digital Europe, Global Europe) related to disinformation and FIMI.
  • Encouraged to seek collaboration with research teams from relevant past projects.
Partnership or Consortium Requirements
  • The grant is for a 'Coordination and Support Action' (CSA) which typically requires a consortium approach.
  • The involvement of multiple categories of non-scientific and non-academic stakeholders (public bodies, NGOs, fact-checkers, civil society, policymakers, etc.) is required to test and adopt research results.

Application Process

Application Procedure and Submission
  • Application Form: Standard application form (HE CSA) available in the Submission System.
  • Submission Format: Online submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal.
  • Submission Model: Single-stage submission.
  • Required Documentation:
    • Part B of the Application Form (specific to CSA lump sum funding, page limit: 33 pages).
    • Detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission System (mandatory).
    • Declaration by beneficiaries of having used their own accounting practices for budget preparation.
Timeline and Deadlines
  • Planned Opening Date: 2025-05-15
  • Submission Deadline: 2025-09-16
  • Evaluation and Grant Agreement Timeline: Indicative timeline as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes (not provided in this document).
Project Implementation and Reporting
  • Eligible Costs: Lump sum basis, paid upon proper implementation of work packages.
  • Reporting Schedule: Dependent on fulfillment of work package conditions over reporting periods.
  • Progress Tracking: Checks, reviews, and audits will focus on the technical implementation of the action and fulfillment of work package conditions.
Support and Guidance
  • Online Manual: Guide on procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
  • Horizon Europe Programme Guide: Detailed guidance on structure, budget, and political priorities.
  • Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions.
  • Research Enquiry Service: For general questions on European research and EU Research Framework Programmes.
  • National Contact Points (NCPs): Guidance, practical information, and assistance for participation in Horizon Europe (available in EU/associated and many non-EU/non-associated countries).
  • Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): Advice for businesses, especially SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding.
  • IT Helpdesk: For technical issues with the Funding & Tenders Portal.
  • European IPR Helpdesk: Assistance on intellectual property issues.
  • European Standards Organisations (CEN-CENELEC, ETSI): Advise on standardisation in project proposals.
  • Partner Search: Tool to find partner organizations for proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

Overall Evaluation Criteria Proposals will be evaluated based on: - Excellence - Expected Impact - Quality and efficiency of the implementation Specific Scoring Factors (derived from 'Expected Outcomes' and 'Scope')
  • Contribution to all of the following Expected Outcomes:
    • Increased understanding among EU institutions, national decision-makers, practitioners, and civil society of theoretical models and solutions to prevent and counter FIMI and disinformation.
    • Access to a network and tailor-made advisory support for practitioners and civil society involved in FIMI prevention and countering.
    • Equipping EU institutions and national decision-makers with science-based tools and evidence-based policy recommendations for proactive FIMI measures.
  • Contribution to at least one of the following additional Expected Outcomes:
    • Enhancement, improvement, or complementation of existing frameworks (e.g., D-RAIL, DISARM framework) to address disinformation and FIMI, fostering wider professional adoption.
    • Improved knowledge and awareness among practitioners (education, security, defence, transport, foreign relations, ICT, media) and civil society regarding disinformation and FIMI challenges.
    • Evidence of how new technologies (AI, Big Data) impact disinformation and FIMI, and new tools/methods to address these phenomena.
    • Increased capacities for citizens, civil society organizations, and other societal actors to identify and counter disinformation and FIMI.
  • Quality of Implementation
    • Demonstration of how proposals build on and make accessible the 'rich stock' of actionable recommendations, knowledge, toolkits, educational material, and scientific methods from prior EU-funded research.
    • Clear indication of which Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe projects are considered sources and how collaboration with these teams will be sought.
    • Consideration of work done by EDMO Hubs and integration of their results.
    • Effective capacity-building activities and advisory support tailored for a wide range of stakeholders.
    • Plans for involving specific stakeholders to provide data necessary for scientific inquiry of disinformation and FIMI threats.
    • Identification of research gaps (e.g., data access, obstacles to inquiry) and concrete recommendations for addressing them.
    • Addressing identity-based disinformation and FIMI targeting LGBTIQ people, where applicable.
    • Leveraging data and services from European Research Infrastructures (e.g., European Open Science Cloud) and ensuring FAIR data principles.
Cross-cutting Themes (Impact on Scoring)
  • Proposals should contribute to reinvigorating democratic governance by improving accountability, transparency, effectiveness, and trustworthiness of institutions, and expanding active citizen participation.
  • Research should generate new knowledge, strategies, methods, innovative solutions, and policy recommendations to bolster democratic systems' resilience.
  • Social sciences and humanities research is critical, and stakeholder involvement is determinant for uptake and impact.
  • Focus on global challenges, resilient democracies (e.g., countering extremism, polarisation, hate speech), and agile institutions & inclusive societies.
  • Synergies with other relevant EU programs (Digital Europe, CERV, Erasmus+, ESF+, Global Europe) are encouraged.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Adherence to all applicable EU regulations and frameworks, including Horizon Europe rules.
  • Specific restrictions may apply for the protection of European communication networks.
Data Protection and Privacy
  • Data produced within the project should be FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable).
  • Access to platform data on the spread and behavior of disinformation online requires involvement of relevant stakeholders (e.g., media companies, digital service providers).
Ethical Standards
  • Not explicitly detailed, but expected to adhere to general ethical standards for research and societal impact, particularly concerning sensitive topics like disinformation, human rights, and social cohesion.
Intellectual Property Policies
  • Management of intellectual property is a focus area for checks, reviews, and audits during and after grant implementation.
Risk Management and Security
  • The grant addresses hybrid threats, disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), implying an inherent focus on security and risk mitigation related to these phenomena.
  • Strategic Foresight Report 2023 highlights risks like erosion of trust, polarization, and appeal of extremist movements.
Unique Aspects and Challenges
  • This is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) which means it focuses on coordinating efforts, networking, and disseminating knowledge rather than purely conducting new research.
  • Projects must build on previously EU-funded research (from Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and other relevant programs) and make those results accessible and actionable.
  • The emergence of new technologies, especially generative AI and Big Data, presents both challenges (increased capacity for FIMI actors) and opportunities (new detection technologies).
  • Explicit requirement to identify gaps in research, particularly regarding data access for large-scale scientific inquiry.
  • Consideration of identity-based disinformation and FIMI (e.g., targeting LGBTIQ people) is encouraged.
Strategic Opportunities
  • Opportunity to contribute significantly to strengthening democratic systems, fostering EU values, and increasing resilience against internal and external threats.
  • Synergies with other EU programs (Digital Europe, CERV, Erasmus+, ESF+, Global Europe) for uptake of research results are encouraged.
  • Strong emphasis on stakeholder involvement (public bodies, civil society, media) to ensure real-world relevance and impact.
Industry-Specific and Legal Framework Compliance
  • Projects may involve entities subject to the Code of Conduct on Disinformation, European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), and Digital Services Act (DSA). Their involvement provides access to data and insights relevant to these frameworks.

Grant Details

advisory services ai artificial intelligence capacity building civil society coordination action counter-disinformation democracy digital agenda disinformation eosc and fair data eu values european commission european security fact-checking fimi foreign information manipulation foreign interference governance horizon europe hybrid threats ict inclusive society information warfare innovation international cooperation knowledge sharing lump sum media literacy misinformation network coordination policy recommendations public diplomacy research and innovation research infrastructures science-based tools security societal engagement ssh stakeholder engagement strategic communication
Advisory support and network to counter disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI)
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-01
Horizon Europe
PUBLIC NGO UNIVERSITY OTHER
AT BE BG HR CY CZ DK EE FI FR DE GR HU IE IT LV LT LU MT NL PL PT RO SK SI ES SE
SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION MEDIA OTHER
DEVELOPMENT PILOT_PROJECTS OTHER
OTHER
SDG5 SDG10 SDG16
FUNDING MENTORSHIP NETWORKING RESOURCES RESEARCH_DEVELOPMENT TRAINING_EDUCATION CAPACITY_BUILDING
3500000.00
3000000.00
3500000.00
EUR
100.00
Sept. 16, 2025, midnight
None