Development of ecosystem and next-generation capabilities for a secured European Critical Communication System in civil security

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 communication systems tailored to the critical civil security functions that will be required for the future EUCCS, taking into consideration the ongoing migration of the EU towards post-quantum cryptography. The action funded under this topic will develop secure communication devices and applications that meet the unique needs of practitioners across various disciplines. These solutions will go beyond current technologies, enabling specialized, ruggedized devices that support hands-free capabilities, including wearable sensors, haptics, and augmented reality to enhance situational awareness. Devices will be designed to ensure communication in environments lacking cellular infrastructure and will be built with high standards of security, including addressing cryptographic security via post-quantum cryptography, and trustworthiness while also ensuring an inclusive and gender-sensitive approach to meet the diverse needs of all users. The action funded under this topic should support relevant standardisation processes where possible. The solutions should be mission-critical, offering high availability, resilience, data exchange and authentication both secured via state-of-the-art post-quantum cryptographic protocols, even in areas with limited or no commercial network coverage. They must be fully compatible with the EUCCS, leveraging 3GPP Mission Critical Services (MCX) and open APIs to create a versatile and interoperable ecosystem. By working closely with first responders and utilizing open platforms, the project will ensure that the developed solutions address the specific operational needs of responders, facilitating effective cross-agency and pan-European collaboration. Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Strengthened Security Research and Innovation Destination. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

Eligibility and submission conditions

"> General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide . 3. Other Eligible Conditions In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action. Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 3 first responders’ organisations. For these participants, applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, following the template provided in the submission IT tool. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual . 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [This [decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf ]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Some activities resulting from this topic may involve using classified background and/or producing of security sensitive results (EUCI and SEN). Please refer to the related provisions in section B Security — EU classified and sensitive information of the General Annexes. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Programme context

Since the Preparatory Action for Security Research [1] the EU-funded security research and innovation programme has contributed substantially to knowledge and value creation in the field of internal security. The programme has been fundamental to the consolidation of a European security ecosystem, which is better equipped to capitalise on research and innovation outcomes to support the EU security priorities. This Destination aims to contribute to reducing thematic fragmentation, bringing closer together the actors from different security domains, and expanding the market beyond traditional thematic silos. It also creates knowledge and value through research in matters (including technology, but also social sciences and humanities) that are not exclusive of only one security area, but cross-cutting to the whole Cluster. As underlined in the Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027, proposals for the topics under this Destination ‘should support with cross-cutting actions the expected impacts outlined above [in the Cluster 3 Destinations]. This destination will increase the impact of the work carried out in the EU security Research and Innovation (R&I) ecosystem and contribute to its core values, namely: a focus on the potential and practical final use of the outcomes of security R&I; forward-looking planning of EU security capabilities; the development of security technologies that are socially acceptable, developed in quadruple helix [2] and that have added value for industrialisation, joint procurement, commercialisation, and the acquisition and deployment of successful R&I outcomes; safeguarding the EU’s open strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty in critical security areas by contributing to a more competitive and resilient EU civil security technology and industrial base; experimenting with research and innovation programming; and helping to make the European R&I ecosystem more consistent’. Many of the programme outcomes have materialised in relevant scientific findings, maturation of promising technology areas, operational validation of innovative concepts or support to policy implementation. However, a key challenge remains in improving innovation uptake and thus contributing to the development of security capabilities [3] , support of Start-ups and Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and deployment of innovation by security practitioners. The extent to which innovative technologies developed thanks to EU R&I investment are industrialised and commercialised by EU industry, and acquired and deployed by end-users, could reflect the impact achieved with the programme. As explained in the Commission staff working document on Enhancing security through research and innovation [4] there are factors inherent to the EU security ecosystem (often attributed to the market) that hinder the full achievement of this impact, such as market fragmentation, cultural barriers, analytical weaknesses, programming weaknesses, ethical, legal and societal considerations or lack of synergies between funding instruments, among others. To that aim, there is a need to create a favourable environment that is designed with the main purpose of increasing the impact of security R&I, which provides the right tools that serve to tackle the factors that hinder innovation uptake. Therefore, security research and innovation should foster and enhance the development of innovative tools, technologies and capabilities for the benefit of practitioners that can use in their day-to-day work. To this end , proposals under this Destination should set out a credible pathway to contributing to the following impacts: A more effective and efficient evidence and knowledge-based development of EU civil security capabilities built on a stronger, more systematic and analysis-intensive security research and innovation cycle; Increased cooperation between demand and supply market actors, including with actors from other domains, fosters swift industrialisation, commercialisation, adoption and deployment of successful outcomes of security research and reinforces the competitiveness and resilience of EU security technology and industrial base and safeguards the security of supply of EU-products in critical security areas; R&I-enabled knowledge and value in cross-cutting matters reduces sector specific bias and breaks thematic silos that impede the proliferation of common security solutions. This Destination will trigger actions that will help bringing these and other developments closer to the market, thus contributing to the measures facilitating the uptake of innovation. Those actions will help developers (including industry, research organisations and academia) to accelerate product development and improve the valorisation of their research investment. They will also support buyers and users in materialising the uptake of innovation and further develop their security capabilities. The aim is to increase the capacity of EU public procurers to align their requirements with the EU security industrial capacity and to attract innovation and innovators from security and other sectors through common validation strategies, rapid innovation, experimentation and pre-commercial procurement. Finally, this Destination will contribute to the development of the tailored analytical capacity required for the adoption of capability-driven approaches aimed at fostering a forward-looking capability-driven approach in security. Where possible and relevant, synergy-building and clustering initiatives with successful proposals in the same area should be considered, including the organisation of international conferences in close coordination with the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS) [5] activities and/or other international events. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes. [1] COM(2004) 72. [2] Through the interaction of public authorities, academia, industry and the public. [3] For the purpose of the work programme, the terms “Capability” should be understood as "the ability to pursue a particular policy priority or achieve a desired operational effect”. The term “capability” is often interchanged with the term “capacity”, but this should be avoided. “Capacity” could refer to an amount or volume of which one organisation could have enough or not. On the other hand, “capability” refers to an ability, an aptitude or a process that can be developed or improved in consonance with the ultimate objective of the organisation. [4] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/ff888398-0b0a-4511-9717-ad41beb22314_en?filename=SWD-2021-422_en.PDF [5] https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/networks/ceris-community-european-research-and-innovation-security_en

Hivatkozott dokumentumok

Annex A Horizon Europe Programme Guide Online Manual [This [decision Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) Lump Sum MGA Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/document/download/ff888398-0b0a-4511-9717-ad41beb22314_en?filename=SWD-2021-422_en.PDF