Accelerating freight transport and logistics digital innovation

This grant opportunity, part of the Horizon Europe program, aims to accelerate digital innovation in freight transport and logistics by enhancing the functionalities of Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) platforms. These platforms streamline business-to-authority (B2A) information exchange, focused on reducing costs and improving operational efficiency while supporting EU climate goals.

Eligible applicants include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises such as transport companies, research institutes, universities, and public administrations. A consortium is required, involving multiple stakeholders to demonstrate solutions in at least two environments, thus fostering collaboration among industry, researchers, and public administrations.

The expected funding amount for each project ranges from €7 million to €8 million, with a total funding allocation of €15 million for this call. The funding falls under the Horizon Europe Innovation Action category, with 100% support for non-profit entities and 70% for-profit firms. Applicants must secure 30% co-funding for commercial entities.

Projects should aim for Technology Readiness Level 7, indicating that they should be ready for operational prototype demonstrations. The application process is a single-stage open call, with submissions due by January 20, 2026. Success rates for similar Horizon Europe initiatives typically range from 10% to 39%.

Key objectives of this funding include developing solutions for enhanced electronic B2B and B2A information sharing, integrating artificial intelligence for data interoperability, and reducing the administrative burden associated with data sharing. The proposed solutions must comply with various EU regulations, including those related to data protection, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

The initiative aligns with the EU Green Deal and seeks to support the establishment of best practices that promote the adoption of the eFTI framework, particularly among SMEs. The outcomes are expected to demonstrate measurable reductions in costs and improvements in operational efficiency in real-world logistics scenarios.

In summary, this grant opportunity supports the development of advanced digital solutions in freight logistics by leveraging eFTI platforms, facilitating regulatory compliance, and promoting collaboration among various stakeholders to enhance overall efficiency and sustainability within the sector.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on accelerating digital innovation in freight transport and logistics, specifically by extending the functionalities of Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) platforms. These platforms, established under Regulation 2020/1056, are intended to streamline business-to-authority (B2A) information exchange for multimodal transport. The goal is to unlock the potential of eFTI platforms beyond their current scope, fostering new business-to-business (B2B) services, applications, and additional B2A uses.

The expected outcomes include:

Extended functionalities of eFTI platforms for new use cases, solutions, and applications, enabling harmonized electronic B2B information sharing and exchange in multimodal logistics chains and hubs. This includes areas like greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting and sustainability claims.

Complementary applications and services for electronic B2A information sharing to support businesses in implementing relevant Union regulatory frameworks in transport and other policy fields, such as smart enforcement, statistics, customs, e-invoicing, sustainability reporting, data spaces, and GHG and external costs calculators.

Establishment of best practices to boost and accelerate the adoption of the eFTI framework and data sharing innovations, especially by SMEs.

Demonstrated and quantified improvements in operational and freight transport efficiency through advanced digital connectivity and interoperability between actors in both B2B and B2A contexts.

Demonstrated and quantified reduction in administrative burden and costs associated with B2B data sharing and B2A reporting.

The scope of the proposals should include:

Developing technical solutions and tools (TRL7) for complementary applications and services for electronic B2A information sharing.

Creating universal, open, and affordable solutions for electronic B2B information sharing in collaborative logistics processes, with minimal integration effort for stakeholders, potentially using Artificial Intelligence to facilitate data interoperability.

Developing solutions and tools to facilitate SME engagement in the digital freight transport and logistics ecosystem.

Defining multiple use cases, services, and applications of eFTI platforms for B2B and B2A processes, considering existing solutions and identifying barriers to interoperability.

Identifying and defining relevant data to be added to the existing eFTI common dataset, addressing data sovereignty, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Assessing and providing recommendations for B2B framework arrangements, including standard data exchange contracts and authentication/authorization mechanisms.

Defining and seeking synergies with relevant EU frameworks and policies related to transport emissions data exchange, such as the CountEmissions EU proposal and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, including establishing open-source emissions calculators.

Assessing interdependencies and needs with horizontal Union strategies and legislation like GDPR, digital identities, data spaces, the AI Act, the Data Governance Act, and the Cybersecurity Act, and providing recommendations for compliance.

Defining and testing B2A and B2B solutions and use cases in at least two demonstration environments/ecosystems, with B2B use cases led by industry stakeholders and B2A use cases developed in cooperation with industry, researchers, and public administrations.

Identifying and developing best practices, mapping solutions and value streams, and providing recommendations on incentives, capability building, training, and technology adoption support schemes.

The following are outside the scope:

Any type of architecture or federation of platforms already delivered by eFTI and DTLF.

Functionalities already required in the current scope of the eFTI Regulation.

The general conditions cover admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion criteria, evaluation and award processes, and legal and financial setup, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and related guidance documents.

Specific conditions include using the standard application form for HE RIA/IA, evaluation form templates, the HE Programme Guide, and the HE MGA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidance documents and online manuals.

The budget overview lists several topics under the call, each with a specific budget, stage (single-stage), opening date (September 16, 2025), deadline (January 20, 2026), and indicative number of grants. Examples include:

HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-01: Horizon Innovation Actions, 24,000,000 EUR, around 8,000,000 EUR per grant, 3 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D2-04: Horizon Research and Innovation Actions, 30,000,000 EUR, around 10,000,000 EUR per grant, 3 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2026-01-D6-08: Horizon Innovation Actions, 15,000,000 EUR, 7,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR per grant, 2 grants.

The call encourages partner searches and provides links to resources for finding partners and getting support.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to enhance eFTI platforms to improve data sharing, reduce administrative burdens, and promote green logistics, with a focus on interoperability, SME engagement, and alignment with relevant EU policies and regulations. It seeks to foster innovation in freight transport and logistics through the development and demonstration of new functionalities and use cases for eFTI platforms.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls and the emphasis on B2B and B2A applications, eligible applicants could include startups, SMEs, large enterprises, research institutes, universities, public administrations, and logistics service providers such as freight forwarders and transportation companies. The focus on SMEs suggests that they are particularly encouraged to apply.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily grant-based, specifically through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG].

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages collaboration between industry stakeholders, researchers, and public administrations, suggesting that a consortium approach is preferred, especially for demonstration and testing of solutions. The B2B use cases should be led by industry stakeholders, and B2A use cases should be developed in cooperation with industry, researchers, and public administrations. Partner search announcements are available, indicating that consortia are common.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is 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.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is freight transport and logistics, with a strong emphasis on digital innovation, electronic freight transport information (eFTI) platforms, data sharing, and green transformation of the logistics sector. Sub-sectors include multimodal transport, supply chain management, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data spaces, and sustainability reporting.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity is within the Horizon Europe framework, implying eligibility for EU member states and associated countries. 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.

Project Stage: The projects should aim for an operational prototype demonstration level, corresponding to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7. This indicates that the projects should be beyond the research phase and ready for demonstration in a relevant environment.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1,500,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €30,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions. The indicative grant amounts for individual projects range from around €4,000,000 to €11,000,000, with some projects receiving €7,000,000 to €8,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their research, innovation, and deployment activities.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. As Horizon Europe typically funds a significant portion of project costs, applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide and Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes for detailed financial rules and potential co-funding obligations.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe Cluster 5 call focuses on accelerating digital innovation in freight transport and logistics, specifically by extending the functionalities of electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) platforms. The call aims to unlock the potential of eFTI platforms beyond the scope of Regulation 2020/1056, fostering new B2B and B2A services and applications. Projects should develop technical solutions and tools for electronic information sharing, facilitate SME engagement, define use cases, identify relevant data, and assess synergies with EU frameworks and policies. The call encourages collaboration between industry, researchers, and public administrations to define and test solutions in demonstration environments, with a focus on achieving TRL 7. Funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA), HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), with varying budgets and indicative grant amounts. The application process is a single-stage open call, and applicants should consult the provided guidance documents for detailed requirements and eligibility criteria. The overall goal is to improve efficiency, reduce administrative burden, and promote green transformation in the logistics sector through enhanced digital connectivity and interoperability.