AI compute evaluation and deployment platform for EU infrastructure

Call DIGITAL-JU under the Digital Europe Programme and Chips JU funds the establishment of a common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks and first pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for sovereign partitions. The single-stage Grant for Procurement expects one award with an indicative EU contribution of €50,000,000 to €70,000,000 and a deadline of 23 September 2026. Eligible applicants are consortia combining buyers (such as datacentre operators or public procurers) and suppliers (such as chip manufacturers and system integrators) established in EU Member States or associated countries, and must comply with Ownership Control Declarations and DEP MGA rules. Deliverables include benchmarked KPIs and workloads, evaluation reports, pilot rack procurements and a buyer-supplier collaboration framework to increase deployment-ready European AI compute solutions and technological sovereignty.

What it funds

Summary

Grant to create a common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, run transparent KPIs, workloads and benchmark reports, validate pilot deployments of European AI compute systems for sovereign partitions, and support buyer-supplier collaboration to deploy, integrate and optimise European AI compute solutions aimed at increasing EU technological sovereignty for datacentres.

Who can apply:Consortia of procurers and suppliers eligible under the Chips JU Grants for Procurement rules (Grant for Procurement, co-funded with national funding authorities). Participation restrictions apply for protection of European digital infrastructure; applicants must complete Ownership Control Declarations as specified in call documents.

1. 1Call identifier: DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP
2. 2Type of action: Grant for Procurement (DIGITAL JU Grants for Procurement)
3. 3Mode: One-stage full proposal; co-funded with national funding authorities
4. 4Deadline: 23 September 2026 (single-stage)

Apply via the Chips JU call page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Relevant application templates and Guide for Applicants are provided on the call page Guide for applicants - AI GfP. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call details, application templates and ownership control declaration are available on the Chips JU call page and Portal; see Guide for applicants and Appendix 8 of the Chips JU Work Programme Chips JU call page.

Call identification and administrative details

Call Title:DIGITAL-JU. Opportunity Type: Call for Proposals (Grant for Procurement). Opening / submission window: planned opening 07 July 2026; single-stage submission; deadline 23 September 2026 (23:59:59 server time as per Portal). Programme period: 2021-2027. Managing body: Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) under Digital Programme arrangements. Contact for call-specific questions: calls@chips-ju.europa.eu. Submission route: EU Funding & Tenders Portal electronic submission (single-stage full proposal) Chips JU Call Page.

Expected EU contribution per project:Indicative grant amount: minimum contribution indicated €50,000,000; expected EU contribution per selected project approximately €70,000,000. The call budget for 2026 is listed as €70,000,000 for this topic; expected grants: 1 ¹.

Objective and expected outcomes

High-level objective:Establish a common EU evaluation and deployment capability for AI compute (chips and racks) to support procurement, selection and pilot deployment of European AI compute systems and to increase technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacentres.

1. 1A common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, with transparent KPIs, representative workloads and benchmark reports used to inform Chips JU selection and procurement decisions.
2. 2First pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for EU sovereign partitions of AI infrastructure (pilot rack procurements and deployment-ready solutions).
3. 3Structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers to support deployment, integration and optimisation of European AI compute solutions.
4. 4Stronger EU demand for European AI chips and racks to create a market for deployment-ready solutions.
5. 5Increased EU technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacentres.

Type of action and procurement modality

This topic is Stream B of the AI chips and systems for EU compute infrastructure initiative. Type of action defined as Grant for Procurement (DIGITAL-JU-GP). It is designed to validate Stream A systems against common workloads/benchmarks and to procure pilot racks. Mode: co-funded with national funding authorities (NFA). Single-stage full proposal.

Eligibility and applicant requirements

Eligible Applicant Types:The call allows consortia composed of multiple legal entities. Typical eligible applicant types based on the Chips JU Grants for Procurement and DIGITAL programme rules include: industry suppliers (SMEs and large enterprises), system integrators, datacentre operators, procuring public authorities or contracting authorities acting as buyers, research organisations and universities, non-profit research infrastructures, public bodies, joint ventures and public-private partnerships, and other entities compliant with the call-specific participation restrictions. Associated partners, affiliated entities and subcontractors may participate as described in the Application Guide and DEP MGA. Ownership Control Declaration(s) are required to assess eligibility related to protection of critical digital infrastructure (Annex 4 of the Chips JU Multiannual Work Programme).

1. 1Startups and SMEs (as suppliers, component vendors, integrators)
2. 2Large enterprises (chip designers, hardware vendors, system integrators)
3. 3Universities and research institutes (benchmarking, evaluation, workload development)
4. 4Non-profit organisations and industry associations
5. 5Public procurers and datacentre owners/operators (buyers’ group)
6. 6Public-private partnerships and consortia combining buyers and suppliers
7. 7Affiliated entities, associated partners and subcontractors as per DEP MGA provisions

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required: the call is structured for multi-party consortia combining buyers and suppliers, system integrators, evaluators and deployment partners. The submission expects a coordinated buyers group and lead procurer roles defined in Annex 1. A single consortium submission per project is envisaged; the grant award anticipates one project selected for this topic (expectedGrants = 1).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Primary geographic eligibility: EU Member States; participation rules follow Digital Programme and Chips JU rules (2021-2027). Non-EU participants may be allowed under specific conditions (see DEP MGA Article 10.1), but the call is subject to participation restrictions for protection of European digital infrastructures as specified in Annex 4 of the Chips JU Multiannual Work Programme; Ownership Control Declarations (OCD) required. The call is co-funded with national authorities (NFA) and thus national budget commitments will also be required and recorded via provided national budgets table.

Scope, targeted sectors and technological focus

Target sector and thematic focus:digital infrastructure, AI compute hardware and systems, cloud and datacentre compute stacks, semiconductor chips and AI accelerators, system racks and integration, benchmarking and workloads, deployment and operations, EU technological sovereignty and supply chain resilience. Cross-cutting priority: AI.

Project Stage:Expected maturity: validation, demonstration and pilot deployment (TRLs typically high: demonstration of deployment-ready systems, pilot rack procurement and integration into sovereign partitions). The activity includes evaluation (benchmarks, KPIs) and first pilot deployments validated for EU sovereign partitions.

Funding, financial and contractual details

Primary funding mechanism:Grant for Procurement under the DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based model (DEP MGA — DIGITAL-AG). Mode is co-funded, with national funders (NFA) contributing. The expected EU contribution per selected project is approximately €70 million. The call lists minContribution €50,000,000 and maxContribution €70,000,000 in its internal mapping; one expected grant for the topic in 2026.

Funding Type:Grant (specifically Grant for Procurement). The call follows the DEP Model Grant Agreement (DEP MGA) and Digital programme financial rules (EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509) for budget-based action grants.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. The action is co-funded with national funding authorities (NFA). Applicants must provide national budget commitments using the Chips JU National Budgets Table template. The call documentation and Guide for Applicants specify the co-funding and national budget reporting expectations. Exact co-funding proportions will be determined during proposal preparation and grant award negotiations; applicants should plan for matching contributions or national co-financing where requested.

Application process and evaluation

Submission model:single-stage full proposal (one-step). Applicants prepare Application Form Part A and Part B using the provided Template of Application Form - DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP and supporting annexes (Ownership Control Declaration form template, National Budgets Table, Guide for Applicants, Template of Evaluation Form). Proposal page limits and layout requirements are in Part B of the Application Form and Guide for Applicants. Submission is electronic through the Funding & Tenders Portal; once a submission session is created the choice of type of action and model grant agreement is fixed for that draft and cannot be changed in the system.

Application Type:Open competitive call (one-stage, full proposal). Applicants must submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Partner search is allowed via the Portal; Chips JU provides topic Q&A and call-specific support.

Application Stages:Single-stage evaluation: proposals are evaluated in one step against published evaluation criteria using the provided Template of Evaluation Form. Successful applicants proceed to grant preparation and signature under DEP MGA terms. Continuous reporting and periodic reports will be required during grant implementation.

Success Rates:Not specified. The topic foresees selection of approximately one project for this grant with an indicative budget of €70 million. As a result, success rate will depend on the number and quality of eligible applications but will be low given expected single award.

Selection, contractual and compliance requirements

Key contractual documents and annexes that applicants must consult and follow:Chips JU Multiannual Work Programme (and Appendix 8: Chips for Europe Initiative), Decision on the evaluation and selection procedures related to calls launched by the Chips JU, Guide for applicants - DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP, Template of Application Form (Part B), Template of Evaluation Form, Ownership Control Declaration form template, National Budgets Table template, Annotated Model Grant Agreement for EU Funding Programmes (DEP MGA), Rules for legal entity validation, LEAR appointment, financial capacity and ownership control assessment, and specific Annex 5 and Annex 4 participation restrictions. Security, confidentiality and ownership/control (OCD) declarations are mandatory for eligibility assessment related to protection of critical digital infrastructures.

1. 1Applicants must provide Ownership Control Declaration(s) for each consortium member (to assess ownership/control and participation restrictions under Annex 4).
2. 2National budget commitments must be provided where co-funding by NFAs applies using the provided template.
3. 3Proposals must respect page limits and layout in Part B; supporting documentation must follow Guide for Applicants.
4. 4Applicants must comply with the DEP MGA provisions regarding eligible costs, reporting, certificates (CFS), record-keeping, and audits.
5. 5Public procurement rules apply if beneficiaries qualify as contracting authorities; public procurers must comply with applicable procurement law for any procurement activities within the action (PCP/PPI / PAC procurement rules where applicable).

Evaluation, deliverables and reporting expectations

Evaluation will use the published Template of Evaluation Form for AI_GfP. The expected deliverables include benchmark suites, KPI definitions, evaluation reports, pilot rack procurement specifications, pilot deployment validation reports, integration and optimisation documentation, and stakeholder engagement outputs demonstrating structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers. Continuous reporting via the Portal Continuous Reporting tool and periodic reports (technical and financial, with financial statements and possible certificates on financial statements at thresholds) are required as per DEP MGA article set.

Nature of Support:Monetary funding: grant contribution (budget-based), combined with co-funding from national authorities. Beneficiaries also receive non-monetary support in the form of procurement coordination, access to evaluation frameworks, and policy/market engagement via Chips JU activities.

Templates and application structure:Mandatory templates and documents applicants must use and complete: Template of Application Form (Part B) - provided as rtf/word/online form; Guide for Applicants - DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP; Ownership Control Declaration form template (OCD); National Budgets Table template (xls); Template of Evaluation Form; DEP MGA annotated model grant agreement and other reference documents listed in the call page. Applicants must merge OCDs from consortium members into a single PDF for upload unless sensitive data require individual secure submission.

1. 1Part A: Administrative information and participants data (portal online forms).
2. 2Part B: Technical proposal narrative following call-specific Part B template (page limits and layout defined in Part B).
3. 3Annexes: Ownership Control Declaration(s), National Budgets Table, Consortium Agreement (recommended/required depending on call), Letters of commitment, work packages and budget breakdown consistent with Annex 2 of DEP MGA.
4. 4Compliance materials: LEAR appointment, legal entity validation, financial capacity evidence (if requested), and any certificates on the financial statements if thresholds apply at final reporting.

Key risks, restrictions and special conditions

This call is subject to participation restrictions aimed at protecting European digital infrastructures, communication and information systems and related supply chains. Applicants must complete Ownership Control Declarations to enable eligibility checks. Some tasks may deal with sensitive or classified information; specific security rules and confidentiality obligations in Annex 5 may apply. Public procurement and state aid issues may need careful management when buyers and suppliers are in the same consortium. Pillar-assessment or other compliance mechanisms may apply to certain participants. The DEP MGA sets out detailed eligibility, record-keeping and audit rules; applicants must plan for those obligations.

Mentioned Countries:No individual countries are explicitly named in the call text. Geographic scope is EU Member States and entities eligible under the Digital Programme and Chips JU rules; participation restrictions refer to eligible countries in Annex 4 of the Multiannual Work Programme. Non-EU participants may be allowed under specific conditions described in DEP MGA Article 10.1 and related guidance.

Project Duration and Implementation:Project starting date and duration will be set in the grant agreement Data Sheet upon award. The DEP MGA describes reporting periods, prefinancing and interim/final payments, continuous reporting obligations, and standard time-limits for record-keeping and audits (typically five years after final payment).

Practical advice for applicants

Prepare a consortium combining buyers (lead procurer and buyers group) with supplier(s), system integrator(s), independent evaluation team(s) and deployment partners. Ensure clear roles for evaluation platform delivery, benchmark and workload development, procurement and pilot rack procurement/installation, and validation of sovereign partitions and integration. Complete and compile Ownership Control Declarations early to allow eligibility checks. Use the provided National Budgets Table and Guide for Applicants. Plan for DEP MGA compliance (financial management, reporting, audits). Engage national funding authorities early to secure co-funding commitments. Address procurement law and public procurement transparency where public buyers are involved. Include strong IP, confidentiality and security arrangements in the consortium agreement aligned with DEP MGA and Annex 5 requirements.

1. 1Start Ownership Control Declaration(s) collection early and prepare single merged PDF (or individual secure submission where sensitivity requires).
2. 2Use the Template of Application Form Part B and respect page limits and layout instructions.
3. 3Complete National Budgets Table to document NFA co-funding commitments.
4. 4Define clear buyers group, lead procurer, and supplier roles; document procurement approach and compliance with procurement law if applicable.
5. 5Include plan for benchmarks, transparent KPIs, workload selection methodology, evaluation platform architecture, pilot rack specifications, deployment validation and sovereign partitioning.
6. 6Plan budget and resources for independent benchmarking, operational deployment, integration and optimisation activities.

Templates: Application form structure and required annexes

Use the call-specific Template of Application Form - DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP (Part B). Part B typically covers: excellence and technical approach (objectives, relevance to call, technical approach, benchmarks and KPIs, architecture and integration), impact (market creation for European chips and racks, technological sovereignty, demand stimulation, procurement impact), implementation (work packages, consortium description, roles and responsibilities, buyers group structure, procurement plan, risk management, Gantt / milestones), resources and budget (detailed cost breakdown using Annex 2 and national budgets table), ethics and security, and annexes (Ownership Control Declarations, letters of commitment, CVs). Follow the Guide for Applicants for specific page limits and required content. The evaluation template details criteria and scoring; ensure each section includes required deliverables and success metrics per the evaluation form.

Success criteria and evaluation focus

Evaluation will focus on:technical excellence and realism of the evaluation platform (benchmarks, KPIs, workloads), procurement-readiness and quality of buyer-supplier collaboration, feasibility and clarity of pilot rack procurement and deployment plan, expected impact on EU chip and rack demand and market creation, contribution to EU technological sovereignty, quality of consortium and implementation plan, and cost-effectiveness and value for money for the EU contribution. Proposals must also demonstrate compliance with participation restrictions and ownership/control rules.

Summary and final explanation

This Chips JU call (DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GfP) seeks to fund one large-scale Grant for Procurement, co-funded with national authorities, to create an EU-wide AI compute evaluation and deployment capability. The project will deliver a common evaluation platform with transparent KPIs, workloads and benchmark reports to inform Chips JU selection and procurement; perform pilot deployments of European AI compute racks validated for sovereign partitions; and establish structured buyer-supplier collaboration to boost demand for European chips, racks and deployment-ready solutions. The overall goal is to increase EU technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for datacentres. Applicants must form multi-stakeholder consortia combining buyers and suppliers, comply with DEP MGA rules and Chips JU participation restrictions (including Ownership Control Declarations), secure co-funding commitments from national authorities, and submit a full proposal through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 23 September 2026. The call provides templates (application form, national budgets table, OCD template), a Guide for Applicants and an evaluation form to be followed strictly during proposal preparation. For call-specific support contact calls@chips-ju.europa.eu. Further details and official documents are available on the Chips JU call page and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Chips JU Call Page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call page and documentation, including Guide for Applicants, Application Form templates, Ownership Control Declaration template and National Budgets Table are available on the Chips JU portal and EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Opportunity Overview

Key Details

This call for proposals under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) and Chips JU aims to establish a common EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, with transparent KPIs, workloads, and benchmark reports to guide Chips JU selection and procurement decisions. The initiative supports first pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for EU sovereign partitions of AI infrastructure, fostering structured collaboration between buyers and suppliers to optimize deployment-ready solutions ¹.

Call Identifier:DIGITAL-JU

Deadline:23 September 2026, 00:00 UTC

Opening Date:7 July 2026

Funding Type:DIGITAL JU Grants for Procurement (single-stage submission)

Budget Range:€50,000,000 to €70,000,000 per grant (1 expected grant)

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants include consortia of buyers (e.g., datacenter operators, public sector entities, cloud providers) and suppliers (e.g., AI chip manufacturers, system integrators) capable of jointly developing and deploying European AI compute solutions. Applicants must demonstrate strong technical capacity in AI infrastructure, procurement expertise, and alignment with EU technological sovereignty goals ².

Eligibility Highlights

1. 1Consortium must include both buyers and suppliers to ensure structured collaboration
2. 2Entities must be established in EU Member States or associated countries participating in the Digital Europe Programme
3. 3Applicants must comply with EU security, ethics, and classified information rules as per Annex 5 of the Model Grant Agreement
4. 4Pillar-assessed participants may rely on internal systems for procurement and data protection if positively assessed

Expected Outcomes

The project will deliver a transparent EU evaluation platform for AI chips and racks, first pilot deployments of European AI compute systems for sovereign partitions, stronger EU demand for deployment-ready solutions, and increased technological sovereignty across the AI compute stack for European datacenters ³.

Key Deliverables

1. 1Common EU evaluation platform with transparent KPIs, workloads, and benchmark reports
2. 2Pilot deployments of European AI compute systems validated for sovereign partitions
3. 3Structured buyer-supplier collaboration framework for deployment, integration, and optimization
4. 4Market creation report for deployment-ready European AI chips and racks

Funding and Budget Rules

The grant is budget-based, mixed actual cost, with a funding rate of up to 100% for eligible costs. Indirect costs are reimbursed at a flat rate of 7% of eligible direct costs. Subcontracting is allowed but limited to a portion of the action, and equipment costs are generally eligible as depreciation unless specified otherwise in the call ⁴.

Budget Categories

Application Process

Proposals must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal in a single-stage procedure. Applicants must complete the Application Form template, include the Ownership Control Declaration, and attach the National Budgets Table. An info session is scheduled on 3 July 2026, 10:00–12:00 CEST for further guidance ⁵.

Submission Portal:EU Funding & Tenders Portal

Helpdesk Contact:calls@chips-ju.europa.eu

Important Considerations

Applicants must ensure compliance with EU security and strategic autonomy rules, especially for classified information. The consortium agreement is required to define internal roles, financial responsibilities, and dispute resolution. Record-keeping and confidentiality obligations extend for 5 years after final payment ⁶.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic details: DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2026-AI-GFP
2. 2Info session registration: Chips JU Info Session
3. 3Expected outcomes summary: Chips JU Work Programme
4. 4Model Grant Agreement (DEP MGA): DEP MGA V1.0
5. 5Info session details: 3 July 2026 Info Session
6. 6Record-keeping and confidentiality rules: Data Sheet Point 6