Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Studies

The Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Studies call CEF-DIG-2026, managed by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), funds preparatory studies for deployment or significant upgrades of EU backbone networks, with priority for projects improving resilience and security of submarine cables and other critical physical European infrastructures. The combined call budget is €180,000,000, with a maximum EU grant of €5,000,000 per studies project and a funding rate of up to 50% of eligible costs. Eligible applicants must be legal entities established in EU Member States and comply with strict ownership, control and security requirements; activities must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The submission deadline is 30 June 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time and proposals are evaluated on Priority and Urgency, Maturity, Quality, Impact and Catalytic Effect against individual and overall thresholds.

Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Studies (CEF-DIG-2026-GATEWAYS-STUDIES)

What it funds

Preparatory studies and survey work for backbone connectivity projects (not construction). Eligible activities include marine ground surveys and permit applications for submarine cables, and studies preparing possible deployment or significant upgrades of backbone networks (terrestrial, submarine or satellite) that address risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies in EU backbone infrastructure. Projects that contribute to resilience/security in the Commission’s CPEI priority areas (notably Areas 1-7 from the February 2026 list) are scored positively under Priority and Urgency.

Who can apply

Legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries as defined in the call; only EU Member State entities are eligible for this restricted call due to security/ownership control rules. Applicants must be registered in the Participant Register (PIC) and comply with ownership/control, security and other eligibility checks described in the call documents.

Scope highlights

1. 1Studies must concern backbone connectivity that either connects at least two Member States, connects a Member State to its islands/outermost regions/OCTs, or connects Member State(s) and third countries (directly or via linked cable infrastructures).
2. 2Only cross-border terrestrial segments necessary to interconnect national backbones are fundable.
3. 3Preparatory work prior to contracting suppliers (e.g. marine surveys, permits) is eligible; studies for projects of European interest during MFF 2028-2034 are also eligible.

Budget and award limits:Total indicative call budget €180,000,000. Maximum grant per project for the Studies topic: €5,000,000. Works topic and exceptional cases under the overall call have different ceilings; see call document for details ¹.

Key eligibility and compliance requirements

1. 1Applicants must be legal entities established in eligible countries and registered in the Participant Register (PIC).
2. 2Security declarations and compliance with EU cybersecurity and submarine cable security toolboxes are mandatory for funded activities.
3. 3Ownership and control restrictions apply; entities controlled from non-eligible third countries may be excluded or required to provide national security guarantees approved by the competent national authority.
4. 4Proposals must include required annexes (detailed budget per WP, timetable/Gantt, letters of support by Member States benefiting, ownership control declaration, etc.).

Evaluation and priorities

Proposals are evaluated on Priority and Urgency, Maturity, Quality, Impact and Catalytic Effect (individual and overall thresholds apply). Positive scoring is given to studies that contribute to resilience and security in identified CPEI priority areas (Areas 1-7 of the February 2026 list). Successful proposals will be invited to grant preparation; award is subject to legal and security checks.

Application and deadlines:Submit electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Planned opening 17 March 2026; submission deadline 30 June 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Start grant preparation and supporting documents must be available promptly if the proposal is selected ¹.

Where to read more

Full call document, application forms, templates and guidance are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and in the call documentation. See also the Commission’s Cable Security Toolbox and CPEI list for priority areas.

Footnotes

1. 1Full eligibility rules, funding rates, required annexes, security and ownership-control procedures are specified in the call document and related templates on the Funding & Tenders Portal (topic CEF-DIG-2026): Call topic page.

Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways – Studies (CEF-DIG-2026-GATEWAYS-STUDIES)

Programme: Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) – Digital strand. Managing authority: European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Type of action: CEF-PJG (CEF Project Grants). Topic status: Forthcoming. Planned opening date: 17 March 2026. Deadline: 30 June 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission and evaluation. Primary topic page: CEF-DIG-2026-GATEWAYS-STUDIES. Call document: Call fiche (PDF).

Opportunity Overview and Purpose

This topic funds studies that prepare the deployment or significant upgrade of European backbone connectivity to address risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies in the EU backbone infrastructure. It targets cross-border or strategic connections, including submarine, terrestrial and island/outermost links, and links between Member States and third countries. Proposals should indicate if and how they contribute to resilience and security in the Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs) priority areas identified in February 2026 (Areas 1–13, except Areas 8 and 10, with particular focus on Areas 1–7), since such contributions are positively scored under the Priority and Urgency criterion. The expected impact is to improve the quality and maturity of future EU backbone network deployments, especially CPEIs.

Scope and Activities Funded

Eligible studies must prepare backbone connectivity that meets at least one of the following conditions: connects at least two EU Member States (for terrestrial backbones, only cross-border segments needed to interconnect national backbones are eligible); connects a Member State with one or several of its islands, outermost regions, or overseas countries and territories; connects one or several Member States with third countries, including accession and neighbourhood countries, directly or indirectly via other cable infrastructures linked to the Union.

• Preparatory work prior to signing supplier contracts (e.g., marine ground surveys for submarine cables, permit applications).
• Studies that may lead to follow-on deployments of cable projects of European interest during the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework.

Note: The WORKS sister topic includes technology choices (submarine cable systems, terrestrial backbones, satellite ground stations), security-by-design and smart cable technologies, but this STUDIES topic focuses on preparatory activities; applicants should still embed security, resilience and supply chain considerations into their study planning, consistent with the CEF-Digital Work Programme guidance and the EU Cable Security Toolbox.

Budget, Funding Rate and Timeline

• Total indicative call budget (both topics combined): €180,000,000.
• Per-project maximum EU grant (Studies topic): up to €5,000,000.
• Exceptional higher caps (up to €60,000,000) may apply where: (a) proposals combine systems led by different promoters to achieve greater geographic reach or avoid overlaps and demonstrate higher impact and catalytic effect; or (b) the scope contributes entirely and significantly to a Stage 1 CPEI priority area with strong priority/urgency and high maturity/quality.
• Funding rate: up to 50% of eligible costs for studies.
• Key dates (indicative): Call opening 17 March 2026; Submission deadline 30 June 2026; Evaluation Q3 2026; Information on results Q4 2026; Grant agreement signature Q1 2027.

Eligibility and Participation Conditions

Eligible Applicant Types

Legal entities (public or private) established in EU Member States, including entities in Overseas Countries and Territories linked to Member States, may participate. International organisations are eligible. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed individuals where the entity has no distinct legal personality. Typical eligible actors include electronic communications operators and carriers, submarine cable developers and vendors, utilities, infrastructure owners, satellite operators (for related backbone ground segment in certain contexts), national or regional authorities, investors, and research or technical organisations with relevant competence.

Ownership and Control Restrictions; Security

This topic is subject to strict security and ownership/control restrictions under the CEF-Digital Work Programme and the Financial Regulation. Participation in any capacity (beneficiary, affiliated entity, associated partner, subcontractor, recipient of financial support to third parties) is limited to entities from eligible countries and must not be directly or indirectly controlled by ineligible third countries. An Ownership Control Declaration is required and will be assessed; where permitted, non-EU-controlled entities may exceptionally participate if indispensable and if a national security guarantee is approved and accepted. Guidance: Ownership/control restrictions guidance.

Geographic Location of Activities

Activities must take place in eligible countries (EU Member States). Activities in third countries or international waters may be eligible only where indispensable to achieve a project of common interest that links to the Union, with appropriate security declarations and, where applicable, third-country security guarantees.

Evaluation and Award

Single-stage submission and one-step evaluation by an expert panel. Proposals must pass individual thresholds (3/5 per criterion) and an overall threshold (15/25). Priority order for ties: Priority and Urgency, then Maturity, Catalytic effect, Impact, and Quality.

Positive emphasis is given to projects that contribute to the resilience and security of submarine cable connectivity in CPEI priority Areas 1–13 (except 8 and 10), with particular emphasis on Areas 1–7, under the Priority and Urgency criterion. The topic also aligns with the EU Cable Security Toolbox and the EU Action Plan on Cable Security. Reference: Submarine Cable Security Toolbox and CPEIs.

What Will Be Funded (Studies Topic)

• Feasibility studies, marine ground and route surveys for submarine cables and landings.
• Environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence, permitting strategies, and cross-border coordination frameworks.
• Techno-economic and market failure analyses for targeted routes (lack of redundancy, insufficient capacity vs demand forecasts, or regulated non-competitive routes where wholesale open access is envisaged).
• Risk, resilience and security assessments aligned with the EU Cable Security Toolbox, including supply chain security considerations and measures to mitigate high-risk supplier dependencies.
• Cross-programme synergy analysis and structuring with other funding sources (e.g., NDICI, ERDF, IPA III), where State aid rules may apply.
• Maturity roadmaps and investment plans, business/cost-benefit analyses where relevant to justify public intervention and catalytic effects.

Budget Categories and Cost Eligibility (summary for Studies)

• Eligible direct costs: personnel (employees, equivalent direct contracts, seconded staff; SME owner/natural person unit cost possible), subcontracting (must follow best value/no conflict rules and country restrictions), purchases (travel/accommodation/subsistence on actual costs; equipment at full cost if capitalised; other goods, works and services including permits, surveys, studies).
• Other categories: D.2 Studies is applicable; financial support to third parties is not allowed under this call; synergetic elements and works in outermost regions are specific to the WORKS topic and do not apply to studies within this Studies topic.
• Indirect costs: 0% flat-rate (none).
• VAT is ineligible; land purchase is inapplicable to studies.
• Costs must be incurred in eligible countries; exceptions require prior approval and security compliance.

Who Should Apply (Categorisation Responses)

Eligible Applicant Types:Operators and carriers; telecom infrastructure developers and vendors (e.g., submarine cable suppliers, landing station system integrators); utilities; national, regional and local authorities; government-controlled infrastructure entities; universities and research institutes with relevant expertise; nonprofit and NGOs active in digital infrastructure policy or planning; public-private partnerships; international organisations; SMEs and large enterprises; investors or special purpose vehicles set up for backbone projects; self-employed individuals only if they are sole traders without separate legal personality. All must be established in EU Member States and comply with ownership/control restrictions; OCTs are eligible subject to CEF rules. Entities controlled from ineligible third countries are restricted unless a security guarantee is accepted as per the guidance.

Funding Type:Grant (CEF Action Grant, budget-based, mixed actual cost with possible unit cost elements for personnel).

Consortium Requirement:Single beneficiary or multi-beneficiary consortium are both allowed. There is no mandatory consortium composition. Letters of support from all benefitting Member States are required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States only for beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, subcontractors and any recipients of financial support. OCTs linked to Member States are eligible. Exceptional participation of entities established in associated/other third countries is possible only if indispensable, with approved security guarantees; activities in third countries can be eligible if indispensable for the project linking to the Union and covered by security declarations/guarantees.

Target Sector:Digital connectivity infrastructure, with emphasis on submarine cables and landing infrastructure planning; terrestrial cross-border backbone segments; connectivity for islands, outermost regions and overseas territories; interconnections with third countries; cybersecurity and resilience of critical communications; satellite ground segment planning where relevant to backbone.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States; Hungary (conditionality measures affecting certain entities); Russia; Ukraine. Regions and categories referenced include Outermost Regions, Overseas Countries and Territories, accession and neighbourhood countries, and international waters.

Project Stage:Studies and preparatory phase. Outputs include surveys, designs, permitting strategies, risk/security assessments, investment and maturity plans intended to lead to future deployment and significant upgrades.

Funding Amount:Total call envelope across topics: approximately €180,000,000. Typical Studies project cap: up to €5,000,000 EU contribution at 50% funding rate; exceptional cases up to €60,000,000 if combining systems across promoters for larger geographic impact or fully and significantly addressing a Stage 1 CPEI priority area with high priority/urgency and maturity.

Application Type:Open call; single-stage submission through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Financial support as a grant (money). Non-financial services are not part of this topic.

Application Stages:1 stage. Internal evaluation has three phases (individual evaluation, consensus, panel review) but applicants submit once.

Success Rates:Not specified in the call. Proposals meeting thresholds are funded within the available budget; others may receive a Seal of Excellence.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. EU funding covers up to 50% of eligible study costs; applicants must ensure the remaining financing. Additional national/EU funds may be combined where compatible; State aid rules may apply under shared management funds. No-profit and no double funding rules apply.

How to Apply

Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Register your organisation to obtain a PIC, prepare Part A (online), Part B (technical narrative PDF), and mandatory annexes. Portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

• Deadline model: single-stage. Do not wait until the last minute; late submissions are not accepted.
• Page limits: Part B up to 120 pages; excess pages are disregarded.
• Submission completeness: missing mandatory annexes or ownership/control declarations can render the proposal inadmissible.

Mandatory Documents and Templates

• Application Form Part A (online) and Part B (technical description PDF). Template and structure: Application Form (Part A/B) package.
• Detailed Budget Table per Work Package (Excel) with built-in summaries and consistency checks; upload as annex to Part B. Template: Detailed budget per WP (XLSX).
• Timetable/Gantt Chart using the provided template or an equivalent chart meeting minimum requirements. Template: Gantt chart template (DOCX).
• Letters of support from all Member States benefitting from the project (Member State Agreement). Template: MS Letter of Support (DOCX).
• Ownership Control Declaration for all participating entities subject to checks; see guidance and portal template.
• Annual activity report(s) of the last year (except for exempt entities).
• List of previous key projects for the last four years (as per Part B template).
• CEF Model Grant Agreement for information: CEF MGA.
• Additional reference documents: CEF Multiannual Work Programme 2024–2027 and amendment; CEF Regulation 2021/1153; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.

Application Templates – Structure and Guidance

Part B Technical Description – outline:0. Project description: objective, context (CPEIs where relevant), location and corridors, justification of need/market failure, specific objectives, expected outcomes and ownership model post-deployment. 1. Priority and Urgency: alignment with topic objectives, EU added value, CPEI area contribution, and synergies with other CEF sectors and EU programmes. 2. Maturity: readiness of the study; status of permits and contracting for surveys/assessments; financial maturity and sources of co-funding. 3. Quality: implementation plan, governance, work plan, risk and quality management, and communication/visibility. 4. Impact: demand and problem analysis, socio-economic impact, environmental/climate impact, digital security and resilience (Toolbox alignment), competition impacts, interoperability/integration/accessibility, cross-border dimension, outermost region implications, third-country impact. 5. Catalytic effect: financial gap, leverage of public/private investments, stakeholder commitments. 6. Work plan: WP structure (WP1 management; WP2+ technical study tasks), tasks, milestones/deliverables, timetable (Gantt), and resource table. 7–8. Ethics and Security; Declarations (including any higher funding rate claim and twinning if applicable).

Detailed Budget Table per WP – sheets and use:Seven-sheet Excel: Start (project data); Work packages with funding rates; Participants; DB table (costs per beneficiary, WP, reporting period); Summary pivots by WP and by participant; Consistency check to reconcile with the Portal online budget. Upload the Excel as an annex; ensure the online summarised budget matches the Excel or the online values prevail.

Gantt Chart – minimum requirements:Show project months from Month 1 start; map tasks per WP over time; indicate milestones and critical path milestones; include an overlay for periodic reporting where relevant. For periodic reports, show agreed vs updated timelines as grey vs green.

Letters of Support – Member State agreement:Each benefitting Member State confirms agreement with submission. Use the provided template with Ministry/Department, contact person, legal address, and signature/stamp fields. Upload a single assembled file with all letters.

Ownership and Control – declarations and checks:All participating entities subject to restrictions must submit an Ownership Control Declaration at proposal stage. If non‑EU control is identified and allowed exceptionally, a security guarantee approved by the competent national authority must be provided during grant preparation. See guidance: Participation in restricted calls – guidance.

Legal, Financial and Reporting Essentials

• Grant form: budget-based, reimbursement of eligible costs actually incurred (with possible unit costs for personnel).
• Funding limits: 50% for studies. No indirect costs (0%). No VAT. No land purchase for studies.
• Payments: 30% prefinancing typical; interim payments (if applicable); balance at end. No-profit and no double funding rules apply.
• Record-keeping: retain original or legally valid digital records for five years after final payment (three years for grants ≤ €60,000).
• Security and values: compliance with EU security guidance, toolbox measures, high-risk supplier restrictions, EU values, and data protection.
• Communication and visibility: acknowledge EU funding with emblem and statement across materials and outputs.
• Consortium agreement: recommended/required per call document; it should define internal governance, payment distribution, IPR/background/results handling, and dispute resolution.

Help and Support

• Topic page and Q&A (updates are published there): Topic page.
• HaDEA CEF DIGITAL CALLS contact (non‑IT questions): as indicated on the topic page.
• IT Helpdesk: Portal access and submission issues.
• Online Manual and Portal FAQs: process guidance for registration, submission, evaluation and grant management.
• CEF Multiannual Work Programme 2024–2027 (and 2026 amendment) context: CEF-Digital MWP 2024–2027.

Comprehensive Summary

The CEF-DIG-2026 topic provides EU grants to fund studies that prepare for the deployment or significant upgrade of EU backbone connectivity, addressing security, resilience and strategic autonomy priorities. Projects must connect at least two Member States, link Member States with islands/outermost/overseas territories, or interconnect the EU with third countries in ways that strengthen the Union’s backbone network. The call emphasises alignment with the EU Cable Security Toolbox and the Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs), prioritising proposals that enhance the resilience and security of submarine cable connectivity in identified CPEI areas. Eligible applicants include public and private entities across the EU ecosystem of digital infrastructure planners, operators, vendors and authorities; all participants must comply with strict ownership/control and security restrictions. The Studies topic covers preparatory surveys, permitting, feasibility and techno‑economic/security analyses and investment roadmaps that pave the way for works in the 2028–2034 MFF. EU funding typically covers up to 50% of eligible study costs, with per‑project caps of €5 million and exceptional increases possible for integrated multi‑promoter systems or projects fully addressing Stage 1 CPEI priority areas. Proposals are evaluated on priority/urgency (notably CPEI contributions), maturity, quality, impact and catalytic effect, under a single‑stage process. Applicants submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using standard templates (Part A/B), with a detailed budget Excel, a Gantt chart, Member State support letters and ownership/control documentation. Successful proposals will demonstrate well‑justified market failures (redundancy gaps, capacity deficits, or regulated non‑competitive routes with open wholesale access), robust security and resilience planning consistent with EU guidance, credible permitting and stakeholder engagement plans, and clear catalytic potential to mobilise co‑investment. In short, this opportunity is a focused instrument to mature high‑impact, security‑critical backbone routes that connect Europe internally and externally, reduce strategic dependencies, and prepare for rapid, high‑quality deployment under future investment windows.

Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Studies

Funding Opportunity Overview

The Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways - Studies call is part of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital Strand, managed by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). This call supports feasibility studies and preparatory work for the deployment or significant upgrade of backbone networks addressing risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies in the EU backbone infrastructure. The call is aligned with the EU Digital Global Gateway Strategy and contributes to the security, redundancy and resilience of European digital infrastructures, particularly submarine cables.

Call Timeline and Deadlines

Opening Date:17 March 2026. Technical issues were reported at launch; submission system opened in the following days.

Submission Deadline:30 June 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time (CEST). Submissions must be made electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal; paper submissions are not accepted.

Evaluation Timeline:Q3 2026 for evaluation, Q4 2026 for results notification, Q1 2027 for Grant Agreement signature.

Funding Information

Total Budget:€180,000,000 for the combined CEF-DIG-2026-GATEWAYS call (shared between WORKS and STUDIES topics). Budget may be increased up to 20% of the total if additional funds become available through the work programme.

Maximum Grant Amount per Project:€5,000,000 per studies project.

Funding Rate:Maximum 50% of eligible costs for studies activities. This is lower than the works funding rate (30% for general projects, 70% for outermost regions).

Grant Type:Budget-based mixed actual cost grant under CEF Project Grants (CEF-PJG). Reimbursement covers actual costs incurred, with eligible cost categories including personnel, subcontracting, purchase costs, and indirect costs at 0% flat-rate.

Objective and Scope

The call aims to fund studies related to the deployment or significant upgrade of backbone networks that address identified risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies in the EU backbone infrastructure. Studies must contribute to improved quality and maturity of future EU backbone network development, particularly for Critical Physical European Infrastructures (CPEIs).

The objective aligns with the EU Action Plan on Cable Security (February 2025) and follows the Commission Recommendation on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures. Priority is given to studies addressing CPEI priority areas identified in the EU Cable Security Toolbox and CPEI list published in February 2026.

Eligible Geographic Scope

Studies must address backbone connectivity meeting at least one of the following conditions:

• Connect at least two EU Member States (for terrestrial backbones, only cross-border segments necessary to interconnect national backbones are eligible)
• Connect a Member State with one or several of its islands, outermost regions, or overseas countries and territories (OCTs)
• Connect one or several Member States and third countries, including accession and neighbourhood countries, either directly or indirectly via other cable infrastructures linked to the Union

Projects should specify whether they contribute to the resilience and security of submarine cable connectivity in CPEI Areas 1-13 (excluding Areas 8 and 10), with particular emphasis on Areas 1-7. Such contributions are scored positively under the evaluation criterion 'Priority and Urgency'.

Eligible Activities

The following activities can be funded under this call:

• All preparatory work required prior to signing a contract with a supplier, including marine ground surveys for submarine cables and applications for required permits
• Studies for possible follow-up and deployment of cable projects of European interest during the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034
• Feasibility studies examining deployment options and technical approaches
• Environmental and social impact assessments
• Risk and vulnerability analyses
• Cost-benefit analyses and financial viability assessments

Activities must comply with the strictest cybersecurity requirements imposed by national law and relevant EU guidance. Studies must consider the EU Cable Toolbox risk scenarios and identify appropriate mitigating measures.

Eligible Participants

This call is subject to security restrictions limiting participation to entities established in EU Member States only.

Legal Entity Requirements:Applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in one of the eligible EU Member States. Natural persons are not eligible except as self-employed sole traders. International organisations are eligible.

Eligibility Restrictions:Due to security concerns, only EU Member States are eligible. Entities must not be directly or indirectly controlled from non-EU countries. Participants must register in the Participant Register before submission and complete ownership control declarations. Entities controlled from outside the EU must provide security guarantees approved by their Member State, or they will be ineligible.

Exclusion Grounds:Applicants subject to EU exclusion decisions or in situations such as bankruptcy, breach of tax or social security obligations, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, or significant deficiencies in complying with EU obligations are not eligible.

Consortium and Partnership Requirements

There are no specific eligibility conditions concerning consortium composition. However, all applicants must retain responsibility for ensuring proper implementation. The consortium must include a designated coordinator who serves as intermediary for all communications with the granting authority.

Participants can include beneficiaries, affiliated entities (which can charge costs), associated partners (which cannot charge costs), and subcontractors. Beneficiaries must maintain internal arrangements regarding operation and coordination. If required by the granting authority, these must be documented in a written consortium agreement.

Letters of support from all Member States benefitting from the project are mandatory and must be submitted as part of the application.

Project Duration

The call document does not specify maximum duration for studies. However, project duration will be fixed in the Grant Agreement based on the proposed timeline. Applicants must demonstrate realistic project planning with achievable timelines for completion.

Award Criteria and Evaluation

Proposals are evaluated against five award criteria, each scored on a 0-5 point scale. To pass evaluation, proposals must achieve minimum 3 points per criterion and 15 points overall (out of maximum 25 points).

1. Priority and Urgency (5 points maximum):Evaluates correspondence with sectoral policy objectives, EU added-value, and alignment with Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEI) priority areas. Studies contributing to CPEI Areas 1-7 receive positive scoring.

2. Maturity (5 points maximum):Assesses readiness and technical maturity, availability of financial resources, status of contracting procedures, necessary permits and authorisations, and ability to complete within proposed timeframe.

3. Quality (5 points maximum):Evaluates soundness of implementation plan, technical and financial approach, organisational structures, risk analysis, quality management, and communication strategy.

4. Impact (5 points maximum):Assesses economic, social, and environmental impact including climate effects, safety and security considerations, interoperability and accessibility aspects, cross-border dimension, and contribution to outermost regions and islands.

5. Catalytic Effect (5 points maximum):Evaluates the effect of EU financial assistance in realising the project, including capacity to overcome financial gaps, mobilise additional investments, and accelerate implementation plans.

For proposals with equal scores, priority order is determined by: Priority and Urgency score, then Maturity, then Catalytic Effect, then Impact, then Quality.

Security Requirements

All proposals submitted to this topic must include security declarations by participating entities receiving funding. These declarations must demonstrate that digital infrastructure and equipment funded by the grant will comply with strict security requirements in accordance with applicable EU law, national law, and EU guidance on cybersecurity.

Declarations must address: compliance with cybersecurity requirements imposed by national law and EU toolboxes; measures to exclude or restrict high-risk suppliers; supply chain resilience measures; security requirements for network operators; measures to prevent unsolicited data transfer or access; relevant risk scenarios and mitigating measures from the EU Cables Risk Assessment and EU Cable Toolbox for submarine cable projects.

Beneficiaries must ensure that results remain with the beneficiary for 10 years after project completion and that effective measures address security issues, including avoiding non-eligible third country jurisdiction obligations.

Eligible Costs

Eligible costs for studies include all categories typically available under CEF grants:

• Personnel costs: calculated at daily rates based on actual annual costs divided by 215 working days, or using average personnel costs as unit costs
• Subcontracting costs: for action tasks, calculated on basis of actual costs incurred, awarded using best value for money procurement
• Purchase costs: equipment, goods, works and services necessary for the study, including travel and subsistence at actual costs
• Studies costs: all work necessary to prepare studies
• Indirect costs: 0% flat-rate (not reimbursed)

Ineligible costs include VAT, return on capital, debt service, currency exchange losses, excessive expenditure, costs during grant suspension, and costs declared under other EU grants (except in specific Synergy actions). Activities must take place in eligible countries.

Application Requirements

All proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal before the deadline. Paper submissions are not accepted.

Required Documents:Application Form Part A (administrative information); Application Form Part B (technical description, maximum 120 pages); Detailed budget table per work package; Timetable and Gantt chart; Letters of support from all Member States benefitting from the project; Ownership control declarations for all participants; Security compliance declarations; List of previous projects (key projects for last 4 years); Annual activity reports; Any other documents specified in call conditions.

Submission Requirements:All participants must register in the Participant Register before submission. Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must be validated by the Central Validation Service. Proposals must be complete with all mandatory annexes and supporting documents. Application Form Part B must be downloaded from the Portal, completed, then uploaded as PDF. Page limits are strictly enforced; excess pages will be disregarded. Minimum font size Arial 9 points; margins at least 15mm.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Proposals undergo a two-stage evaluation process: initial check for admissibility and eligibility, followed by evaluation on award criteria by an evaluation committee with independent external experts.

Admissibility checks verify submission before deadline and completeness of required documentation. Eligibility checks confirm applicant legal status, establishment in eligible countries, and compliance with participant conditions. Proposals found admissible and eligible proceed to evaluation on award criteria.

Successful proposals are invited for grant preparation, which involves dialogue to fine-tune technical and financial aspects. Approval of evaluation does not constitute formal funding commitment; legal checks, financial capacity assessment, and exclusion checks must be completed before grant agreement signature.

Proposals passing evaluation but below budget threshold (not ranked high enough for funding) are awarded a Seal of Excellence, which may be shared with other EU or national funding bodies to facilitate alternative funding opportunities.

Grant Agreement and Financial Arrangements

Prefinancing Payment:Initial prefinancing of 30% of maximum grant amount paid 30 days from entry into force and financial guarantee provision (whichever is latest). Prefinancing remains EU property until final payment.

Interim and Final Payments:Additional prefinancing available if previous prefinancing utilisation statement shows less than 70% used. Interim payments possible with detailed cost reporting; final payment calculated after project completion. Payment of balance made 90 days after receiving final periodic report.

Currency and Conversion:All financial statements must be in euros. Beneficiaries with accounts in other currencies convert at average daily ECB rates published in Official Journal for the reporting period, or monthly rates from InforEuro if daily rates unavailable.

Financial Capacity and Guarantees:Beneficiaries must have stable, sufficient resources for project implementation. Financial capacity checked based on profit and loss statements, balance sheets, audit reports, and other financial documents. Prefinancing guarantees may be required; amount set during grant preparation, normally equal to or lower than prefinancing. Guarantees must be in euros from approved bank or financial institution in EU Member State.

Reporting and Monitoring

Beneficiaries must keep records and supporting documents for minimum 5 years after final payment (or 3 years for grants up to €60,000), including contracts, invoices, accounting records, and time tracking for personnel costs. Records must enable direct reconciliation between declared amounts, accounts, and supporting documents.

Continuous reporting required through Portal Continuous Reporting tool with progress on deliverables, milestones, outputs and indicators. Periodic reports required according to schedule in Data Sheet, including technical and financial parts. Beneficiaries must declare all eligible costs incurred even if exceeding estimated budget; undeclared costs not taken into account. Final periodic reports must include revenues statement and confirm no profit from the grant.

Contacts and Support

For IT-related questions on Portal submission system: IT Helpdesk via IT Helpdesk webform. For non-IT questions: HADEA-CEFDIGITAL-CALLS@ec.europa.eu. Submit questions no later than 10 days before submission deadline (by 20 June 2026). For procedural guidance: consult Online Manual at EU Funding and Tenders Portal. General FAQs available on Portal. HaDEA website provides call information and list of previously funded projects.

Key Success Factors for Applicants

• Align proposal with CPEI priorities, particularly Areas 1-7, for enhanced scoring on Priority and Urgency
• Demonstrate clear market failure justification for the proposed study area
• Ensure strong Member State political commitment with valid letters of support from all benefitting Member States
• Integrate comprehensive security assessments addressing EU Cable Toolbox risk scenarios and mitigating measures
• Present realistic project planning with achievable milestones and detailed cost justification
• Ensure all consortium members have adequate operational and financial capacity
• Verify EU control status early and obtain guarantees if non-EU controlled entities are involved
• Address cross-border and third-country dimensions clearly, especially for submarine cable projects
• Provide balanced consortium with complementary expertise in technical, financial and administrative domains
• Submit complete application with all mandatory documents; incomplete submissions may be rejected

Important Notes and Restrictions

Technical issues reported at call opening on 17 March 2026; applicants should allow time for portal access stabilisation. This call is restricted due to security concerns; only EU Member State entities eligible. Ownership control conditions must be fulfilled at proposal submission and maintained throughout project. Submission deadlines cannot be extended; submit well in advance to avoid technical problems. Multiple proposals for very similar projects will not both be accepted; applicants asked to withdraw duplicates or only one will be evaluated. Beneficiaries remain eligible under CEF Digital throughout action duration for costs to be reimbursable. Projects combining systems from different promoters may qualify for higher €60 million maximum if demonstrating greater geographical reach and cost-efficiency synergies. Grant agreements provide detailed terms on suspension, termination, recoveries, and sanctions for non-compliance.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document and detailed guidance materials available at CEF Digital Call Portal. Model Grant Agreement and full application templates downloadable from Portal Reference Documents section. EU Cable Security Toolbox and CPEI list available at Digital Strategy.