Call for applications for a grant to support the acquisition of accreditation for the EUCC certification scheme in the framework of financial support to third parties

This grant opportunity is a call for applications aimed at supporting the acquisition of accreditation for the EU Common Criteria-based cybersecurity certification scheme, known as EUCC. The call is managed by the National Cybersecurity Certification Authority in Slovakia, with total funding of 140,000 EUR, providing up to 20,000 EUR for each eligible applicant.

Eligible applicants include legal entities registered in Slovakia, such as commercial enterprises, non-profits, civic associations, and interest associations. Additionally, legal entities from other EU Member States can apply if they possess a registered organizational unit in Slovakia. Public sector organizations from EU member states are not eligible.

The grant type is characterized as non-repayable financial support. There is no requirement for a consortium, allowing individual applicants to submit applications. Geographic eligibility extends to entities registered in the Slovak Republic or those from other EU Member States with a registered unit in Slovakia.

The target sector focuses on cybersecurity certification specifically aimed at ICT products. The project stage concerns activities surrounding obtaining accreditation to become a conformity assessment body (CAB), which includes initial training, documentation development, and accreditation fees. The estimated costs for securing accreditation consist of approximately 8,000 EUR for initial accreditation, 6,000 EUR for training, and another 6,000 EUR for documentation.

The application type is an open call, and the submission deadline is September 30, 2025. The application process is single-stage; however, it involves evaluation and ranking of applications, with funding awarded to the top-ranked projects until the budget is exhausted. The success rates are not explicitly defined and will depend on the total number of applicants and the ranking evaluation.

No formal co-funding is required; however, the fixed grant amount may not cover all associated costs for applicants. While the call does not explicitly mandate co-funding, applicants should be aware that total expenses could exceed 20,000 EUR.

In summary, this grant opportunity aims to enhance the cybersecurity landscape by enabling organizations to achieve EUCC accreditation as conformity assessment bodies. It focuses on supporting various legal entities both in Slovakia and the EU provided they meet specific registration and financial criteria. The initiative seeks to bolster the certification capabilities within the region, thereby fostering greater confidence in the security of digital products and services.

This is a call for applications for a grant to support the acquisition of accreditation for the EUCC certification scheme within the framework of financial support to third parties. The call is managed by the National Cyber Security Centre SK (NBU).

The opening date for the call is July 18, 2025. The deadline for submission is September 30, 2025, at 18:00 Brussels time. The expected duration of participation is until May 30, 2026. The total funding available is 140,000 EUR. The project acronym is TestCert-SK, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Testing and Certification Capabilities in Slovakia. The grant agreement number is 101127837. The topic is DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03-TEST-CERT-CAPABILTIES - Testing and Certification Capabilities.

To apply, applicants must complete an application form, which is Annex 1 to the call for proposals and available in editable format on the Authority's website. The application form should be saved as Grant_Application_Company_Name.

For applicants registered in the Slovak Republic, the completed application form must be signed by the statutory body with a qualified electronic signature or a qualified electronic signature with a mandate certificate or a qualified electronic seal. The signed application must be sent to the Authority electronically via the Authority's electronic mailbox within the Central Portal of Public Administration www.slovensko.sk using the "General Agenda" service.

For applicants registered within the EU but outside the Slovak Republic, the completed application form must be signed by the statutory body. The signature can be in written form (delivered in person, by post, or by courier) or in electronic form (qualified electronic signature in accordance with EU legislation) sent by email, with verifiable validity.

Applications not received in the specified format will be excluded from the evaluation process. Annex 2 of the call provides more details on the application delivery method.

Each grant application will be assessed using the Criteria for the selection of projects, which is Annex 4 to the call. The Authority will create a descending ranking of applicants based on the points obtained from these criteria. Applicants whose grant applications meet the conditions and are fully covered by the available call funds will receive a notification of compliance and a draft grant agreement. Applicants for whom the grant is not fully covered will not receive a draft grant agreement.

Eligible projects must focus on the activities of a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) to obtain accreditation confirming its competence to carry out conformity assessment activities based on the EUCC certification scheme and Commission Implementing Regulation 2024/482. Applicants must submit a project plan to become a CAB meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 or ISO/IEC 17025. The evaluation committee will assess the project objectives, planned implementation, and contribution to cybersecurity, as outlined in Annex 2, Part C.

Eligible applicants include:

1. a) Legal persons pursuant to Section 2(2)(a) of the Commercial Code.
 b) Non-profit organizations pursuant to Section 2 of Act No 213/1997 Coll. on non-profit organizations providing generally beneficial services, as amended.
 c) Civic associations pursuant to Section 2 of Act No 83/1990 Coll. on the association of citizens, as amended.
 d) Interest associations of legal persons pursuant to Sections 20f - 20j of Act No. 40/1964 Coll. as amended - Civil Code, which meet all the following conditions:
 * They are registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic on the date of submission of the application.
 * They have, at the date of submission of the application, approved financial statements for:
 - A completed accounting period which is not less than 12 months old and which is also immediately preceding the accounting period in which the application is submitted, or
 - A completed accounting period which is not an accounting period of less than 12 months and which is also immediately preceding the accounting period referred to in the preceding indent.

2. Legal entities registered in an EU Member State (except public sector organizations) which, on the date of signing the GRANT contract, prove that they have an organizational unit of a foreign legal entity registered in the Commercial Register of the Slovak Republic.

The grant amount is 20,000 EUR per eligible applicant.

The calculation of accreditation costs is based on expert estimates. The costs incurred to obtain accreditation of the conformity assessment body (excluding the costs of maintaining the accreditation) will be the following minimum amounts excluding VAT:

* The cost of initial accreditation paid to the accreditation body, as estimated by the accreditation body itself, will exceed 8,000 EUR.
* The cost of relevant training (on the requirements of the EUCC certification scheme, Commission Implementing Regulation 2024/482, on the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 and/or ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 27001) for at least one staff member will exceed 6,000 EUR.
* The cost of producing the relevant documentation and procedural documents shall exceed 6,000 EUR.

This grant opportunity aims to bolster the cybersecurity landscape by supporting organizations in achieving accreditation as Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) under the EUCC certification scheme. It provides financial assistance to cover the costs associated with obtaining this accreditation, including initial accreditation fees, staff training, and the development of necessary documentation. The call is open to various legal entities, both within and outside Slovakia, provided they meet specific registration and financial stability criteria. The application process involves submitting a detailed project plan outlining how the applicant intends to become a CAB compliant with ISO/IEC standards, and the selection process prioritizes projects that demonstrate a strong contribution to cybersecurity. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to enhance the testing and certification capabilities within Slovakia and the broader EU, ensuring greater confidence in the security of digital products and services.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal persons pursuant to Section 2(2)(a) of the Commercial Code, non-profit organizations pursuant to Section 2 of Act No 213/1997 Coll. on non-profit organizations providing generally beneficial services, civic associations pursuant to Section 2 of Act No 83/1990 Coll. on the association of citizens, and interest associations of legal persons pursuant to § 20f - § 20j of Act No. 40/1964 Coll. as amended - Civil Code. These entities must be registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic on the date of submission and have approved financial statements for a completed accounting period which is not less than 12 months old and which is also immediately preceding the accounting period in which the application is submitted, or a completed accounting period which is not an accounting period of less than 12 months and which is also immediately preceding the accounting period referred to in the preceding indent. Also eligible are legal entities registered in an EU Member State (except public sector organizations) which, on the date of signing the GRANT contract, prove that they have an organizational unit of a foreign legal entity registered in the Commercial Register of the Slovak Republic.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to be open to single applicants.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes the Slovak Republic and EU Member States. Specifically, applicants must be registered in the territory of the Slovak Republic or, if registered in another EU Member State, they must have an organizational unit registered in the Commercial Register of the Slovak Republic by the time the grant contract is signed. Public sector organizations from other EU member states are not eligible.

Target Sector: The target sector is cybersecurity, specifically focusing on testing and certification capabilities. The call supports the acquisition of accreditation for the EUCC certification scheme.

Mentioned Countries: Slovak Republic, EU Member States.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on obtaining accreditation, which suggests a development or validation stage, moving towards implementation of certification capabilities.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is a fixed grant of 20,000 EUR. The total funding available for the call is 140,000 EUR.

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

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: There is a single-stage application process.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but it depends on the ranking of applications based on the selection criteria and the availability of funds. Only those applicants whose grant is fully covered by the available funds will receive a draft grant agreement.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned as a requirement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for applications for a grant to support the acquisition of accreditation for the EUCC (European Cybersecurity Certification Scheme) certification scheme. The call is part of a broader effort to enhance testing and certification capabilities in Slovakia and across the EU. The funding is provided by the NCCA (National Cyber Security Centre) of Slovakia. The grant amount is 20,000 EUR per project, and the total funding available is 140,000 EUR. The call is targeted at legal entities and non-profit organizations registered in the Slovak Republic, as well as legal entities from other EU Member States that have a registered organizational unit in Slovakia. Public sector organizations from other EU member states are not eligible. The projects should focus on activities related to becoming a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) and meeting the requirements of ISO/IEC 17065 or ISO/IEC 17025 standards. The application deadline is September 30, 2025. The application process involves submitting a completed application form, signed either electronically or in written form, along with a project plan. The applications will be evaluated based on criteria outlined in Annex 4 of the call, and successful applicants will be ranked accordingly. The grant aims to cover costs associated with obtaining accreditation, including initial accreditation fees, training costs, and the cost of producing relevant documentation. The call is relevant for organizations seeking to become accredited under the EUCC scheme and contribute to the cybersecurity ecosystem.