Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative

Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative PPPA-2026 is a single-stage PPPA call to finance Track 2 diplomacy, applied research, supply-chain mapping and advocacy activities to complement the European Chips Act. One grant of up to €975,000 is available, covering up to 90% of eligible costs for projects of 12–24 months duration. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States and related eligible countries submitting a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 30 April 2026, 17:00 Brussels time, following the call fiche and portal templates.

Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative — Call PPPA-2026-CHIPS-DSI

What the call funds

Summary

Pilot project to finance track 2 chips diplomacy: informal international dialogues, research and intelligence on semiconductor ecosystems, supply-chain mapping and resilience, advocacy and outreach activities to support EU policy and the European Semiconductor Board.

Funding and deadlines:One grant expected, maximum EU contribution €975,000; EU co-financing up to 90%. Call opens 19 March 2026; deadline 30 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Project duration normally 12 to 24 months.

1. 1Who can apply: legal entities established in eligible countries (EU Member States and related eligible entities); public bodies, civil society organisations, research centres, companies and think tanks. Natural persons are not eligible.
2. 2Consortium requirement: proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least three independent entities from three different eligible countries.
3. 3Eligible activities: consultations and bilateral/multilateral meetings, briefings, studies, mapping and monitoring, conferences, webinars, dissemination, networking, tabletop exercises; financial support to third parties is not allowed unless specified by the call.
4. 4Form of grant: PPPA project grant, budget-based mixed actual costs with unit cost and flat-rate elements; indirect costs flat-rate 7% of eligible direct costs.
5. 5Key conditions: proposals must comply with eligibility, admissibility, financial and operational capacity checks and follow the Portal submission rules; ethics and security requirements apply.

Apply and submit proposals electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Topic page. Full call conditions, templates and legal provisions are in the call document Call document ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call document, annexes and application templates are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: ec.europa.eu

Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative — Call PPPA-2026-CHIPS-DSI

Overview and purpose

This is a single-stage call for proposals under the EU Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA) programme. The action title is Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative PPPA-2026. The objective is to finance a pilot action to support Track 2 informal diplomacy, research, advocacy and intelligence activities related to the European semiconductor ecosystem to complement the Chips Act and the Commission’s work on Economic Security. The call aims to increase coordination and confidence-building among Union stakeholders and selected international partners and to provide intelligence, mapping and policy convergence work to strengthen supply chain resilience, export control coordination, standards, IP protection and green innovation impacts.

Key dates, budget and basic facts

Opening date: 19 March 2026. Submission deadline: 30 April 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Planned evaluation: May–June 2026; information on evaluation results: end June 2026; grant agreement signature: end August 2026; indicative project start: September 2026. Available call budget: €975,000. Indicative number of grants expected: 1. Form of grant: PPPA Project Grant (PPPA-PJG) under a budget-based mixed actual cost grant model. Maximum EU co-funding rate: up to 90% of total eligible costs. Project duration: normally between 12 and 24 months (extensions possible by amendment).

Primary expected outputs and impacts:Regular informal dialogues and consultations with global partners; briefings and insights from industry and civil society for policy makers; mapping and monitoring of supply and value chains; intelligence analysis on national and local semiconductor ecosystems; reports and briefings for the European Semiconductor Board; public outreach and advocacy to increase awareness of semiconductor policy, standards and green innovation impacts; consensus on concrete activities to enhance supply chain resilience; channels for stakeholders to contact delegations and partners. See mandatory deliverables and milestones in the call document ¹.

Who can apply and consortium requirements

Eligible applicants are legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries. The call is open in particular to civil society organisations, private companies, public bodies, educational institutions, think tanks and research centres. Natural persons are NOT eligible. International organisations are eligible. Entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate if their representatives have capacity to undertake legal obligations. Affiliated entities are allowed and must be identified in the proposal. Associated partners, subcontractors and third parties giving in-kind contributions may be included in the proposal under the roles set out in the call documentation.

Eligible applicant types (detailed):The call explicitly contemplates participation by civil society organisations, private companies (including SMEs), public authorities and bodies, universities and research centres, think tanks, research institutes and international organisations. Associated partners and subcontractors may be used for tasks. Natural persons are ineligible. Affiliated entities linked to beneficiaries may participate and costs can be declared for them (they do not sign the grant and do not count for the minimum consortium threshold).

Consortium requirement:Consortium required: minimum three independent legal entities (beneficiaries) established in three different eligible countries. Affiliated entities do not count toward the minimum but may be included. The coordinator must be designated and will act as intermediary for communications and for distribution of payments among beneficiaries. The call permits sole-beneficiary constructs only where legally appropriate (e.g. entities formed of several legal entities acting as one legal entity) but the published conditions require a multi-beneficiary consortium of minimum three independent entities.

Geographic and country eligibility

Eligible countries: legal entities established in EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) are explicitly eligible. The call documentation states the call is open to legal entities established in the EU. International organisations are eligible irrespective of the country rules; other specific country eligibility details are referenced in section 6 of the call document and the Participant Register validation rules. Proposals must relate to activities taking place in eligible countries. The call emphasises EU-centric objectives and relationships with partner countries for Track 2 diplomacy and mapping of non-EU players; explicit partner country lists are not specified in the summary text.

Mentioned countries and region:Explicit reference: EU Member States (EU). The call identifies engagement with global partner countries and third countries but does not list specific partner countries in the topic text. The action is EU-focused in eligibility and in intended policy impact.

Funding modalities and financial conditions

Funding type: Grant (PPPA Action Grant, budget-based, mixed actual cost grant with unit cost and flat-rate elements possible). Maximum grant amount to be awarded: up to €975,000 for a single selected project. EU funding will cover up to 90% of eligible costs; the remaining share (minimum 10%) must be provided by the beneficiaries (own resources and/or third-party contributions). Financial support to third parties is NOT allowed under this call. Indirect costs will be reimbursed as a 7% flat rate of eligible direct costs (categories A–D except volunteers and exempted categories). Travel and subsistence unit costs permitted (Decision C(2021)35) and specific unit cost rules apply for SME owners or natural person beneficiaries if relevant.

Project budget and number of grants:Total call budget: €975,000 for budget year 2026. Indicative number of grants expected: 1. Maximum grant request: up to €975,000. The Commission may fund a lower amount or not award all available funds depending on evaluation and proposals received.

Scope, priorities and eligible activities

Scope: Projects must build coordination and confidence-building among Union stakeholders and partners across the defined work-streams: dialogue (Track 2 informal diplomacy), research (intelligence and mapping), and advocacy (communication, dissemination and public outreach). Priority topics: EU–foreign countries trade; trade protective measures; export control; intellectual property protection; mapping main European semiconductor ecosystem actors; supply chain intelligence; supply chain resilience; standards and certification; green innovation and industrial and environmental impact.

1. 1Work-stream dialogue: organisation of consultation meetings with key global partners on semiconductor topics, facilitated by a neutral third party (civil society organisation or similar), offering informal Track 2 channels.
2. 2Work-stream research: briefings, analysis and joint research initiatives to inform mapping, identification of market actors, monitoring of value and supply chains and intelligence analysis (national and local levels).
3. 3Work-stream advocacy: outreach and public diplomacy to disseminate EU chips policies and achievements (conferences, social and traditional media, publications) and organize public events to raise awareness.
4. 4Work-stream intelligence on investment and export control frameworks and coordination with strategic partners, with a focus on risk assessments linked to the European Economic Security Package.

Eligible types of activities include conferences, seminars, webinars, awareness and dissemination actions, exchange of good practices, networking activities, studies, analyses and mapping projects, research activities, bi- and multi-lateral stakeholder meetings, social and traditional media work, drafting of reports, and organisation of tabletop exercises. Activities that are purely targeted at influencing EU institutions inappropriately (e.g. lobbying specific members, political targeting) are not eligible. Financial support to third parties is not allowed.

Project stage, expected maturity and deliverables

Project stage: The call funds implementation-ready pilot/demonstration and preparatory activities rather than fundamental curiosity-driven research. Suitable applicants will have operational capacity to deliver Track 2 dialogues, applied research, mapping and advocacy activities and manage international stakeholder engagement. Expected maturity: development, validation, demonstration and policy support (applied research and intelligence).

Mandatory deliverables and milestones (indicative, from call):Quarterly webinars on converging semiconductor topics; organisation of at least two European-level events gathering key global semiconductor partners and stakeholders; monthly updates to the Commission (consortium activity and intelligence); participation in European Semiconductor Board meetings upon request; organisation of a tabletop exercise upon request; development of a mapping database of the European semiconductor value chain including national ecosystems and key players; organisation of at least two public events at European level to increase public awareness.

Application, evaluation and selection

Application method: electronic submission only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The Portal Submission System must be used; paper submissions are not accepted. Application requires registration in the Participant Register and a valid PIC. The submission is one-stage. The application window opens 19 March 2026 and closes 30 April 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. The specific application form templates (Part A and Part B) and mandatory annex templates are available in the Submission System. Proposals are limited to 70 pages for Part B.

Evaluation procedure and award criteria:One-stage submission and single-step evaluation by an evaluation committee. Admissibility and eligibility checks precede evaluation. Award criteria: Relevance (40 points), Quality (40 points), Impact (20 points). Individual thresholds: 25/40 for Relevance, 25/40 for Quality, 15/20 for Impact. Overall pass threshold: 70/100. Ranking and tie-breaker procedure: prioritise higher Relevance score, then Impact, then Quality; further prioritisation may consider overall portfolio synergies.

Scoring, success rates and timeline

Maximum total score: 100 points. Individual thresholds and overall threshold must be met to be considered for funding. Indicative evaluation timeline: evaluation May–June 2026; information to applicants end June 2026; grant preparation and signature by end August 2026. The call indicates an indicative number of grants = 1; therefore only one project is expected to be funded. The call does not publish a success rate; success rate will depend on the number and quality of proposals. Applicants should assume competition may be strong given the single-grant target.

Application stages:Submission is single-stage. Evaluation is performed in one step by the evaluation committee followed by grant preparation and legal/financial checks. Grant preparation may include requests for additional documentation for legal entity validation, financial capacity checks and clarifications; signature follows successful checks. Consequently, practical stages are: 1) registration and proposal submission, 2) evaluation and ranking, 3) invitation to grant preparation (if selected), 4) legal & financial checks and grant agreement signature.

Selection, eligibility checks and capacity requirements

Eligibility checks include legal entity validation, admissibility (page limits and required forms), and compliance with consortium composition and eligible activities described in the call. Financial capacity checks and operational capacity checks will be performed during grant preparation. Public bodies and applicants requesting grants not exceeding €60,000 are normally exempt from financial capacity checks. Applicants must confirm mandate to act for all applicants at submission and will sign a declaration of honour before grant signature.

Exclusion and integrity:Entities subject to EU restrictive measures or conditionality measures are not eligible. Applicants are excluded if they are bankrupt, in breach of tax/social obligations, guilty of grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing, child labour or human trafficking, or have committed irregularities. The standard exclusion and integrity checks under the EU Financial Regulation apply.

Reporting, payments and financial management

Reporting: periodic technical and financial reporting via the Portal; continuous reporting of certain progress via Portal tools. Payments: prefinancing normally paid (float typically 30% of maximum grant amount) 30 days after entry into force or bank guarantee, interim payments subject to periodic report approval, final payment after final report approval. Payment ceilings and schedules will be set in the Grant Agreement (Data Sheet). Payments are made to the coordinator, who distributes funds to beneficiaries. Prefinancing guarantees may be required and will be requested from the coordinator if applicable. The grant may be reduced or recovered in case of irregularities or non-compliance; the no-profit rule applies.

Co-funding requirement:Co-funding: yes. EU co-funding is limited to a maximum of 90% of eligible costs. Beneficiaries must provide the remaining resources (minimum 10% of eligible costs) from own funds or other non-EU sources. The grant may not produce profit; revenues generated by the action must be declared and may reduce the final grant amount.

Templates, forms and required annexes

Application documents must be submitted using the forms inside the Submission System. Mandatory elements: Application Form Part A (online administrative data and summarised budget); Application Form Part B (technical description uploaded as PDF, template to be downloaded from the Submission System); mandatory annexes and supporting documents (templates available in the Submission System). Typical annexes and supporting documents required: detailed budget table/calculator, standard CVs of core team, activity reports for the last year, list of previous key projects for the last 4 years (template available in Part B), legal and financial documents for legal entity validation. Part B limited to 70 pages; evaluators will disregard pages beyond the limit.

1. 1Application Form Part A: administrative information, PICs, summarised budget (online input required).
2. 2Application Form Part B: technical proposal (download template from Submission System, complete and re-upload as PDF) — maximum 70 pages.
3. 3Mandatory annexes: detailed budget calculator, CVs (standard format), activity report of the last year, list of previous projects (last 4 years), any documents requested for legal entity validation.
4. 4At grant preparation: documents to support legal entity validation, financial capacity (balance sheet, P&L, auditor reports if requested), bank account validation and declarations of honour.

Evaluation criteria detail and how to structure the proposal

Award criteria and point weighting should guide the proposal structure. The call provides explicit scoring thresholds that must be reached per criterion and overall. Applicants should structure Part B and annexes to address the criteria directly: 1) Relevance (40 points) — explain clarity, objectives, match to themes and priorities, contribution to EU strategic/legislative context, transnational dimension and interest across multiple countries; 2) Quality (40 points) — describe problem analysis, logical framework, consortium capacity and experience, management and methodology, allocation of resources, timetable, risk management and cost-effectiveness; 3) Impact (20 points) — describe expected long-term impacts, dissemination and exploitation strategy, sustainability beyond EU funding. Provide tangible evidence of capacity (CVs, activity reports and previous project lists).

Administrative and legal details applicants must note

Admissibility: Part B page limit and layout rules must be respected; proposals must be complete and contain all required annexes. Proposals must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal only. Legal and financial set-up of grants follows the PPPA Model Grant Agreement (MGA) available in Portal reference documents. Grant form: budget-based mixed actual cost grant with provisions for unit costs, flat-rates and eligible direct costs categories A–E. The call refers to EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 and additional implementing documents. Ethics, data protection, confidentiality and security provisions in the MGA apply. The consortium should prepare a consortium agreement to manage internal operational, IPR and financial arrangements. Subcontracting must not cover core tasks and subcontracting above 30% of total eligible costs requires justification in the application.

1. 1Admissibility and eligibility checks are applied first; non-compliant proposals will be rejected.
2. 2Financial capacity checks will be applied during grant preparation for most beneficiaries (exceptions include public bodies and small grants <= €60,000).
3. 3Operational capacity is evaluated under the Quality criterion; evidence should be submitted (CVs, activity reports, project lists).
4. 4Declaration of honour and legal entity validation documents are required before grant signature.

Risk areas and negative eligibility points

Key risk areas that may lead to rejection or grant reduction: non-compliance with call scope (e.g. focusing on ineligible lobbying activities or internal EU institutional targeting), failure to meet minimum consortium composition (3 independent legal entities in 3 eligible countries), submission beyond page limits, incomplete mandatory annexes, conflicts of interest, failure of legal entity validation, insufficient financial or operational capacity, involvement in activities subject to EU restrictive measures or conditionality measures, or breach of ethical/data protection/security rules. Subcontracting that attempts to outsource core tasks or exceeds justified limits may be penalised.

How would you explain this opportunity in plain terms?

This is an EU-funded pilot project competition to finance one action that will run for around one to two years to support informal, non-governmental international engagement on semiconductor policy and ecosystem resilience. The selected consortium (minimum three organisations from different eligible countries) will organise informal dialogues with global partners, conduct applied research and mapping of semiconductor supply and value chains, produce intelligence and policy briefings for the Commission and the European Semiconductor Board, and deliver public outreach and advocacy activities to promote EU semiconductor policy and standards. The action is intended as a neutral, Track 2 diplomacy channel involving industry and civil society and to build mutual awareness and convergence of best practices with partner countries. The total available funding is just under €1 million and the Commission will fund up to 90% of eligible costs. Applications must be submitted electronically through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal according to the templates and rules set out in the call documentation.

Footnotes

1. 1Main source: Call document and Topic page for PPPA-2026 on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (Call document version 1.0, 17.02.2026). Detailed requirements, deliverables, templates and legal provisions are available in the call document and the PPPA Model Grant Agreement linked on the Portal PPPA Call Document 2026.

Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative (PPPA-2026-CHIPS-DSI)

This call for proposals under the Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA) programme supports Track 2 diplomacy and related activities to complement the European Chips Act. It aims to enhance coordination, confidence-building, and partnerships in the semiconductor sector through informal dialogues, research, and advocacy involving non-state actors such as industry, civil society organisations, think tanks, and research entities.

Objectives and Expected Impact

The main objective is to support the strategic goals of the European Chips Act by fostering international exchanges between European non-state actors and strategic partners. Specific workstreams include dialogue for informal consultations, research for supply chain intelligence and analysis, and advocacy for promoting EU policies. Expected impacts encompass regular dialogues with global partners, intelligence on semiconductor ecosystems, reports for the European Semiconductor Board, supply chain mapping, and consensus on resilience measures.

Priority Themes

• EU-foreign countries trade
• Trade protective measures
• Export control
• Intellectual property protection
• Main European semiconductor ecosystem actors
• Supply chain intelligence
• Supply chain resilience
• Standards and certification
• Green innovation and its industrial and environmental impact

Eligible Activities

Funded activities focus on four workstreams: dialogue (e.g., consultation meetings facilitated by neutral third parties like civil society organisations), research (briefings, joint initiatives, studies on export controls), and advocacy (outreach via conferences, media, public events). Eligible types include conferences, seminars, webinars, awareness actions, good practice exchanges, networking, studies, research, bilateral/multilateral meetings, media campaigns, report drafting, and tabletop exercises.

Eligibility Criteria

Who Can Apply

Legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States, including overseas countries and territories (OCTs). Particularly targeted are civil society organisations, private companies, public bodies, educational institutions, think tanks, and research centres. Natural persons are not eligible.

Consortium Requirements

Minimum consortium of 3 independent legal entities from 3 different eligible countries. Affiliated entities do not count towards the minimum. Associated partners, subcontractors, and in-kind contributors may participate but cannot claim funding.

Other Conditions

• Proposals must comply with ethics, security, and EU policy priorities.
• Financial support to third parties is not allowed.
• Activities must take place in eligible countries.
• No activities directed at EU institutions (e.g., lobbying).

Funding Details

Total Budget:€975,000 for 1 project.

Maximum Grant Amount:€975,000 per project (lower amounts possible).

Funding Rate:Up to 90% of total eligible costs.

Project Duration:12 to 24 months (extensions possible with justification).

Cost Categories:Personnel, subcontracting, purchase costs (travel, equipment, other goods/services), indirect costs (7% flat-rate). Subcontracting cannot cover core tasks and must not exceed 30% without justification. No financial support to third parties.

Timeline

Evaluation and Award

Single-stage submission. Award criteria: Relevance (40 points, min 25), Quality (40 points, min 25), Impact (20 points, min 15). Overall threshold: 70/100 points. Assessed on clarity, alignment with objectives, consortium quality, methodology, cost-effectiveness, long-term impact, and dissemination.

Key Deliverables

• Quarterly webinars on semiconductor trends and best practices.
• At least two European-level events with global partners.
• Monthly updates to the Commission on activities and trends.
• Participation in European Semiconductor Board meetings.
• Tabletop exercise on request.
• Mapping database of European semiconductor value chain.
• At least two public events for sector awareness.

Application Process

Submit electronically via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Part A (administrative/budget), Part B (technical, max 70 pages), mandatory annexes (budget table, CVs, activity reports, previous projects list). Detailed conditions in call document sections 5-10. Contact: CNECT-PP@ec.europa.eu.

Primary source: EU Funding Portal. Call document: Call Fiche. Model Grant Agreement: PPPA MGA.

Background Context

This pilot builds on the 2024 Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative (CHIPDIPLO), led by Institut Montaigne with partners like CEIAS and CSDS, focusing on Track 2 dialogues. It aligns with the European Chips Act to bolster supply chain resilience amid geopolitical tensions.¹²

Footnotes

1. 1Previous project details from CEIAS and Institut Montaigne sites.
2. 2European Chips Act overview from official EC pages.