Co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials

The European Commission invites the coordinator of the CONNECT-NM consortium to apply for continuation and expansion of the co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials under topic HORIZON-EURATOM. The call has an indicative EU contribution of €15,000,000 for 2026–2027, funds additional activities at a 55% funding rate and allows financial support to third parties up to €300,000 each. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or Euratom Associated Countries and the proposal must be submitted by the coordinator of the existing CONNECT-NM grant (GA.101165375). The call opens 24 March 2026 and closes 15 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time, Part B is limited to 100 pages and proposals will be evaluated on Excellence, Impact and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation.

Co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials (CONNECT-NM continuation)

What it funds

Scope and expected results

Continuation and additional EU funding to the co-funded European partnership on nuclear materials (extension of CONNECT-NM). Supports transnational coordination, joint research lines, open calls and grants to third parties to strengthen materials research for reactor systems (including SMRs and advanced reactors), qualification/irradiation capabilities, predictive modelling, knowledge management and education/training.

Type of action:EURATOM-COFUND (co-funded European partnership); action implemented by amendment to the existing CONNECT-NM grant agreement Topic page.

Project-level funding & third parties:Indicative EU contribution for this topic ~€15 000 000; funding rate for additional activities 55%. Beneficiaries may provide grants to third parties; maximum per third party €300 000. ¹

Who can apply

Proposal must be submitted by the coordinator of the consortium funded under HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04 (GA.101165375); additional partners may be included. Eligible applicants: legal entities from EU Member States and countries associated to the Euratom programme (see General Annexes for full list). The JRC may participate as a consortium member but bears its own operational costs.

1. 1Coordinator: current CONNECT-NM coordinator (mandatory applicant)
2. 2Additional partners: permitted and expected
3. 3Eligible countries: as defined in the Euratom General Annexes (Association status may change)

Practical details & deadlines

Applications submitted and evaluated through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; follow topic-specific application templates (HE Cofund application form, annual work programme template, Information on financial support to third parties). Start submission via the portal page for the topic Co-funded partnership in nuclear materials.

Footnotes

1. 1The action continues and amends the existing CONNECT-NM grant (reference GA.101165375). See the topic fiche and General Annexes in the Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027 for full legal, eligibility and evaluation rules.

Co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials (HORIZON-EURATOM-2026-01-08)

Programme: Euratom Research and Training Programme (EURATOM) — Call: Nuclear research and training (HORIZON-EURATOM-2026-01). Type of action: EURATOM-COFUND (Cofund Action). Planned opening date: 24 March 2026. Deadline: 15 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Indicative EU budget for the topic: €15,000,000. Topic status: forthcoming at the time of publication Official Topic Page ¹.

Purpose and policy context

This topic continues the co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials (CONNECT-NM), constituting the EU’s contribution for the 2026–2027 period via an amendment to the existing grant agreement (GA.101165375). It provides additional funding to a pan-European partnership that pools national-mandate entities and their resources to reach critical mass, increase safety, efficiency and effectiveness of materials solutions in the nuclear domain, and strengthen knowledge management. The scope covers research interests of all EU Member States and Associated Countries dealing with nuclear materials research, independent of nuclear power generation status.

In line with the Nuclear Safety Directive, the extended partnership should contribute to the safe operation of current and future advanced installations, including small modular reactors (SMRs). The partnership will deepen collaboration among national players, enhance cross-fertilisation, and improve EU- and Member State-level knowledge management and design codes.

Expected outcomes and scope

• Deepen knowledge of key nuclear structural materials and fuels with emphasis on innovative solutions for systems under development (including light-water SMRs and other advanced reactors).
• Advance holistic simulation and predictive modelling aligned with a materials-by-design strategy.
• Support nuclear power plant lifetime extension through integration of new knowledge into technical assessment and licensing procedures.
• Develop experimental capabilities for qualification of materials and fuels, encouraging neutron irradiation experiments.
• Strengthen robust, functional knowledge management and contribute to necessary nuclear design codes.
• Widen the scope of investigated materials and fuels beyond CONNECT-NM’s current portfolio (e.g., polymers).

Scope priorities include development, manufacturing and qualification of nuclear materials; related advanced manufacturing techniques; condition/materials-health monitoring for operations; and advanced predictive methodologies blending physics-based models and modern digital techniques. The partnership must remain goal-oriented with major milestones, annually updated work programmes, and open calls for projects defined by technical scope and open to any participant. Horizontal knowledge-transfer and education/training activities are integral, with strong international R&D openness. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate, bearing its own operational costs; the Commission encourages using JRC’s facilities and services listed in General Annex H.

Key administrative and financial conditions

• Eligibility specificity: The proposal must be submitted by the coordinator of the consortium funded under HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04 (CONNECT-NM). Additional partners may be included.
• Implementation: amendment to the existing CONNECT-NM grant agreement; the proposal should primarily present additional activities and any additional partners.
• Funding rate: 55% of eligible costs for the additional activities to establish a fully integrated research partnership leveraging EU laboratories and industry.
• Financial support to third parties (FSTP): allowed for actions providing access to and securing the availability of unique research infrastructures; max €300,000 per third party. Robust measures to avoid conflicts of interest and unequal treatment are mandatory.
• JRC participation: permitted as a consortium member; JRC covers its own staff and infrastructure operational costs.
• Page limit: 100 pages for the application Part B.
• Single-stage submission and evaluation under General Annexes (admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, procedure, and legal/financial set-up).

Detailed categorisation and structured information

Eligible Applicant Types

Primarily national-mandate entities and organisations dealing with nuclear materials research, complemented by broader research and innovation stakeholders able to contribute to the partnership’s objectives. Typical eligible types include: research institutes and national laboratories with mandates in nuclear materials; universities with materials science/nuclear engineering; government or public agencies with national R&I mandates; technical safety organisations; large enterprises and industrial bodies active in nuclear materials, components and fuel cycles; SMEs providing advanced manufacturing, modelling, testing or monitoring solutions; nonprofit associations, platforms and networks in nuclear R&I; the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as a consortium participant. Note: While the partnership targets mandate-bearing entities, the internal open calls for technical projects must be open to any participant, thereby allowing wider participation (including SMEs and new entrants) via grants to third parties.

Funding Type

EU grant under a Cofund Action (EURATOM-COFUND). The EU contribution co-funds additional activities of the existing partnership at a 55% funding rate of eligible costs.

Consortium Requirement

Restricted continuation. The single proposal must be submitted by the existing CONNECT-NM coordinator (GA.101165375). The consortium may add new partners and new activities. Within the partnership, further open technical calls are expected and must be open to any participant (resulting also in grants to third parties).

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Euratom Work Programme rules apply. Eligible applicants include entities from EU Member States and Euratom Associated Countries. As of the call publication date, Ukraine and Switzerland are the only countries associated to the Euratom Programme and therefore eligible for funding. Other countries may participate subject to the general Horizon Europe/Euratom rules (typically without funding unless conditions for exceptional funding are met or national co-funding exists).

Target Sector

• Nuclear fission materials science and engineering
• Advanced manufacturing for nuclear components
• Reactor materials and fuels for LWRs, SMRs and advanced reactors
• Predictive modelling, digital twins, AI-enabled materials design
• Structural integrity, irradiation effects, corrosion, embrittlement
• Knowledge management and nuclear design codes development
• Qualification infrastructures access (irradiation, hot cells, test rigs)

Mentioned Countries

EU Member States and Associated Countries in general; explicitly mentioned as associated to Euratom and eligible for funding at publication: Ukraine, Switzerland.

Project Stage

Research, development and validation, with demonstration elements in materials qualification. Emphasis on moving from observe-and-qualify to design-and-control, predictive modelling and monitoring methods, and experimental validation including neutron irradiation. Outputs are expected to feed regulatory assessment/licensing and design codes.

Funding Amount

Indicative EU contribution for the topic: around €15,000,000 (single grant expected). Funding rate is 55% of eligible costs for the additional activities; thus, a total additional activity volume in the order of ~€27 million is implied for the amendment, subject to final budget and work plan.

Application Type

Open call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; single-stage submission and evaluation. Submission is planned to open on 24 March 2026 and closes on 15 September 2026.

Nature of Support

Monetary grant to the partnership coordinator and consortium under the Cofund Action. Monetary sub-grants to third parties (grants to third parties) up to €300,000 each, to provide access to and secure availability of unique research infrastructures.

Application Stages

1 stage. Standard Horizon Europe/Euratom single-stage proposal submission and evaluation as per General Annexes. If successful, a grant amendment preparation step follows to integrate additional activities and any additional partners into the existing CONNECT-NM grant.

Success Rates

Not published. The topic is restricted to the existing partnership coordinator with the possibility to include new partners; it is therefore expected to attract one eligible proposal.

Co-funding Requirement

Yes. As a Cofund Action, the EU contribution covers 55% of eligible costs for the additional activities. Partners must provide the remaining funding through financial and/or in-kind contributions pooled from participating national or regional research programmes and other committed resources, including for governance, open calls, and national coordination.

Science, technology and implementation details (full reproduction from call conditions)

• Materials classes of interest: metallic alloys and ceramics; fuel cladding and fuels; neutron control substances; concrete; polymers (e.g. for cables).
• Shift to materials design-and-control: predictive modelling and simulation; data-rich approaches; integration with physics-based models; materials-health monitoring during operations.
• Facilities and experiments: development of experimental capabilities for qualification, including encouragement of neutron irradiation experiments; strengthening a European user facility concept through FSTP for access to unique infrastructures.
• Knowledge management: robust knowledge capture, codification and dissemination; contribution to nuclear design codes; horizontal actions in knowledge-transfer, education and training to amplify impact in smaller or less-advanced national programmes.
• Governance and advisory: consolidation of CONNECT-NM’s exploitation and innovation group (industrial bodies and relevant institutions); consolidation of the independent international scientific advisory board; goal-oriented milestones and annual work programmes reflecting emerging Euratom-relevant priorities.
• Open calls within the partnership: technical-scope-defined projects open to any participant; annual reallocation of tasks and funding via annual work programme; grants to third parties to enable access to infrastructures (up to €300,000 per third party).
• International openness: the partnership is open to international R&D cooperation; management expected to represent it at international events and fora.
• JRC: recommended to use services; JRC may participate without drawing on indirect actions budget and bears its operational costs.

Eligibility, evaluation, legal and financial set-up

• Admissibility: Part B page limit 100 pages; layout per application form; general admissibility rules apply.
• Eligibility: as per General Annex B. Additional criterion: proposal must be submitted by the coordinator of the CONNECT-NM consortium funded under HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04. JRC may participate.
• Evaluation and award: General Annexes apply (award criteria, scoring and thresholds). If successful, preparation leads to a grant agreement amendment to GA.101165375 to cover the additional activities (including any added partners).
• Legal and financial set-up: Cofund-specific provisions; funding rate 55% for additional activities; FSTP up to €300,000 per third party; strict conflict of interest avoidance and equal treatment in co-funded calls and FSTP processes.
• Financial support to third parties objective: ensure access to and availability of unique research infrastructures to strengthen a true European user facility for nuclear research.
• General compliance: Partnerships must meet Horizon Europe Annex III criteria on selection, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, phasing-out/renewal; impacts to be achieved in a concerted manner across EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Templates and application materials

Applicants must use the official templates available in the Submission System and the Guidance section of the Funding & Tenders Portal. The cofund package requires annexes that structure the governance and the first Annual Work Programme and define the use of financial support to third parties. Standard evaluation forms and the Model Grant Agreement apply Guidance and Templates Index ².

Application form templates:Standard application form (HE Cofund) — Part A webforms and Part B narrative template. The Part B has a 100-page limit and must align with the Cofund structure and the required work package on co-funded calls, evaluation and monitoring, and additional activities. The narrative follows sections on Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, including risk management and resources.

Annual Work Programme (HE Cofund) annex:Mandatory annex detailing the first 12 months of activities, with objectives, expected impacts, alignment to the SRIA, detailed tasks per work package, timing, deliverables, resources, and participation statements. Subsequent Annual Work Programmes are delivered yearly as project deliverables Annual Work Programme template.

Information on Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) annex:Required where FSTP is used. Must specify objectives, maximum amount per third party (here up to €300,000 as per topic), calculation method, eligible activity types, eligible recipients, selection criteria, and specific Cofund measures to avoid conflict of interest and ensure equal treatment, including clear roles of beneficiaries preparing and managing co-funded calls and the independent complaints procedure FSTP template.

Evaluation form (HE Cofund):Proposals are evaluated against Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of the implementation. Thresholds: 3/5 per criterion and 10/15 overall. The evaluation form details cofounded call setup, conflict of interest safeguards, and deliverables at the end of evaluations (ranking lists, observers’ report, joint selection list, and partner funding commitments) Evaluation form (HE Cofund).

Work Programme and General Annexes:Euratom Work Programme 2026–2027 and General Annexes define admissibility, eligibility, award criteria, procedure, and legal-financial rules. General Annex H lists JRC infrastructures and expertise available Euratom WP 2026–2027 Annex.

Practical details and compliance checkpoints

• Coordinator restriction: only the CONNECT-NM coordinator under GA.101165375 may submit; include any additional partners and describe new activities to be integrated by amendment.
• Single-stage submission: prepare Part A webforms and Part B narrative (≤100 pages), plus required Cofund annexes (Annual Work Programme; FSTP information).
• Budgeting: apply 55% EU co-funding to eligible additional activities; plan national/in-kind match, including governance, co-funded calls, monitoring, and knowledge management.
• FSTP design: justify up to €300,000 per third party for infrastructure access; define transparent selection criteria, clear communication channels, independent complaints procedure, and information barriers to prevent conflicts of interest.
• Open calls within partnership: define projects by technical scope; ensure openness to any participant; annual reallocation of tasks and funds via annual work programme; incorporate advisory bodies’ inputs.
• JRC: consider inclusion; coordinate access to infrastructures; JRC bears its costs; align with General Annex H.
• International cooperation: keep openness to international R&D and events; ensure reciprocity and compliance with participation rules.
• Knowledge management: integrate horizontal activities in training, education and codification of design codes; target strong KM impact on smaller national programmes.
• Regulatory alignment: link outputs to safety assessment and licensing; support design codes; reference Nuclear Safety Directive principles; support SMR safety and advanced reactor materials readiness.

Long summary: What this opportunity is about and how to explain it

This opportunity provides the EU’s 2026–2027 co-funding to extend and intensify the CONNECT-NM partnership on nuclear materials. It is specifically open to the existing partnership’s coordinator to propose additional activities (and, if needed, additional partners) through a grant amendment. The ambition is to tighten the link between advanced materials research and the safety, efficiency and economic performance of nuclear installations, including SMRs and advanced reactors, by transitioning from traditional observation-based qualification to predictive materials-by-design. The partnership must pair high-level modelling, AI-enhanced predictive tools and materials-health-monitoring with robust experimental capabilities (e.g. neutron irradiation) and codify the resulting knowledge into design codes and licensing practice. It must also act as a European knowledge hub by launching open technical-scope calls, offering grants to third parties to access unique infrastructures, and running horizontal education and training programmes to help smaller national programmes catch up. The funding mechanism is a Cofund Action that covers 55% of eligible additional activities, with the rest coming from national or in-kind resources. The proposal must comprise a first-year Annual Work Programme and a clear FSTP scheme with up to €300,000 per third party, built on strong conflict-of-interest safeguards. The JRC may participate and can provide access to key facilities. The result is a Europe-wide, mandate-backed materials R&I and qualification effort designed to accelerate safety breakthroughs, streamline licensing through evidence-based codes, and ensure a long-term, robust European user facility landscape for nuclear materials research.

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Co-funded European partnership for research in nuclear materials HORIZON-EURATOM. See also the Calls overview for the 2026-01 call bundle.
2. 2Core references: Euratom Work Programme 2026–2027 Annex (C_2026_1787_F1_ANNEX_EN_V4_P1_4651371.PDF); Annual Work Programme (HE Cofund) template; Information on Financial Support to Third Parties (HE) template; Evaluation form (HE Cofund). The ORIENT-NM project (CORDIS 899997) provides background on establishing the nuclear materials partnership.

EU Funding Opportunity Analysis: Co-funded European Partnership for Research in Nuclear Materials

Opportunity Overview

The European Commission is inviting proposals for the continuation and expansion of the Co-funded European Partnership for Research in Nuclear Materials (CONNECT-NM) under the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027. This is a continuation of the successful CONNECT-NM partnership launched in 2024, designed to pool resources from European entities with mandates for nuclear materials research and development.

Call Identifier and Details:HORIZON-EURATOM. Type of Action: EURATOM-COFUND (Cofund Action). Opening date: 24 March 2026. Deadline: 15 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission procedure.

Funding Amount and Budget Allocation

Total EU Contribution:€15,000,000 distributed across two years. Year 2026: €7,500,000. Year 2027: €7,500,000. Indicative number of grants expected: 1 partnership continuation.

Funding Rate:55% of eligible costs for additional activities covered by this action. This rate reflects the need to establish a fully integrated research partnership for nuclear materials that makes use of the assets of laboratories and industries across Europe.

Eligibility and Applicant Requirements

Eligible Countries

Eligible applicants must be established in EU Member States or Associated Countries. As of March 2026, Ukraine and Switzerland are the only countries currently associated with the Euratom Programme. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission may participate as a consortium member without receiving funding from this indirect actions budget.

Mandatory Eligibility Criteria

The proposal MUST be submitted by the coordinator of the consortium funded under HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04 (the original CONNECT-NM grant). This eligibility condition is without prejudice to the possibility of including additional partners in the continuation.

Who Can Apply

• The existing CONNECT-NM consortium coordinator (mandatory lead)
• Entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries with national mandates for research in materials science and nuclear materials
• Public research institutions, national laboratories, and universities
• Research organisations with access to nuclear materials research infrastructure
• Industrial partners and organisations from the nuclear sector
• Entities not automatically eligible for funding may receive exceptional support if their participation is essential for the project
• The partnership scope covers all Member States and Associated Countries dealing with nuclear materials research, not limited to countries that generate nuclear power

Project Scope and Research Focus

The CONNECT-NM partnership aims to deepen knowledge of nuclear structural materials and fuels with emphasis on innovative materials solutions for reactor systems under development, including light-water Small Modular Reactors (LW-SMRs) and advanced modular reactors (AMRs). The continuation is expected to widen the scope of materials and fuels investigated compared to the original partnership, potentially including new areas such as polymers for nuclear applications.

Key Research Objectives

• Further deepening knowledge about main types of nuclear structural materials and fuels with emphasis on innovative materials solutions for reactor systems under development (LW-SMRs and advanced reactors)
• Improving holistic approaches to simulation and predictive modelling for materials of interest in line with materials by design strategy
• Supporting NPP lifetime extension programmes through integration of obtained knowledge into technical assessment and licensing procedures
• Further developing experimental abilities for qualification of nuclear materials and fuels, including neutron irradiation experiments
• Ensuring development of robust and functional knowledge management approaches for the domain and contributing to nuclear design codes
• Widening scope of materials and fuels investigation beyond original CONNECT-NM areas
• Contributing to safe operation of existing and future advanced nuclear installations including SMRs

Broader Context Within Euratom Programme

This funding opportunity is part of the larger €330 million Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027 adopted by the European Commission to advance nuclear innovation. The programme allocates €222 million to fusion energy and €108 million to nuclear fission. Nuclear materials research is a critical component supporting the safe, efficient and economically viable operation of nuclear installations, including new generation reactors and Small Modular Reactors central to EU energy policy.

Application and Project Structure Requirements

Application Format

Proposals must follow the standard Horizon Europe application format with two parts. Part A contains administrative information generated by the submission system. Part B is the technical proposal narrative limited to 100 pages maximum including tables, figures and references. The proposal should primarily present additional activities and additional partners to be covered by the award in terms of grant agreement revisions, as this is a continuation of an existing partnership.

Essential Proposal Components:Detailed annual work programme for the first year of activities, governance structure and management arrangements, monitoring and evaluation framework with quantified indicators, dissemination and exploitation plan, data management plan, risk assessment and mitigation measures, detailed budget justification, and description of how the partnership will consolidate advisory bodies and establish mechanisms to avoid conflicts of interest.

Co-funded Call Requirements

The partnership is expected to launch co-funded calls for proposals to implement joint research activities. These calls must be transnational, requiring at least two independent legal entities from different Member States or Associated Countries, or one from a Member State/Associated Country and one from a non-associated third country. The consortium must establish mechanisms to avoid potential conflicts of interest or unequal treatment of applicants, including appropriate information barriers and independent complaint procedures.

Evaluation Criteria and Award Procedure

Proposals will be evaluated on three main criteria: Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation. Each criterion is scored on a 0-5 scale with a minimum threshold of 3 points. The overall threshold applying to the sum of the three individual scores is 10 points.

Excellence Criterion

Assesses clarity and pertinence of project objectives and extent to which proposed work is ambitious and goes beyond state of the art. For continuation partnerships, evaluators will assess what will be different compared to the original CONNECT-NM partnership, demonstrating raised ambition. The methodology must be sound with clear concepts and appropriate interdisciplinary approaches.

Impact Criterion

Evaluates credibility of pathways to achieve expected outcomes and impacts specified in the work programme. The proposal must demonstrate how results will contribute to the outcomes of this topic and wider impacts in the work programme destinations. Clear dissemination, exploitation and communication measures must be described with identified target groups and concrete actions planned during and after project completion.

Quality and Efficiency of Implementation Criterion

Assesses quality and effectiveness of the work plan, appropriateness of effort assigned to work packages and overall resources. Evaluates capacity and role of each participant and the extent to which the consortium brings together necessary expertise, noting that this partnership must demonstrate cooperation extending well beyond transnational joint calls and R&I projects.

Financial Support to Third Parties

Maximum Grant Amount:€300,000 per third party beneficiary. Financial support is intended for actions providing key access to and securing availability of unique research infrastructures, strengthening a European user facility for nuclear research. When implementing financial support in this co-funded partnership, beneficiaries must avoid conflicts of interest or unequal treatment of applicants.

Timeline and Key Milestones

Call Opening:24 March 2026

Submission Deadline:15 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time

Grant Agreement Amendment Preparation:If the proposal is successful, the next stage will involve grant agreement amendment preparation rather than a standard grant agreement signature.

Special Conditions and Restrictions

• This is a continuation action requiring amendment to the existing grant agreement (GA.101165375)
• The proposal must be submitted by the coordinator of the consortium funded under HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04
• Additional partners may be included and new activities outside the original CONNECT-NM scope are expected
• The partnership must establish annual work programmes with clear allocation of tasks and funding
• Open calls for proposals should be launched allowing any participant to apply
• International R&D cooperation is encouraged
• The partnership must consolidate exploitation and innovation groups comprising industrial bodies and relevant institutions
• All activities must align with objectives of the Nuclear Safety Directive and contribute to safe operation of existing and future advanced nuclear installations

Strategic Alignment and Policy Context

This funding opportunity aligns with multiple EU strategic initiatives including the Community Nuclear Illustrative Programme (PINC), the Net-Zero Industry Act, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the Strategy on Small Modular Reactors presented at the Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris on 10 March 2026. The partnership supports the upcoming EU Fusion Strategy and is part of broader efforts to strengthen European technological leadership in nuclear energy and ensure energy security and carbon neutrality by 2050.

Key Requirements for Applicants

1. 1Confirm coordinator eligibility: The applying consortium coordinator must be the same entity that received the HORIZON-EURATOM-2023-NRT-01-04 grant
2. 2Identify all consortium members including any new partners and describe their roles and contributions
3. 3Develop detailed annual work programme for first year demonstrating implementation of planned activities
4. 4Prepare governance and management arrangements including mechanisms for transparent decision-making and conflict of interest mitigation
5. 5Establish comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework with quantified indicators and clear baselines and targets
6. 6Detail financial contributions and in-kind contributions from all partners
7. 7Describe how the partnership will maintain critical mass and pool resources across European entities
8. 8Outline dissemination, exploitation and communication strategy addressing identified target groups
9. 9Provide data management plan ensuring FAIR principles are applied to research data
10. 10Present risk assessment with mitigation measures for critical risks to project implementation
11. 11Confirm commitment to open access to over 230 nuclear research facilities across EU
12. 12Address integration of Ukrainian nuclear researchers into European Research Area if applicable

Supporting Resources and Documentation

Applicants should consult the following documents available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal: Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027 including General Annexes covering admissibility, eligibility, financial and operational capacity, award criteria, evaluation procedure and legal setup of grants. Standard application forms specific to Cofund actions, annual work programme template, information on financial support to third parties template, and evaluation forms are available in the submission system. Guidance on open science practices, research data management and gender equality is provided in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Submission and Support

All proposals must be submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal using the online submission system. The system will generate proposals in real-time and allow participants to save drafts and update information until the deadline. For technical support regarding system access, forgotten passwords or submission issues, applicants should contact the IT Helpdesk. For substantive questions about the call conditions and topic requirements, applicants may consult the Topic Q&A section on the Portal or contact the responsible service indicated in the call details.

Footnotes

1. 1Based on Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027 Work Programme and Commission Press Release of 19 March 2026 announcing €330 million investment in nuclear energy to accelerate fusion and advance nuclear technologies. ¹