Consolidation of the research infrastructure landscape – individual support for evolution, long-term sustainability and emerging needs of pan-European...

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity titled "Consolidation of the research infrastructure landscape – individual support for evolution, long-term sustainability and emerging needs of pan-European research infrastructures" aims to enhance the long-term sustainability and evolution of established research infrastructures. The call is specifically directed at ESFRI Landmarks and European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs), which are recognized as critical entities within the European research framework.

Eligible applicants are limited to ESFRI Landmarks or ERICs, with funding provided as grants under a lump sum modality. These grants cover 80% of the eligible costs, requiring beneficiaries to contribute a minimum of 20% of total project costs as co-funding, demonstrating institutional commitment.

The geographic eligibility includes EU member states, associated countries, and encourages participation from widening and candidate countries to optimize the breadth of research capacity across Europe. The target sector encompasses all scientific domains but emphasizes the development and evolution of research infrastructures rather than specific thematic areas.

Funding amounts for individual projects range from €3,000,000 to €4,500,000, with an expected total call budget of €9,900,000 allowing for the support of approximately three projects. Proposals must be submitted through a single-stage open call, which will open on March 10, 2026, and close on June 16, 2026.

The scope of the funded activities includes enhancing organizational strengths, revising business and funding plans, developing staff capabilities, expanding user access, managing research data following FAIR principles, and evolving the infrastructure to meet new challenges. This initiative supports the EU's commitment to advancing research infrastructures and achieving a more competitive European Research Area by fostering innovation, reducing environmental impacts, and integrating infrastructures into broader innovation ecosystems.

Overall, this opportunity seeks to ensure that Europe's research infrastructures are robust, responsive, and capable of addressing current and future global challenges, strengthening their capacity to serve as world-class assets in the research landscape.

This is a description of the Horizon Europe Research Infrastructures 2026 call, specifically targeting the consolidation of the EU research infrastructures landscape. The call aims to support the strengthening, long-term sustainability, reorientation, or evolution of ESFRI Landmarks and European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs). The funding is provided together with the countries that are members of the research infrastructures.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this call include: a better-structured and strengthened European research infrastructure landscape, new services available to a wider user community, increased capacity to address EU policy priorities and socio-economic challenges, reinforced global competitiveness of the European Research Area, reduction of environmental impacts and optimisation of resource and energy consumption, and increased long-term sustainability of European research infrastructures.

The scope of the call focuses on activities critical for the sustainability and optimised use of ESFRI Landmarks or ERICs. These activities may include: enlargement of membership, addressing critical aspects raised following an assessment, reinforcing international cooperation, revision of business/funding plans, development of managerial and technical skills for research infrastructure staff, structuring and strengthening of national/thematic nodes, extension of remote and/or virtual access, management of research data according to the FAIR principles, reorientation or evolution of the research infrastructure scope, and development, update and or implementation of impact assessment of the research infrastructure. Reorientation or evolution activities should fill gaps in the research infrastructures landscape, enabling the research infrastructure to address new research or societal challenges, serve new user communities, increase and improve service capacity, and integrate new resources/facilities.

Proposals should consider related EU initiatives, strategies, and priorities, and demonstrate complementarity and synergies with other parts of Horizon Europe, such as Horizon Europe partnerships. Proposals should also explain concrete complementarities and any synergies with previous or current EU grants, notably under the research infrastructures part of the Horizon Europe work programme, e.g. INFRADEV and INFRATECH grants. Beneficiaries are expected to provide adequate backing for the activities covered by the Grant Agreement to foster the sustainability of the ESFRI Landmark or ERIC. Specific attention should be given to the greening of technologies and methodologies, interaction with industry/SMEs, fostering innovation potential, and integration into local, regional, and global innovation ecosystems.

The following eligibility criteria apply: Proposals must include at least one of the ESFRI Landmarks or European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) as beneficiary. Such beneficiaries, and the research infrastructure(s) that they operate, must be explicitly identified in the proposal. For distributed ERIC the ERIC must be the beneficiary.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, and the funding rate is 80% of the eligible costs.

The call provides a list of application form templates, evaluation form templates, guidance documents, model grant agreements, and additional documents to assist applicants. These resources include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA, call-specific instructions, detailed budget table, information on financial support to third parties, information on clinical studies, and guidance on lump sums. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, EU Grants AGA, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The call also provides information on partner search announcements, submission procedures, topic Q&As, and support services, including the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers, and Partner Search.

The budget overview lists several topics under the Research Infrastructures 2026 call, including:

HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 40,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of EUR 10,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 10,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 3,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 40,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 8,000,000, and an indicative number of 6 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 9,900,000, contributions ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 4,500,000, and an indicative number of 3 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of EUR 2,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 8,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, with a budget of EUR 8,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 1,500,000, and an indicative number of 5 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 10,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 1,000,000 to EUR 4,000,000, and an indicative number of 3 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 32,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 110,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 10,000,000, and an indicative number of 11 grants.
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, with a budget of EUR 15,000,000, contributions ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 7,500,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

The opening date for these calls is planned for 10 March 2026, and the deadline for submission is 16 June 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to consolidate the EU research infrastructure landscape by supporting ESFRI Landmarks and ERICs. It provides funding for activities that strengthen, sustain, reorient, or evolve these infrastructures, with a focus on addressing societal challenges, promoting innovation, and ensuring long-term sustainability. The call offers various funding instruments, including Research and Innovation Actions and Coordination and Support Actions, with specific budget allocations and eligibility criteria. Applicants are encouraged to consult the provided resources and seek support from relevant networks to prepare competitive proposals.

This opportunity is about strengthening and evolving European research infrastructures. The EU wants to ensure these infrastructures are not only sustainable but also able to address current and future challenges. They are offering funding to help these infrastructures expand their reach, improve their services, and become more environmentally friendly. To get this funding, you need to be an existing, recognized research infrastructure and show how you plan to use the money to make a real impact on science and society. It's about making sure Europe's research facilities are world-class and ready for whatever comes next.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity are ESFRI Landmarks, the legal entity hosting the infrastructure in the lead country for ESFRI Landmarks that are not an ERIC or an international European research organisation, and European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs). For distributed ERICs, the ERIC itself must be the beneficiary.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires at least one ESFRI Landmark or ERIC as a beneficiary, but it does not explicitly exclude the possibility of a consortium. It is implied that a single ESFRI Landmark or ERIC can apply, but collaborations to strengthen the infrastructure are encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU countries, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects. The focus is on pan-European research infrastructures. Widening countries and candidate countries are specifically mentioned as desirable for broadening the base of participating countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is research infrastructures, with a focus on consolidating the EU research infrastructures landscape. This encompasses a broad range of scientific and technological domains supported by these infrastructures. Specific attention is given to the greening of technologies and methodologies used by the research infrastructures, interaction with industry/SMEs, fostering innovation potential, and integration into local, regional, and global innovation ecosystems.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions EU countries, associated countries, widening countries, and candidate countries. It also refers to non-EU/non-associated countries that have specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage targets existing ESFRI Landmarks and ERICs, implying that the projects are at the stage of strengthening, long-term sustainability, reorientation, or evolution. This suggests a maturity level beyond the initial idea or research phase, focusing on development, validation, and potentially scale-up.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from around €2,000,000 to around €40,000,000 for HORIZON-RIA actions and from €1,000,000 to €5,000,000 for HORIZON-CSA actions. There are specific budget allocations for each topic, such as:
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-01: around €40,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-01-EOSC-02: €3,000,000 to €5,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-01: €2,000,000 to €3,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-02: €4,000,000 to €8,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-03: €3,000,000 to €4,500,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-04: around €2,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-05: around €8,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-06: €1,000,000 to €1,500,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-DEV-01-07: €1,000,000 to €4,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-SERV-01-01: around €32,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-01: €5,000,000 to €10,000,000
HORIZON-INFRA-2026-TECH-01-02: €5,000,000 to €7,500,000

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant, covering 80% of the eligible costs.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the competition level. For example, some topics indicate only one grant will be awarded.

Co-funding Requirement: Yes, co-funding is required. The funding rate is 80% of the eligible costs, meaning the beneficiaries must provide the remaining 20%.

Summary: This Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to consolidate the European research infrastructure landscape by providing support to existing ESFRI Landmarks and ERICs. The grants, distributed as lump sums, are intended to strengthen, ensure the long-term sustainability, reorient, or evolve these infrastructures. Eligible applicants include ESFRI Landmarks and ERICs, with a focus on projects that broaden membership, address critical assessments, reinforce international cooperation, revise business plans, develop staff skills, strengthen national nodes, extend access, manage research data according to FAIR principles, and reorient infrastructure scope. The funding rate covers 80% of eligible costs, requiring beneficiaries to provide the remaining 20%. The call encourages projects that contribute to a better-structured research infrastructure landscape, new services for a wider user community, increased capacity to address EU policy priorities, reinforced global competitiveness, reduced environmental impact, and increased long-term sustainability. The application process is a single-stage open call, with varying budget allocations and indicative numbers of grants for different topics within the call.