Detection and characterisation of threats or illegal/ smuggled goods in cargo

The EU funding opportunity HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-03 falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting civil security enhancements related to detecting and characterizing threats or illegal/smuggled goods within cargo transport systems. The call opens on May 5, 2027, and the application deadline is set for November 4, 2027. This initiative will allocate a total budget of €14 million, with individual grants expected to be around €3.5 million, supporting approximately four projects.

Eligible applicants must include at least two Customs Authorities from two different EU Member States or Associated Countries, alongside other entities like research organizations, private companies, and technology providers. This consortium model is crucial as it ensures practical validation of developed solutions through the integration of customs expertise in project proposals. The call is specifically aimed at enhancing cargo security across various transportation modes, including maritime, air, and rail, and addresses challenges posed by concealed threats such as explosives, drugs, and trafficked goods.

The funding type is characterized as a lump sum grant under a Research and Innovation Action framework, meaning recipients will receive predetermined amounts rather than reimbursement for expenditures. Applicants are encouraged to leverage financial support for third parties, capped at €100,000 per entity, to facilitate collaboration on testing and validation activities.

Projects should focus on developing technologies and solutions that can effectively detect and manage threats in cargo flows, enhancing tracking, tracing, and seizure capabilities for dangerous or illegal items. Required technologies may involve artificial intelligence, non-intrusive inspection methods, and advanced sensor technologies, all geared towards improving the agility and coordination of customs operations.

This funding call promotes research aligned with the goals of EU customs reform, addressing both security concerns and the operational efficiency required in a high-volume trade environment. The overall aim is to ensure customs authorities have the necessary tools to respond swiftly to potential threats while maintaining the flow of legitimate trade, thus contributing to a more secure EU border management framework.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-03, falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the Civil Security for Society 2027 call (HORIZON-CL3-2027-01). It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of 05 May 2027 and a deadline of 04 November 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The topic is titled "Detection and characterisation of threats or illegal/ smuggled goods in cargo".

The project aims to contribute to several expected outcomes, including: Increased security of air, maritime, land, or postal transport, cargo, and supply chain; Addressing accidental or intentional explosions, fires, noxious chemicals, material degradation, or autonomous threats in cargo; Enhancing capabilities to detect, characterise, track and trace, and seize dangerous, regulated, illicit devices, goods, or material; Increasing mobility of customs authorities’ resources and equipment and improving agility for a faster and more coordinated response; Ensuring interoperability of customs control equipment and interconnectivity with other systems, including integration of logistical operations, and/or increased inter-agency and cross-border collaboration.

The scope of this funding opportunity addresses the challenges faced by customs administrations in today's global economy, where high-volume trade flows require fast transport while maintaining security. Organized crime and terrorist organizations exploit these flows by concealing threats and illegal materials within legal commercial cargo. Customs authorities must balance security and revenue objectives, as trafficked materials pose a threat, and undetected smuggled goods deprive Member States of revenue. Illegal trafficking also impacts the environment and citizens' safety and health.

The air and maritime cargo contexts present significant security challenges, particularly concerning explosives and incendiary devices. Air cargo is crucial for maintaining supply chain continuity during crises, while maritime cargo remains the dominant mode in global trade. The risk of materials being concealed during screening or within the supply chain is a major concern.

Logistical hubs need to adapt to sudden changes, and customs authorities require scalable, interoperable solutions to mobilize resources efficiently and facilitate equipment sharing between border crossing points (BCPs) and Member States.

Funded innovation actions should develop and test cargo security solutions relevant to one or more transport modes (maritime, air, postal, road, or rail) and applicable at crucial points in the supply chain. These actions should enhance customs capabilities to detect illicit, regulated, and dangerous goods and transactions and effectively characterise them. Improved tracking and tracing capabilities are expected to facilitate the seizure of materials and support investigations and prosecutions.

Proposals must explicitly select one of the following options: Option a: security of cargo or Option b: detection of smuggled and trafficked goods/materials in cargo. Detection capabilities should target one or more types of dangerous, illicit, or illegal goods, including: Explosive or incendiary devices; Illicit drugs and their precursors; Illegally traded species (CITES and Regulation on Deforestation-free Products); Illegally traded cultural property; Contraband; Trafficked weapons; Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRN-E) material or precursors; F-gases; Various modi operandi related to cross-border trafficking, including involving cargo.

Where identifying illegal goods requires opening containers, appropriate measures should be established to reduce the response time between sampling and expert assessment, minimizing disruption to the flow of goods.

Examples of technologies and approaches to be explored include: Smart active defuse systems, Sensors, Artificial intelligence, Tracking and tracing systems, Distributed ledger technologies, Non-intrusive inspection, Automated threat recognition systems, Screening and scanning systems.

Equipment and technologies should contribute to cost and energy efficiency, limit environmental impact, and be sustainable. Increased air cargo security should prioritize critical supply lines and situations, not incentivize air transport due to its higher emissions impact.

Proposals should integrate the perspective of the entire supply chain, ensure interoperability with existing customs equipment and systems, align with existing interoperability standards, and address cybersecurity, EU technological sovereignty, and strategic autonomy. Projects are expected to align with customs reform and policy priorities, including those of the proposed EU Customs Authority and its Data Hub.

Coordination among successful proposals is encouraged to avoid duplication and exploit complementarities. A mid-term deliverable involving security practitioners is required to assess project outcomes. Research should build on previous relevant EU Framework Programmes projects.

Proposals should outline plans for further development to subsequent Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and uptake at national and EU levels. Research results should be adopted by EU customs authorities with support from the Customs Control Equipment Instrument (CCEI) or the proposed EU Customs Authority and its Data Hub. Synergies with civil security initiatives like "Better protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism" and "Resilient Infrastructure" are encouraged.

The proposal page limits and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.

Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Additional eligibility criteria include the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 Customs Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Applicants must provide information about these security practitioners in the application form. Projects using satellite-based data must utilize Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

To ensure a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded to applications based on ranking and to at least one proposal that is the highest ranked within each of the two options (Option a and Option b), provided that all thresholds are met, as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F.

Legal and financial aspects of the grants are detailed in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. The granting authority may object to ownership transfer or exclusive licensing of results for up to 4 years after the action's end. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum. Beneficiaries must provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, with a maximum of EUR 100 000 per third party, to support the topic's expected outcomes and collaboration with additional national Customs Authorities.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including standard forms for HE RIA, IA, CSA, RI, PCP, PPI, COFUND, FPA, MSCA, ERC, and EIC actions. Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations.

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), call-specific instructions, a 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 Programmes for 2025 and 2023-2025, EIC and ERC Work Programmes, HE Programme Guide, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the decision authorizing lump sum contributions, rules for legal entity validation, and the EU Grants AGA.

The budget overview indicates that HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-03 has a budget of EUR 14 000 000 for the year 2027, with a single-stage submission process, an opening date of 05 May 2027, a deadline of 04 November 2027, and an indicative number of 4 grants with contributions around EUR 3 500 000.

This funding opportunity aims to bolster the security and efficiency of cargo transport within the EU by supporting research and innovation that addresses threats, enhances detection capabilities, and promotes collaboration among customs authorities. It seeks to develop advanced technologies and strategies to safeguard the supply chain, protect citizens, and ensure compliance with trade regulations. The focus is on projects that can demonstrate practical applications, interoperability, and alignment with EU policy priorities, ultimately contributing to a more secure and resilient trade environment.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include Customs Authorities from EU Member States or Associated Countries, as well as other entities that can contribute to the project's objectives. The active involvement of at least 2 Customs Authorities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries is mandatory. Other potential applicants could include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations with expertise in cargo security, detection technologies, and supply chain management.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA). Pre-commercial Procurement (PCP) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) are also listed.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required, with a minimum requirement of active involvement as beneficiaries of at least 2 Customs Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible if they have made specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

Target Sector: The program targets the civil security sector, specifically focusing on cargo security, supply chain security, customs control, detection of illicit goods, tracking and tracing technologies, artificial intelligence, sensors, and distributed ledger technologies. It also touches upon transport modes including maritime, air, postal, road, and rail.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Associated Countries, and non-EU/non-Associated Countries (third countries) with specific funding provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage is primarily focused on innovation actions, which involve developing and testing solutions. This suggests a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range of 4-7, encompassing validation and demonstration of technologies in relevant environments. There is also an emphasis on research actions, which suggests a TRL range of 3-5, encompassing experimental development and validation in a lab environment.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from EUR 2,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to EUR 14,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, influencing the average funding per project. Individual grants to third parties are capped at EUR 100,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call, meaning applicants submit a full proposal at once.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant. Additionally, there is provision for financial support to third parties in the form of grants, up to EUR 100,000 per third party.

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants per topic provides some insight into the potential competitiveness.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned as a requirement. However, the lump sum funding model may implicitly encourage efficient budget allocation and resource leveraging.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the Civil Security for Society program, aims to enhance cargo security and the detection of illicit goods within the supply chain. It seeks to fund innovation and research actions that develop and test solutions for various transport modes, including maritime, air, postal, road, and rail. The call encourages the use of technologies like sensors, AI, tracking systems, and non-intrusive inspection methods. Projects should integrate a supply chain perspective, ensure interoperability with customs systems, and address cybersecurity and EU technological sovereignty. A key requirement is the active involvement of at least two customs authorities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with opportunities for beneficiaries to provide financial support to third parties. The call is structured around two main options: enhancing cargo security and improving the detection of smuggled goods. The overall goal is to improve the efficiency, agility, and coordination of customs authorities in securing the global trade flow while minimizing disruption and addressing security threats.