Digital Skills and Jobs Platform: The National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs

Call DIGITAL-2026-SKILLS-10 funds a Coordination and Support Action to establish, expand and operate National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs and connect their national websites to the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP). The topic has an indicative envelope of €2,000,000 (part of a €12.5 million call), maximum grant €2,000,000 per project, project duration 24–36 months, and allows Financial Support to Third Parties up to €150,000 each (max 30% of project budget). Applications are single-stage via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, planned opening 21 April 2026 and deadline 1 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time, with a mandatory multi-beneficiary consortium of at least five independent applicants from four eligible countries, at least four of which must be existing National Coalitions. Proposals are evaluated on Relevance, Implementation and Impact (each scored 0–5, minimum 3 per criterion and 10/15 overall) and Part B is limited to 50 pages.

What it funds

Summary

Coordination and support action to operate, maintain and expand the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (core Platform) and to develop, connect and sustain National Coalitions websites across Member States and DIGITAL associated countries. Activities include web development, interoperable connections to the Core Platform, localisation and post-editing of content, community building, repositories of good practices and training offers, events, communication and skills intelligence.

Allowed financial support to third parties (FSTP):FSTP is permitted under this topic with a cap of €150,000 per third party and a total FSTP envelope not exceeding 30% of the project budget.

1. 1Type of action: DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), funding rate 100%
2. 2Planned opening date: 21 April 2026; Deadline: 01 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
3. 3Topic budget: €2,000,000 (indicative); overall call budget €12,500,000
4. 4Expected outputs: connected National Coalition websites to the Core Platform, repositories, training and events, increased Coalition membership

Proposals must be single-stage, submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal. The selected single consortium will manage FSTP allocation, ensure interoperability and sustainability of national websites, and report annually to the Core Platform coordinator. The action consolidates operation, corrective and adaptive maintenance of the Platform and deepens exchanges between national websites and the Core Platform ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1The ongoing project connecting additional Member State websites was selected under call DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS; applicants should account for existing connections and seek synergies with related initiatives such as EIT Campus, EIT Digital dAcademy and EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative.

Call summary and objectives

Call identifier:DIGITAL-2026. Programme: Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL). Topic title: Digital Skills and Jobs Platform: The National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs. Type of action: DIGITAL-CSA (Coordination and Support Actions). Type of Grant Agreement: DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based (DIGITAL-AG). Planned opening date: 21 April 2026. Deadline: 01 October 2026 17:00 Brussels time. Deadline model: single-stage. Planned project duration: between 24 and 36 months. Indicative topic budget: €2,000,000. Overall call budget for DIGITAL-2026-SKILLS-10: €12,500,000 across three topics, of which this topic has an indicative envelope of €2,000,000.

Expected outcome/deliverable:Connected National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs to the Core Platform (Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, DSJP). Objective: consolidate and operate the DSJP, sustain and extend activities of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, deepen exchange between national Coalition websites and the Core Platform, increase the number and engagement of National Coalitions and Coalition members, and seek synergies with EIT Campus, EIT Digital dAcademy Skills Passport, EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative and other initiatives.

Scope and required activities

The action will extend activities of National Coalition websites established under CEF calls (2019, 2020), the DIGITAL 2024 call, and support creation of new national websites in Member States and DIGITAL-associated countries that have none. The consortium must implement two complementary work-strands: development/connection of national infrastructures (websites) not yet connected to the Core Platform through interoperable interconnections; enabling exchanges and integration with Core Platform components; provide national/regional/local access and practices; implement interoperable links for local services; expand and engage National Coalitions already connected to the Core Platform.

Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP):Financial support to third parties is allowed. The consortium may use FSTP to fund National Coalitions not part of the consortium (including those previously funded under CEF-TC 2019-2020 and DIGITAL-2024). Total FSTP shall not exceed 30% of the total project budget. Maximum FSTP per third party: €150,000. The consortium must justify the FSTP plan, ensure balanced allocation between direct consortium activities and FSTP, and ensure the level of support is proportionate to the scale and scope of third-party activities.

Who should apply and consortium requirements

This topic requires a multi-beneficiary consortium. Minimum consortium composition:at least 5 independent applicants (beneficiaries, not affiliated entities) from at least 4 different eligible countries, of which at least 4 applicants must be National Coalitions funded under CEF-TC-2019-2, CEF-TC-2020-2 or DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS. Established National Coalitions are strongly encouraged to be members of the consortium. The selected consortium will be responsible for ensuring that all National Coalitions funded under the project implement the listed activities and meet KPIs.

Targeted stakeholders (recommended consortium members):Recommended stakeholders to include in the consortium: existing Digital Skills and Jobs National Coalitions (CEF or DIGITAL-funded), private, public or civil society organisations capable of managing projects at this scale, organisations with technical/IT expertise to build and maintain interoperable websites, national/regional authorities, vocational training providers, education providers, NGOs and industry partners. The consortium coordinator must demonstrate experience in managing projects of comparable scale and scope and provide evidence in Implementation and List of previous projects annex.

Deliverables, activities and mandatory outputs

Minimum activities that each funded National Coalition must carry out (consortium must ensure delivery):

1. 1Activity 1 – Web development: (1.1) Develop one national website/database per participating Member State with no established website. The site must be a web antenna to the DSJP, provide current content and structured data in official national language(s), include interoperable links to the DSJP and other national coalition sites in line with Technical Specifications; (1.2) upgrade and maintain national websites already established; (1.3) provide technical maintenance, support and security updates.
2. 2Activity 2 – Services, Content and Community activities: publish presentation of National Coalition and members (for new Coalitions), present DSJP content (EU initiatives, funding opportunities, events, Advanced Digital Skills Academies content), implement interoperable repositories of good practices (API model) connected to DSJP repository, implement interoperable repository of digital skills resources (national/regional strategies, curricula, MOOCs, methodologies, case studies), present training opportunities (diverse settings and formats), present funding opportunities (national and EU), maintain events calendar interoperable with DSJP, enable news production and skills intelligence, organise webinars/peer learning and publish them, deliver communication/promotion and community management aligned with DSJP layout and promotion guidelines.
3. 3Activity 3 – Post-editing and localisation: provide translation and post-edit services between English and national language(s), reuse DSJP information published in national language(s), review English translations of national content for DSJP, access and use European Commission machine translation eTranslation where appropriate.
4. 4General Provisions: define methodology for selection of good practices, training offers and resources; ensure regular updates/exchanges with Core Platform; ensure GDPR compliance and privacy notices/consents as needed; comply with relevant cybersecurity rules; report activities annually to the Core Platform coordinator; demonstrate technical and financial sustainability beyond funding; ensure multidisciplinary coverage and synergies with ELEVATE, EDIHs, European Data Space for Skills, and DEP SO4 activities.

The consortium must ensure balanced allocation between consortium-implemented activities and FSTP, and identify National Coalitions already funded elsewhere that could receive FSTP under this project.

Key Performance Indicators (minimum KPIs)

The consortium must propose KPI targets and measurement methods. Minimum KPIs the consortium must ensure across project duration (unless otherwise specified):

1. 1Dedicated section describing the National Coalition, mandate, members and activities.
2. 2Structured overview of national and regional digital skills strategies with links to official documents.
3. 3Structured overview listing relevant EU initiatives/programmes in digital skills and jobs, news and events.
4. 4Publication of at least 20 good practices from national/regional/local level, with in-depth presentation of 3 good practices.
5. 5Publication of at least 8 good practices from the Core Platform.
6. 6Publication of at least 10 resources on digital skills.
7. 7Publication of at least 50 training opportunities targeting different end-user groups.
8. 8Publication of at least 10 national and international financing opportunities in digital skills.
9. 9Publication of at least 20 relevant events per year.
10. 10Publication of at least 3 original news/announcements per month.
11. 11Publication of at least 3 news/announcements from the Core Platform per month.
12. 12Publication and distribution of at least 2 original press releases per year.

Eligibility and participant rules

Eligible applicants:legal entities (public or private bodies) established in eligible countries. Eligible countries follow section 6 of the Call document (EU Member States including OCTs, EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme). Natural persons are NOT eligible except self-employed persons where legal personality is absent; international organisations generally NOT eligible unless ‘of European interest’ as defined in the Digital Europe Regulation; entities without legal personality may exceptionally participate provided representatives can undertake legal obligations and provide guarantees. EU bodies (except JRC) cannot be part of consortium. Entities from countries negotiating association may participate if association concluded before grant signature and covers the call.

Consortium composition requirements (topic-specific):multi-beneficiary applications mandatory; minimum 5 independent beneficiaries from at least 4 eligible countries, of which minimum 4 applicants must be National Coalitions previously funded (CEF-TC 2019-2020 or DIGITAL-2024).

Funding model and financial rules

Type of action:Coordination and Support Actions. Funding rate: 100% of eligible costs. Form of grant: budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs combined with unit costs and flat-rate elements as applicable). Maximum project grant amount: €2,000,000 (max EU grant amount for the topic). The grant may be lower than requested. Total call budget: €12,500,000 across topics; this topic: €2,000,000. Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) allowed: maximum €150,000 per third party; FSTP envelope must not exceed 30% of total project budget. VAT rules: non-deductible VAT is eligible, except VAT paid by public bodies acting as public authority (not eligible). Indirect costs: flat-rate 7% of eligible direct costs (A-D, except volunteers and exempted categories). Equipment reimbursement: depreciation only (unless specific exceptions in call).

Admissibility, submission and application templates

Submission channel:Electronic submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal (Portal Submission System). Paper submissions are NOT accepted. Submission is a single-stage process. Applicants must complete Application Form Part A (online fields) and Part B (technical description) using the Portal templates. Part B page limits: maximum 50 pages for this topic (Coordination and Support Actions). Mandatory annexes: List of previous projects (last 4 years) is required; other annexes as specified in call. Proposals must be complete and include all requested documents. Proposals exceeding page limits will have excess pages disregarded by evaluators. Applicants must confirm mandate of all participants and sign declaration of honour before grant signature.

Application templates and useful forms:Use the Standard Application Form (DEP) available in the Submission System. Part A is filled in the Portal; Part B is the narrative technical template to download, complete and re-upload as PDF. Annex templates (detailed budget calculator if applicable, List of previous projects) are available in the Submission System. Do NOT remove the tags/instructions in the template; keep formatting rules (A4, Arial 9 minimum, margins).

Evaluation, award criteria and timeline

Admissibility checks:completeness, page limits and proper use of Portal templates. Eligibility checks: participant eligibility and consortium composition. Evaluation: one-stage evaluation with independent experts organised by HaDEA; evaluators check award criteria: Relevance (max 5), Implementation (max 5), Impact (max 5). Individual thresholds per criterion: 3/5. Overall threshold: 10/15. Proposals passing thresholds will be ranked and funded within available budget. Tie-break rules: (1) prioritise proposals covering themes not covered by higher-ranked proposals; (2) compare Relevance scores, then Impact, then Implementation; (3) consider portfolio synergies and coverage for final prioritisation. Indicative timetable: Evaluation Oct–Nov 2026; information on evaluation results Dec 2026; Grant Agreement signature Feb 2027.

Administrative, legal, security and ethical requirements

Beneficiaries must register in the Participant Register (PIC) and be validated by Central Validation Service. Financial and operational capacity checks may be performed during grant preparation (uploading accounts, bank details, auditors' reports as requested). Exclusion rules per EU Financial Regulation apply (bankruptcy, serious professional misconduct, fraud, money laundering, links to criminal organisation, etc.). Security: projects involving EU classified information require security scrutiny and may be subject to facility/personnel security clearance and special security clauses (SAL) in Grant Agreement. Ethics: proposals must complete ethics self-assessment in Part A where applicable; projects must follow high ethical standards and relevant national/EU law. GDPR compliance is mandatory; privacy notices and consent procedures must account for cross-publication of national content on the DSJP and other National Coalition sites.

Reporting, payments and audit

Reporting and payment arrangements:The grant is budget-based; payments follow the schedule in the Data Sheet. Coordination and reporting tools: Portal Continuous Reporting tool and Periodic Reporting are used for deliverables and financial statements. Periodic reports: technical and financial parts; final report includes final financial statements and declaration of revenues. Records and supporting documents must be kept for the legally required retention period (typically 5 years or as specified in Data Sheet). Granting authority checks, audits and investigations (including OLAF, EPPO, ECA) apply; certificates on financial statements (CFS) may be required per thresholds in the Data Sheet. Prefinancing guarantees may be requested in specific circumstances.

Eligible applicant types

Eligible applicant types for this opportunity (as beneficiaries in the consortium) include:public bodies (national/regional/local authorities), universities and higher education institutions, research organisations, non-profit organisations and NGOs, national Digital Skills and Jobs Coalitions (existing or newly created legal entities), SMEs and large private organisations with the capacity to deliver the required tasks, vocational training providers, industry associations, other civil society organisations. Natural persons are not eligible (except self-employed where no legal personality exists). International organisations are eligible only if they are international organisations of European interest as defined in the Digital Europe Regulation.

Funding type

Primary financial mechanism:grant. Type of grant for this topic: Coordination and Support Action (budget-based mixed actual cost grant) with 100% funding rate. Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) is permitted under conditions (max €150,000 per third party; FSTP budget <= 30% of total project budget).

Consortium requirement

Consortium required:multi-beneficiary (mandatory). Minimum: 5 independent beneficiaries from at least 4 eligible countries; minimum 4 beneficiaries must be National Coalitions previously funded under CEF-TC-2019-2, CEF-TC-2020-2 or DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS.

Beneficiary scope (geographic eligibility)

Geographic eligibility:EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) and non-EU countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (EEA countries and other listed associated countries as specified in section 6 of the Call document). The applicant must be established in one of the eligible countries and be registered in the Participant Register (PIC) and validated by the Central Validation Service.

Target sector

Primary thematic sectors targeted by this topic:digital skills and jobs, education and training, ICT skills, workforce development, digital inclusion, cybersecurity skills (linked to Cyber Security Skills Academy), and cross-sectoral linkages with health, EdTech and other sectoral academies. Secondary sectors: public administration, industry skills policy, SME support, skills intelligence and labour market linkages.

Mentioned countries

The opportunity text explicitly references:Member States (EU) and DIGITAL associated countries. It also refers to 22 national websites connected in 2024 and additional Member States to be connected by 2026 under the previous project. No specific Member State names are listed in the topic text. Therefore the country list is: EU Member States and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (as defined in the Call document and Participant Register).

Project stage (expected maturity)

Expected project maturity:implementation, consolidation, operation and scale-up of national Digital Skills & Jobs Coalition websites and their interoperable connection to the Core Platform. Activities include web development, maintenance, community building, content localisation and third-party support; these require organisations with operational delivery capacity and prior experience — not early-stage research or pure ideation.

Funding amount (range and scale)

Topic budget:€2,000,000 (estimated available funding for this topic). Maximum EU grant amount per project for this topic: €2,000,000. FSTP ceiling per third party: €150,000. Total call budget across topics: €12,500,000. Projects may request up to the maximum but the awarding authority may allocate a lower grant.

Application type and mechanics

Application type:open call through the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Single-stage submission. Applicants submit a complete application via the Portal using the DEP Application Form Part A (online) and Part B (uploaded PDF). Applications must adhere to page limits, templates and annex requirements. The Portal Submission System opens on the planned opening date (21 April 2026).

Nature of support

Beneficiaries will receive monetary support (grant funding) covering eligible project costs. The action can also include non-monetary support in the form of platform services, interoperability standards, editorial support, access to eTranslation and integration with the Core Platform. The main modality is monetary (grants), with possible Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) under strict conditions.

Application stages and process

Application stages:1. Submission via Portal (single-stage). 2. Admissibility and eligibility checks (administrative screening). 3. External expert evaluation against award criteria and scoring (Relevance, Implementation, Impact). 4. Ranking, reserve list and invitation to grant preparation for successful proposals. 5. Grant preparation (legal entity validation, financial capacity checks, negotiation of Grant Agreement, final annexes and possible amendments). 6. Grant signature and project start. The Data Sheet indicates evaluation in Oct–Nov 2026, information in Dec 2026, and GA signing Feb 2027 as indicative milestones.

Number of application stages:Applicants pass through a single submission stage followed by evaluation and then a grant preparation stage; operationally this is a 2-stage decision process (evaluation then grant preparation) but submission is single-stage. For the user, stages to secure funding are: 1. single-stage submission and evaluation; 2. grant preparation and signature — effectively two main stages to obtain funding.

Success rates

No explicit historical success rates are provided in the call document. Indicative number of grants across the full DIGITAL-2026-SKILLS-10 call is not specified per topic beyond the budgets. For this topic the call document anticipates funding a single consortium responsible for the activities (the topic states: "This project will fund a single consortium responsible for ensuring that the activities are implemented and the KPIs outlined above are achieved."). Given the topic budget (€2,000,000) and the nature of the topic, the expected number of grants is likely to be one, with a reserve list. Therefore the practical success rate is highly competitive and depends on the number and quality of applications submitted.

Co-funding requirement

Co-funding:the topic is funded at 100% for Coordination and Support Actions. Co-funding is not required for eligible costs from beneficiaries for this type of action. However, applicants must ensure a balanced project budget and demonstrate financial and technical sustainability beyond project end. For FSTP, third parties may be required to co-fund activities depending on the specific FSTP design, but the proposal must describe co-financing arrangements if any.

Templates and application form structure (how the application looks)

Application Form:USE the DEP standard template in the Portal. Part A: administrative information (online fields): proposal title, duration, participants (PIC), roles, partner details, declarations, ethics and security tables. Part B: Technical Description (downloadable template filled and uploaded as PDF). For Coordination and Support Actions (this topic), Part B page limit: maximum 50 pages. Required sections in Part B (summary from DEP template): Project summary; 1. Relevance (objectives, contribution to policies and synergies, supply chain and finance obstacles if applicable); 2. Implementation (maturity, work plan, project management, QA, risk management, capacity and team); 3. Impact (expected outcomes, dissemination and communication, competitiveness and societal benefits, environmental sustainability where applicable); 4. Work plan, Work Packages, activities, resources and timing (detailed WP descriptions, deliverables, milestones, staff effort, subcontracting, purchases, FSTP modalities, timetable); 5. Other (ethics and security); 6. Declarations. Annexes include List of previous projects (last 4 years), other call-specific annexes and the detailed budget annex (for budget-based grants).

Key suggested annex structure to prepare:Annex 1: Consortium description and roles; Annex 2: Detailed work packages and Gantt/timeline; Annex 3: Detailed budget and costing methodology (personnel rates, subcontracting, purchase and FSTP budgets) including FSTP implementation plan and selection criteria; Annex 4: List of previous projects (4 years) showing relevant experience; Annex 5: CVs of core project team and evidence of technical/IT capability; Annex 6: Letters of commitment from National Coalitions and associated partners; Annex 7: Data protection, security and GDPR compliance plan; Annex 8: Sustainability and continuation plan beyond EU funding.

Evaluation criteria and scoring (detailed)

Award criteria and scoring:Relevance (max 5 points) — alignment with call objectives, contribution to long-term policy objectives and synergies, and where applicable supply chain reinforcement and financial obstacles. Implementation (max 5 points) — maturity, soundness of implementation plan and efficient use of resources, capacity of applicants. Impact (max 5 points) — achievement of expected outcomes and deliverables, dissemination and communication, competitiveness and societal benefits, environmental sustainability where applicable. Individual thresholds per criterion: minimum 3/5. Overall pass threshold: minimum 10/15. Proposals passing thresholds will be ranked; funding decisions follow ranking and available budget. Certain parts of award criteria relating to supply chain, market finance obstacles and environmental sustainability may be NOT applicable to this topic as noted in the call document.

Legal, security and contractual specifics

Grant Agreement model:DIGITAL-AG budget-based DEP MGA. Legal and financial set-up and annexes are governed by the DEP Model Grant Agreement (MGA) and call document provisions. Project deliverables, milestones and KPIs will be included in Annex 1 and managed through the Portal Grant Management System. Security clauses may be added where EU classified information is involved. Ethics requirements and GDPR compliance are contractual obligations. Consortium agreement is recommended and in some cases mandatory by the Data Sheet. Prefinancing guarantees, CFS thresholds and recovery/liability regimes follow DEP MGA and Data Sheet provisions and depend on financial capacity checks.

Practical recommendations for applicants

1. 1Assemble a consortium that includes at least four National Coalitions already funded under CEF-TC 2019-2020 or DIGITAL-2024 to meet eligibility conditions.
2. 2Prepare a clear FSTP design: criteria, open calls (≥ 2 months), selection procedures, maximum per third party (≤ €150,000), ceiling on total FSTP (≤ 30% of budget), publication obligations and transparency rules.
3. 3Demonstrate technical capability to provide interoperable API-based web solutions and to maintain security and GDPR compliance; provide CVs and previous project evidence.
4. 4Map existing national and regional training portals and strategies and describe how the national website will interoperate with DSJP (technical specifications), including localization, post-editing and machine-translation use.
5. 5Include a robust sustainability plan (technical and financial) for national websites beyond project end and a dissemination plan aligned with DSJP editorial processes.
6. 6Provide clear KPIs with measurement methods and realistic targets for each KPI listed in the call.
7. 7Ensure that Part B addresses all award criteria explicitly and keep to the 50-page limit for this topic.

Reference and support documents:Call document (DIGITAL-2026-SKILLS-10 Call Document and Annexes), DEP Application Form templates (Part A and Part B), DEP Model Grant Agreement, DEP Work Programmes, DEP Regulation references and Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual and Terms and Conditions. The call page and the call fiche PDF are primary sources for details.

Portal and helpdesk contacts:Submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal. For non-IT questions use the 'Write to us' contact form on europa.eu. For IT/submission technical issues contact the IT Helpdesk. Read the Online Manual carefully before preparing the application.

Footnote

For technical specifications and connection requirements for National Coalitions and the DSJP, applicants should consult the technical specification references provided in the call documentation and the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform resources Digital Skills and Jobs Platform Call document Funding & Tenders Portal. See also the ongoing project selected under DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS for prior deliverables and connectivity targets ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Project selected under call DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS is referenced in the call as the ongoing project that will connect additional Member State websites to the Core Platform by 2026. Applicants should consult the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform and past project results pages for the list of connected national websites and the technical specifications used in CEF and DIGITAL-funded National Coalition projects.

Opportunity Overview

This call under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) topic DIGITAL-2026 supports the establishment, expansion and operation of National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs and their national platforms/websites in EU Member States and DIGITAL associated countries. The action aims to connect these national infrastructures to the core Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP), enhance exchanges of content and data on digital skills and jobs, and contribute to Digital Decade targets such as 80% of Europeans having basic digital skills and €20 millionICT specialists by 2030.

Expected deliverables include connected National Coalitions websites to the DSJP core platform. Objectives focus on sustaining the DSJP, expanding coalitions, increasing membership, and fostering synergies with initiatives like EIT Campus, EIT Digital dAcademy Skills Passport, and EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative.

Key Dates and Budget

Planned opening:21 April 2026

Deadline:1 October 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission)

Total call budget:€12.5 million (topic budget: €2 million)

Maximum grant amount:€2 million per project (Coordination and Support Action, 100% funding rate)

Project duration:24 to 36 months

Eligibility and Consortium Requirements

Legal entities established in EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) or associated countries to the Digital Europe Programme are eligible. Multi-beneficiary applications are mandatory with a minimum of 5 independent applicants from at least 4 different eligible countries, of which at least 4 must be National Coalitions funded under CEF-TC-2019-2, CEF-TC-2020-2 or DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS. All established National Coalitions are strongly encouraged to participate.

• Private, public or civil society organisations capable of managing large-scale projects
• Entities with technical expertise (including IT) for website development and maintenance
• Consortium coordinator must demonstrate experience in managing projects of this scale

Scope and Activities

The funded consortium will extend activities of existing National Coalitions websites (from CEF-TC 2019-2020 and DIGITAL-2024-ADVANCED-DIGITAL-06-SKILLS) and support new ones in Member States without coalitions. Key activities include developing interoperable national websites/databases connected to DSJP, providing access to local actors, and expanding engagement of connected coalitions.

Work Strands

• Develop and connect unconnected National Coalition websites to DSJP via interoperable links
• Build links to national/regional/local services and practices
• Expand and engage existing connected National Coalitions

Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)

FSTP up to €150,000 per third party (max 30% of total project budget) for National Coalitions not in the consortium. Balanced allocation between consortium activities and FSTP required. Prioritise established coalitions and new ones in uncovered states.

Minimum Activities for National Coalitions

1. 1Web development: National websites in official languages with interoperable links to DSJP
2. 2Services and content: Repositories of good practices/resources, training/funding opportunities, events, news, webinars
3. 3Post-editing and localisation: Translation services using eTranslation
4. 4General provisions: GDPR compliance, cybersecurity, annual reporting, sustainability plans, synergies with ELEVATE/EDIHs

Expected Outcomes and KPIs

All National Coalitions must meet minimum KPIs over project duration, including dedicated sections on coalition/strategies, publication of good practices (20 national, 8 from DSJP), resources (10), training opportunities (50), funding (10), events (20/year), news (3/month).

Evaluation and Award Criteria

• Relevance (max 5): Alignment with objectives, policy contribution, synergies
• Implementation (max 5): Maturity, plan soundness, consortium capacity
• Impact (max 5): Achievement of outcomes, competitiveness/societal benefits

Minimum pass:3/5 per criterion, 10/15 overall. Page limit: 50 pages (Part B). Detailed conditions in call document sections 5-10.

Application Process

1. 1Register in Participant Register and validate organisation
2. 2Submit via Funding & Tenders Portal (single-stage)
3. 3Part A: Administrative data; Part B: Technical description (max 50 pages); Annexes: List of previous projects
4. 4Evaluation: October-November 2026; Results: December 2026; GA signature: February 2027

Official portal:EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Call document: Call Fiche. Online Manual and templates available on portal.

Targeted Stakeholders and Synergies

Targets jobseekers, students, citizens, ICT professionals. Supports SMEs, addresses gender gap. Synergies with ELEVATE, ED IHs, European Data Space for Skills, Advanced Digital Skills Academies. Builds on previous CEF/DIGITAL projects; 22/27 Member States connected in 2024, more by 2026.

Additional Resources

Model Grant Agreement:DEP MGA. Application Form: DEP AF. Contact: Write to us. Digital Skills Platform: DSJP.

Footnotes

1. 1Data from official EU Funding & Tenders Portal and call fiche (version 1.0, 01.04.2026). Budgets indicative; right reserved to redistribute. Check portal for updates.