Enhancing Mobility for All: affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport for inclusive rural and urban connectivity – Societal Readiness ...

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity titled HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08 is focused on enhancing mobility for all through affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport for inclusive rural and urban connectivity, specifically categorized as a Societal Readiness pilot. This initiative is part of the broader Horizon Europe framework, particularly within Cluster 5, which addresses Climate, Energy, and Mobility.

Eligible applicants for this grant include a wide range of entities, such as universities, research institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, public authorities, transport operators, civil society organizations, and NGOs. A critical requirement is that proposals must include local authorities and transport authorities as beneficiaries, ensuring a strong community involvement in the projects.

The funding mechanism is structured as a lump sum grant, where beneficiaries receive a predetermined fixed amount rather than a reimbursement based on individual costs. This model simplifies financial management and is particularly suited for multi-stakeholder collaborations that often involve public sector partners. The total budget allocated for this specific topic is €21 million, with three expected grants of €7 million each.

Proposals must be submitted as a complete package in a single-stage process, with opening and deadline dates set for early June and early October 2027, respectively. Geographic eligibility spans the EU and Associated Countries, mandating that projects demonstrate implementations in at least four distinct pilot sites within these regions.

The focus of this funding opportunity is on the transport sector, targeting challenges such as transport poverty, shared mobility services, first- and last-mile connectivity, and sustainable transport solutions. Projects must implement integrated multimodal solutions that enhance the accessibility and reliability of transport options for vulnerable populations, including low-income households.

Evaluative criteria for proposals include their responsiveness to societal needs, capacity for real-world implementation, and potential for collaboration among multiple stakeholder groups. Although specific success rates are not outlined, Horizon Europe calls typically have competitive application processes, with expected success rates between 10% and 20%.

The call is designed to yield not just strategic insights but also practical implementations that will aid local authorities in refining transport policies and improving service accessibility. It emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly the integration of Social Science and Humanities expertise to ensure community-focused solutions.

Overall, this Horizon Europe call aims to promote sustainable and inclusive mobility systems across Europe by facilitating innovative transport solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of rural and urban populations, aligning with overarching goals of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals under the MOBILITY call (HORIZON-CL5-2027-06), specifically focusing on "Enhancing Mobility for All: affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport for inclusive rural and urban connectivity – Societal Readiness pilot" with topic ID HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08. It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) 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 03 June 2027 and a deadline of 07 October 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The call aims to address transport poverty and promote inclusive, efficient, accessible, and sustainable transport systems in line with EU policies like the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the European Green Deal.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are:

Strategies, best practices, and innovative solutions made available to local authorities and actors to improve the availability, accessibility, and affordability of rural-urban transport and provide rural and urban populations in a vulnerable situation with better access to services and opportunities.
Integrated multimodal solutions, which ensure seamless transitions between rural and urban transport modes improving first- and last-mile connectivity, are piloted and related implementation plans are developed for/by local authorities and transport operators.
Responsiveness to a deeper understanding of the needs and concerns of diverse social groups involved in or potentially affected by the R&I development, thereby increasing the potential for beneficial societal uptake, and building trust in results and outcomes. Development of options for behavioral change towards healthier, safer, and more sustainable mobility and lifestyles in rural and urban populations in a vulnerable situation.

The scope of the call includes:

Investigating strategies to enhance the availability and accessibility of sustainable and inclusive transport services in sparsely populated regions with limited transport options, building on previous calls and existing knowledge.
Analyzing the demand for mobility services in regions and communities affected by transport poverty and investigating which drivers could facilitate transport users in a vulnerable situation to use public transport or other shared mobility options.
Developing new sustainable and inclusive integrated multimodal solutions that ensure seamless transitions between rural and urban transport modes, improving first- and last-mile connectivity, focusing on vulnerable and low-income households.
Each proposal must include pilot demonstrations in at least 4 pilot sites, covering 4 different areas across the EU and Associated Countries, ensuring geographical balance and diversity of issues addressed. Each proposed issue must be addressed in at least two pilots. The pilots must be community-driven, carried out under the lead or with the involvement of rural/local/regional public authorities/administrations and the local transport authorities, and these entities must be included in the consortium as beneficiaries.
Elaborating and proposing plans for a possible implementation of the developed and tested solutions by local authorities and transport authorities/operators.
Elaborating a roadmap to implement and scale up the tested solutions through the active engagement of public transport operators, local authorities, rural communities, and civil society organizations, through the European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN), while ensuring widespread adoption across diverse regional contexts.
Proposals must plan for active collaboration amongst the projects selected under this topic for dissemination, evaluation, and coordination facilitated by and within the CIVITAS initiative through the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding.
If the proposed solutions use position, navigation, and/or timing (PNT) services or data, the beneficiaries must make use of Galileo (other GNSS may additionally be used). Where appropriate, Galileo services such as OSNMA (Open Service Navigation Message Authentication) and HAS (High Accuracy Service) should also be utilized.
This topic is a Societal-Readiness pilot, requiring an interdisciplinary approach and effective contribution of relevant SSH expertise, including the involvement of SSH experts in the consortium, to meaningfully support Societal Readiness.

The general conditions for this call include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible Countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: Beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS if projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services. Proposals must include pilot demonstrations in at least 4 pilot sites across the EU and Associated Countries, with community-driven pilots led by public authorities and local transport authorities.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are 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 described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the action's end. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. This is further described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

The application and evaluation forms, model grant agreement (MGA), and additional documents include:

Application form templates available in the Submission System (Standard application form HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form HE RIA, IA).
Guidance: HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA): Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions: Detailed budget table (HE LS), Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".
Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes, 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 — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget overview for this topic in 2027 is:

HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 5,500,000 EUR, single-stage, with around 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-05 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 4,000,000 EUR, single-stage, with around 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 21,000,000 EUR, single-stage, with around 3 grants, each around 7,000,000 EUR.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-11 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 5,000,000 EUR, single-stage, with around 1 grant.
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-12 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 1,600,000 EUR, single-stage, with around 1 grant.

There are 4 partner search announcements related to this topic. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

This Horizon Europe call seeks to improve mobility for all, especially those in vulnerable situations in both rural and urban areas. It aims to fund projects that develop and pilot innovative, affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport solutions. The EU is prioritizing strategies and solutions that address transport poverty, ensuring that everyone has the right to mobility. Projects should build upon existing knowledge, analyze mobility demands, and develop integrated transport options that go beyond car ownership. A key component is the implementation of pilot demonstrations in diverse EU regions, driven by community involvement and supported by local authorities. The call also emphasizes collaboration among projects and the use of EU's satellite navigation systems, Galileo and Copernicus, where relevant. Ultimately, this initiative aims to create a roadmap for widespread adoption of sustainable and inclusive transport solutions across Europe, fostering a more equitable and environmentally friendly mobility landscape.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the call's focus, eligible applicants likely include local, regional, and rural public authorities/administrations, transport operators, research institutions, civil society organizations, and other relevant actors in the transport and mobility sector. The requirement for community-driven pilots suggests the inclusion of community groups and local stakeholders.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the Horizon Europe Programme. The actions are HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required, as evidenced by the need for pilot demonstrations in at least 4 pilot sites across the EU and Associated Countries, and the inclusion of rural/local/regional public authorities/administrations and local transport authorities as beneficiaries in the consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes the EU and Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible if they have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The target sector is transport, with a focus on enhancing mobility for all, affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport for inclusive rural and urban connectivity. This includes addressing transport poverty, promoting sustainable and smart mobility, and leveraging digitalization and shared mobility solutions.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions the EU and Associated Countries. It also refers to non-EU and non-Associated Countries that have specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage is primarily demonstration and innovation, with an emphasis on piloting integrated multimodal solutions and developing implementation plans. The call also supports research and innovation actions, as well as coordination and support actions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic:
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-04: around €5,500,000
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-05: around €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08: around €7,000,000 (total €21,000,000 for 3 grants)
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-11: around €5,000,000
HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-12: around €1,600,000

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight: one grant for most topics, and three grants for HORIZON-CL5-2027-06-D6-08.

Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the MOBILITY pillar, aims to enhance mobility for all by addressing transport poverty and promoting affordable, reliable, and accessible multimodal transport solutions in both rural and urban areas. The call seeks to implement the EU's Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the European Green Deal by supporting projects that develop and pilot innovative transport solutions, particularly for vulnerable and low-income households. Projects should build on existing knowledge and previous EU-funded initiatives, investigate strategies to enhance transport accessibility, analyze mobility demands, and develop sustainable multimodal solutions. A key requirement is the inclusion of pilot demonstrations in at least four diverse sites across the EU and Associated Countries, driven by community involvement and led by public authorities and transport operators. The call also emphasizes the importance of collaboration, dissemination, and the use of Galileo for positioning and navigation services. Furthermore, the call is a Societal-Readiness pilot, requiring an interdisciplinary approach and the involvement of SSH expertise to ensure that projects are responsive to societal needs and concerns, and promote inclusivity, equity, and digital literacy. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage submission.