Equipment for smart European cable systems - Works

This CEF-Digital call CEF-DIG-2026 funds upgrades of existing submarine fibre cable systems to deploy smart cable technologies (sensors, edge probing and real-time monitoring) to improve security, resilience and environmental monitoring. Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States (including OCTs) and participation is subject to stringent ownership, control and security requirements; exceptional third-country involvement is possible only with approved guarantees. Indicative call budget is €20,000,000 with an indicative maximum EU grant of €4,000,000 per project, projects up to 24 months, single-stage submission with deadline 30 June 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Applications must include Parts A and B, detailed budget, timetable, security and ownership declarations and Member State support where applicable, and will be evaluated on priority/urgency, maturity, quality, impact and catalytic effect.

Opportunity: Equipment for smart European cable systems - Works

What it funds

Grants to upgrade existing submarine telecommunications cables to smart cable systems: sensor installation or edge probing, real-time monitoring, threat detection/early warning platforms, secure data acquisition and interoperability with Regional Cable Hubs and competent authorities. Synergetic infrastructure elements (energy/transport) may be included up to 20% of eligible costs.

Typical activities:Attachment or deployment of sensors/interrogators, selection/installation/testing/commissioning of monitoring systems, data processing and secure transmission, preparatory studies and permitting work where necessary ¹.

Who can apply

Legal entities (public or private) established in EU Member States. Eligible applicants include network operators, utilities, public authorities, investors and vendors. All participating entities must register in the Participant Register (PIC) and comply with strict security, ownership and control rules; entities controlled from non-EU countries are ineligible unless an approved national guarantee is provided. Associated partners, subcontractors and affiliated entities are allowed under conditions.

Key eligibility and compliance notes

1. 1Applications must demonstrate geostrategic importance, regional or EU connectivity benefits and redundancy improvements
2. 2Stringent digital security and ownership/control requirements apply; security declarations are mandatory and a security assessment may be carried out
3. 3Subcontracted work and project activities must generally take place in eligible countries; ownership control checks may require supporting documents and national guarantees
4. 4Studies may be included but must be in separate work packages to qualify for the higher studies funding rate
5. 5Financial and operational capacity checks apply; public bodies and international organisations have specific rules

How much and timing

Call reference CEF-DIG-2026 with planned opening 17 March 2026 and deadline 30 June 2026 (17:00 Brussels time). Total indicative call budget €20,000,000.

Grant size and funding rates:Maximum requested grant per project is typically €4,000,000; funding rates vary by cost type: up to 50% for studies, up to 70% for works in outermost regions, and up to 30% for other cost categories (see call document for exact conditions) ¹.

Apply electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must include Application Form Part A and Part B, annexes (detailed budget per WP, timetable, security and ownership declarations, Member State support letters where required) and meet page limits and admissibility rules.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call document, eligibility, security and ownership-control details and submission instructions are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Call page.

Equipment for smart European cable systems - Works (CEF-DIG-2026-SMART-CABLES-WORKS)

This is a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital strand action grant call managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). It funds the deployment of smart technologies on existing submarine fibre cable systems to enhance security, resilience, monitoring and data-sharing across the EU. The call is forthcoming with a single-stage submission. Applicants must comply with stringent security and ownership/control restrictions. Full topic details and submission are provided on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page.

At-a-glance

Scope, objectives, expected impacts and KPIs

Objectives:Upgrade existing submarine telecommunications/digital infrastructures to smart capabilities enabling continuous monitoring of the cable itself and nearby critical infrastructures (e.g. power cables, pipelines), while sharing relevant data with Regional Cable Hubs and competent national authorities; promote re-use of smart cable data by authorised stakeholders, including the scientific and academic communities, notably for environmental monitoring.

Scope of funded activities:Works to retrofit or augment existing fibre cable systems with integrated sensors and/or edge probing technologies; installation, testing, commissioning of sensing/monitoring systems; deployment of interrogators and dry plant equipment; real-time surveillance, threat detection and monitoring platforms; data acquisition, processing and secure transmission for early warnings; interoperability actions including standardised real-time data formats and interconnection with relevant entities (e.g. Regional Cable Hubs, emergency services). Necessary studies can be included in separate work packages (e.g. permits, preparatory analyses).

Expected impacts:Increased security and resilience of EU submarine cable infrastructure; improved cross-border coordination and data-sharing for threat detection and response; advanced environmental monitoring and enhanced civil protection through early warnings (e.g. seismic, volcanic, tsunami), while enabling research on environmental conditions and marine fauna.

Key performance indicators (KPIs):1) Total length (km) and targeted area (location, km2) of submarine cable systems (with cable names and owners) upgraded with smart technologies; 2) Number of smart monitoring units/devices/nodes installed; 3) Number of different technologies used; 4) Detection accuracy.

Eligibility, security and ownership/control restrictions

• Eligible participants: Legal entities (public or private) established in EU Member States, including Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Operators, utilities, public authorities, investors and vendors are explicitly eligible. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders without separate legal personality.
• Security-driven eligibility restriction: Participation in any capacity is limited to entities from eligible countries. Entities must not be directly or indirectly controlled from a non-eligible third country. Project activities (including subcontracted work) must take place in eligible countries, with narrow exceptions for indispensable third-country activities subject to stringent security declarations and guarantees.
• Exceptional participation: Entities from third countries associated/not associated to CEF may be exceptionally eligible if essential to the action and only upon provision of security guarantees approved by the relevant national authority. Non‑EU-controlled entities established in the EU may participate if they provide a Member State-approved security guarantee (results to remain with the beneficiary and protected from non‑eligible third-country control for 10 years after project completion).
• Ownership and control declarations: Mandatory for beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners and subcontractors as specified; EU will assess ownership/control and may require guarantees. See EU guidance on restricted calls and the ownership control assessment procedures.
• Security compliance: All participants must sign the Security Compliance Declaration and demonstrate compliance with applicable EU and national cybersecurity requirements, the EU Cybersecurity Toolbox where applicable, and the EU Submarine Cable Security Toolbox. Projects must also address relevant risk scenarios from the EU Cables Risk Assessment and mitigation measures from the EU Cable Toolbox.
• Data sharing: Data from smart cables to be shared with Regional Cable Hubs and/or competent national authorities as appropriate. Proposals must explain data access and sharing mechanisms and business models if applicable.
• Digital security section: Proposals must describe measures to avoid dependency on high-risk suppliers, ensure supply chain resilience and strategic autonomy, implement strict security requirements for network operators, and prevent unsolicited transfer/access to data.

Funding, co-financing and cost eligibility

Who should apply and what projects fit best

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants include: operators of submarine cable systems and related digital backbone infrastructure; utilities; public authorities; investors; vendors and suppliers of hardware, equipment, devices/systems and software essential to the project; universities and research institutes; nonprofits and NGOs with relevant roles; international organisations. Natural persons are not eligible except self-employed sole traders. All entities must be established in EU Member States (including OCTs) and comply with ownership/control and security restrictions.

Consortium Requirement

No mandatory consortium composition. Single applicants or consortia are allowed. Letters of support (Member State agreements) from all Member States benefitting from the project are mandatory.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

EU Member States, including their Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Participation is security-restricted to EU entities not controlled by non-eligible third countries. Exceptional third-country involvement is possible only if indispensable and subject to stringent security guarantees and approvals.

Target Sector

• Digital connectivity and backbone networks
• Submarine cables and smart sensing
• Security and cybersecurity of critical infrastructure
• Environment and climate monitoring, marine science data
• Civil protection and early warning systems
• Data platforms and interoperability (standardised formats, secure transmission)
• Potential synergies with energy and transport under CEF

Mentioned Countries or Regions

Region: European Union. Specific sea basins: Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea. Special territories: Outermost Regions (ORs) and Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Country explicitly mentioned in conditionality context: Hungary.

Project Stage and Maturity

Works projects upgrading existing infrastructure with deployment, installation, commissioning and integration activities. Necessary preparatory studies may be included. Projects should be implementation-ready within the timeline and include permits/planning and contracting maturity. Typical stage: deployment/implementation and validation, leading to operational monitoring capability.

Funding Amount

Total call budget €20 million; indicative maximum requested EU grant per project €4 million. Co-funding required based on funding rates (generally up to 30% for most costs; up to 50% for studies and strong cross-border dimension; up to 70% for works in Outermost Regions).

Application Type and Stages

Open call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Evaluation is a one-step process with independent experts and panel ranking. Award criteria thresholds apply (minimum 3/5 per criterion; 15/25 overall). Priority order in case of ties: Priority and urgency, Maturity, Catalytic effect, Impact, Quality.

Nature of Support

Financial support in the form of EU action grants. No financial support to third parties. Non-financial support consists of standard EU project management and guidance resources.

Success Rates

Not specified. Funding is competitive within the €20 million call envelope and subject to award criteria and budget ceilings.

Co-funding Requirement

Yes. Applicants must co-finance the non-EU-funded portion according to the applicable funding rate. Balanced project budget and sufficient resources are required.

Award criteria and evaluation

Equipment for Smart European Cable Systems - Works (CEF-DIG-2026-SMART-CABLES-WORKS)

This call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility Digital strand (CEF-Digital) supports the upgrade of existing submarine telecommunications and digital infrastructures to smart capabilities. It enables monitoring of submarine cables and surrounding critical infrastructures such as power cables and pipelines, enhancing security, resilience, and environmental monitoring across the EU.

Objectives

The specific objectives are to enhance the security, resilience, and performance of submarine fibre cable infrastructure within or connecting to the EU by deploying smart cable technologies and sharing data with Regional Cable Hubs or national authorities. It also promotes data sharing with authorised stakeholders, such as scientific communities, for environmental monitoring purposes.

Expected Impacts

• Increased security and resilience of EU submarine cable infrastructure, contributing to digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
• Enhanced coordination and data sharing among Member States for threat detection and response to ensure critical service continuity.
• Advanced environmental monitoring (e.g., climate change) and civil protection against natural disasters through data sharing.

Key Performance Indicators:Total length (km) and targeted area (km2) of upgraded submarine cable systems (including names and owners); number of smart monitoring units installed; number of different technologies used; detection accuracy.

Scope and Eligible Activities

CEF-Digital funds upgrades to make fibre cable systems smart, using sensors along cables or edge probing techniques to detect displacement, acoustic signals, and other threats. Proposals must demonstrate geostrategic importance, address regional or EU-wide connectivity needs, improve redundancy, and promote cost-efficiency and synergies. Activities include studies (if necessary for implementation), sensor installation, real-time surveillance platforms, data processing systems, and interoperability measures.

• Preparatory studies for smart systems deployment.
• Installation, testing, and commissioning of sensing/monitoring systems.
• Upgrade of existing submarine cables with integrated sensors or dry plant equipment.
• Real-time surveillance, threat detection, and early warning systems.
• Standardised interoperability and data exchange.

Synergetic elements from other CEF sectors (energy, transport) are eligible up to 20% of total eligible costs if they improve socio-economic, climate, or environmental benefits. All proposals must describe post-project ownership/control and data sharing mechanisms.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Participants

Legal entities from EU Member States (including OCTs). Participation limited to entities from eligible countries; entities must not be directly or indirectly controlled from ineligible non-EU countries. Exceptional eligibility for entities from associated third countries or other third countries for projects of common interest, subject to security guarantees approved by the country of establishment.

Eligible Activities

Activities corresponding to the topic description, taking into account results from other EU-funded projects. Projects must comply with EU policy priorities and respect EU values.

Geographic Location

Activities in eligible countries. Activities in third countries eligible if indispensable for projects of common interest.

Duration and Budget

Duration:Up to 24 months (extensions possible if justified).

Project Budget:Indicative maximum requested grant amount: €4,000,000 per project.

Funding Details

Available Budget:€20,000,000 (may increase if additional budget allocated).

Form of Grant:Budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs, unit costs, flat-rates). Funding rates: maximum 50% for studies; 70% for works in outermost regions; 30% for other costs. Higher rate (50%) for strong cross-border dimension.

Timeline

1. 1Planned opening: 17 March 2026
2. 2Deadline: 30 June 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission)
3. 3Evaluation: Q3 2026
4. 4Information on evaluation results: Q4 2026
5. 5Grant agreement signature: Q1 2027

Security Requirements

Strict security requirements apply due to critical infrastructure nature. Proposals must include security compliance declarations confirming compliance with EU/national cybersecurity laws, EU Cybersecurity Toolbox, and EU Cable Toolbox. Funded infrastructure must comply with strictest requirements; results remain with beneficiary for 10 years post-completion. Measures to avoid non-eligible third country jurisdiction/influence required.

Proposals must address EU Cables Risk Assessment scenarios and EU Cable Toolbox measures. Security risk assessment possible during evaluation/implementation.

Application Documents

• Application Form Parts A and B
• Detailed budget table per work package
• Timetable/Gantt chart
• Letters of support/MS agreement
• Ownership control declaration
• Security compliance declaration
• CEF Model Grant Agreement

Page limit: 120 pages (Part B). Submit electronically via EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Evaluation Criteria

Priority order for equal scores: Priority/urgency > Maturity > Catalytic effect > Impact > Quality.

Application Guidance

Consult call document for admissibility, eligibility, financial/operational capacity, submission/evaluation processes, award criteria, and legal/financial setup. Contact HaDEA CEF DIGITAL CALLS for help. Apply via EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Note: Submission session temporarily unavailable due to technical issues; expected to open soon after 17 March 2026.

Footnotes

1. 1Detailed call fiche available at Call Fiche.
2. 2CEF Multiannual Work Programme 2024-2027 at CEF Work Programme.