Global Human Rights and EU values

Overview

The EU funding opportunity titled "Global Human Rights and EU Values," identified as HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-08, is part of the Horizon Europe program specifically focusing on research and innovation actions related to human rights and gender equality. The call is set to open on May 13, 2027, with a submission deadline of September 23, 2027. The total budget allocated for this initiative is €12 million, aiming to fund three projects with individual grants ranging from €3.5 million to €4 million.

Eligible applicants include a diverse array of organizations such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit entities, and other legal bodies from EU member states as well as associated countries, including those from the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood regions. Although there is no formal consortium requirement for applications, a multi-partner approach is strongly encouraged to enhance competitiveness and address the complexity of the research topics.

Geographical eligibility encompasses EU member states, with a focus on EU Enlargement countries like the Western Balkans and certain Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and North African states. This geographical scope supports international collaboration, reinforcing the understanding that human rights challenges transcend borders.

The targeted sectors for this funding opportunity cover a wide range of themes, including human rights, democracy support, international law, and civil society engagement. Specific attention is given to marginalized and vulnerable populations, promoting gender equality and accountability mechanisms in governance structures. Projects will be expected to conduct both primary and secondary research, devise innovative policy approaches, and create frameworks for cooperation and accountability in human rights practices.

The application process is structured as a single-stage open call. Proposals must undergo an admissibility check, eligibility assessment, and quality evaluation by an expert panel to measure their excellence, impact, and implementation quality. Success rates for this call are projected to range between 10% and 39%, depending on the number of submissions and their quality.

Financial support will be provided as a lump sum grant, allowing beneficiaries to allocate funds flexibly across project needs without requiring co-funding. Nonetheless, while co-funding is not mandatory, it can enhance proposal strength and stakeholder engagement.

Overall, this funding opportunity reflects the EU's commitment to uphold and promote human rights globally and to equip organizations with the financial resources necessary to develop effective solutions in preserving human dignity and advancing equality amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Detail

This EU funding opportunity focuses on Global Human Rights and EU values under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically the Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society call for 2027. The call, designated as HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-08, aims to promote and protect human rights and gender equality globally.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include:

EU and national policymakers promoting and protecting human rights and gender equality globally through effective mechanisms for investigating and prosecuting international crimes, and cooperation frameworks with third countries to ensure humanitarian assistance, security, and respect for international law.

Empowerment of vulnerable groups and marginalized individuals in the EU Enlargement, Neighbourhood, and low- and lower middle-income countries by promoting and protecting human rights and gender equality, providing essential services, and advocating for policy changes that advance equality and social justice. This includes enhancing capacity, awareness, strengthening partnerships, and effective reporting of human rights abuses.

Integration of human rights considerations into trade policies and practices by EU and national policymakers, ensuring that trade agreements, supply chains, and labour standards promote human dignity, equality, fairness and well-being, and prevent human rights abuses.

The scope of the research should address the complexities of global governance, trade, human rights, and the rule of law in a multipolar world. It should examine the impact of trade policies and investments on human rights, develop effective diplomatic strategies and cooperation frameworks, and investigate the role of national courts and international organizations in promoting accountability. Participatory research approaches to enhance inclusivity and stakeholder engagement are encouraged.

The geographical scope of the research should include the EU Neighbourhood and low- and lower middle-income countries, with a focus on the Western Balkan and the accession countries. International cooperation is strongly encouraged. The EU Neighbourhood is defined as countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), including countries to the East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and to the South (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, and Tunisia). Low-income and low-middle income countries are understood as the low to middle income non-associated third countries in the list of participating countries according to the Horizon Europe rules for participation and proposal procedure.

The type of action is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), and the type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of 13 May 2027 and a deadline date of 23 September 2027, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

General conditions for participation include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form.

Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may apply to non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Other Eligible Conditions: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as 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 take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are as described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information:

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA).

Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).

Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.

Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.

Call-specific instructions include a detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

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 the call in 2027 includes various topics related to Democracy, Heritage, and Transformation, with opening dates on 13 May 2027 and deadlines on 23 September 2027. Contributions and indicative numbers of grants vary by topic.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests.

The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

General FAQs and support are available through the Funding & Tenders Portal.

This funding opportunity aims to address the pressing concerns of human rights and gender equality in a complex global landscape. It seeks to fund research and innovation actions that can inform policy, empower vulnerable groups, and integrate human rights into trade practices. The focus is on collaborative projects that include partners from the EU, its neighboring countries, and low- to middle-income nations, encouraging international cooperation to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes in the promotion and protection of human rights and EU values.

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Breakdown

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit organizations, and other legal entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The call encourages participation from organizations in the EU Enlargement, Neighbourhood, and low- and lower middle-income countries.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant. Specifically, the funding is provided through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). The eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and expected outcomes, it is highly likely that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, especially to foster international cooperation and cover the diverse geographical scope. Partner Search Announcements are available.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographical scope includes the EU Neighbourhood, low- and lower middle-income countries, with a focus on the Western Balkan and the accession countries. The EU Neighbourhood is defined as countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), including countries to the East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and to the South (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, and Tunisia). International cooperation is strongly encouraged.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: human rights, gender equality, democracy support, civil society engagement, international cooperation, sustainable peace, and democratic governance. It also touches upon trade policies, supply chains, and labour rights. The call falls under the broader theme of Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society.

Mentioned Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Western Balkan countries, and EU accession countries.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is research and innovation actions. The call aims to foster new approaches, strategies, and mechanisms, suggesting projects should be in the research, development, and validation stages.

Funding Amount: The funding range varies depending on the specific topic within the call:
HORIZON-CSA: €3,000,000 to €5,000,000
HORIZON-RIA: €2,500,000 to €4,800,000
HORIZON-IA: €3,000,000 to €3,750,000

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

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

Application Stages: Applicants have to pass through a single stage to obtain this opportunity.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation based on the expected number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. However, Horizon Europe typically funds a significant portion of project costs, implying that co-funding may not be mandatory but could strengthen a proposal.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, part of the Culture, Creativity, and Inclusive Society pillar for 2027, focuses on "Global Human Rights and EU Values." It seeks to fund research and innovation actions (RIA) and coordination and support actions (CSA) that promote and protect human rights and gender equality globally. The call encourages projects that develop effective mechanisms for investigating international crimes, foster cooperation with third countries, empower vulnerable groups, integrate human rights into trade policies, and address the internal consequences of EU external actions. The geographical scope includes the EU Neighbourhood, low- and lower middle-income countries, with a focus on the Western Balkan and accession countries. Funding ranges from €3,000,000 to €5,000,000 for CSAs and €2,500,000 to €4,800,000 for RIAs, with a single-stage application process and a lump sum grant mechanism. The call aims to support projects that contribute to the EU's role as a values-based actor in the world, addressing complex relationships between global governance, trade, human rights, and geopolitical interests.

Short Summary

Impact
The funding aims to promote and protect human rights and gender equality globally through effective mechanisms for investigating and prosecuting international crimes, and cooperation frameworks with third countries.
Applicant
Applicants should possess expertise in social sciences, humanities, law, political science, international relations, and development studies, with a capacity for conducting research and innovation activities.
Developments
The funding will support research and innovation actions that address global human rights challenges, trade policies, and the integration of human rights considerations into EU and national policies.
Applicant Type
This funding is designed for a broad range of research and innovation organizations, including universities, research institutes, SMEs, non-profit organizations, and other legal entities registered in eligible countries.
Consortium
While single applicants are technically eligible, a multi-partner consortium is strongly recommended for competitiveness and to address the broad scope of the research.
Funding Amount
The total indicative budget is €12,000,000, with expected grants ranging from €3,500,000 to €4,000,000 per project.
Countries
The funding is relevant for EU member states, EU Enlargement countries (Western Balkans), EU Neighbourhood countries (Eastern and Southern partners), and low- to lower middle-income countries.
Industry
This funding targets the sectors of human rights, global governance, democracy, and civil society engagement under the Horizon Europe programme.

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