International cooperation in semiconductors (CSA)

The grant opportunity titled "International cooperation in semiconductors (CSA)" falls under the Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2025, specifically noted as HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-19. This initiative aims to enhance international collaboration in semiconductor research and development, thereby reinforcing the EU's strategic interests in the semiconductor sector.

Eligible applicants include a broad array of entities such as universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, public-private partnerships, and non-governmental organizations involved in semiconductor research and innovation. The primary funding type is a grant under the Horizon Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), characterized by non-repayable funding meant to support coordination activities without loading grants with debt or equity returns.

The project is expected to be organized within a consortium approach, reflecting Horizon Europe's preference for collaborative efforts, especially in contexts involving international partnerships. Countries eligible for participation include EU member states, associated countries, and potentially international partners aiming to foster global semiconductor collaboration.

Financially, the budget for this call is estimated around three million euros, with similar Horizon European projects historically ranging between one million and five million euros per project. The application process is single-stage, featuring an opening date set for June 10, 2025, and a submission deadline of October 2, 2025.

Nature of the support includes monetary grants that facilitate coordination and support activities, excluding options like loans or equity investments. The application procedure is simplified through a single-stage submission compared to more complex multi-stage processes in related initiatives. The success rates for proposals within this category typically range between ten to thirty-nine percent, influenced by the alignment with the EU's strategic goals.

Co-funding is not explicitly mandated, but project proposals that integrate national or private funding initiatives are encouraged to create synergy. This grant opportunity aligns closely with the broader objectives of the European Chips Act, emphasizing the need for enhanced supply chain resilience and technological sovereignty in semiconductor technology.

In summary, this grant focuses on fostering international cooperation in the semiconductor field, aims to provide strategic support to the European Commission, and is designed to consolidate efforts in achieving a strong, collaborative semiconductor ecosystem in Europe. It is crafted to facilitate research cooperation, strategic analysis of the semiconductor landscape, and risk assessment to enhance the EU's position in global supply chains. The opening of the call and the deadline for submission are set for mid-2025.

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals, specifically HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-19, titled "International cooperation in semiconductors (CSA)". This call falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program and the DIGITAL CNECT (HORIZON-CL4-2025-03) call. It aims to foster international cooperation in the semiconductor industry through Coordination and Support Actions (CSA). The projects selected under this call are expected to provide evidence-based advice to the Commission and Member States regarding joint actions with leading semiconductor countries, support the Commission in strengthening Europe's position in the global semiconductor value chain, and facilitate research cooperation within Digital Partnerships. The scope includes preparing regional mappings of leading semiconductor countries, identifying emerging cooperation opportunities, defining research areas for international collaboration, analyzing risks to EU technological advancements and economic security, promoting standardization, organizing joint events, promoting researcher mobility, and preparing comparative analyses of cooperation modalities. The Commission will actively engage with Member States through the European Semiconductor Board. Projects should complement existing initiatives like HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01-38 and the Chips Diplomacy Support Initiative, and develop synergies with the Digital Europe Programme (DEP). Mainstream chips are defined as semiconductor devices manufactured at node sizes equal or greater than 28 nm.

The general conditions for this call include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits 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 are detailed 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. Other eligible conditions are subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks and are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual, while the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also in Annex F. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are outlined in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms, as well as the model grant agreement (MGA), are available in the Submission System, including the standard application form (HE CSA) and the standard evaluation form (HE CSA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide, and the Model Grant Agreement is the HE MGA. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2025 (General Introduction, Digital, Industry and Space, and General Annexes), the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement.

The budget overview lists various topics under the HORIZON-CL4-2025-03 call, including their respective budget, stage, opening date, deadline, contributions, and indicative number of grants. For HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-19, the budget is EUR 3,000,000, it is a single-stage call, the opening date is 10 June 2025, the deadline is 02 October 2025, and the indicative number of grants is 1.

Partner search announcements are available, with 19 searches listed for partners to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header. General FAQs and support resources are available, including the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers, and a partner search tool.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to bolster international cooperation in the semiconductor and silicon photonics sectors. It seeks to fund projects that will provide strategic advice and support to the European Commission and its member states. This will be achieved through detailed analysis of the global semiconductor landscape, identification of collaboration opportunities, and risk assessment. The ultimate goal is to strengthen Europe's position in the global semiconductor value chain and promote research cooperation. The call is structured as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) with a budget of 3 million EUR and a single-stage submission process. The call is set to open on June 10, 2025, with a deadline for submissions on October 2, 2025. It encourages participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, industry representatives, and policymakers, to contribute to the development of a robust and competitive European semiconductor industry.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls, eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other legal entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities. The specific eligibility criteria are detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type: The primary funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. The calls include HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA), and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA).

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of Horizon Europe projects, consortia are often preferred, especially for RIAs and IAs, to bring together diverse expertise and resources. The specific requirements may vary depending on the topic and are detailed in the call conditions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The opportunity mentions that a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is digital, specifically focusing on semiconductors and semiconductor-based photonics (e.g., silicon photonics). The call also aims to foster international cooperation in these areas. Additional sectors include data, emerging digital technologies, advanced materials, and human-centric AI.

Mentioned Countries: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, USA, Canada, India, Korea.

Project Stage: The project stages vary depending on the type of action. Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) typically focus on research and development, while Innovation Actions (IA) focus on demonstration and validation. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination activities.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action:
HORIZON-RIA: €8,000,000 to €85,000,000 (with contributions ranging from around €2,500,000 to around €75,000,000)
HORIZON-CSA: €1,000,000 to €4,500,000 (with contributions ranging from €1,800,000 to around €4,500,000)
HORIZON-IA: €20,000,000 to €45,000,000 (with contributions ranging from €4,000,000 to €9,000,000)

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 grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:
This opportunity is a set of calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically within the DIGITAL - CNECT (HORIZON-CL4-2025-03) call. It aims to foster international cooperation in the semiconductor and photonics sectors, support the European Commission in strengthening Europe's position in the global semiconductor value chain, and promote research and innovation in digital and emerging technologies. The calls are structured into three main types of actions: Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), and Innovation Actions (IA), each with varying scopes, funding amounts, and expected outcomes. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, and large enterprises from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU countries with specific funding arrangements. The application process is a single-stage submission, with funding provided in the form of grants. The calls target various areas within the digital and emerging technology sectors, including data, AI, advanced materials, and human-centric approaches, with a strong emphasis on international collaboration and the development of synergies with other EU programs. The opportunity aims to provide evidence-based advice to the Commission and Member States, map supply chains, identify emerging opportunities, analyze risks, and promote standardization and mobility of researchers.