Missing persons: prevention and investigation

The EU grant opportunity focuses on the prevention and investigation of missing persons under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically the Civil Security for Society 2026 call. It emphasizes the need for innovative societal and technological solutions to improve interventions for missing persons, addressing diverse circumstances such as voluntary disappearances, abductions, mental health crises, and trafficking. The funding amount for the specific call, titled HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-03, is €5,000,000, available for a single project.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium featuring at least three Police Authorities and two Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. For projects involving forensic aspects, participation from relevant forensic institutes is encouraged. Applicants need to comply with geographic eligibility requirements, ensuring that no entities controlled by Chinese legal entities can participate.

The primary objectives include improving skills and tools for police and civil society to better engage with vulnerable groups, enhancing cold case investigation methodologies through modern forensic technologies like DNA analysis and digital forensics, and developing comprehensive training curricula that facilitate cross-border cooperation and effective family engagement.

The project aims to yield practical outcomes, such as enhanced investigatory techniques and improved communication strategies with families, while prioritizing privacy and data protection in all solutions. Funding will be disbursed as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage procedure. The call officially opens on May 6, 2026, with submissions due by November 5, 2026.

This opportunity seeks to leverage collaboration among law enforcement, civil society, forensic experts, and other stakeholders to create a cohesive and effective response to missing persons issues across Europe, ultimately fostering a coordinated approach that respects fundamental rights and addresses the complexities of contemporary societal challenges.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on addressing the multifaceted challenge of missing persons through innovative societal and technological solutions. The call, under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically the Civil Security for Society 2026 call, aims to improve European approaches to both prevention and investigation of missing persons cases, encompassing both cold cases and new disappearances.

The expected outcomes of funded projects include:

Improved skills, tools, and training for Police Authorities and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to work with at-risk groups, preventing disappearances, while considering European multicultural dimensions and ethical/legal rules.

Enhanced investigation tools and methodologies for Police Authorities to tackle cold cases, incorporating modern forensic technologies (biometrics, digital forensics) and criminology, such as tools for old DNA analysis and accurate facial ageing.

Modernized training curricula for Police Authorities, improved cross-border cooperation, and enhanced tools/methodologies for handling new missing persons cases. This includes improved dialogue with families and a gender-sensitive approach.

Enriched European common approaches applied by Police Authorities, leveraging technology, socio-psychological knowledge, and field experience, while respecting fundamental rights like privacy and data protection.

The scope of the projects should address the diverse circumstances under which people go missing, including voluntary disappearances, abductions, mental health crises, conflict, migration, and natural disasters. Special attention should be given to vulnerable groups like children, victims of trafficking, persons with disabilities, and those with cognitive impairments.

Specific technologies and methodologies mentioned include:

Modern forensic science, including biometrics and digital forensics.

Tools for using old DNA.

Accurate facial ageing technology.

Data sharing tools that preserve privacy.

Fast and reliable cross-matching of DNA samples between new and cold cases.

The call emphasizes the need for a coordinated response involving Police Authorities, CSOs/NGOs, and overall society. Projects should consider awareness-raising campaigns accessible to persons with disabilities and taking into account the European multicultural dimension.

Additional requirements and considerations:

If a proposal concerns forensics, the consortium should involve forensic institutes.

Coordination among successful proposals is expected to avoid duplication and maximize impact.

Proposals should include ideas on how to engage with the Europol Innovation Lab, including validating outcomes.

For training aspects, cooperation with CEPOL is expected if CEPOL does not apply for funding directly.

A mid-term deliverable is required, consisting of an assessment of the project’s mid-term outcomes performed by involved security practitioners.

Proposals should address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Fighting Crime and Terrorism Destination.

Eligibility criteria include the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 3 Police Authorities and at least 2 Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Applicants must provide information about security practitioners in the application form.

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

The call is a single-stage process with a planned opening date of 06 May 2026 and a deadline of 05 November 2026.

The following topics are available with their respective budgets and indicative number of grants:

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 12 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 8 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions 1 330 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 6 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 8 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 8 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-04 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 6 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 4 500 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 8 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-02 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 9 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 5 000 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 6 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 9 670 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-06 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 3 000 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 9 670 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-02 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 4 000 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 9 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 3 000 000 EUR, around 2 grants

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-02 - HORIZON-PCP HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement 5 830 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-03 - HORIZON-PPI HORIZON Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions 2 000 000 EUR, around 1 grant

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-04 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions 3 000 000 EUR, around 1 grant

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to foster innovation and collaboration in the fight against missing persons by supporting projects that develop and implement advanced technologies, improve training and skills, and enhance cooperation among relevant stakeholders across Europe. It seeks to create a more effective and rights-respecting approach to preventing disappearances and resolving both new and cold cases.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity are Police Authorities, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and forensic institutes (if the proposal concerns forensics). The Police Authorities are defined as public authorities explicitly designated by national law, or other entities legally mandated by the competent national authority, for the prevention, detection and/or investigation of terrorist offences or other criminal offences, specifically excluding police academies, forensic institutes, training facilities as well as border and customs authorities.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) or a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA), HORIZON Pre-commercial Procurement (HORIZON-PCP), HORIZON Public Procurement of Innovative Solutions (HORIZON-PPI) with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. The consortium must include at least 3 Police Authorities and at least 2 Civil Society Organisations (or Non-Governmental Organisations) from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. If the project concerns forensics, forensic institutes should also be involved.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. 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. Entities established in an eligible country but directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action.

Target Sector: The target sectors are civil security, crime prevention, law enforcement, technology, forensics, criminology, and societal and technological solutions for missing persons.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Associated Countries, China (mentioned as an entity whose control would make an applicant ineligible).

Project Stage: The project stage is variable, ranging from research and innovation actions to innovation actions, pre-commercial procurement, and public procurement of innovative solutions. This suggests projects can be in the research, development, validation, demonstration, or commercialization stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic, ranging from €1,330,000 to €12,000,000. For the specific call HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-03, the budget is EUR 5,000,000.

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

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation of the competition level.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned as a requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the Civil Security for Society program, focuses on addressing the multifaceted issue of missing persons through innovative and collaborative projects. It seeks to improve skills, tools, and training for Police Authorities, Civil Society Organisations, and NGOs, enhance investigation tools using modern technologies and criminology, and foster cross-border cooperation. The call requires consortia to include at least 3 Police Authorities and 2 CSOs/NGOs from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries, and it encourages the involvement of forensic institutes for relevant projects. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process involves a single stage. The projects are expected to contribute to improved European approaches in preventing and investigating missing persons cases, with a strong emphasis on protecting vulnerable groups and respecting fundamental rights. The call aims to leverage technology, socio-psychological knowledge, and field experience to create enriched and effective strategies for addressing this complex societal challenge.