Networking and Future Photonics Strategy (CSA) (Photonics Partnership)

The HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 grant opportunity, titled "Networking and Future Photonics Strategy (CSA) (Photonics Partnership)," is a funding initiative under the Horizon Europe program designated specifically for the coordination and strategic development of the European photonics ecosystem. The total budget available for this opportunity is €3 million, and it is structured as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) aimed at enhancing the strategic coordination of the photonics sector across Europe through various supportive activities.

Eligible applicants include research and innovation organizations, industry associations, networks, and coordinating bodies, particularly those with established expertise in photonics and capable of managing complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders. This ensures a consortium-based approach, although a single lead entity can submit the application on behalf of a broader coalition of partners.

The funding type consists of a grant allocated under the HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based model, specifically tailored for non-research activities that strengthen networking and coordination efforts within the photonics landscape. Organizations eligible for financial support must be located in EU Member States or Associated Countries, adhering to the standard Horizon Europe rules. Notably, entities established in China are ineligible for participation.

The opportunity focuses on the photonics and related enabling technologies sector, emphasizing the critical importance of photonics for various applications, including telecommunications, data storage, and healthcare imaging. It aims to address key challenges in enhancing Europe's competitiveness in an era where digital and green transitions are necessary.

The application process is structured as a single-stage submission, which opens on January 15, 2026, and closes on April 15, 2026. The process is open for proposals through the Funding & Tenders Portal, allowing eligible entities to submit applications within the provided timeframe.

The project is expected to achieve several outcomes, including establishing a governance framework that promotes stakeholder engagement, facilitating alignment among various involved parties, and enhancing the visibility and strategic impact of photonics in Europe. The opportunities for growth and collaboration through this initiative are significant, with the potential to reinforce Europe’s leadership in critical enabling technologies.

In conclusion, this funding opportunity seeks to consolidate and elevate the European photonics ecosystem by providing necessary financial and strategic support. It represents a pathway for eligible organizations to enhance their collaborative efforts toward advancing photonics innovation for a sustainable and competitive future in Europe.

This EU funding opportunity falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically the DIGITAL (HORIZON-CL4-2026-04) call, and is titled "Networking and Future Photonics Strategy (CSA) (Photonics Partnership)" with the topic ID HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14. It is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

The call adopts a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date for submissions is January 15, 2026, and the deadline for submission is April 15, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include:

Continued coordination and strategic support to the broader European photonics ecosystem, fostering a transparent, inclusive governance model and bottom-up roadmap development.
Strengthened engagement across the photonics ecosystem, including industry, academia, national platforms, and end-user sectors.
Improved alignment of regional, national, and European Research and Innovation (R&I) agendas, enhancing coherence and impact across funding instruments.
Effective monitoring and steering of Partnership-funded projects towards the achievement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Increased visibility of photonics as a critical enabling technology for EU priorities such as the digital and green transitions, industrial competitiveness, and technological sovereignty.
Enhanced collaboration with other European Partnerships and strategic initiatives to maximize synergies and streamline efforts.
Improved access to private and blended finance for photonics innovation, growth, and scale-up.

The scope of proposals should include:

Development and regular updating of the European Photonics Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and associated roadmaps.
Coordination and monitoring of Partnership-funded R&I and CSA projects, including tracking of Key Performance Indicators and recommending corrective actions where needed.
Outreach, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, including alignment with national, regional, and European photonics strategies and input into broader EU policy initiatives.
Provision of a unified communication platform for the European photonics community and strengthened public communication on the impact of photonics.
Facilitation of collaboration with other European Partnerships, strategic initiatives, and financial institutions to identify synergies and improve access to innovation financing.

Beneficiaries that intend to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive license must formally notify the granting authority (i.e. DG-CNECT and HaDEA) before the intended transfer or licensing takes place. The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results up to four years after the end of the action.

This topic contributes to the destination of "Achieving open strategic autonomy in digital and emerging enabling technologies (2026-27)". This destination emphasizes leadership in frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum, Photonics, and Semiconductors as essential to Europe’s economic security and global competitiveness. It aligns with the ambition of becoming the “AI Continent” and the actions in the Apply AI Strategy. The EU aims to consolidate its research ecosystem through initiatives like the RAISE network, development of safe AI models, and deployment of AI agents and robotics. A long-term quantum strategy will reinforce Europe’s excellence in quantum computing, sensing, and communication. Photonics and semiconductor technologies are seen as critical enablers for digital and green transitions, with investments in advanced integrated photonic devices and resilient semiconductor ecosystems. Foresight and support for emerging materials and technologies will strengthen Europe’s position at the cutting edge.

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) under this destination, as detailed in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

General conditions for participation 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 as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for funding participants from certain non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other eligible conditions, subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
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, with the granting authority retaining the right to object to the transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to four years after the end of the action, as set out in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions are 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 the Standard application form (HE CSA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE CSA).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the HE MGA.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
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
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 lists several topics under the same call, with varying budgets, action types, and indicative numbers of grants. The topic Networking and Future Photonics Strategy (CSA) (Photonics Partnership) has a budget of 3,000,000 EUR for the year 2026. The opening date is 2026-01-15 and the deadline is 2026-04-15. The indicative number of grants is 1.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

Support resources include 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 Partner Search.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to bolster the European photonics ecosystem through coordination and support actions. It seeks to enhance collaboration, improve strategic planning, and increase the visibility and impact of photonics technologies in Europe. The call is structured as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) with a budget of 3,000,000 EUR and is open to eligible entities, excluding those established in China. The application process involves a single-stage submission with a deadline of April 15, 2026. Successful projects are expected to contribute to a more cohesive, competitive, and strategically autonomous European photonics sector.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls, eligible applicants typically include a mix of legal entities such as industry, academia, research institutions, SMEs, and other organizations. The mention of RAISE network of AI science labs suggests that research institutions and science labs are eligible. The Enterprise Europe Network suggests that SMEs are also eligible.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically 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, the Partner Search section and the general nature of Horizon Europe projects suggest that consortia are common and often encouraged, especially for Research and Innovation Actions and Innovation Actions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is focused on EU and associated countries. The text mentions "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." This indicates that while the focus is on EU and associated countries, some third countries may also be eligible under specific conditions. The exclusion of legal entities established in China for certain actions also implies a defined geographic scope.

Target Sector: The program targets the digital sector with a focus on frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum, Photonics, and Semiconductors. It also addresses the green transition, industrial competitiveness, and technological sovereignty. Specific areas include data, digital emerging technologies, and human-centric technologies.

Mentioned Countries: China is explicitly mentioned as legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in certain actions. The primary geographic focus is on the EU and associated countries, with some provisions for non-EU/non-associated countries.

Project Stage: The project stages vary depending on the type of action:
Research and Innovation Actions (RIA): These typically target projects in the research, development, and validation stages.
Innovation Actions (IA): These focus on projects in the demonstration, commercialization, and scale-up stages.
Coordination and Support Actions (CSA): These support networking, coordination, and strategic roadmap development, which can span across various project stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action. Some examples from the Budget overview include:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02 (RIA): €7,000,000 to €10,250,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03 (CSA): around €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-06 (IA): €11,500,000 to €23,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 (CSA): around €3,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-01 (IA): €4,000,000 to €5,000,000

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

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

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

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

Summary: This opportunity is a set of funding calls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically within the DIGITAL call (HORIZON-CL4-2026-04). It aims to foster research, innovation, coordination, and support actions in the digital sector, with a strong emphasis on frontier technologies like AI, Quantum, Photonics, and Semiconductors. The calls are structured around Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), each targeting different stages of project maturity from research and development to commercialization and strategic coordination. The geographic focus is primarily on EU and associated countries, with some possibilities for third-country participation. Funding amounts vary significantly depending on the type of action and specific topic, ranging from approximately €1,000,000 for coordination actions to over €20,000,000 for research and innovation actions. The application process involves a single-stage submission, and legal entities established in China are not eligible for certain types of actions. The overall goal is to strengthen Europe's leadership in digital technologies, promote industrial competitiveness, and ensure technological sovereignty in line with the EU's digital and green transition priorities.