Overview
The "Open Internet Stack Sovereign Solutions (RIA)" is an EU grant opportunity within the Horizon Europe program. It operates under the call code HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02, with a total budget of €20.5 million aimed at funding two grants. Each grant ranges from a minimum of €7 million to a maximum of €10.25 million. The application process is a single-stage submission, opening on January 15, 2026, and closing on April 15, 2026.
The initiative seeks to foster the development of open-source solutions that enhance Europe's digital sovereignty and reduce technological dependencies. Eligible applicants can include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and public administrations from the EU and associated countries. While individual applications are permitted, a consortium approach is encouraged to leverage collaborative synergies and meet the complex demands of the project scope.
The funding model primarily provides direct grants from the European Commission, with additional provisions for financial support to third parties, allowing beneficiaries to allocate up to €400,000 per third party, capped at 80% of the total EU contribution. The focus areas for projects include network and transport technologies, sovereign operating systems, and open-source software productivity tools, with an emphasis on solutions that are interoperable, standardized, and decentralized.
Projects should demonstrate technical maturity, existing use cases, and active community support. The expected outcomes should include scalable and resilient solutions with advanced cryptographic protections that align with European standards and regulatory frameworks. The initiative also supports the broader EU goals related to digital autonomy, data sovereignty, and the establishment of trustworthy AI services.
Successful proposals should outline plans for deployment, integration, and collaboration with other relevant initiatives within the Open Internet Stack framework. Overall, this opportunity represents a strategic investment in reinforcing Europe's control over critical digital infrastructures while promoting innovation in secure, resilient technologies.
The initiative seeks to foster the development of open-source solutions that enhance Europe's digital sovereignty and reduce technological dependencies. Eligible applicants can include research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and public administrations from the EU and associated countries. While individual applications are permitted, a consortium approach is encouraged to leverage collaborative synergies and meet the complex demands of the project scope.
The funding model primarily provides direct grants from the European Commission, with additional provisions for financial support to third parties, allowing beneficiaries to allocate up to €400,000 per third party, capped at 80% of the total EU contribution. The focus areas for projects include network and transport technologies, sovereign operating systems, and open-source software productivity tools, with an emphasis on solutions that are interoperable, standardized, and decentralized.
Projects should demonstrate technical maturity, existing use cases, and active community support. The expected outcomes should include scalable and resilient solutions with advanced cryptographic protections that align with European standards and regulatory frameworks. The initiative also supports the broader EU goals related to digital autonomy, data sovereignty, and the establishment of trustworthy AI services.
Successful proposals should outline plans for deployment, integration, and collaboration with other relevant initiatives within the Open Internet Stack framework. Overall, this opportunity represents a strategic investment in reinforcing Europe's control over critical digital infrastructures while promoting innovation in secure, resilient technologies.
Detail
This EU funding opportunity, titled "Open Internet Stack Sovereign Solutions (RIA)," falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the DIGITAL (HORIZON-CL4-2026-04) call. It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Multi-annual Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of January 15, 2026, and a deadline of April 15, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.
The expected outcome is a large selection of open-source solutions organized under the Open Internet Stack framework built under WP 2025. These solutions should address the needs of both the supply and demand sides of the rich and diverse ecosystem of 3C European providers and verticals. The goal is to stimulate the emergence, at a European and global scale, of solutions that are:
Open source and made in Europe, supporting trust and sovereignty, and delivering credible alternative choices for citizens, governments, and companies, including start-ups and SMEs.
Designed for easy deployment by the rich European ecosystems of providers, integrators, and verticals.
Interoperable, standard-based, and decentralized, enabling network effects.
The scope of the proposals should address one or several of the following technology areas:
Network and Transport technologies, including routing and virtual private networks, and survivable mesh technologies.
Sovereign operating systems and firmware, including those for smartphones.
Open Source software productivity and supply chain technologies, such as federated forges and independent and cross-platform development frameworks.
Applicants are expected to devise a plan for ensuring that the solutions are designed for efficient deployment, with pre-configured, modular components that facilitate integration by a wide range of users, including SMEs, public administrations, research and education institutions, and service providers.
Applicants should provide detailed information on development, integration, testing, deployment, uptake, and operation activities. The focus should be on open-source solutions and their integration and adoption in vertical use cases, to ensure the replicability of results and portability across different areas.
Proposals are expected to demonstrate:
Technical maturity in terms of scalability, resiliency, advanced cryptographic protection (e.g., against emerging quantum threats via post-quantum cryptography), alignment with standards (including for software and hardware supply chains), and efficiency (including environmental considerations).
The existence of a community with a critical mass that actively supports the development, with or without an associated business model.
Evidence of use cases, interest, and engagement from users and deployers of the solution.
A credible path to becoming part of the Open Internet Stack in terms of cataloging, searchability, availability through app stores, and alignment with EU regulation.
Applicants should detail any relevant previous projects on which the project will expand and their plan for creating synergies with other topics such as those in the WP25 Open Internet Stack, 3C, Virtual Worlds/Web4.0, as well as like-minded initiatives on the same solution perimeter.
Proposals should also detail their strategy for maintenance, cataloging, marketing, communication, and the relationship with the “Open Internet Stack Support for Scale” topic.
Beneficiaries intending 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.
If applicants opt for financial support to third parties (FSTP), they should primarily target calls towards internet innovators and adopters of open-source technologies. Applicants should provide the program logic for the third-party projects, manage the projects lifecycle, and provide the necessary technical and non-technical support; these tasks cannot be implemented using the budget earmarked for the financial support to third parties.
This funding opportunity aims to develop an agile and secure single market and infrastructure for data services and trustworthy artificial intelligence services. Developing an agile and secure single market for data and trustworthy AI services is central to Europe’s digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The convergence of the Telco-Edge-Cloud continuum (3C) with open orchestration platforms will unlock the transformative potential of AI across strategic sectors, from mobility and energy to health and manufacturing, fostering new services and business models. Building a sovereign Open Internet Stack, rooted in open-source, interoperable and standard-based solutions, will reinforce trust, resilience and innovation, while ensuring Europe retains control over critical digital infrastructures. At the same time, decentralised and federated approaches to AI data processing, combined with breakthroughs in sustainable data centres, will help overcome Europe’s compute bottlenecks and dependencies, and reduce the environmental footprint of AI. By aligning with the Data Union Strategy and Common European Data Spaces, these efforts will deliver secure, compliant and adaptive data-sharing frameworks that empower citizens, businesses and administrations. Together, they will strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate, scale and lead globally in data and AI, anchoring digital sovereignty in line with EU values and strategic interests.
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.
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. 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.
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, 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, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP). The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 400 000 to allow 1/ cases where a given legal entity may receive FSTP under several grants (e.g. from different calls) 2/ reaching the maturity level for third party’s project to ensure sustainability with multiple awards. FSTP may comprise up to a maximum of 80% of the total requested EU contribution.
Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes provides additional details.
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.
The standard application form for HE RIA and IA actions should be used.
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the standard evaluation form for HE RIA and IA actions.
Guidance is available in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) use the HE MGA template.
Call-specific instructions and information on financial support to third parties are provided.
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 for the call includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 20,500,000 EUR, Contributions 7,000,000 to 10,250,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 4,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 4,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-06 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 46,500,000 EUR, Contributions 11,500,000 to 23,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 17,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 17,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 18,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 18,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 6,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 2,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-12 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 3,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 3,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-15 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-17 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-18 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 10,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 45,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 15,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-01 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 30,000,000 EUR, Contributions 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 7
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-02 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 16,800,000 EUR, Contributions 2,800,000 to 8,400,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
Partner search announcements are available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.
The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.
For support, applicants are encouraged to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual serves as a guide on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions on proposal submission, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe, including NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries. The Enterprise Europe Network can advise businesses, especially SMEs, with guidance on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical aspects of proposal submission, such as forgotten passwords and access rights. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on tackling standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outlines the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. Partner Search helps find partner organizations for proposals.
In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster the development and deployment of open-source, European-made solutions that contribute to a sovereign and trustworthy Open Internet Stack. It encourages projects that address key technology areas, promote interoperability, and demonstrate technical maturity and community support. The call provides significant funding opportunities for research and innovation actions, coordination and support actions, and innovation actions, with a focus on ensuring European digital sovereignty and competitiveness in the global data and AI landscape.
The expected outcome is a large selection of open-source solutions organized under the Open Internet Stack framework built under WP 2025. These solutions should address the needs of both the supply and demand sides of the rich and diverse ecosystem of 3C European providers and verticals. The goal is to stimulate the emergence, at a European and global scale, of solutions that are:
Open source and made in Europe, supporting trust and sovereignty, and delivering credible alternative choices for citizens, governments, and companies, including start-ups and SMEs.
Designed for easy deployment by the rich European ecosystems of providers, integrators, and verticals.
Interoperable, standard-based, and decentralized, enabling network effects.
The scope of the proposals should address one or several of the following technology areas:
Network and Transport technologies, including routing and virtual private networks, and survivable mesh technologies.
Sovereign operating systems and firmware, including those for smartphones.
Open Source software productivity and supply chain technologies, such as federated forges and independent and cross-platform development frameworks.
Applicants are expected to devise a plan for ensuring that the solutions are designed for efficient deployment, with pre-configured, modular components that facilitate integration by a wide range of users, including SMEs, public administrations, research and education institutions, and service providers.
Applicants should provide detailed information on development, integration, testing, deployment, uptake, and operation activities. The focus should be on open-source solutions and their integration and adoption in vertical use cases, to ensure the replicability of results and portability across different areas.
Proposals are expected to demonstrate:
Technical maturity in terms of scalability, resiliency, advanced cryptographic protection (e.g., against emerging quantum threats via post-quantum cryptography), alignment with standards (including for software and hardware supply chains), and efficiency (including environmental considerations).
The existence of a community with a critical mass that actively supports the development, with or without an associated business model.
Evidence of use cases, interest, and engagement from users and deployers of the solution.
A credible path to becoming part of the Open Internet Stack in terms of cataloging, searchability, availability through app stores, and alignment with EU regulation.
Applicants should detail any relevant previous projects on which the project will expand and their plan for creating synergies with other topics such as those in the WP25 Open Internet Stack, 3C, Virtual Worlds/Web4.0, as well as like-minded initiatives on the same solution perimeter.
Proposals should also detail their strategy for maintenance, cataloging, marketing, communication, and the relationship with the “Open Internet Stack Support for Scale” topic.
Beneficiaries intending 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.
If applicants opt for financial support to third parties (FSTP), they should primarily target calls towards internet innovators and adopters of open-source technologies. Applicants should provide the program logic for the third-party projects, manage the projects lifecycle, and provide the necessary technical and non-technical support; these tasks cannot be implemented using the budget earmarked for the financial support to third parties.
This funding opportunity aims to develop an agile and secure single market and infrastructure for data services and trustworthy artificial intelligence services. Developing an agile and secure single market for data and trustworthy AI services is central to Europe’s digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The convergence of the Telco-Edge-Cloud continuum (3C) with open orchestration platforms will unlock the transformative potential of AI across strategic sectors, from mobility and energy to health and manufacturing, fostering new services and business models. Building a sovereign Open Internet Stack, rooted in open-source, interoperable and standard-based solutions, will reinforce trust, resilience and innovation, while ensuring Europe retains control over critical digital infrastructures. At the same time, decentralised and federated approaches to AI data processing, combined with breakthroughs in sustainable data centres, will help overcome Europe’s compute bottlenecks and dependencies, and reduce the environmental footprint of AI. By aligning with the Data Union Strategy and Common European Data Spaces, these efforts will deliver secure, compliant and adaptive data-sharing frameworks that empower citizens, businesses and administrations. Together, they will strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate, scale and lead globally in data and AI, anchoring digital sovereignty in line with EU values and strategic interests.
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.
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. 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.
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, 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, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP). The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 400 000 to allow 1/ cases where a given legal entity may receive FSTP under several grants (e.g. from different calls) 2/ reaching the maturity level for third party’s project to ensure sustainability with multiple awards. FSTP may comprise up to a maximum of 80% of the total requested EU contribution.
Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes provides additional details.
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.
The standard application form for HE RIA and IA actions should be used.
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the standard evaluation form for HE RIA and IA actions.
Guidance is available in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) use the HE MGA template.
Call-specific instructions and information on financial support to third parties are provided.
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 for the call includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 20,500,000 EUR, Contributions 7,000,000 to 10,250,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 4,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 4,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-06 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 46,500,000 EUR, Contributions 11,500,000 to 23,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 17,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 17,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 18,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 18,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 6,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 2,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-12 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 3,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 3,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-15 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-17 - HORIZON-CSA: Budget 1,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-18 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 10,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 45,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 15,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-01 - HORIZON-IA: Budget 30,000,000 EUR, Contributions 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 7
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-02 - HORIZON-RIA: Budget 16,800,000 EUR, Contributions 2,800,000 to 8,400,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
Partner search announcements are available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into the Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.
The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.
For support, applicants are encouraged to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual serves as a guide on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions on proposal submission, evaluation, and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe, including NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries. The Enterprise Europe Network can advise businesses, especially SMEs, with guidance on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk can assist with technical aspects of proposal submission, such as forgotten passwords and access rights. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on tackling standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outlines the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. Partner Search helps find partner organizations for proposals.
In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster the development and deployment of open-source, European-made solutions that contribute to a sovereign and trustworthy Open Internet Stack. It encourages projects that address key technology areas, promote interoperability, and demonstrate technical maturity and community support. The call provides significant funding opportunities for research and innovation actions, coordination and support actions, and innovation actions, with a focus on ensuring European digital sovereignty and competitiveness in the global data and AI landscape.
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Breakdown
Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include SMEs, public administrations, research and education organizations, service providers, internet innovators, and adopters of Open Source technologies. The call specifically mentions start-ups, SMEs, citizens, governments, and companies as potential beneficiaries.
Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is grants, specifically HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), as well as HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is also provided in the form of grants.
Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages synergies and collaboration, suggesting that a consortium approach is beneficial, if not required. The partner search announcements further imply that consortia are expected.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. The call 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. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
Target Sector: The target sectors are ICT, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, data services, software services, open-source technologies, network and transport technologies, operating systems, and cybersecurity. The call also targets strategic sectors such as mobility, energy, health, and manufacturing.
Mentioned Countries: China, EU member states, and associated countries.
Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project ranges from research and development to innovation, integration, testing, deployment, and uptake. The call targets solutions with technical maturity in terms of scalability, resiliency, and cryptographic protection, as well as projects that expand on relevant previous projects.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02 (HORIZON-RIA): €7,000,000 to €10,250,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03 (HORIZON-CSA): around €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-06 (HORIZON-IA): €11,500,000 to €23,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 (HORIZON-RIA): around €17,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08 (HORIZON-RIA): around €18,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 (HORIZON-IA): around €6,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11 (HORIZON-CSA): around €500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-12 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 (HORIZON-CSA): around €3,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-15 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-17 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-18 (HORIZON-RIA): around €10,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19 (HORIZON-RIA): around €15,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-01 (HORIZON-IA): €4,000,000 to €5,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-02 (HORIZON-RIA): €2,800,000 to €8,400,000
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. Additionally, the call mentions non-monetary services such as technical and non-technical support for third-party projects.
Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the competition level.
Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned, but the call states that financial support to third parties (FSTP) may comprise up to a maximum of 80% of the total requested EU contribution, implying that at least 20% should come from other sources.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the DIGITAL program (HORIZON-CL4-2026-04), aims to foster the development and deployment of open-source solutions within the European Union, contributing to its digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The call seeks to create a comprehensive Open Internet Stack, organized under the WP 2025 framework, that addresses the needs of various stakeholders, including SMEs, public administrations, and citizens. The call encompasses a wide range of technology areas, including network and transport technologies, operating systems, and software supply chain technologies. Projects should focus on creating interoperable, standard-based, and decentralized solutions that are easy to deploy and integrate into various vertical use cases. The funding is provided through different types of actions, including Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), each with varying funding amounts. Applicants are expected to demonstrate the technical maturity, scalability, and security of their solutions, as well as the existence of a supporting community and clear use cases. The call also encourages synergies with other related initiatives and provides opportunities for financial support to third parties. Overall, this call is a strategic effort to build a robust and sovereign European digital infrastructure based on open-source principles.
Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is grants, specifically HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), as well as HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is also provided in the form of grants.
Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the call encourages synergies and collaboration, suggesting that a consortium approach is beneficial, if not required. The partner search announcements further imply that consortia are expected.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. The call 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. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
Target Sector: The target sectors are ICT, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, data services, software services, open-source technologies, network and transport technologies, operating systems, and cybersecurity. The call also targets strategic sectors such as mobility, energy, health, and manufacturing.
Mentioned Countries: China, EU member states, and associated countries.
Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project ranges from research and development to innovation, integration, testing, deployment, and uptake. The call targets solutions with technical maturity in terms of scalability, resiliency, and cryptographic protection, as well as projects that expand on relevant previous projects.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action:
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-02 (HORIZON-RIA): €7,000,000 to €10,250,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03 (HORIZON-CSA): around €4,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-06 (HORIZON-IA): €11,500,000 to €23,500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01 (HORIZON-RIA): around €17,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08 (HORIZON-RIA): around €18,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 (HORIZON-IA): around €6,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11 (HORIZON-CSA): around €500,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-12 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-14 (HORIZON-CSA): around €3,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-15 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-17 (HORIZON-CSA): around €1,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-18 (HORIZON-RIA): around €10,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19 (HORIZON-RIA): around €15,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-01 (HORIZON-IA): €4,000,000 to €5,000,000
HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-HUMAN-02 (HORIZON-RIA): €2,800,000 to €8,400,000
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. Additionally, the call mentions non-monetary services such as technical and non-technical support for third-party projects.
Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the competition level.
Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned, but the call states that financial support to third parties (FSTP) may comprise up to a maximum of 80% of the total requested EU contribution, implying that at least 20% should come from other sources.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call, under the DIGITAL program (HORIZON-CL4-2026-04), aims to foster the development and deployment of open-source solutions within the European Union, contributing to its digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The call seeks to create a comprehensive Open Internet Stack, organized under the WP 2025 framework, that addresses the needs of various stakeholders, including SMEs, public administrations, and citizens. The call encompasses a wide range of technology areas, including network and transport technologies, operating systems, and software supply chain technologies. Projects should focus on creating interoperable, standard-based, and decentralized solutions that are easy to deploy and integrate into various vertical use cases. The funding is provided through different types of actions, including Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), each with varying funding amounts. Applicants are expected to demonstrate the technical maturity, scalability, and security of their solutions, as well as the existence of a supporting community and clear use cases. The call also encourages synergies with other related initiatives and provides opportunities for financial support to third parties. Overall, this call is a strategic effort to build a robust and sovereign European digital infrastructure based on open-source principles.
Short Summary
Impact The funding aims to develop open-source, sovereign solutions that enhance Europe's digital sovereignty and reduce technological dependencies. | Impact | The funding aims to develop open-source, sovereign solutions that enhance Europe's digital sovereignty and reduce technological dependencies. |
Applicant Applicants should possess skills in network and transport technologies, software development, cybersecurity, and project management. | Applicant | Applicants should possess skills in network and transport technologies, software development, cybersecurity, and project management. |
Developments The funding will support projects in network and transport technologies, sovereign operating systems, and open-source software productivity. | Developments | The funding will support projects in network and transport technologies, sovereign operating systems, and open-source software productivity. |
Applicant Type This funding is designed for research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, startups, and public administrations. | Applicant Type | This funding is designed for research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, startups, and public administrations. |
Consortium Both single applicants and consortia are eligible, though a consortium approach is strongly encouraged. | Consortium | Both single applicants and consortia are eligible, though a consortium approach is strongly encouraged. |
Funding Amount The total budget is €20.5 million, with individual grants ranging from €7 million to €10.25 million. | Funding Amount | The total budget is €20.5 million, with individual grants ranging from €7 million to €10.25 million. |
Countries The funding is relevant for EU member states and associated countries, emphasizing European solutions. | Countries | The funding is relevant for EU member states and associated countries, emphasizing European solutions. |
Industry The funding targets the digital and internet technologies sector, focusing on enhancing digital sovereignty. | Industry | The funding targets the digital and internet technologies sector, focusing on enhancing digital sovereignty. |
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