Reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management

HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03 is a Coordination and Support Action grant opportunity under Horizon Europe, focused on the reliability of age assessment methods within security and border management contexts. The total budget for this initiative is €1.33 million, and it aims to fund one project. The call opens on May 6, 2026, and the deadline for applications is November 5, 2026. This grant operates under a single-stage application procedure.

Eligible applicants must form a consortium that includes at least two Border or Coast Guard Authorities from different EU Member States or Associated Countries, thereby ensuring direct involvement from practitioners in the development of the project. Additional eligible entities may include research organizations, universities, and other relevant organizations with expertise in age assessment, border management, or related fields.

The funding type is a lump sum grant, simplifying financial management as beneficiaries will receive predetermined funding rather than reimbursement based on incurred costs. The project must focus on analyzing current and potential methods for age assessment, evaluating their reliability, sensitivity, and specificity without developing new technologies. It aims to synthesize existing knowledge and produce evidence-based recommendations regarding age assessment practices, particularly to enhance the protection of unaccompanied minors and combat human trafficking.

The project’s results are expected to improve collaboration among authorities, enhance legal protections for minors, and contribute to a greater understanding of the effectiveness of age assessment methods. The initiative is relevant to broader civil security efforts and aligns with the EU’s child rights strategy.

Applications should adhere to specific guidelines regarding format and page limits as outlined in the Horizon Europe Work Programme. No explicit co-funding is required, though additional funding from other sources is permissible. The call encourages synergies with other related initiatives within Horizon Europe to foster comprehensive solutions for the identified challenges. The successful projects are anticipated to minimize intrusive methods of age assessment and promote ethical standards across EU border management practices.

This is a summary of a Horizon Europe funding opportunity related to the reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management. The call, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03, falls under the Civil Security for Society 2026 call (HORIZON-CL3-2026-01) and is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA). The Model Grant Agreement type is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of 06 May 2026 and a deadline of 05 November 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this specific topic is 1,330,000 EUR, and it is expected that around one grant will be awarded.

The expected outcomes of projects funded under this topic include: improved protection of minors through more reliable age assessments and minimization of intrusive methods; improved adaptation, preparedness, and cooperation of authorities in combating human trafficking; and expanded European-based knowledge on the reliability, accuracy, and effectiveness of age assessment methods.

The scope of the funding opportunity addresses the challenges associated with age assessment of unaccompanied minors and young persons arriving at EU external borders and seeking asylum, many of whom lack official documentation. Age assessment is crucial for determining appropriate housing, services, support, and legal processes, including child protection. The scope also includes minors who are victims of trafficking of human beings (THB) criminal activities, either across the EU external borders, or within the EU borders. In other cases again, age assessment methods are necessary for law enforcement investigations on protecting children, forensic investigation, and/or the identification of victims.

The call acknowledges that no age assessment method is 100% reliable and that different approaches vary in sensitivity, specificity, sample sizes, and knowledge base. It notes the diversity of methods, ranging from interviews and psychological assessments to medical approaches like X-rays, CT scans, DNA methylation, and dental observation, as well as image analysis and artificial intelligence (AI).

The call emphasizes adherence to EU regulations and guidelines, particularly those from the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA), which recommend using the least invasive methods and reserving medical methods as a last resort. It also references studies and reports from the European Migration Network and other relevant bodies.

The funded action should not develop new age assessment methods or technologies. Instead, it should analyze current and potential methods, assess and compare their scientific reliability, sensitivity, and specificity, and evaluate their potential risks to fundamental rights, proposing ways to minimize these risks.

The research results are intended to provide evidence-based options for more appropriate age assessment models that protect fundamental rights and address diverse needs, contributing to better identification of children and minors in migratory, security, border management, and other contexts, in line with the EU Strategy on the rights of the child. The call also aims to foster the exchange of practices among European authorities.

Synergies are encouraged with other Horizon Europe Cluster 3 Destinations, such as “Better protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism” and “Disaster-Resilient Society for Europe”, as well as with Destinations of Horizon Europe Cluster 2 “Inclusive Society”.

The general conditions for admissibility include adherence to proposal page limits and layout guidelines 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 those described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for certain non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Additional eligibility criteria require the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 Border or Coast Guard Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Applicants must provide information about these security practitioners in the application form.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, and the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement are detailed in Annex D and Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Eligible costs will be reimbursed as a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, and described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Applicants should use the standard application form for HE CSA, available in the Submission System. Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations. Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Model Grant Agreements (MGA), call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table, information on financial support to third parties, information on clinical studies, and guidance on lump sums. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, EIC Work Programme 2026, ERC Work Programme 2026, HE Framework Programme 2021/695, HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, and the EU Grants AGA.

This funding opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the improvement of age assessment methods for unaccompanied minors and victims of human trafficking at EU borders. The goal is to analyze and compare existing age assessment techniques, focusing on their reliability, accuracy, and ethical implications, without developing new technologies. The project aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for better, rights-respecting age assessment models and to promote cooperation among European authorities. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the project requires the involvement of at least two Border or Coast Guard Authorities from different EU member states or associated countries. This initiative seeks to enhance the protection of vulnerable minors by ensuring more accurate and humane age assessment practices within the EU's security and border management framework.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the requirement for active involvement of Border or Coast Guard Authorities, it can be inferred that government agencies, research institutions, and potentially NGOs or other organizations working in the field of security and border management are eligible. The mention of Horizon Europe Programme Guide suggests that standard Horizon Europe eligibility criteria apply, which typically include universities, research centers, SMEs, and large enterprises from EU member states and associated countries.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) and HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. The opportunity requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 Border or Coast Guard Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries to the Horizon Europe program. 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.

Target Sector: The target sector is civil security, specifically focusing on the reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management, fight against human trafficking, forensic investigation, and protection of children and minors in the migratory, security, and border management contexts.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States and Associated Countries are mentioned as the geographic regions from which Border or Coast Guard Authorities must participate. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries are also mentioned as potentially eligible if they have specific provisions for funding participation in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage is research and analysis, specifically to analyse current and potential methods for age assessment, assess and compare scientific reliability, sensitivity and specificity of different methods, as well as their potential risks for fundamental rights and how to minimize them. The action should not develop methods or technologies of age assessment.

Funding Amount: The budget for the HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03 topic is EUR 1,330,000. The indicative number of grants is 1.

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 to support coordination and support actions.

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

Success Rates: The success rate cannot be determined from the provided text.

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

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03, aims to improve the reliability of age assessment methods used in the context of security and border management. The call specifically targets the protection of minors, the fight against human trafficking, and the need for accurate age assessments in law enforcement and forensic investigations. The project is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) with a budget of EUR 1,330,000 and expects to fund one project. Eligible applicants must form a consortium that includes at least 2 Border or Coast Guard Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. The project should focus on analysing and comparing existing age assessment methods, assessing their scientific reliability, sensitivity, and specificity, and evaluating their potential risks to fundamental rights. The project should not develop new age assessment technologies but rather provide evidence-based results on options for more appropriate models of age assessment methods. The call is a single-stage application process with a planned opening date of 06 May 2026 and a deadline of 05 November 2026. The funding will be provided as a lump sum grant. The project results are expected to contribute to improved protection of minors, better adaptation and cooperation of authorities in the fight against human trafficking, and expanded European-based knowledge on age assessment methods.