RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures

The RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures is a funding call under the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) initiative, focusing on supporting the EU steel industry's transition towards sustainability and carbon neutrality in line with the European Green Deal. This call emphasizes the need for collaborative projects encompassing research institutions, universities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large industry players, and various stakeholders from the steel sector, requiring a balanced consortium.

The funding mechanism is specifically categorized as a grant, with a total budget for the call set at €1,000,000 for 2025. Each project is expected to receive between €300,000 and €500,000. The application process is classified as a single-stage, open call, concluding on September 24, 2025.

Geographically, the program is open to entities located in EU member states, EEA countries, and possibly associated third countries, promoting innovation and development within the steel sector. The primary target sectors include steel manufacturing, cleantech innovations, environmental sustainability, and practices supporting the circular economy.

Projects funded under this call should focus on various themes such as decarbonization, including research into near-zero-carbon production methods, resource conservation, advanced steel materials, workforce management, and the promotion of sector-specific skills. While the specific success rates for this funding call have not yet been disclosed, historical data suggests that competition for grants is intense.

Co-funding requirements are uncertain; however, it is suggested that accompanying measures may not require co-funding as projects might be fully financed by the RFCS.

In summary, the RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures aims to drive innovation and research within the EU steel industry, addressing critical issues such as reducing emissions, improving production efficiency, and fostering workforce development to support a sustainable future in the sector. This initiative aligns with broader EU goals of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

For further details regarding eligibility, application procedures, and specific requirements, applicants are encouraged to consult the official EU Funding & Tenders Portal and relevant call documents.

The EU Funding Opportunity is the RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures call, part of the Research Fund for Coal & Steel (RFCS) Programme for the period 2021-2027. This call aims to align with the objectives of the European Green Deal, focusing on transforming the EU into a fair, prosperous, resource-efficient, and competitive economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The call supports research and technological development to improve near-zero-carbon steel production processes, enhance product quality, increase productivity, reduce emissions, and promote resource conservation.

The call is structured around the following research objectives for steel, as defined by Council Decision 2008/376/EC (amended by Council Decision EU 2021/1094):

Article 8: New, sustainable, and low-carbon steelmaking and finishing processes. Research should focus on developing, demonstrating, and improving near-zero-carbon steel production processes. Key areas include:

(a) Breakthrough near-zero-carbon iron- and steel-making processes, emphasizing carbon direct avoidance or smart carbon usage.

(b) Steel process and process chain optimization, covering reduction and pre-reduction of iron-ore, iron- and steel-making, processes based on recycled scrap melting, secondary metallurgy, casting, rolling, finishing, and coating operations. This includes instrumentation, detection of properties of intermediate and final products, modeling, control, automation, digitalization, big data application, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies.

(c) Steel process integration and process efficiency in near-zero-carbon steel production.

(d) Maintenance and reliability of steel production tools.

(e) Techniques for increasing recyclability, recycling, and reuse of steel, fostering a circular economy.

(f) Techniques for increasing energy efficiency in steel production through waste heat recovery, prevention of energy losses, hybrid heating techniques, and energy management solutions.

(g) Innovative technologies and solutions for iron- and steel-making processes promoting cross-sector activities, demonstration projects integrating zero-carbon energy production, or contributing to a clean hydrogen economy.

Article 9: Advanced steel grades and applications. Research should focus on meeting steel user requirements for new near-zero-carbon products and creating new market opportunities. Key areas include:

(a) New advanced steel grades.

(b) Improvement of steel properties such as mechanical and physical properties, suitability for further processing, various applications, and working conditions.

(c) Prolonging service life, particularly by improving resistance to heat, corrosion, mechanical and thermal fatigue, and other deteriorating effects.

(d) Predictive simulation models on microstructures, mechanical properties, and production processes.

(e) Technologies relating to the forming, welding, and joining of steel and other materials.

(f) Standardization of testing and evaluation methods.

(g) High-performance steels for applications like mobility, including sustainability, eco-design methods, retrofitting, lightweight design, and safety solutions.

Article 10: Conservation of resources, protection of the environment, and circular economy. Research should integrate resource conservation, ecosystem preservation, circular economy transition, and safety issues into steel production and utilization. Key areas include:

(a) Techniques for recycling obsolete steel and by-products from various sources, and improving the quality of steel scrap.

(b) Treatment of waste and recovery of valuable secondary raw materials, including slags, inside and outside the steel plant.

(c) Pollution control and environmental protection in and around the workplace and steel plant, addressing gaseous, solid, or liquid emissions, water management, noise, odours, and dust.

(d) Design of steel grades and assembled structures to facilitate easy steel recovery for recycling or reuse.

(e) Utilization of process gases and elimination of waste gas emissions from steel production.

(f) Life cycle assessment and life cycle thinking concerning steel production and use.

Article 10a: Management of workforce and working conditions. Research should focus on:

(a) Developing and disseminating competencies to keep pace with new near-zero-carbon steel production processes, such as digitalization, and reflecting lifelong learning principles.

(b) Improving working conditions, including health, safety, and ergonomics in and around the workplace.

The scope of accompanying measures should address:

i) Talent attraction and skill formation for the steel industry, potentially building on existing projects.

ii) Providing decision-makers and policymakers with an up-to-date overview of innovative steelmaking technologies and decarbonization scenarios, using information from:

a. Previous and ongoing projects under the RFCS program or other European and national programs.

b. Programs run in countries outside the EU, contributing to the international dimension of the study.

The call is a single-stage submission process. The opening date for submissions is 18 June 2025, and the deadline for submissions is 24 September 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The following topics are available with their respective budgets:

RFCS-2025-01-AM: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 1,000,000

RFCS-2025-01-PDP: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 2,880,000

RFCS-2025-01-RPJ: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 7,000,000

RFCS-2025-02-AM: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 1,000,000

RFCS-2025-02-PDP: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 7,620,000

RFCS-2025-02-RPJ: RFCS Project Grants, Budget: EUR 20,500,000

Conditions for participation include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout as described in section 5 of the call document and Part B of the Application Form.

2. Eligible Countries as described in section 6 of the call document.

3. Other Eligible Conditions as described in section 6 of the call document.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion as described in section 7 of the call document.

5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes as described in section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.

5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in section 9 of the call document.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in section 4 of the call document.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants as described in section 10 of the call document.

Relevant documents for the call include:

Call document

Standard application form (RFCS) available in the Submission System

Detailed budget table (RFCS)

Content of Evaluation Forms (RFCS] Annex 3 of the Call document

RFCS Model Grant Agreement (MGA)

RFCS Decision 2008/376

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

Applicants can search for partners to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

To submit a proposal, applicants should access the Electronic Submission Service via the Funding & Tenders Portal, carefully selecting the appropriate type of action and model grant agreement.

The RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures call is a funding opportunity aimed at fostering the transition of the European steel industry towards a sustainable, low-carbon future in alignment with the European Green Deal. It supports research and innovation projects that focus on developing and implementing new technologies, processes, and skills to reduce emissions, improve resource efficiency, and enhance the competitiveness of the steel sector. The call also encourages projects that address workforce management and promote talent attraction to ensure the industry's long-term viability. By funding these initiatives, the EU aims to drive the steel industry towards a zero-carbon future by 2030, contributing to broader environmental and economic goals.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given the focus on research and technological development in the steel sector, eligible applicants could include research institutes, universities, steel companies (including SMEs and large enterprises), and other relevant organizations with the necessary expertise and capabilities. Public-private partnerships could also be eligible.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically "RFCS Project Grants" (RFCS-PJG) and "RFCS Action Grant Budget-Based [RFCS-AG]".

Consortium Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether a consortium is required. However, the nature of research and development projects often benefits from a consortium approach, bringing together diverse expertise and resources. Therefore, while a single applicant might be possible, a consortium is likely encouraged or even expected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, given that it is an EU funding opportunity linked to the European Green Deal, it is highly likely that applicants from EU member states are eligible. Eligibility might also extend to entities from EEA countries or other countries associated with EU research programs. Further details would be found in section 6 of the call document.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is the steel industry, with a strong emphasis on research and development related to:
 * New, sustainable, and low-carbon steelmaking processes
 * Advanced steel grades and applications
 * Conservation of resources, protection of the environment, and circular economy in the steel sector
 * Management of workforce and working conditions in the steel industry
 * Talent attraction and skill formation for the steel industry
 * Innovative steelmaking technologies and decarbonisation zero-pollution scenarios

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned in the provided text. The focus is on the EU and potentially associated countries, given the context of the European Green Deal and the Research Fund for Coal & Steel.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of projects for this opportunity spans a range, including:
 * Research: Investigating new techniques and technologies.
 * Development: Creating and refining near-zero-carbon steel production processes.
 * Demonstration: Showcasing the viability and effectiveness of new technologies.
 * Improvement: Enhancing existing processes and technologies for better performance.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call. Based on the "Budget overview," the funding ranges are:
 * RFCS-2025-01-AM and RFCS-2025-02-AM: €1,000,000
 * RFCS-2025-01-PDP: €2,880,000
 * RFCS-2025-01-RPJ: €7,000,000
 * RFCS-2025-02-PDP: €7,620,000
 * RFCS-2025-02-RPJ: €20,500,000

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 research and development projects.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Research Fund for Coal & Steel (RFCS) program, specifically targeting projects that align with the objectives of the European Green Deal. The call aims to support research, development, and demonstration projects focused on transforming the steel industry towards near-zero-carbon and sustainable production processes. The call covers a wide range of topics, including new steelmaking technologies, advanced steel grades, resource conservation, environmental protection, workforce management, and talent development.

The funding is provided through RFCS Project Grants (RFCS-PJG), with varying budget allocations for different topics, ranging from €1,000,000 to €20,500,000. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of September 24, 2025.

Eligible applicants are expected to contribute to the European Green Deal objectives by developing and implementing innovative solutions that reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, promote circular economy practices, and enhance the competitiveness of the EU steel industry. The call encourages projects that address talent attraction, skill formation, and the dissemination of knowledge related to innovative steelmaking technologies and decarbonisation scenarios.

Applicants should carefully review the call documents, including the call document itself, application form templates, model grant agreements, and additional documents related to EU financial regulations and legal entity validation. The Funding & Tenders Portal provides online manuals, terms and conditions, and privacy statements to guide applicants through the submission process.