RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures

Call RFCS-2026-01-AM (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) invites consortia to apply for Coal Accompanying Measures supporting the just transition of coal regions, improving health and safety, and minimising environmental impacts of coal mines in transition. The topic has an indicative budget of €1,000,000, with requested grants typically €300,000–500,000, a funding rate of 100% of eligible costs, and project duration of 18–36 months. Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET, and require at least two independent beneficiaries established in two different eligible countries. Proposals are evaluated on Excellence, Impact and Quality and efficiency of implementation and for call-specific questions contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu.

What it funds

Scope and expected impact

Accompanying Measures to promote uptake and dissemination of RFCS coal results, organisation of workshops/conferences, stakeholder engagement for just transition of coal regions, and suggestions for policy initiatives supporting digital, green and circular transformation in line with the European Green Deal.

Indicative topic budget:€1 000 000 allocated to RFCS-2026-01-AM (Coal Accompanying measures) for 2026 ¹.

1. 1Eligible activities: dissemination, knowledge transfer, workshops/conferences linked to RFCS priorities and projects
2. 2Project duration: normally 18 to 36 months
3. 3Typical requested grant size for AMs: expected between €300 000 and €500 000 (but other amounts may be considered)

Who can apply

Eligibility highlights

Legal entities (public or private bodies, research organisations, industry, associations, SMEs, natural persons where applicable) established in eligible countries (EU Member States and RFCS-associated countries). Coordinators and beneficiaries must register in the Participant Register and be validated.

1. 1Consortium requirement for Accompanying Measures: minimum 2 independent beneficiaries from 2 different eligible countries
2. 2Consortium should ensure balanced representation of academia, research centres, industry and just transition actors
3. 3Associated partners, subcontractors and affiliated entities permitted under the RFCS rules

Funding conditions & procedure

Key administrative facts

Proposals must be submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the RFCS application templates. Projects must address one or more RFCS coal objectives set in Council Decision 2008/376/EC and comply with call guidance and eligibility rules.

Where to apply:Submit electronically on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: RFCS-2026-01-AM Topic ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official topic page and call documentation (Call RFCS-2026): ec.europa.eu

Call identity and deadlines

Opportunity Title:RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures. Call: RFCS-2026 (RFCS Annual Call 2026). Topic type: Accompanying Measures for Coal. Submission deadline: 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET. Submission system: electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (single-stage submission). Opening date: 17 June 2026. Estimated evaluation period: September–November 2026; information on results January–February 2027; grant signature April–June 2027 ¹.

Where to apply:Submit proposals online via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System on the topic page: RFCS-2026-01-AM topic page in the Calls for proposals section of the Portal. Use the Portal templates and the RFCS Application Form Part A (online) and Part B (PDF upload) as required.

Main descriptions extracted from the Call

Purpose:Accompanying Measures (AMs) under RFCS support actions that promote the use and uptake of knowledge, organisation of dedicated workshops and conferences, stakeholder engagement and policy suggestions related to RFCS priorities for the coal sector. AMs must ensure balanced representation of academia, research centres, industry and industry associations including just transition actors and stakeholders required for the just transition of coal regions. AMs may propose policy initiatives that contribute to the digital, green and circular transformation of coal communities in line with the European Green Deal.

Scope and objectives:Proposals must relate to one or more RFCS coal objectives as set out in Council Decision 2008/376/EC (as updated): Article 4 supporting the just transition of coal regions; Article 5 improving health and safety; Article 6 minimising environmental impacts of coal mines in transition. No annual priority is set for the AM topic; projects from all areas relevant to these objectives are admitted. AMs typically cover dissemination, workshops, conferences, stakeholder engagement and policy-oriented outputs linked to priorities and projects of RFCS.

Structured extraction — classification and eligibility

Eligible Applicant Types

Eligible applicants are legal entities established in eligible countries. Typical eligible applicant types for this topic include: universities and higher education establishments, research organisations and research centres, public bodies, non-profit organisations, industrial companies (SMEs and large enterprises), industry associations, local/regional authorities, museums or cultural bodies if relevant, natural persons (where allowed), and other legal entities that carry out RTD activities. Associated partners, affiliated entities, subcontractors and third parties giving in-kind contributions can participate in appropriate roles. International organisations are NOT eligible as beneficiaries unless specifically provided for; natural persons may be eligible. Proposals for Accompanying Measures must be submitted by a consortium of minimum 2 independent applicants from 2 different eligible countries (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).

Funding Type

Primary financial mechanism:EU action grant (RFCS Project Grants). Form of grant: budget-based mixed actual cost grant (actual costs with unit cost and flat-rate elements). For the Coal Accompanying Measures topic, the funding rate is 100% of eligible costs (see Data Sheet and call document).

Consortium Requirement

Consortium required:minimum two independent applicants (beneficiaries) established in two different eligible countries for Accompanying Measures. Independence means no direct or indirect control links. Coordinator is required in multi-beneficiary proposals.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Eligible geographic scope:EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories) and countries associated to the RFCS programme (list published in call documentation). Projects must relate to activities taking place in eligible countries. The call follows RFCS eligibility rules and participating country lists; associated non-EU countries may participate as beneficiaries only if association is in force and covers the call.

Target Sector(s) and Thematic Focus

Primary sector targeted:Coal sector and coal regions in transition. Cross-cutting themes: just transition (social and economic transition), occupational health and safety, environmental remediation and restoration (water, soils, atmosphere), reuse of mining wastes, geothermal repurposing of mine sites, carbon dioxide capture/use/storage (where aligned with RFCS objectives), digital transformation, circular economy, stakeholder engagement and policy support for green and circular transformation of coal communities. RFCS Technical Groups TGK1 and TGK2 (scope details in Annex 2) apply for technical alignment.

Mentioned Countries

Explicit countries are not listed in the topic text; eligibility is determined by the RFCS list of participating countries. The geographic region is the European Union and RFCS-associated countries. Applicants should consult the call document for the specific list of associated countries and overseas territories. The programme is EU-focused.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity

Accompanying Measures focus on dissemination, knowledge transfer, stakeholder engagement, workshops and policy suggestions rather than TRL progression. They support uptake of knowledge from RFCS research and demonstration projects. Expected project maturity: activities linked to completed or ongoing RFCS projects or priorities; not TRL-driven in the same sense as RPJ or PDP topics. Typical duration: 18–36 months.

Funding Amount and Budget

Indicative call budget for RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures:€1 000 000 (topic-level indicative budget). Project budgets for Accompanying Measures are expected to range typically between €300 000 and €500 000, but proposals requesting other amounts may be submitted. The grant funding rate for this topic is 100% of eligible costs as set out in the call documentation.

Application Type and Process

Application type:open call published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (single-stage submission). Submission method: electronic only via the Portal Electronic Submission System (Part A online; Part B PDF upload plus mandatory annexes). No paper submissions accepted. Applicants must register in the Participant Register and obtain PIC codes prior to submission. Proposal language: any EU official language permitted, but English is strongly recommended for efficiency.

Nature of Support

Primary nature of support:direct monetary support (EU grant funding to beneficiaries) to reimburse eligible costs. AMs may fund activities such as workshops, conferences, dissemination events, stakeholder engagement and policy-oriented actions. The call does not allow financial support to third parties (cascading funding) under RFCS AM topic.

Application Stages

Main application and award flow:1) Single-stage proposal submission via Portal; 2) Admissibility and eligibility checks; 3) Evaluation by independent experts against award criteria (Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of implementation); 4) Ranking and invitation to grant preparation for successful proposals; 5) Grant preparation (legal entity validation, financial capacity checks, possible amendments) and signature. In short: submission + evaluation + grant preparation (three practical stages). The call documentation describes a one-stage submission and single-step evaluation process; grant preparation follows evaluation.

Success Rates

The call documentation does not publish a historical success rate for this topic. Success is competitive and depends on evaluation scores and available budgets; the RFCS 2026 call has €1 000 000 indicative budget for this Coal AM topic. The evaluation thresholds: individual award criteria minimum 3/5 and overall pass threshold 10/15. Final selection is within the limits of available budget and may be adapted to ensure a balanced portfolio across RFCS topics.

Co-funding Requirement

For RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures the funding rate is 100% of eligible costs; therefore no mandatory applicant co-funding is required from the EU contribution perspective. However, applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity to implement the project and may propose own resources, other income or in-kind contributions (in-kind contributions are cost-neutral and not eligible for reimbursement). The call requires applicants to have stable and sufficient resources; exceptional financial capacity checks may be performed and guarantees requested in grant preparation.

Eligibility and administrative requirements (detailed)

1. 1Legal status: beneficiaries must be legal entities (public or private bodies, research organisations, higher education establishments, undertakings, public bodies, etc.) established in eligible countries and carrying out RTD activity or substantially contributing to such activity.
2. 2Consortium composition: AMs require minimum 2 independent beneficiaries from 2 different eligible countries. Independent means no direct or indirect control links.
3. 3Registration: each beneficiary and affiliated entity must register in the Participant Register and be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation).
4. 4Submission documents: Part A (administrative, online), Part B (technical description PDF, max 70 pages), mandatory annexes uploaded via the Submission System (detailed budget table, list of previous projects where required).
5. 5Page limits and layout: Part B limited to 70 pages; layout rules and fonts specified in the Application Form template.
6. 6Admissibility: proposals must be complete, submitted before the deadline, and use the Portal forms; only documents uploaded in the Submission System will be evaluated.
7. 7Duration: Accompanying Measures normally 18–36 months.
8. 8Ethics and legal compliance: projects must respect highest ethical standards and applicable EU, international and national law.
9. 9Financial & operational capacity: applicants must prove stable and sufficient resources and operational capacity; financial capacity check may be waived for public bodies and for individual requested grant amounts up to €60 000.

Evaluation and award criteria

Evaluation uses a single-stage, single-step expert evaluation against three award criteria:Excellence (5 points), Impact (5 points) and Quality and efficiency of the implementation (5 points). Individual criterion threshold 3/5 and overall threshold 10/15. AM-specific evaluation questions focus on relevance to the role of accompanying measures, strategic importance for the coal sector, consortium balance and quality of dissemination/communication measures.

Funding rules, eligible costs and budget templates

Grant form and cost rules:RFCS grants are budget-based mixed actual cost grants with predefined budget categories: A Personnel costs (A.1 employees; A.2 natural persons under direct contract; A.3 seconded persons; A.4 SME owners/natural person beneficiaries unit cost option), B Subcontracting, C Purchase costs (C.2 Equipment, C.3 Other goods, works and services), and E Indirect costs (flat-rate 35% of personnel costs). VAT rules, depreciation vs full-cost equipment options and other cost eligibility rules follow the RFCS Model Grant Agreement and call-specific Annexes. Applicants must complete a detailed budget table (Excel template) and ensure consistency with the online summarized budget; in case of discrepancies the online table prevails.

Typical eligible budget and expected request size:Project requested grant amount for Accompanying Measures: typically between €300 000 and €500 000. Call topic indicative budget: €1 000 000 for RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal. Total call budget across RFCS 2026: €40 000 000 (coal and steel combined).

Application templates and structure (how forms look and what to prepare)

Application is submitted using the RFCS Application Form provided in the Portal. The form is in two parts: Part A (administrative, filled in online via Portal Submission System screens) and Part B (technical description uploaded as PDF using the RFCS Part B template). Mandatory annexes include the Detailed Budget Table (annex 1 to Part B), List of previous projects (if required), CVs and other call-specific annexes. The RFCS detailed Application Form template provides explicit sections and page guidance for Part B; Part B typically includes: Cover page, Project summary, 1. Excellence (objectives and methodology), 2. Impact (pathways and measures to maximise impact; dissemination/exploitation/communication plan), 3. Quality and efficiency of implementation (work plan, work packages, resources, risk management, staff effort, subcontracting justification, equipment justification, timetable), 4. Other (ethics and security), 5. Declarations and mandatory annex list. Part B is commonly limited to 70 pages and formatting rules (font size, margins) must be respected.

1. 1Part A (online): administrative data, participant list, summary budget, ethics & security tables, declarations.
2. 2Part B (PDF): technical description with structured sections as above (Excellence, Impact, Implementation).
3. 3Annex 1 (mandatory): Detailed budget table template (Excel).
4. 4Annex 4 (if required): List of previous projects in last 4 years relevant to the topic.
5. 5Other annexes as required in the call (e.g. detailed equipment justification, collaboration agreements, proof of affiliation for affiliated entities).

Award and post-award: grant preparation and management

If invited to grant preparation, beneficiaries will undergo legal entity validation, financial capacity checks and exclusion checks. Grant preparation may request clarifications and adjustments and will culminate in signature of the RFCS Model Grant Agreement (MGA). Mandatory deliverables for all projects include a communication and dissemination plan, comprehensive project overview (month 6) and a public publishable report (end of project). Reporting uses continuous reporting tools plus periodic technical and financial reporting with financial statements and certificates if thresholds are met.

Contact and support:For questions on this RFCS call contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu. For IT issues contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT Helpdesk and consult the Portal Online Manual and frequently asked questions.

Risks, exclusions and special conditions

Exclusion and ineligibility:entities subject to EU restrictive measures or with exclusion decisions cannot participate in any capacity. Applicants must not be in exclusion situations (bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, misuse of EU funds, etc.). The call stipulates that projects must comply with EU policies and values and the 'do no harm' principle. Associated partners may participate without funding only if their participation is in the EU interest. Financial guarantees or adjustments to the financial responsibility regime may be required if financial capacity checks are unsatisfactory.

Quick checklist for applicants to RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures

• Assemble at least 2 independent beneficiaries from two different eligible countries.
• Register all beneficiaries and affiliated entities in the Participant Register and obtain PIC codes prior to submission.
• Prepare Part B using the RFCS Part B template; respect the 70-page limit and formatting rules.
• Complete and upload the Detailed Budget Table (Excel template) and ensure consistency with the online summarised budget.
• Prepare a strong dissemination/communication plan and evidence of balanced consortium representation (academia, research, industry, just transition actors).
• Ensure operational and financial capacity; prepare documents for potential financial checks.
• Submit the entire proposal online via the Portal before 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET.

Concluding summary

This RFCS topic RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures funds projects that maximise the use and societal benefit of RFCS coal-related research and demonstration work. It supports dissemination, stakeholder engagement, workshops, conferences and policy-oriented activities that help coal regions transition in a just, green, digital and circular manner. The topic requires balanced consortia with representation from academia, research centres, industry and just transition stakeholders and is funded at 100% of eligible costs. Successful applicants should prepare a concise application in the RFCS Part B template, upload the detailed budget table, and be ready for legal and financial validation during grant preparation. The topic has an indicative budget of €1 000 000 and anticipates awards in the range commonly €300 000–500 000 per AM project, subject to evaluation and available budgets. Detailed rules, templates, budget tables and Model Grant Agreement are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal and in the RFCS call document RFCS Call Document and Topic Page ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document: RFCS Annual Call 2026 (Call: RFCS-2026). Detailed topic description, eligibility, budget information and templates are published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page for RFCS-2026-01-AM Coal Accompanying measures: ec.europa.eu

Key Facts at a Glance

Objective and Scope

This topic covers all research objectives for the coal sector as set out in the RFCS Regulation: supporting the just transition of coal sectors and regions, improving health and safety, and minimising environmental impacts of coal mines in transition ¹. The primary aim of Accompanying Measures is to promote the use of knowledge gained or to organise dedicated workshops and conferences connected to RFCS projects or priorities ².

Expected Impact:Consortiums must ensure balanced representation of academia, research centres, industry, industry associations, and just transition actors. Proposals should involve stakeholders required for the just transition of coal regions and may provide suggestions for policy initiatives contributing to the digital, green, and circular transformation of coal communities in line with the European Green Deal ³.

Who Should Apply

Applications are open to consortia of at least **2 independent applicants** (beneficiaries) established in **2 different eligible countries** (EU Member States or RFCS-associated countries) ⁴. Eligible entities include public or private bodies such as undertakings, research organizations, higher education establishments, and industry associations ⁵.

1. 1Academic institutions and research centres
2. 2Industry and industry associations
3. 3Just transition actors and stakeholders
4. 4Public bodies and local authorities in coal regions

Eligibility and Consortium Requirements

Applicants must be legal entities carrying out RTD activities or substantially contributing to them. They must be registered in the Participant Register before submission to obtain a PIC (Participant Identification Code) ⁶. Associated partners may participate only if their participation is in the EU interest, but they do not receive grant funding ⁷.

Budget and Financial Conditions

The grant is a **budget-based mixed actual cost grant** reimbursing 100% of eligible costs. The requested grant amount should range between **€300,000 and €500,000** ⁸. Grants must not produce a profit; for-profit organisations must declare revenues, and any surplus will be deducted from the final grant amount ⁹.

Budget Categories:Eligible costs include personnel costs, subcontracting, purchase costs (equipment, goods, services), and indirect costs (calculated as 35% of eligible personnel costs). Travel costs are explicitly **not eligible** ¹⁰.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Proposals are evaluated based on three criteria, each worth up to 5 points:**Excellence**, **Impact**, and **Quality and efficiency of implementation** ¹¹. To be considered for funding, proposals must meet individual thresholds of 3/5 points per criterion and an overall threshold of 10 points ¹².

How to Submit

Applications must be submitted electronically via the **EU Funding & Tenders Portal**. The process involves filling Part A (administrative data) online and uploading Part B (technical description) as a PDF, limited to 70 pages ¹³. Mandatory annexes include the detailed budget table and a list of previous projects ¹⁴.

For call-specific questions, contact **REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu**. For IT issues, contact the IT Helpdesk ¹⁵.

Footnotes

1. 1RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 2.1, Objectives for Coal Sector.
2. 2RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 2.1, Activities that can be funded.
3. 3RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 2.1, Expected Impact.
4. 4RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 6.2, Consortium composition for Accompanying Measures.
5. 5RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 6.1, Eligible participants.
6. 6RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 6.1, Participant Register requirements.
7. 7RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 13, Associated partners rules.
8. 8RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 6.6, Project budget for accompanying measures.
9. 9RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 10.3, No-profit rule.
10. 10RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 10.4, Budget categories and cost eligibility rules.
11. 11RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 9, Award criteria.
12. 12RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 9, Award criteria thresholds.
13. 13RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 5, Admissibility and documents.
14. 14RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 5, Mandatory annexes.
15. 15RFCS Call Document 2026, Section 12, Help and contact information.