RFCS-2026-02-RPJ Steel Research projects

RFCS-2026-02-RPJ is an EU call for collaborative steel research projects addressing RFCS objectives (Articles 8, 9, 10 and 10a) including low‑carbon steelmaking, advanced grades, circular economy and workforce management. The indicative topic budget is €20,500,000 with typical project requests between €1,000,000 and €3,000,000 and an EU funding rate of 60% of eligible costs. Eligible proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from at least two different eligible countries, propose 36–42 month projects starting at TRL 1–3 and reaching TRL 4–5, and demonstrate clear industrial, economic, social and environmental impact. Submission is via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET.

Who can apply

Legal entities (public or private bodies, research organisations, universities, SMEs, natural persons) established in eligible countries (EU Member States and RFCS-associated countries). Proposals must be submitted by a consortium: Research projects require at least 3 independent beneficiaries from at least 2 eligible countries.

What it funds

Research projects targeting investigative or experimental work for the steel sector that address one or more RFCS steel objectives: new sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking, advanced steel grades and applications, conservation of resources and circular economy, and workforce/working conditions. Projects should start at TRL 1-3 and reach TRL 4-5 by project end, and each proposal must assess industrial, economic, social and environmental benefits.

Funding available:Indicative budget for RFCS-2026-02-RPJ (Steel research projects) is €20 500 000. The total RFCS 2026 call budget is approx. €40 000 000 ¹.

1. 1Expected project budget range typically between €1 000 000 and €3 000 000 but other amounts may be considered
2. 2Typical duration: research projects normally 36 to 42 months (extensions possible if justified)
3. 3Funding rate for Steel Research Projects: 60% of eligible costs; Accompanying Measures: 100% (different topics have different rates)

Application is electronic only via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the RFCS application templates (Part A online; Part B PDF + mandatory annexes). Proposals are single-stage; follow call document and RFCS Model Grant Agreement for eligibility, budget, reporting and IPR rules.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document and budget breakdown are available on the topic page: RFCS Annual Call 2026 — Call fiche.

Overview and purpose

What this topic funds

This topic is the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) single-topic call RFCS-2026-02-RPJ for Steel Research Projects under the RFCS Annual Call 2026 (RFCS-2026). It finances multi‑partner research projects addressing one or more of the RFCS steel research objectives set out in Council Decision 2008/376/EC (as updated): new, sustainable and low‑carbon steelmaking and finishing processes (Art.8); advanced steel grades and applications (Art.9); conservation of resources, environment protection and circular economy (Art.10); and management of workforce and working conditions (Art.10a). Research projects (RPJ) are investigative or experimental work designed to acquire knowledge to achieve specific practical objectives. They are expected to start at TRL 1-3 and reach TRL 4-5 at project end. Each proposal must include an assessment of expected industrial, economic, social and environmental benefits (Article 26 of Council Decision 2008/376/EC).

Deadline and administrative facts:Submission deadline: 16 September 2026 (17:00 CET Brussels time). Call opening: 17 June 2026. Submission is electronic only via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Submission procedure: single-stage. Support contact: REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu. Topic page: ec.europa.eu ¹

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicants are legal entities established in eligible countries: EU Member States (including OCTs) and RFCS-associated non-EU countries. Eligible applicant types include small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises / industrial companies, universities, research organisations and institutes, public bodies, non-profit organisations and natural persons (natural person beneficiaries are permitted). International organisations are not eligible as beneficiaries. Associated partners, subcontractors and third parties providing in-kind contributions may participate in non-beneficiary roles if foreseen in the proposal; associated partners cannot receive EU funding. Affiliated entities linked to beneficiaries may participate and receive funding under the conditions set out in the Model Grant Agreement.

Funding Type:Budget-based action grant (RFCS Project Grants). The RFCS grant is a budget‑based mixed actual‑cost grant that can combine actual costs with unit cost and flat‑rate elements as defined in the RFCS Model Grant Agreement.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium required. For Research Projects (RPJ) a minimum of 3 independent beneficiaries from at least 2 different eligible countries is required. Independence means no direct or indirect control relationship among them. Independent affiliated entities do not count toward the minimum number requirement.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible geographic scope: EU Member States (plus their overseas countries and territories where applicable) and countries associated to RFCS (list of participating countries in call document). Activities must take place in eligible countries. Non‑EU participants from non-associated countries may only participate in limited roles (see call and MGA).

Target Sector:Primary sector: Steel industry and related supply chains. Thematic coverage includes steelmaking and finishing processes, metallurgy, secondary metallurgy, casting, rolling and finishing operations, energy efficiency and recovery, process integration and optimisation, recycling, by‑product recovery (slags, scrap quality enhancement), advanced steel grades and applications (mobility, lightweight design, heat/corrosion resistance, fatigue), digitalisation (AI, big data, modelling, predictive simulation), ergonomics and workforce competence development, circular economy, pollution control, and near‑zero‑carbon production and clean hydrogen integration.

Mentioned Countries:The call text explicitly references EU Member States and RFCS-associated countries. No single country list is embedded in the topic text here; applicants must consult the call document and list of participating countries on the Portal to confirm RFCS-associated non‑EU participant eligibility. Activities must be located in eligible countries (EU and associated countries).

Project Stage (TRL expectation):Expected project maturity: projects start at Technology Readiness Levels TRL 1-3 (basic research, concept and proof-of-concept) and are expected to reach TRL 4-5 (technology validated in lab / relevant environment) by project end.

Funding Amount and Budget Envelope:Indicative budget for the RFCS Annual Call 2026 is €40 000 000 total. The earmarked indicative budget for RFCS-2026-02-RPJ (Steel Research Projects) is €20 500 000 for 2026. Project budgets for RFCS research projects are expected to range typically between €1 million and €3 million, but proposals requesting other amounts may be submitted; the Agency reserves the right to award lower amounts than requested.

1. 1Call total budget: €40,000,000
2. 2Indicative budget for RFCS-2026-02-RPJ (Steel Research Projects): €20,500,000
3. 3Typical project requested grant range (research projects): €1,000,000 to €3,000,000

Application Type:Open call on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Single‑stage submission. Applicants must submit Part A (online) and Part B (PDF upload) and mandatory annexes via the Portal before the deadline. Paper submissions are not accepted.

Nature of Support:Monetary funding: direct grant contributions to beneficiaries. The call does not allow financial support to third parties unless explicitly stated in a specific topic (not applicable for RFCS RPJ). The grant is budget‑based and reimburses eligible costs according to the Model Grant Agreement.

Application Stages and Evaluation:Single-stage submission followed by one-step evaluation. Admissibility and eligibility checks are performed first; eligible proposals are evaluated by independent experts and an evaluation committee against award criteria (Excellence, Impact, Quality and efficiency of the implementation). Successful proposals will be invited to grant preparation including legal checks (legal entity validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks).

Number of application stages:1 stage submission + 1 evaluation step. Grant preparation follows for successful proposals (post‑evaluation stage).

Success Rates:No call-specific historical success rate is provided in the topic text. Success depends on passing individual thresholds (minimum 3/5 for each of the three award criteria and overall threshold 10/15) and ranking within the available budget. The Agency may reserve the right not to award all funds or to redistribute the budget between topics.

Co-funding Requirement:RFCS research projects funding rate is 60% of eligible costs for industrial research projects under RFCS-2026-02-RPJ (Steel Research Projects). Beneficiaries must therefore co-finance the remaining eligible costs (40%) from their own or third-party resources. Accompanying Measures are funded at 100%, Pilot and Demonstration Projects for steel are funded at 50% (see call document and Data Sheet).

Project Duration and TRL milestones:Research projects are normally expected to last between 36 and 42 months; proposals should justify durations outside these ranges. TRL start: 1–3; expected TRL at end: 4–5.

Award Criteria and Thresholds:Proposals are evaluated on three criteria: Excellence (max 5 points), Impact (max 5 points) and Quality and efficiency of implementation (max 5 points). Individual thresholds: 3/5 for each criterion; overall threshold: 10/15. Proposal page limit: Part B maximum 70 pages. Failure to meet thresholds leads to rejection.

Budget and Cost Rules - key points:The grant uses the RFCS Model Grant Agreement. Eligible cost categories include: A Personnel costs (A.1 employees; A.2 natural persons under direct contract; A.3 seconded persons; A.4 SME owners/natural person beneficiaries under a 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 eligible personnel costs, category A, excluding volunteers if any). Specific rules on equipment depreciation vs full cost apply as set in the call/MGA. VAT that is non-deductible/non-refundable may be eligible except where national rules exclude it. Travel costs are noted as not eligible in the RFCS call text for some categories; consult the call and MGA for details. Financial support to third parties is not allowed under RFCS RPJ.

1. 1Indirect costs flat-rate: 35% of total eligible personnel costs (category A, excluding volunteers).
2. 2Funding rate for RFCS-2026-02-RPJ: 60% of eligible costs.
3. 3Project budgets for RPJ expected range: €1 - €3 million (indicative).

Templates and application structure:Applicants must use the Portal submission templates. Application Form consists of Part A (administrative, filled online) and Part B (technical annex narrative uploaded as PDF). Mandatory annexes include the detailed budget table (former Form B3) and the list of previous projects (if required). Part B: recommended structure and page guidance: Cover page and project summary; 1. Excellence (objectives and methodology; TRL start and end; state of the art; interdisciplinary approach); 2. Impact (pathways to impact, quantified expected benefits, dissemination/exploitation/communication plan and IPR strategy); 3. Quality and efficiency of implementation (work plan and WPs, Gantt, tasks, deliverables and milestones, staff effort tables, procurement and subcontracting justification, equipment list, risk register, staff CVs as annexes where required, consortium description and capacity); 4. Ethics and security; 5. Declarations. Part B is normally limited to 70 pages. Detailed budget table must match the summarised budget in Part A; in case of discrepancy the online summarised budget prevails.

Application preparation practicalities:Registration: all beneficiaries, affiliated entities and associated partners must register in the Participant Register and obtain PICs prior to submission. Ensure LEAR appointment and legal entity validation documents are ready for grant preparation. Read the Call document, RFCS MGA and the Online Manual. Use the Portal Submission system; paper submissions are not accepted. Keep proposal within page and formatting limits (A4, Arial 9pt minimum, margins at least 15 mm). Upload required annexes in the correct slots. The portal issues a confirmation email on successful submission; if not received, contact IT Helpdesk immediately.

1. 1Register organisation(s) in Participant Register; obtain PICs.
2. 2Prepare Part B PDF using the Portal template; do not exceed 70 pages.
3. 3Complete Part A online; upload detailed budget table and mandatory annexes.
4. 4Submit before 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET via the Portal.

Evaluation and award timing:Evaluation period is scheduled for September-November 2026. Applicants will be informed of evaluation results January-February 2027. Grant Agreement signature is expected April–June 2027. Successful proposals are invited to grant preparation which includes legal entity validation and financial capacity checks and may require clarifications or adjustments to the proposal and budget.

Key compliance and risk points for applicants:Mandatory compliance items include adherence to RFCS research objectives and scope, high ethical standards and respect of EU values, correct and complete documentation, no double funding from EU budget, proper record-keeping for audits, and acceptance of the RFCS Model Grant Agreement terms including intellectual property, dissemination and visibility obligations. Subcontracting should be limited and justified; subcontracting beyond 30% of total eligible costs must be justified. Financial capacity checks may trigger requirements such as prefinancing guarantees or joint-and-several liability regimes.

Summary:What is this opportunity about and how to approach it

This RFCS topic invites consortia to propose collaborative steel research projects that deliver new knowledge and technological advances enabling more sustainable, low‑carbon, resource‑efficient and circular steel production and steel products. Projects must align with the RFCS objectives (Articles 8, 9, 10 and 10a), demonstrate clear TRL progression (start TRL 1–3 and reach TRL 4–5 during the project), quantify industrial, economic, social and environmental benefits, and lay out credible dissemination and exploitation pathways. Eligible consortia normally combine academia/research organisations with industry partners to ensure relevance and uptake. Applicants should design a focused, realistic work plan mapped to required resources and deliverables, demonstrate consortium capacity and industrial relevance, provide a robust IP and exploitation strategy, respect the RFCS financial and cost eligibility rules and prepare all required documents in the Portal templates. The call provides an indicative €20.5 million budget for steel research projects; typical project grants are €1–€3 millionwith a 60% funding rate for RFCS research projects, requiring co‑funding. Read the call document, the RFCS Model Grant Agreement and the Portal Online Manual carefully; use the standard application templates, register entities early in the Participant Register, and plan submission well in advance of the deadline to resolve technical or validation issues. For questions contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu or consult the topic page and call documentation on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Call document, full topic details, templates and RFCS call fiche are available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: RFCS-2026-02-RPJ Steel Research projects Call Topic.

Key Opportunity Details

This call supports investigative or experimental research projects focused on acquiring knowledge to facilitate specific practical objectives in the steel sector, aiming to advance near-zero-carbon production, circular economy, and workforce management ¹.

Total Budget:The indicative budget for this specific topic is €20,500,000, representing 72.8% of the total call envelope ².

Funding Rate:The EU grants a funding rate of 60% of total eligible costs for Research Projects (RPJ) ³.

Project Duration:Projects are expected to run for 36 to 42 months, starting at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1-3 and achieving TRL 4-5 by the end ⁴.

Submission Deadline:The deadline for submission is September 16, 2026, at 17:00:00 CET (Brussels time) ⁵.

Who Should Apply

Applicants must form a consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities (beneficiaries) from at least 2 different eligible countries, including EU Member States and RFCS-associated non-EU countries ⁶.

1. 1Research organizations and universities
2. 2Steel industry companies and equipment suppliers
3. 3Public bodies and SMEs
4. 4Technology and innovation organizations (RTOs)

Industrial participation is strongly recommended, as proposals without at least one steelmaker or equipment supplier typically score lower on impact criteria ⁷.

Research Scope and Objectives

Proposals must address one or more of the RFCS objectives for steel as defined in Council Decision 2008/376/EC, specifically Articles 8, 9, 10, and 10a ⁸.

Eligibility and Budget Requirements

The requested grant amount for research projects is expected to range between €1 million and €3 million, though proposals requesting other amounts are not precluded ⁹.

All beneficiaries must be registered in the Participant Register before submission and possess stable financial and operational capacity to implement the project ¹⁰.

Projects must comply with highest ethical standards and EU policy interests, including the European Green Deal and the Clean Industrial Deal ¹¹.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals are evaluated based on three criteria:Excellence (5 points), Impact (5 points), and Quality and efficiency of implementation (5 points), with a maximum total of 15 points ¹².

To be considered for funding, proposals must meet individual thresholds of 3/5 points per criterion and an overall threshold of 10/15 points ¹³.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Document RFCS-2026, Section 2: Objectives and Scope RFCS Call Doc
2. 2Budget Overview Table in Call Document, Topic RFCS-2026-02-RPJ RFCS Call Doc
3. 3Section 10: Form of grant and funding rate, RFCS-2026-02-RPJ listed at 60% RFCS Call Doc
4. 4Section 2: Activities that can be funded and Section 6: Duration RFCS Call Doc
5. 5Section 4: Timetable and deadlines RFCS Call Doc
6. 6Section 6: Consortium composition requirements for Research projects RFCS Call Doc
7. 7Grants Finder AI analysis on industrial participation importance Grants Finder
8. 8Section 2: Research objectives for steel (Articles 8-10a) RFCS Call Doc
9. 9Section 6: Project budget expectations for research projects RFCS Call Doc
10. 10Section 6: Eligible participants and Section 7: Financial and operational capacity RFCS Call Doc
11. 11Section 1: Background and policy framework alignment RFCS Call Doc
12. 12Section 9: Award criteria table RFCS Call Doc
13. 13Section 9: Thresholds for funding consideration RFCS Call Doc