RFCS-2026-Steel-Big Tickets under the steel and metals action plan dual-use

RFCS-2026-Steel-Big Tickets RFCS-2026 is an EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel call funding pilot and demonstration projects to decarbonize the steel sector and support dual-use (civil and defence) applications with a total budget of €25,000,000 and an indicative project grant range of €5 million to €25 million. The submission deadline is 16 September 2026, projects are normally 36 to 54 months and must start at TRL 3-4 and reach TRL 5-8 by completion. Eligible participants are legal entities established in EU Member States only, consortia must include at least two independent beneficiaries from two different EU Member States, and ownership/control declarations plus security restrictions apply. Funding is provided as a budget-based mixed actual cost grant reimbursing 50% of eligible costs with indirect costs covered by a 35% flat rate of eligible personnel costs and a strict no-profit rule.

What it funds

Scope and expected outcomes

Pilot and demonstration projects (PDPs) in the steel sector addressing low-carbon steelmaking, advanced steel grades/applications and dual-use (civil and defence) innovations. Projects should start at TRL 3-4 and reach TRL 5-8 by project end and include exploitation plans and quantified energy, material and emission assessments.

Available budget:€25,000,000 total for this topic Call document ¹

1. 1Funding form: RFCS action grant, budget-based mixed actual-cost grant
2. 2Indicative funding rate: 50% of eligible costs
3. 3Typical project size guidance: Commission suggests €5M–€25M per project (indicative)
4. 4Project duration: normally 36 to 54 months

Who can apply

Eligibility highlights

Consortia of legal entities established in EU Member States only (participation restricted to EU MS for this call). Minimum consortium: 2 independent beneficiaries from 2 different eligible countries. Beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners and subcontractors must not be directly or indirectly controlled by non-EU countries; ownership/control declarations are required.

Eligible activities:RFCS Pilot and Demonstration Projects focused on innovative steel technologies, scale-up, pilots and demonstrators, covering TRL progression, safety/health impacts and economic viability analyses.

1. 1Applicants: public or private legal entities (industry, research organisations, universities, SMEs) established in EU Member States
2. 2Project activities and implementation must take place in eligible countries (EU MS)
3. 3Associated partners and subcontractors may participate but must respect ownership/control rules

Application and evaluation

Proposals submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the RFCS application templates (Part A online; Part B PDF up to 70 pages). Evaluation uses Excellence, Impact and Quality/Implementation (each scored up to 5; overall pass threshold 10/15). Hearing/interview step included in evaluation.

Practical points:Mandatory ownership/control declaration and security self-assessment for dual-use content; projects should not include EU classified information unless security procedures are satisfied. Contact for support: REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu and submit via the topic page Portal topic.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call document and details (eligibility, budget rules, TRL expectations, security and ownership requirements) are in the official Call Document available from the RFCS call fiche: ec.europa.eu

Call identifier:RFCS-2026. Call title: RFCS-2026-Steel-Big Tickets under the steel and metals action plan dual-use. Programme: Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) 2021-2027. Managing authority: European Research Executive Agency (REA). Opening date: 17 June 2026. Submission deadline: 16 September 2026, 17:00 CET (Brussels). Submission procedure: single-stage, electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Call documents and application templates are available in the Submission System. A corrigendum released 29 June 2026 clarifies eligibility conditions (version V2.0). The topic webpage and call fiche contain the full call document, templates and Annexes. For call-specific help contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu. The EU contribution available to this topic is €25,000,000 ¹.

Objectives, Scope and Expected Impact

This Big Tickets call funds Pilot and Demonstration Projects (PDPs) in the steel sector addressing the RFCS statutory objectives: (i) New, sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking and finishing processes (Article 8 of RFCS Decision 2008/376/EC); (ii) Advanced steel grades and applications (Article 9). The call specifically includes dual-use research where outputs are relevant to both civil and defence markets. Projects must start approximately at TRL 3-4 and reach TRL 5-8 by project end (technology validated or demonstrated in relevant environments). Proposals must quantify targeted improvements (energy, material and emissions balances) relative to existing installations or relevant ETS benchmarks and include exploitation strategies and preliminary economic viability assessments. Dual-use proposals must explain links to civil and defence aspects in the excellence section and must not include EU classified information in the proposal text. Expected impacts: quantifiable CO2 and environmental reductions, technical and economic feasibility at suitable scale, demonstrable health and safety benefits where relevant, scalable deployment plans with viable business cases, wide dissemination and skills creation, and contributions to the EU Green Deal and industrial competitiveness.

Eligible types of activities and project maturity:Type of action: RFCS Pilot and Demonstration Projects (PDPs). Targeted TRL progression: start TRL 3-4, achieve at least TRL 5 or TRL 6 and up to TRL 8 by project end. Project duration: normally 36 to 54 months; longer only if strongly justified. Activities must bridge research and innovation (demonstrations, pilots, industrial integration preparation).

Budget and Funding Model

Total topic budget:€25 000 000. The Commission indicates an estimated EU contribution per selected project could range from €5 million to €25 million (indicative). Funding form: budget-based mixed actual cost grant (budget-based mixed actual costs with unit cost and flat-rate elements where applicable). Funding rate: 50% of eligible costs (fixed in RFCS model grant), unless otherwise specified in the Grant Agreement. Grants may not produce a profit; for-profit beneficiaries must declare revenues and any profit will be deducted from final grant. Indirect costs: flat-rate 35% of eligible personnel costs (category A, excluding volunteers). VAT: non-deductible/non-refundable VAT is eligible except for VAT paid by public bodies acting as public authorities (not eligible). Travel costs are not eligible under this call. Financial support to third parties is not allowed.

Budget categories and eligible cost types:A. Personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons, SME owners/natural-person beneficiaries via unit cost options); B. Subcontracting costs (must follow best value for money and avoid conflict of interest); C. Purchase costs: C.2 equipment (depreciation as default; selected calls may permit full capitalised costs or special provisions for listed equipment — call specifies options), C.3 other goods, works and services (raw materials, consumables, energy, transport of feedstock and products, maintenance, IT and services, analyses and tests, dedicated workshops, protection of knowledge); E. Indirect costs (flat-rate 35% of A). Detailed budget tables (mandatory) and a detailed budget template (Excel) must be uploaded as annexes. The coordinator’s online summarised budget must match the detailed budget; if discrepancies occur, online figures prevail.

Eligibility and Participation Rules

This call is subject to security and public order restrictions. Participation in any capacity (beneficiary, affiliated entity, associated partner, subcontractor or recipient of support) is limited to legal entities established in EU Member States only. Participants, affiliated entities, associated partners and subcontractors must not be directly or indirectly controlled by any country other than an EU Member State or by legal entities established in non-EU countries. Entities must be legal persons (public or private bodies, research organisations, higher education establishments, undertakings, etc.) performing RTD or substantially contributing to RTD activities. Natural persons are eligible. International organisations are not eligible as participants for this call. Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register (PIC) and will be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation).

Consortium requirements:Minimum consortium composition: at least two independent beneficiaries (not affiliated) from two different eligible countries (for this call: two different EU Member States). Independent means no direct or indirect control relationships between partners (e.g. no ownership or decisive control >50%). Affiliations, associated partners, subcontractors and in-kind third parties may participate under the conditions specified in the call. Associated partners may only participate without funding and only if their participation is in the EU interest. Subcontracting should normally be limited and must be justified; subcontracting above 30% of total eligible costs must be specifically justified in the application.

Security, Ethics and IPR Special Conditions

Due to inclusion of dual-use research and the call’s linkage to the steel and metals action plan and defence strategic autonomy, participation is restricted to EU Member States and ownership/control restrictions apply. Applicants must submit an ownership control declaration and may be requested to provide supporting documents. Projects must not contain EU classified information in the proposal; however, during implementation, projects may involve classified information subject to security scrutiny. If classified information is used or produced during grant implementation, security aspects will be detailed in a Security Aspects Letter (SAL) and a Security Classification Guide (SCG) will become part of Annex 1. Facility security clearance (FSC) and personnel security clearances (PSC) may be required prior to grant signature for beneficiaries handling EU classified information. Ethics: projects must meet the highest ethical standards and comply with applicable EU and national law; ethics reviews may be required. Additional IPR obligations: background and results must be free from restrictions that would make results subject to control by non-eligible countries; first exploitation and significant production incorporating project results should take place in eligible countries; transfers or licences to non-eligible countries require prior written approval of the granting authority and a reasoned assessment.

Evaluation, Award Criteria and Selection Procedure

Procedure:one-stage electronic submission and one-step evaluation followed by hearings/interviews for shortlisted proposals (central evaluation week in Brussels). Admissibility checks (Part A and Part B) followed by eligibility checks and evaluation by an evaluation committee with independent experts. Evaluators will use the RFCS scoring grid. Individual criterion thresholds are 3/5 points for Excellence, Impact and Quality & efficiency of implementation; overall threshold 10/15. Award criteria: 1) Excellence (5 points) – clarity, ambition, sound methodology and linkage to civil and defence aspects for dual-use; 2) Impact (5 points) – credibility and scale of expected outcomes, dissemination/exploitation measures, benefit to civil and defence sectors; 3) Quality and efficiency of implementation (5 points) – work plan, management, consortium quality, cost-effectiveness and resources. Ranking tie-break rules: priority to Impact score, then Excellence, then Quality & efficiency; if still tied, private for-profit participation percentage and share of budget assigned to for-profits are used. Successful proposals are invited to grant preparation; invitation does not constitute formal funding commitment until legal and financial checks (LEAR validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks, security clearance where applicable) are completed.

Application limits and format:Part B (technical description) page limit: 70 pages. Minimum font size Arial 9. Page size A4, margins at least 15 mm. Part A (administrative forms) must be completed online. Required mandatory annexes: detailed budget table (annex 1 to Part B), list of previous projects (if required by call), ownership control declarations (including for associated partners and subcontractors where required), information on security issues/security section. CVs and activity reports not applicable for this call. Proposal language: any official EU language; executive summary/abstract should be in English. Proposals must be readable, accessible and printable; proposals submitted after the deadline or on paper will be rejected. Submission confirmation e-mail is sent after successful submission. Use the Portal Submission System templates (not the informational topic page documents) for uploads.

Administrative, Financial and Contractual Rules

Grant Agreement model:RFCS Model Grant Agreement (MGA). Form of grant: budget-based mixed actual cost grant. Funding rate: 50%. Indirect costs: flat-rate 35% of eligible personnel costs. Pre-financing: typically 20% of the maximum grant amount (may be lower or zero); pre-financing guarantees may be requested and must be issued by approved banks in EUR; guarantees are normally requested from the coordinator for the consortium and released at grant closure. Interim payment(s) and final payment arrangements are described in the Grant Agreement. Certificates: CFS (Certificate on the Financial Statements) thresholds: EU contribution requested per beneficiary ≥ €325,000 may trigger requirement at final payment; schedules and exemptions per Data Sheet. Financial capacity checks and operational capacity checks will be performed; public bodies and beneficiaries requesting ≤ €60,000 may be exempt from some checks. Reporting and record-keeping: continuous reporting in Portal Continuous Reporting tool (deliverables, milestones, indicators), periodic technical and financial reports (periodic report and financial statements), retention of records and supporting documents for minimum 5 years after final payment (3 years for small grants ≤ €60,000). No double funding from EU sources allowed.

Application process and support

How to apply:register organisation and participants in the Participant Register; obtain PIC; prepare Part A online and download, complete and re-upload Part B as PDF via the Portal Submission System. Upload mandatory annexes into correct slots (detailed budget table, ownership control forms, security information, list of previous projects where relevant). Read the Online Manual, AGA — Annotated Grant Agreement, guidance on ownership and control restrictions and rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment. For IT issues use the IT Helpdesk; for call-specific non-IT questions contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu. Consult the Topic Q&A on the call page for published clarifications. Plan submission well ahead of the deadline to avoid last-minute technical problems; submission deadlines cannot be extended.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Legal entities (public or private bodies, research organisations, higher education establishments, undertakings/industry, SMEs), affiliated entities, natural persons, affiliated entities where applicable; international organisations are NOT eligible under this call; associated partners may participate without funding only if participation is in the EU interest.
2. 2Funding Type: Grant — RFCS Project Grants (RFCS-PJG) — budget-based mixed actual cost grant with unit cost and flat-rate elements.
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Consortium required — minimum two independent beneficiaries from two different eligible countries (EU Member States only for this call).
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU Member States only (due to security and public order restrictions); participants must not be controlled by non-EU countries.
5. 5Target Sector: Steel and metals sector — low-carbon steel production, advanced steel grades and applications, circularity, decarbonisation technologies, pilot and demonstration of industrial processes; includes dual-use (civil and defence) applications within steel sector.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: EU Member States (call restricts participation to entities established in EU Member States; specific Member States not enumerated in the call document).
7. 7Project Stage: Expected maturity: start TRL 3-4, expected TRL 5-8 by project end (validation and demonstration).
8. 8Funding Amount: Topic budget €25,000,000; indicative project-level EU contribution guidance €5 million to €25 million (Commission estimate; proposals requesting different amounts can be submitted and may be funded if justified).
9. 9Application Type: Open call — single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal (electronic submission only).
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary (grant funding). Non-monetary support: access to EU networks, dissemination and policy visibility, guidance during grant preparation and project monitoring.
11. 11Application Stages: One-stage submission and one-step evaluation with an interview/hearing stage for shortlisted proposals; evaluation includes admissibility, eligibility, expert review and evaluation committee ranking; grant preparation dialog follows selection. Overall process: effectively two major steps (submission->evaluation + hearing -> invitation to grant preparation -> legal checks -> signature).
12. 12Success Rates: Not specified in call; subject to competition and budget availability. Reserve list may be created. No guarantee that all available budget will be awarded.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: No mandatory co-funding percentage stated beyond the 50% funding rate; applicants must demonstrate sufficient resources and may declare own resources and other income; the grant reimburses eligible costs at the funding rate.

Application templates and structure (how the submission looks)

Application Form consists of Part A (administrative forms entered online in the Submission System) and Part B (technical description uploaded as PDF). Part B uses the RFCS Application Form template V3.0 (downloadable in the Submission System). Part B structure and guidance: Cover page and project summary; 1. Excellence: objectives and ambition (SMART), methodology, TRL start and end, state-of-the-art and innovation beyond state-of-the-art; 1.2 Methodology (detailed methods, interdisciplinary integration, Do No Significant Harm if applicable); 2. Impact: pathways to impact, target groups, quantified estimates where possible, dissemination/exploitation/communication plan and IPR strategy; 3. Quality and efficiency of implementation: work plan (work packages, tasks, deliverables, milestones), Gantt/timeline, staff effort tables (person-months), subcontracting table (S1, S2 … with justification and best value-for-money), equipment (depreciation or full-cost options as per call), risk management (risks, likelihood, mitigation), capacity of participants and consortium complementarity; 4. Other: ethics and security sections (security section must be pre-filled if part of Part B and addresses potential EUCI, misuse, national security restrictions and security self-assessment); 5. Declarations and annex list. Mandatory annexes: detailed budget table (Excel template), ownership control declaration template, information on security issues/security section (HE template), list of previous projects (if required). Page limit for Part B: 70 pages (excess pages will be ignored). Formatting rules: Arial minimum 9 points, A4, margins at least 15 mm. Templates to be used as provided in the Submission System; do not delete tags in templates.

Detailed list of mandatory uploads at submission:Part A online (administrative data), Part B PDF (technical description), detailed budget table (annex 1 to Part B, Excel), ownership control declaration(s) (template), information on security issues/security section (HE template), list of previous projects (template in Part B) if requested by the call. Other supporting documents are not accepted and will not be evaluated. Coordinator must confirm mandate to act on behalf of all applicants and sign declarations of honour; beneficiaries and affiliated entities will reconfirm at grant preparation/signature.

Evaluation form and scoring

Award criteria (scoring):Excellence 5 points, Impact 5 points, Quality & efficiency of implementation 5 points. Individual thresholds 3/5 per criterion, overall threshold 10/15. Evaluators will assess: clarity and pertinence to RFCS objectives; ambition and novelty beyond state-of-the-art; soundness of methodology; TRL start and end; civil and defence linkage for dual-use proposals; quantification of benefits (CO2, emissions, energy/material balances), realistic exploitation and business case, dissemination and communication plan; quality of work plan and management, risk management, consortium capacity, cost-effectiveness. Evaluation includes a hearing/interview in the central evaluation week; panel may request clarifications and adjustments during grant preparation. Reserve list may be created. Successful applicants invited to grant preparation in January-February 2027 with GA signature target June 2027 (indicative timetable).

Key implementation obligations and post-award conditions

Mandatory deliverables for all projects:communication and dissemination plan, comprehensive overview of project (month 6), public publishable report (last month). Grant form: budget-based mixed actual cost grant with unit cost and flat-rate elements; final grant amount is based on accepted eligible costs and contributions, subject to no-profit rule and entitlement rules. Reporting: continuous reporting in Portal plus periodic technical and financial reporting. Record-keeping and access to documents for audits, reviews and investigations (Granting authority, OLAF, EPPO, ECA) are required for the retention period specified in the Data Sheet (normally 5 years). Prefinancing guarantees, CFS certificates and other compliance documents may be requested depending on beneficiaries’ financial situation and requested EU contribution. Specific IPR obligations linked to security and public order: background must be free from restrictions by non-eligible countries; results must be free from such restrictions unless prior agreement is reached; first exploitation obligation in eligible countries; limitations on transfers and licensing to non-eligible countries without prior approval; beneficiaries must ensure obligations apply to affiliated entities, associated partners, subcontractors and any recipients of financial support to third parties (if allowed).

Risks, exclusions and ineligibilities

Exclusion grounds under the EU Financial Regulation apply (bankruptcy, tax/social security breaches, grave professional misconduct, fraud, corruption, money laundering, terrorism-related offences, child labour/human trafficking, serious breaches under prior EU grants or public procurement). Entities subject to EU restrictive measures or EU conditionality measures are not eligible. Participants must avoid double funding for the same costs. Projects already completed will be rejected; projects started before submission may be accepted in justified cases but costs prior to the project starting date/proposal submission are not eligible for reimbursement. Projects involving classified TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET cannot be funded. Security deliverables and facility security clearances may be required prior to signature for projects dealing with EU classified information.

How to prepare a competitive proposal — Practical checklist

1. 1Confirm eligibility: legal entities established in EU Member States only for this call; check ownership/control restrictions and prepare ownership control declarations for all beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners and subcontractors as required.
2. 2Assemble consortium: at least two independent beneficiaries from two different EU Member States; ensure operational capacity and complementarity; prepare consortium agreement addressing management, IP and internal distribution of funds.
3. 3Define scope and TRL path: clearly state TRL start and target TRL end (3-4 to 5-8), quantify energy, material, emission improvements versus benchmarks and include system and material balance assessments.
4. 4Design pilot/demonstration plan: specify pilot scale, demonstration environment, replicability, exploitation pathway, industrial integration and preliminary business case.
5. 5Security and dual-use: if dual-use aspects are involved, explicitly describe civil and defence linkages in Excellence and Impact sections and complete the security self-assessment. Avoid including EU classified information in proposals.
6. 6Budget and cost justification: use the RFCS detailed budget template; ensure personnel, equipment (depreciation or full cost options), subcontracting and operating costs are justified; follow procurement and subcontracting best-value rules and limit subcontracting unless justified.
7. 7Prepare mandatory annexes: detailed budget table (Excel), ownership control declaration(s), information on security issues/security section, list of previous projects where requested; ensure Part A online matches detailed budget.
8. 8Adhere to page and formatting limits: Part B maximum 70 pages; use templates; follow font, margin and A4 rules.
9. 9Plan for evaluation hearing: prepare a clear presentation to respond to evaluators' questions and hearings in Brussels (consortium interview expected).
10. 10Allow time for validation checks: ensure LEAR appointment and PIC registration completed, financial and legal documents ready for REA validation at grant preparation stage.

Concluding summary — What this opportunity is about and why apply

This is a flagship RFCS Big Tickets call RFCS-2026 that provides significant EU funding to pilot and demonstrate innovative steel production, finishing and advanced steel grade technologies that contribute to decarbonisation, circularity and competitiveness of the EU steel sector. The call aligns with the European Green Deal, the Clean Industrial Deal and the steel and metals action plan and explicitly includes dual-use research aimed at strengthening European strategic autonomy for defence-related steel applications. It targets projects that mature technologies from lab to validated or demonstrated systems (TRL 5-8), quantify energy and emissions improvements, and present credible exploitation and industrial integration strategies. Given the security-related restrictions, participation is limited to entities established in EU Member States and strict ownership/control and IPR obligations apply. The call is competitive, requires well-prepared technical and financial documentation, and includes an interview hearing step. Projects are expected to be sizeable (€5M–€25Mindicative) and last typically 36–54 months, offering a major opportunity for industry-research consortia to de-risk and showcase technologies on the path to commercial deployment.

For full details, applicants must consult the Call Document, the RFCS Model Grant Agreement, the Application Form templates (Part A and Part B) and the Submission System. The call topic page contains the call fiche, downloadable templates and guidance. Use the Submission System to submit your proposal by 16 September 2026. Contact REA-RFCS@ec.europa.eu for call-specific non-IT assistance and the IT Helpdesk for technical submission support ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Call document and topic page: RFCS-2026 — RFCS-2026-Steel-Big Tickets under the steel and metals action plan dual-use. Available at ec.europa.eu

Key Opportunity Details

This call, titled RFCS-2026-Steel-Big Tickets under the steel and metals action plan dual-use, is a flagship initiative under the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) aimed at decarbonizing the EU steel industry while strengthening strategic autonomy for defense applications. The total available budget is €25,000,000 ¹.

Deadline:The submission deadline is 16 September 2026 at 17:00:00 CET (Brussels time) ².

Project Duration:Projects should normally range between 36 and 54 months, with extensions possible for duly justified cases ³.

Who Should Apply

Eligible applicants must be legal entities (public or private bodies, research organizations, universities, or undertakings) established in EU Member States only. This call is subject to strict security and public order restrictions, meaning participation is limited to entities not directly or indirectly controlled by non-EU countries ⁴.

1. 1Minimum consortium of 2 independent applicants from 2 different EU Member States
2. 2Applicants must carry out RTD activities or substantially contribute to them
3. 3Entities must be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation) before submission
4. 4Associated partners and subcontractors must also be from EU Member States and not controlled by non-EU entities

Objectives and Scope

Proposals must address one of two primary objectives:(1) New, sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking and finishing processes (Article 8), or (2) Advanced steel grades and applications (Article 9). Proposals addressing dual-use must develop products and processes relevant to both civil and defense markets ⁵.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL):Projects must start at TRL 3-4 and achieve TRL 5-8 by the end, bridging the gap between research and industrial demonstration ⁶.

Expected Impact:Results must quantify CO2 reduction, demonstrate technical/economic feasibility of novel technologies, outline a scalable deployment plan, and contribute to skills development and job creation/conversion ⁷.

Funding and Budget Details

The grant reimburses only eligible costs actually incurred. Grants may not produce a profit; for-profit organizations must declare revenues, and any surplus will be deducted from the final grant amount ⁸.

Critical Requirements and Restrictions

Applicants must submit an Ownership Control Declaration to prove EU control and must not use background or results subject to restrictions from non-EU countries. Projects involving EU classified information are subject to strict security scrutiny, and no grant can be signed until at least one beneficiary has Facility Security Clearance (FSC) ⁹.

1. 1Maximum 70 pages for Part B (technical description)
2. 2Travel costs are NOT eligible
3. 3Financial support to third parties is NOT allowed
4. 4First commercial exploitation must take place in EU Member States
5. 5Transfer of results to non-EU entities requires prior approval

Evaluation and Submission Process

The evaluation uses a one-stage submission with a one-step process, including a mandatory hearing/interview in Brussels for selected candidates. Proposals are scored on Excellence (5 pts), Impact (5 pts), and Quality/Efficiency (5 pts), with a minimum threshold of 3/5 per criterion and 10/15 overall ¹⁰.

Submission Steps:1. Register in the Participant Register to obtain a PIC; 2. Submit Part A (online) and Part B (PDF) via the Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline ¹¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Official Call Document RFCS-2026-BT-Steel-SMAP-DUAL-USE, Section 3 (Available Budget), Version 2.0, 29 June 2026.
2. 2Official Call Document, Section 4 (Timetable and Deadlines), Version 2.0, 29 June 2026.
3. 3Official Call Document, Section 6 (Eligibility - Duration), Version 2.0, 29 June 2026.
4. 4Official Call Document, Section 6 (Eligible participants) and Section 2 (Expected impact), emphasizing security restrictions for EU Member States only.
5. 5Official Call Document, Section 2 (Objectives), referencing Articles 8 and 9 of Council Decision 2008/376/EC.
6. 6Official Call Document, Section 2 (Activities that can be funded), specifying TRL 3-4 start and TRL 5-8 end.
7. 7Official Call Document, Section 2 (Expected impact), listing quantified CO2 reduction and scalable deployment plans.
8. 8Official Call Document, Section 10 (Form of grant, funding rate), stating 50% funding rate and no-profit rule.
9. 9Official Call Document, Section 6 (Security) and Section 10 (Additional IPR obligations), detailing FSC requirements and non-EU restriction rules.
10. 10Official Call Document, Section 9 (Award criteria), defining the 3/5 individual and 10/15 overall thresholds.
11. 11Official Call Document, Section 11 (How to submit an application), outlining the 2-step registration and submission process.