Safety of operating nuclear power plants and research reactors

The European Commission has opened a single-stage Euratom Research and Training Programme call HORIZON-EURATOM for collaborative Research and Innovation Actions on the safety of operating nuclear power plants and research reactors, focusing on ageing management, evaluation of safety margins, long-term operation, materials integrity, hazard assessment and digitalisation. The topic has an indicative budget of €15,000,000 across 2026–2027 (€8,000,000 in 2026 and €7,000,000 in 2027) with an indicative EU contribution of around €3,000,000 per project and uses a lump-sum funding model. The call opens 24 March 2026 and the submission deadline is 15 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time, with eligibility for entities established in EU Member States and Euratom associated countries (currently Switzerland and Ukraine). Proposals must be multi-partner consortia submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and will be evaluated on Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation.

Safety of operating nuclear power plants and research reactors

Call at a glance

HORIZON-EURATOM-2026-01

What is funded: research, innovation and coordination actions addressing ageing management, long-term operation safety, safety margins evaluation, internal and external hazards, advanced materials and NDE, fuel and core safety (including alternative fuels for Soviet‑designed research reactors), digitalisation (AI, digital twins), modelling and multiscale simulation, and training/knowledge‑transfer to support regulators and licensees.

Who can apply:Consortia of legal entities established in eligible countries under the Euratom Work Programme (EU Member States and associated countries; currently Switzerland and Ukraine are associated). Typical applicants: research organisations, universities, industry (incl. nuclear operators and vendors), technical support organisations, regulators, and public bodies. The JRC may join consortia and offer services/research infrastructure.

Action types and deadline:Call types include EURATOM-RIA (Research & Innovation Actions), EURATOM-IA (Innovation Actions) and EURATOM-CSA (Coordination & Support Actions). Single-stage submission. Deadline: 15 September 2026 (17:00 Brussels time). Planned opening: 24 March 2026.

Funding model and proposal limits:Grants use Euratom budget-based lump sum model. Part B page limit for RIA/IA with lump sum is 45 pages; follow the Funding & Tenders Portal templates and General Annexes.

1. 1Eligible applicants: organisations from EU Member States and Euratom-associated countries (check current list in General Annexes).
2. 2Consortia are expected; participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) is recommended where appropriate.
3. 3Proposals must align with nuclear safety directives and peer-review expectations and demonstrate regulatory and licensing relevance.

Total indicative topic contributions shown in the call budget: multiple topic lines totalling several tens of millions EUR across 2026–2027; consult the call page for the exact breakdown and the specific topic identifier you intend to target.

Admissibility, eligibility, evaluation, financial capacity and legal/financial set-up follow the Euratom Work Programme General Annexes (A to G). Applications submitted via the Funding & Tenders Portal; use standard Part A and Part B templates. Ensure compliance with ethics, security and national eligibility rules.

Footnotes

1. 1Call documents, General Annexes, application templates and detailed budget breakdowns are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page Portal topic.

Safety of operating nuclear power plants and research reactors — HORIZON-EURATOM-2026-01-01 (EURATOM-RIA)

This is a forthcoming single-stage call under the Euratom Research and Training Programme Work Programme 2026-2027. It funds collaborative Research and Innovation Actions focused on the safety of operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) and research reactors, especially for long-term operation (LTO) of the predominantly light-water reactor fleet in the EU. The call emphasizes ageing management, safety margins, advanced modelling and digitalisation (including AI/ML, digital twins), materials integrity, hazard assessments, probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) updates for extended operations, and the safe deployment of alternative fuels in Soviet-designed research reactors within EU Member States and Ukraine.

Call identity and timeline

Budget and expected grant size

Objectives, expected outcomes, and scope

Expected outcomes

• Continuing safety assessment and LTO compliance addressing technical, regulatory, and cost-competitiveness challenges, enabling successful implementation of the Nuclear Safety Directive, Basic Safety Standards Directive, Radioactive Waste Management Directive, and ENSREG topical peer reviews.
• Assessment and optimisation of ageing management programmes; development and validation of advanced tools to evaluate safety margins, including cross-cutting technologies for multiple reactor types, digital upgrades, digital twins, AI/ML-based defect detection, advanced multi-physics and multiscale models, and PSA updates for extended operation.
• Improved assessment of internal and external hazards across nuclear installations (multiple reactor technologies and nuclear fuel cycle facilities), including prevention and mitigation strategies and validation of advanced modelling tools (AI-based approaches included).
• Advanced materials testing developments and validated integrity methods to quantify degradation and margins in aged or potentially degraded plants, covering concrete, corrosion, metal fatigue, irradiation embrittlement, defect tolerance, and advanced non-destructive examination (NDE).
• Reactor LTO fuel and core safety management for high burnup fuels, cladding integrity, alternative fuels, core physics and neutron flux redistribution, and implications for spent fuel inventory and interim storage.
• Highest nuclear safety standards for deploying alternative nuclear fuel in Soviet-designed research reactors in EU Member States and Ukraine, enabling consistent approaches to licensing and deployment.
• Best-practice guidance for assessment methods, identified knowledge gaps in safety margins, dissemination, and training on developed methods; sharing of LTO strategies and lessons learned.
• Support for international collaboration benchmarks and harmonised regulatory safety assessment approaches (regular exchanges between licensees, regulators, and TSOs), complementing the grant scheme supporting regulators on new nuclear safety challenges.
• Competence development and continuity of research capacity from short to long term to support Member States’ energy and climate strategies, reflecting LTO’s role in climate-neutral, secure energy supplies.

Scope of work

• Ageing management and/or evaluation of safety margins for current and planned reactors, primarily light water-cooled.
• Methods and tools to increase safety and availability of systems, structures and components (SSC) critical for safe operation.
• Topics include: ageing of concrete; core physics and thermal-hydraulics; internal/external hazards (e.g. fire, explosion); inspections; condition and structural health monitoring; digitalisation (AI/ML, IoT, digital twins); modelling and simulation combining high-performance computing with engineering modelling; prevention and mitigation strategies for LTO.
• High-priority focus on early degradation detection and failure prevention in pressure boundary components (steel pressure boundaries) subjected to ageing, diverse degradation mechanisms, and load history effects over 40–80 years of NPP life.
• Activities include experimental research underpinning damage tolerance assessment, degradation characterisation, improvement of replaceable components via materials and fuel development, load characterisation, and safety margin quantification.
• Programmes for inspections, repairs, component replacements (including advanced manufacturing technologies), and ongoing alignment with evolving regulatory safety standards, including those influenced by climate change.
• Safety of alternative nuclear fuels where fuel supply security is at risk, particularly in Soviet-designed research reactors.
• Use of the Joint Research Centre’s facilities and expertise is encouraged; the JRC may participate in consortia and will cover its own operational staff and infrastructure costs. JRC capabilities are listed in General Annex H of the work programme.

Eligibility, countries, and consortium

Eligible Applicant Types:Universities and higher education institutions; public and private research organisations; national technical support organisations (TSOs); nuclear safety regulators and competent national regulatory authorities; nuclear power plant and research reactor license-holders/operators and utilities; SMEs and large enterprises in the nuclear supply chain (materials, components, digitalisation, sensors/NDE, modelling, HPC/AI providers); nonprofit organisations and NGOs with relevant technical roles; public bodies; the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Note: The JRC may participate as a consortium member and bears its own staff and infrastructure operational costs.

Funding Type:Grant (EURATOM-RIA). Budget-based lump sum contributions with 25% indirect cost rate embedded in the lump sum. Payments linked to completion of work packages; no actual-cost financial reporting; focus on technical performance ¹.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium. Horizon Europe/Euratom RIAs typically require at least 3 independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Euratom Associated Country, as set in the General Annexes to the Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027. The participation of regulators/TSOs and license-holders is encouraged to ensure uptake, validation, and regulatory alignment. JRC participation is allowed and recommended where appropriate.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and Euratom Associated Countries are eligible for funding. As of the call publication, the only Euratom Associated Countries eligible for funding are Switzerland and Ukraine. Other entities may participate under Horizon Europe rules, often without EU funding unless conditions for exceptional funding are met; consult the latest List of Participating Countries Participating Countries in Horizon Europe (incl. Euratom) V3.8, 12.02.2026 ².

Target Sector:Nuclear energy and safety; materials and structural integrity; advanced manufacturing; digitalisation and industrial software; AI/ML and data analytics; high-performance computing and multi-physics simulation; sensors, NDE and condition monitoring; risk, safety assessment and PSA; thermal-hydraulics; core physics and fuel performance; hazard assessment and resilience.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States (region). Switzerland. Ukraine.

Project Stage:Research, development, validation and demonstration of methods/tools in operationally relevant environments. Typical maturity spans from concept and development through validation/demonstration for uptake by operators and regulators; commercialisation is not the primary focus for RIA.

Funding Amount:Indicative EU contribution per project is around €3,000,000. Total indicative topic budget is €15,000,000 across 2026-2027.

Application Type:Open call via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Single-stage submission.

Nature of Support:Financial support in the form of a lump sum grant. Non-financial elements include access to EU guidance, evaluation feedback, and potential collaboration with the JRC.

Application Stages:1 (single-stage submission and evaluation).

Success Rates:Not specified in the topic text or work programme extracts provided.

Co-funding Requirement:EURATOM RIA reimbursement rate is typically up to 100% of eligible costs; under lump sum, the EU contribution equals the fixed lump sum established during grant preparation. No formal co-funding is required for standard beneficiaries, though own resources or complementary funding may be included where appropriate. A retention of 5–8% applies to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism; payments are released upon successful completion of work packages ¹.

Conditions, evaluation, and grant set-up

• Admissibility: As per General Annexes (Euratom WP 2026-2027). Part B page limit for RIA lump sum: 45 pages.
• Eligibility: As per General Annexes. JRC may participate as beneficiary.
• Evaluation: Award criteria, scoring, thresholds follow General Annex D. Submission and evaluation follow General Annexes E and F; Online Manual applies.
• Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: As per General Annex F.
• Legal and financial set-up: Lump sum contributions authorised under the Horizon Europe/Euratom lump sum decision; general grant conditions per General Annex G. Indirect costs at 25% are included in the lump sum; no actual-cost reporting; payments linked to completion of work packages; technical reviews may verify fulfilment ¹.

What projects should propose — technical content highlights

• Ageing management and safety margin evaluation across SSCs critical to NPP and research reactor safety and availability.
• Digital upgrades including IoT-enabled monitoring, AI/ML-assisted NDE and defect detection, digital twins for systems/components/plant-level safety insights.
• Advanced multi-physics and multiscale modelling and simulation combining HPC with engineering models; coupling of thermal-hydraulics, neutronics, and structural response (including fluid-structure interaction).
• Pressure boundary integrity: early degradation detection, damage tolerance assessment, irradiation effects, corrosion/fatigue synergy, load histories, and residual life estimation over 40–80 years.
• Concrete structure ageing and integrity under thermal, radiation, moisture, and mechanical loads.
• Core physics and thermal-hydraulics for LTO including high burnup fuel behaviour, cladding integrity, neutron flux redistribution due to SSC changes, and impacts on spent fuel inventories and storage.
• Internal and external hazards (e.g. fire, explosion, extreme weather) assessments, prevention and mitigation strategies, and AI-enhanced probabilistic and deterministic modelling.
• Advanced materials testing, characterisation and NDE techniques; structural integrity assessment methods; quantification of residual safety margins in aged plants.
• Alternative fuel safety in Soviet-designed research reactors; licensing approaches and harmonised safety practices in EU Member States and Ukraine.
• Programmes for inspections, repairs, component replacement, and advanced manufacturing technologies for safety-critical components; continuous alignment with evolving regulatory standards including climate-change-driven updates.
• Best-practice guidance, training packages, knowledge gap mapping, dissemination, and structured exchanges among licensees, regulators and TSOs; alignment and complementarity with initiatives supporting national regulators.

Regulatory and policy references embedded in the topic

• Nuclear Safety Directive (2009/71/Euratom as amended by 2014/87/Euratom).
• Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/Euratom).
• Radioactive Waste Management Directive (2011/70/Euratom).
• ENSREG topical peer reviews and international collaboration/benchmarking European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG).

How to apply — process and templates

• Apply via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page. Create a draft proposal, add partners, complete Part A webforms, upload Part B PDF, budget tables, and any required annexes, then submit before the deadline.
• Single-stage procedure. Proposals are evaluated on Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of Implementation.
• Page limits: Part B for RIA lump sum topics is capped at 45 pages for sections 1–3 (Excellence, Impact, Implementation). Excess pages are made invisible after the deadline.

Application Templates: Outline and structure:Part A (webforms): General information; Participants and contacts; Budget; Ethics and Security; Other questions. Part B (uploaded PDF): 1. Excellence (objectives; ambition; methodology including interdisciplinary approaches, gender dimension in R&I content, and open science practices); 2. Impact (pathways to outcomes and broader impacts; plan for dissemination, exploitation, and communication with target groups; IP management approach); 3. Quality and efficiency of the implementation (work plan and resources including Gantt/PERT; tables for work packages, deliverables, milestones, risks, staff effort; justifications for subcontracting and major equipment; consortium capacity, access to infrastructure, and role of each participant). Mandatory early deliverables include a Data Management Plan and a Plan for dissemination and exploitation including communication activities within 6 months of project start. Ethics and Security self-assessments must be completed in Part A; security-sensitive elements and clinical studies annexes are required only where relevant. Standard Horizon Europe/ Euratom formats apply; use the call-specific templates provided in the Submission System.

Categorisation answers

Eligible Applicant Types:University; research institute; technical support organisation; regulator/competent national regulatory authority; large enterprise; SME; nonprofit; government/public body; nuclear operator/license-holder or utility; public-private partnership; the European Commission’s JRC; NGOs with relevant technical capabilities.

Funding Type:Grant (EURATOM-RIA), implemented as a budget-based lump sum.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium of multiple independent applicants. General Annex rules apply, typically minimum 3 entities from 3 different EU Member States or Euratom Associated Countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and Euratom Associated Countries (at publication: Switzerland and Ukraine) eligible for funding. Participation of other countries under Horizon Europe rules may be possible, usually without funding unless conditions for exceptional funding are met ².

Target Sector:Energy; nuclear safety; materials/advanced materials; advanced manufacturing; digitalisation/software services; artificial intelligence and data; high-performance computing; sensors/NDE; thermal-hydraulics; core physics; hazard assessment and resilience; industrial processes/components.

Mentioned Countries:Switzerland; Ukraine; EU Member States (region-wide reference).

Project Stage:Research to validation/demonstration phases suitable for operational uptake and regulatory use; emphasis on method/tool development, validation, and benchmarking rather than late-stage commercial deployment.

Funding Amount:Around €3,000,000 per project; total topic budget €15,000,000 split across 2026 (€8,000,000) and 2027 (€7,000,000).

Application Type:Open call, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money (EU grant). Non-financial support includes guidance and potential access to JRC expertise/facilities.

Application Stages:1 stage.

Success Rates:Not provided in the topic materials.

Co-funding Requirement:No co-funding required for standard beneficiaries; RIA funding rate is up to 100% of eligible costs. Lump sum conditions apply with payments by work package completion and standard Mutual Insurance Mechanism retention ¹.

Key compliance and submission details

• Proposal layout and page limits: As per Part B template; 45-page limit for lump sum RIAs.
• Ethics and Security: Complete the ethics self-assessment and security questionnaire in Part A; add annexes if required by the nature of activities.
• Gender Equality Plan: Required for public bodies, higher education institutions and research organisations in Member States and Associated Countries at grant signature.
• Open science: Plan for FAIR data and research outputs; provide a Data Management Plan within 6 months; ensure appropriate open access practices.
• IPR: Outline ownership, protection, access rights, and exploitation approach; a consortium agreement is mandatory to manage IP and results.

Where to get help

• Topic page and submission: EU Funding & Tenders Portal HORIZON-EURATOM-2026-01-01.
• Online Manual: Process guidance from proposal to reporting Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.
• IT Helpdesk: For technical submission issues via the Portal support.

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

This Euratom RIA call funds collaborative research to keep Europe’s operating nuclear power plants and research reactors safe and reliable throughout extended lifetimes. Projects should develop, validate, and demonstrate cutting-edge approaches to ageing management, structural integrity, and safety margins, while leveraging digitalisation technologies such as AI/ML, IoT-enabled monitoring, and digital twins, and advanced multi-physics and multiscale simulation on HPC. They should also tackle internal and external hazards, update PSA for extended operation, and strengthen materials testing, NDE, and defect tolerance methods for aged plants. A dedicated line supports the safe deployment of alternative fuels in Soviet-designed research reactors in EU Member States and Ukraine to ensure security of supply and harmonised safety approaches. Consortia are expected to include operators, regulators/TSOs, research and industry partners to ensure credibility, uptake, and alignment with the Nuclear Safety Directive, Basic Safety Standards, and Waste Management framework. With an indicative grant size around €3 million and a total topic budget of €15 million, the action emphasises results that can be used by license-holders and regulators, promotes international benchmarking and harmonisation across the EU and Associated Countries, and sustains critical competences to support climate-neutral and secure energy strategies. Proposals are submitted in a single stage through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, follow standard Horizon Europe evaluation on Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, and use lump sum funding that streamlines payments against completed work packages and focuses on technical performance ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Horizon Europe/Euratom lump sum grants: Decision authorising use of lump sums; payments linked to completed work packages; 25% indirect costs included; Mutual Insurance Mechanism retention 5–8%. See Decision and annex Lump sum decision (HE/Euratom).
2. 2Eligibility of countries and association status: consult the latest List of Participating Countries in Horizon Europe (including Euratom). For Euratom, as of this call’s publication, Switzerland and Ukraine are associated and eligible for funding. Participating Countries in Horizon Europe (incl. Euratom) V3.8.

Funding Opportunity Analysis: Safety of Operating Nuclear Power Plants and Research Reactors

Opportunity Overview

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals under the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027 to fund research on the safety of operating nuclear power plants and research reactors. This is a key initiative within the EU's broader commitment to €330 million in nuclear research funding for 2026-2027, of which €222 million is dedicated to fusion energy and €108 million to nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection research. ¹

Funding Details

Total Available Budget:€15,000,000 distributed across 2026 and 2027 (€8,000,000 in 2026 and €7,000,000 in 2027) for Research and Innovation Actions under topic HORIZON-EURATOM.

Grant per Project:Indicative grant amount of approximately €3,000,000 per successful project, with an expected number of around 5 grants to be awarded.

Funding Rate:Lump sum contributions will be used as the funding mechanism. The lump sum covers estimated direct and indirect project costs and must approximate beneficiaries' underlying actual costs.

Call Timeline:Planned opening date: 24 March 2026. Single-stage submission with deadline: 15 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time.

Research Focus and Scope

Research activities must address challenges related to ageing management and evaluation of safety margins in current and planned reactor fleets. The programme is driven by the increasing importance of long-term operation (LTO) for light water-cooled reactors, which constitute the majority of existing and planned innovative fleet in Europe. Key research areas include development and validation of methods and tools to increase safety and availability of systems, structures and components needed for reliable and safe operation and management. ²

Priority Research Areas:

• Ageing of concrete structures and assessment of materials testing
• Core physics and thermal hydraulics evaluation
• Internal and external hazards assessment (fires, explosions phenomena)
• Inspections, condition and structural health monitoring
• Digitalisation including artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Internet of Things and digital twins deployment
• Modelling and simulation using high-performance computing and engineering modelling
• Prevention and mitigation strategies for intended long-term operation
• Advanced non-destructive evaluation techniques and safety margins in aged plants
• High burnup fuel and cladding integrity assessment
• Alternative fuels deployment in Soviet-designed research reactors

The scope includes development and validation of advanced materials testing, component and structural integrity assessment methods to quantify material degradation including metal fatigue, corrosion and irradiation embrittlement. Emphasis is placed on ensuring adequate safety margins, early detection of degradation, and prevention of failures in pressure boundary components. ³

Expected Outcomes and Impact

Project results are expected to contribute to continuing safety assessment and long-term operation compliance that address technical challenges, regulatory expectations and economic competitiveness goals. Licence-holders and regulators will ensure successful implementation of requirements under the Nuclear Safety Directive, Basic Safety Standards Directive, and Radioactive Waste Management Directive.

Additional expected outcomes include development of competences and ensuring continuity in short-term to long-term research that supports energy and climate strategies of interested member states, highlighting LTO's role in making energy production more climate-neutral in accordance with the EU's technology neutrality principle. This is intended to increase energy security of both the EU and member states. ⁴

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Eligible Participants:

Eligible applicants include research organisations, higher education institutions, SMEs, public bodies and private companies from EU member states and associated countries. For the Euratom Research and Training Programme specifically, Switzerland and Ukraine are the only countries currently associated and eligible for funding. ⁵ Participants from non-associated third countries may participate in consortia but generally not with EU funding, except in exceptional cases where their participation is essential and justified by outstanding competence, access to particular research infrastructures, geographical environments or specific data.

Type of Action:EURATOM-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) - standard research projects with multi-beneficiary consortia undertaking indirect actions.

Consortium Requirements:

Proposals should be submitted by multi-partner consortia with complementary expertise covering the full scope of the proposed work. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a consortium member and may participate in preparation and submission of the proposal, bearing its own operational costs for staff and research infrastructure. Consortia are recommended to use JRC services where appropriate.

Financial and Operational Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity to carry out the proposed project. Organisations must have relevant financial resources and appropriate management structures. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures or EU sanctions are not eligible to participate in any capacity.

Application Process and Requirements

Submission Platform:All proposals must be submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal at EU Portal. Submission is electronic only.

Proposal Structure:

Proposals consist of two parts. Part A is generated automatically by the submission system based on participant information. Part B is the technical narrative describing the work, structured around three evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact, and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation. Part B has a maximum page limit of 45 pages for lump sum funded actions.

Core Documentation Required:

• Standard application form templates (available in submission system)
• Detailed budget table using specified format
• Technical description covering excellence, impact and implementation quality
• Data management plan (as deliverable within 6 months of project start)
• Plan for dissemination and exploitation including communication activities
• Ethics self-assessment (if applicable)
• Security self-assessment (if applicable)

Admissibility Conditions:

Proposals must meet admissibility conditions including proper page layout and limits as specified in the General Annexes to the Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027. Proposal page limits and layout requirements are described in Part B of the application form template.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Evaluation Criteria:

• Excellence: Clarity and pertinence of project objectives, ambition beyond state-of-the-art, soundness of methodology
• Impact: Credibility of pathways to achieve expected outcomes and impacts, quality of dissemination and exploitation measures
• Quality and Efficiency of Implementation: Work plan quality, risk assessment, appropriate effort assignment, consortium capacity and expertise

Proposals are evaluated by independent external experts who assess excellence, expected impact and quality and efficiency of implementation. For lump sum funded actions, experts with necessary financial expertise evaluate cost estimates against relevant benchmarks including market prices, statistical data and historical data on comparable actions. Full evaluation procedures and award criteria are described in the General Conditions of the Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027.

Lump Sum Funding Mechanism

This call uses lump sum contributions, meaning funding is not based on actual costs incurred but on an agreed fixed amount determined during grant preparation. Applicants must propose the lump sum based on estimated eligible direct and indirect costs using standard cost accounting practices. The lump sum will be paid if corresponding work packages have been properly implemented according to the grant agreement. ⁶

Lump Sum Cost Categories:

• Personnel costs (employees, natural persons under direct contract, seconded persons)
• Subcontracting costs
• Travel and subsistence costs
• Equipment (depreciation or capitalised costs)
• Other goods, works and services
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate applied to eligible direct costs)
• Financial support to third parties (if applicable)
• Internally invoiced goods and services
• Transnational and virtual access to research infrastructure costs

Between 5 and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism. There are no cost reporting obligations and normally no financial checks or audits. Controls and audits focus on technical implementation of the action including fulfilment of work package conditions, ethics and research integrity, dissemination and exploitation of results, intellectual property management and gender equality.

Key Implementation Considerations

Work Plan Structure:

Applicants must develop a detailed work plan with clearly defined work packages, tasks, milestones and deliverables. Work packages should be substantial and proportionate to project scale and complexity. A distinct work package on project management is recommended. Visibility should be given to data management and dissemination/exploitation activities either through separate work packages or distinct tasks.

Risk Management:

Proposals must include identification and assessment of critical risks that could have high adverse impact on achieving project objectives. For each critical risk, level of likelihood (low, medium, high) and level of severity (low, medium, high) must be assessed along with proposed mitigation measures.

Intellectual Property Management:

Applicants must outline strategy for management of intellectual property including foreseen protection measures such as patents, design rights, copyright and trade secrets. An appropriate consortium agreement is required to manage ownership and access to key knowledge and research data. A results ownership list must be provided in final periodic reports.

Policy and Regulatory Alignment

This research programme supports compliance with EU nuclear safety regulatory framework including the Nuclear Safety Directive (2009/71/Euratom as amended), Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/Euratom), and Radioactive Waste Management Directive (2011/70/Euratom). Research outcomes should support topical peer reviews conducted by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) and facilitate consistent harmonised approaches between regulators to safety assessments of different nuclear technologies. ⁷

Timeline and Next Steps

Key Dates:

1. 124 March 2026: Call opens for proposal submission
2. 215 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time: Submission deadline
3. 3Month 6 after grant signature: Deliverables include Data Management Plan and Dissemination and Exploitation Plan required

Evaluation Timeline:

Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement preparation follows standard procedures outlined in the Euratom Work Programme General Conditions, section F. Detailed timeline information will be published in the work programme.

Grant Agreement and Legal Framework

Grant agreements will use the standard Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (MGA) adapted for Euratom lump sum actions. Eligible costs must be in compliance with Horizon Europe participation rules and the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509. All participants must be legally validated and assessed for financial capacity before grant signature.

Support and Guidance Resources

Applicants can access comprehensive guidance through multiple channels. The Funding and Tenders Portal provides an online manual with step-by-step guidance through proposal preparation and evaluation. Applicants can review the Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027, including detailed work package descriptions and general conditions in all annexes. Templates for application forms, budget tables, evaluation forms and model grant agreements are available in the submission system. ⁸

Contact and Support:

For technical issues with the submission system and account access, contact the IT Helpdesk. For substantive questions about the call and proposal development, consult the Online Manual and call-specific FAQ. Question and answer sessions may be published on the portal for this topic.

Strategic Context

This funding opportunity is part of the EU's broader nuclear research strategy to strengthen Europe's technological leadership and strategic autonomy in the energy sector. The research supports EU progress towards carbon-neutrality by 2050 while addressing the practical challenges of operating existing reactor fleets safely for extended periods. The programme recognises that nuclear energy is a key technology in the EU's energy transition and that ensuring the highest safety standards is essential for public confidence and energy security. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1The European Commission adopted the 2026-2027 Euratom Research and Training Programme work programme on 19 March 2026, investing €330 million total in nuclear research, of which €222 million is for fusion energy and €108 million for nuclear fission, safety and radiation protection. This programme offers complementary funding to Horizon Europe.
2. 2Euratom research is driven by the increasing importance of long-term operation and the fact that the current and planned innovative fleet consists mainly of light water-cooled reactors. Proposals should address challenges related to ageing management and evaluation of safety margins of current and planned reactor fleets.
3. 3During the long operating life of nuclear power plants (40 to 80 years), steel pressure boundary components are subject to threats from non-linear processes such as ageing, different degradation mechanisms and load history effects. Research activities must include experimental efforts ensuring proper analysis of damage tolerance and degradation.
4. 4Expected outcomes include development of competences and ensuring continuity in short-term to long-term research that supports energy and climate strategies of interested member states, highlighting long-term operation's role in making energy production more climate-neutral while respecting EU technology neutrality principle.
5. 5For the Euratom Research and Training Programme 2026-2027, Switzerland and Ukraine are the only countries currently associated and therefore eligible for funding under equivalent conditions as EU member states. Other countries may participate without EU funding except in exceptional cases where participation is essential.
6. 6Lump sum contributions must be an approximation of beneficiaries' underlying actual costs and are determined based on estimated eligible direct and indirect project costs using applicant cost accounting practices. Payments are made if corresponding work packages are properly implemented according to the grant agreement.
7. 7Research outcomes should support compliance with the Nuclear Safety Directive, Basic Safety Standards Directive and Radioactive Waste Management Directive. The programme aims to support establishment of international collaboration benchmarks and sharing of consistent harmonised approaches between regulators to safety assessments of different nuclear technologies.
8. 8Comprehensive guidance is available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal including the Online Manual, Euratom Work Programme 2026-2027 with General Annexes, application form templates, budget table templates, evaluation forms and Model Grant Agreements. All templates are available in the submission system.