Trafficking in human beings

Call under the EU Internal Security Fund (ISF 2021–2027), topic ISF-2026-TF2, to dismantle organised trafficking in human beings networks by strengthening cross-border operational cooperation, financial investigations and victim-centred justice. Topic budget €2,550,000, total call €16,550,000, EU contribution per project €1,000,000–2,550,000 at up to 90% of eligible costs and maximum duration 24 months. Eligible legal entities (public bodies, non-profit and for-profit entities and international organisations) must apply as a consortium of at least two independent beneficiaries from two different participating Member States, with coordinators restricted to non-profit or public entities. Single-stage electronic submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 03 September 2026 17:00 CET; evaluation includes pre-selection on Relevance and full assessment against Relevance, Quality and Impact with an overall pass threshold of 70/100.

What it funds

Operational, cross-border and multi-stakeholder projects that dismantle organised criminal networks engaged in trafficking in human beings (THB). Priority actions include strengthening operational cooperation with third countries, parallel financial investigations, improving prosecution and conviction outcomes, victim identification and protection (including online environments), public-private partnerships with platforms/finance providers, awareness-raising and activities addressing demand.

Who can apply

Legal entities (public bodies, non-profit and profit-making entities and international organisations) established in eligible countries. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two applicants from two different EU Member States (Denmark excluded). Coordinators cannot be profit-making entities or international organisations; meaningful participation of civil society and private sector is encouraged.

Project scale and duration:Project duration up to 24 months; requested EU contribution must be between €1 000 000 and €2 550 000 for the THB topic ¹.

Available budget

Total call budget €16 550 000. Topic-specific allocation:Organised crime and drug trafficking €14 000 000; Trafficking in human beings €2 550 000.

Key administrative points

1. 1Single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 03 September 2026 (17:00 CET).
2. 2Funding form: ISF Project Grants; funding rate typically 90% and budget-based mixed actual costs (with unit/flat-rate elements).
3. 3Minimum consortium: 2 applicants from 2 different participating Member States; coordinator responsibilities and reporting managed through the Portal.
4. 4Projects must respect ethics, data protection and security rules; classified information requires prior security clearance where applicable.

Apply through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page ISF-2026-TF2. For help contact HOME-ISF@ec.europa.eu.

Footnotes

1. 1Maximum EU grant per project for the Trafficking in human beings topic is €2 550 000. See Call Document and Annexes on the Funding & Tenders Portal for full financial rules and eligible cost categories.

Call and Administrative Information

Call title:Fight against organised crime. Call type: Call for Proposals under the Internal Security Fund (ISF) — ISF Project Grants (ISF-PJG) / ISF Action Grant Budget-Based (ISF-AG). Topic identifier: ISF-2026-TF2. Portal topic page: Topic details. Call opening: 21 May 2026 (submission session available). Deadline for submission: 3 September 2026, 17:00 CET (single-stage submission).

Available budget and maximum grant per project:Total call budget: €16,550,000. Topic budget for Trafficking in human beings: €2,550,000. Maximum EU grant per project for this THB topic: €2,550,000. Minimum EU grant per project under the call: €1,000,000. The Commission reserves the right not to award all funds or to redistribute between topics.

Objective, Scope, Expected Outcomes and Impact

Overall objective:Dismantle organised criminal networks engaged in trafficking in human beings (THB) in the EU, including poly-criminal networks, by strengthening operational cooperation (including with third countries), enhancing financial investigations, improving criminal justice effectiveness, establishing structured partnerships with private actors (notably online platforms and technology providers), and ensuring a robust victim-centred approach throughout the criminal justice chain.

Scope and priority actions:The topic focuses on exploring links between THB and other serious crime (including corruption, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling); increasing detection and early identification of victims including online; improving detection for all forms of exploitation (sexual, labour, forced begging, forced criminality, organ removal and child exploitation); enhancing public-private partnerships with online platforms, technology and financial service providers; intensifying cross-border cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities for joint investigations, coordinated prosecutions and cross-border evidence access; increasing systematic use of parallel financial investigations to trace, freeze, confiscate and recover assets; improving prosecution and conviction outcomes by building specialised knowledge among prosecutors and judges; improving referral and protection of victims and ensuring victim rights throughout criminal proceedings; and awareness-raising actions including tackling demand that fosters trafficking.

Expected outcomes (projects should aim to achieve one or more):increased understanding of criminal networks' nature and modus operandi and enablers; enhanced coordination of law enforcement in cross-border operations and multi-stakeholder responses; increased involvement of civil society and relevant private actors in prevention and combating THB; increased availability and use of technical tools for law enforcement; improved detection, identification and referral of victims and better protection of victims in criminal proceedings; improved tracing and recovery of criminal assets; and better prosecution and conviction outcomes.

Types of activities the call can fund

Activities eligible (non-exhaustive list):analytical, monitoring and evaluation activities (threat, risk and impact assessments); measures, tools and methodologies to improve prosecution and judicial proceedings (networks of specialised prosecutors, training, guidelines, analysis papers); networking, public-private partnerships, exchange of best practice and training; methodological/statistical tools and common indicators; acquisition, maintenance and upgrading of technical equipment, ICT systems and secure infrastructures (including for cybercrime cooperation); prevention and awareness-raising (including campaigns addressing demand); innovative activities deploying new methods and technologies transferable across Member States; and actions supporting cross-border cooperation, joint investigation teams, interoperability and operational mechanisms with third countries.

Target groups and geography

Target groups:general public; social and educational services; law enforcement and judicial authorities; civil society organisations including victim support providers; private sector (including online platforms, technology providers and financial service providers).

Geographic eligibility for action implementation:EU Member States (participating in ISF — Denmark excluded from ISF participation). Non‑EU participation: third countries that are countries of origin and transit of illicit flows, and countries relevant to combatting criminal networks and trafficking (e.g. Western Balkans, Latin America and the Caribbean, West Africa, MENA, Eastern Partnership, and specific countries such as United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Ukraine, Moldova, China, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan). Non‑EU legal entities may participate but only as part of a consortium that includes beneficiaries established in EU Member States and meeting minimum consortium composition rules.

Eligibility: who can apply and consortium rules

Eligible applicant types:legal entities including public bodies (or implementing agencies/bodies), non-profit public or private entities, profit-making entities, and international organisations. Natural persons (except self-employed sole traders where company has no separate legal personality) are not eligible as beneficiaries. Affiliated entities are allowed. EU bodies cannot be beneficiaries. Entities must be registered and validated in the Participant Register (PIC/LEAR validation).

Consortium requirement:Consortium required: minimum two independent legal entities (beneficiaries) established in two different participating Member States. For this call topic the coordinator cannot be a profit-making entity or an international organisation. Coordinators must be established in eligible countries; profit-making entities and international organisations can act as beneficiaries but not as coordinator. If the consortium includes legal entities from third countries, because the call requires at least two EU Member States, the consortium should be composed of at least three independent legal entities (at least two established in different EU Member States).

1. 1Minimum consortium composition: at least 2 beneficiaries from 2 different Member States participating in ISF (Denmark excluded).
2. 2Coordinator restrictions: cannot be profit-making entity or international organisation; coordinators may be public or non-profit legal entities.
3. 3Affiliated entities: allowed and must be validated; their costs count in the budget but they do not count towards the minimum number of participating Member States.
4. 4Associated partners: allowed but not funded; they participate without receiving grant money.
5. 5Subcontracting: permitted but should be exceptional; subcontracting over 30% of total eligible costs must be justified in the proposal.

Financial modalities and project duration

Maximum EU grant per project for this THB topic:€2,550,000. Minimum requested EU contribution per project: €1,000,000. Funding rate: 90% of eligible costs (budget-based mixed actual cost grant with unit cost and flat-rate elements where specified in the Model Grant Agreement). Form of grant: budget-based, mixed actual cost grant (reimbursement of eligible costs actually incurred, with unit costs and flat-rate elements where applicable). Projects must have a maximum duration of 24 months (extensions possible by amendment if duly justified).

Eligible and ineligible costs:Eligible costs: personnel (employees, seconded persons, SME owners or natural person beneficiaries as unit costs where allowed, volunteers if allowed), subcontracting, purchases (travel, equipment, other goods/services), indirect costs at 7% flat-rate of eligible direct costs (A-D except volunteers and exempted categories). Non-deductible VAT may be eligible (subject to rules). Full capitalised costs for specific listed equipment may be allowed where justified and indicated in the call; otherwise equipment is declared via depreciation. Ineligible costs include deductible/refundable VAT, debt service charges, provisions for future losses, interest owed, currency exchange losses, bank charges, excessive or reckless expenditure, costs covered by other EU funding (double funding), and costs for normal public administration activities of national authorities. Financial support to third parties is not allowed unless explicitly authorised; in this call financial support to third parties is not allowed for the THB topic.

Form and submission of applications

Application method:single-stage open call via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Paper submissions are not accepted. Applicants must submit Part A (online), Part B (technical description uploaded as PDF using the portal template; max 50 pages for Part B without annexes) and Part C (KPIs online). Mandatory annexes must be uploaded in the designated slots (e.g. list of previous projects, detailed budget table if applicable, CVs if requested). Proposals must be complete and submitted before the call deadline. Applicants must register organisations in the Participant Register (PIC) and obtain LEAR where required prior to submission.

Evaluation, award criteria, timetable and success likelihood

Evaluation procedure:two-step evaluation. First pre-selection on Relevance award criterion only, followed by full evaluation of proposals that pass the pre-selection. Evaluation committee assisted by external experts will assess admissibility, eligibility, operational capacity and award criteria. Award criteria and weighting: Relevance (30 points; individual threshold 21), Quality (50 points), Impact (20 points). Overall pass threshold: 70/100. Ranking rules apply for ex aequo proposals (priority first by Relevance score, then Impact, then Quality).

1. 1Timetable: call opening 21 May 2026; deadline 3 September 2026; evaluation Sept–Dec 2026; information on evaluation results December 2026; grant signature expected February 2027.
2. 2Evaluation stages: 2 (pre-selection on Relevance; full evaluation on all award criteria).
3. 3Success rates: not provided by the Commission; likelihood depends on competition and quality of proposals. The Commission reserves the right not to award all funds.
4. 4Grant preparation: invitation to grant preparation is not a formal commitment to fund until legal checks (legal entity validation, financial capacity, exclusion checks) are completed.

Financial and administrative checks, reporting and payments

Checks:legal entity validation, financial capacity checks, exclusion checks, possible security review for projects involving classified information. Financial capacity checks may be required for beneficiaries with requested grant amounts above thresholds (exceptions for public bodies and grants under €60,000). Pillar-assessed participants and international organisations may follow specific rules per the Model Grant Agreement.

Payments and guarantees:Prefinancing will normally be paid after entry into force (prefinancing typically 80% of the maximum grant amount but may be lower; prefinancing guarantees may be required). No interim payments are foreseen in general; reporting schedule and payment modalities will be fixed in the Grant Agreement. Final payment follows approval of final periodic report. All payments are made to the coordinator who distributes funds to beneficiaries.

Operational and legal requirements

Operational capacity:applicants must demonstrate sufficient operational capacity (skills, experience in comparable projects, staffing and technical resources). Financial capacity: applicants must have stable and sufficient resources to implement the project; the granting authority may request additional information or financial guarantees. Exclusion grounds apply and must be declared in the declaration of honour. Ethics, data protection and security: projects must comply with highest ethical standards, respect EU values and ensure data protection compliance. Projects involving EU classified information require facility security clearance and may be subject to additional security measures and a Security Aspects Letter (SAL).

Partnering and involvement of civil society and private sector

The call explicitly highlights the importance of meaningful participation of civil society organisations and private sector partners (including online platforms, technology providers and financial service providers) in consortiums. Applications that demonstrate strong operational implementation measures, practical examples and partner involvement across Member States are particularly welcome.

Application templates and guidance

Application templates and call documents:applicants must use the standard AMIF/ISF/BMVI Application Form (Part A online; Part B template to download and re-upload as PDF; Part C online for KPIs). Relevant documents and guidance available on the Portal Reference Documents: Call document, Application form templates, Model Grant Agreements, ISF Work Programme, ISF Regulation (EU) 2021/1149, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, and legal reference documents. For help contact HOME-ISF@ec.europa.eu. The Submission System contains the exact Part B template and submission slots; do not use PDFs on the topic page for submission templates.

Key compliance notes and special considerations

1. 1Maximum project duration: 24 months (extensions possible by amendment).
2. 2Project proposals must be operational in nature and address shortcomings related to strategies and action plans mentioned in the Call document (EMPACT OAPs and EU strategies).
3. 3Proposals are limited to 50 pages for Part B (without annexes). Excess pages will not be considered by evaluators.
4. 4Financial support to third parties is not allowed under this topic.
5. 5Applicants must avoid double funding and clearly indicate complementarity to other EU-funded activities.
6. 6Proposals involving activities in third countries must respect specific rules; public officials from certain countries (e.g. Georgia) may face national restrictions — applicants should perform risk assessments.
7. 7Special rules for entities subject to EU restrictive or conditionality measures apply; affected entities may be ineligible to sign grant agreements or receive funding.

Mentioned countries and regions explicitly cited

Explicitly mentioned regions and countries relevant for activities and cooperation:Western Balkans; Latin-America and the Caribbean (LAC); West Africa; Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA); Eastern Partnership; United Arab Emirates; Türkiye; Ukraine; Moldova; China; Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Pakistan; United States (mentioned in broader call context for Organised Crime topic). EU Member States are the primary eligible implementing area (Denmark excluded from ISF participation).

Project maturity and intended project stage

Expected project stage:operational, demonstration/implementation, and validation of investigative or technical tools and cross-border operational cooperation. Projects should be operationally mature enough to run concrete cross-border activities, joint investigations, capacity building, pilot technical deployments and financial investigations within a 24-month duration.

Eligible applicant organisational types (detailed)

Eligible applicant types include:public bodies (ministries, national, regional and local authorities, public implementing agencies or bodies); non-profit public and private entities (NGOs, victim support organisations, research institutes if non-profit); profit-making entities (private companies, technology providers, financial service providers) as beneficiaries but not as coordinators; international organisations (eligible as beneficiaries but cannot count towards minimum number of participating countries for eligibility); universities and research institutes (as legal entities); and consortia that include the above. Natural persons are not eligible as beneficiaries except for self-employed sole traders where the entity has no separate legal personality.

Co-funding requirement

Co-funding:the grant funds up to the fixed funding rate (90%) of eligible costs. Beneficiaries must provide the remaining financing (own resources, other co-funding or in-kind contributions where allowed). The proposal budget must be balanced and show the sources of additional financing. Grants must not produce profit; revenues linked to the action must be declared and the final grant may be reduced if profit is detected.

Application process template and structure guidance

Application form structure:Part A (administrative information filled online in the Portal): project identification, participants, short abstract, duration, declarations and Part A budget summary. Part B (technical description, uploaded as PDF): cover page, project summary, 1. Relevance (background, needs analysis, objectives, complementarity and EU added value), 2. Quality (concept and methodology, consortium set-up, project teams, management, monitoring and evaluation, cost effectiveness, risk management), 3. Impact (short- and long-term impact, dissemination/communication/visibility and sustainability), 4. Workplan and work packages (management WP, operational WPs, deliverables, milestones, resources, staff effort, subcontracting justification, equipment), 5. Other (ethics, security), 6. Declarations, Annexes (list of previous projects mandatory; CVs and other annexes as requested). Part C: KPIs and contribution to programme performance indicators entered in Portal screens. Follow page limits and formatting rules (A4, Arial minimum sizes as specified by template). Detailed Part B template and annex templates are provided in the Submission System; use them exactly.

Application stages and likely timeline to grant signature

Number of application stages:1 submission-stage (single-stage call) with a two-step evaluation process (pre-selection on Relevance; full evaluation of shortlisted proposals). Subsequent steps post-evaluation include invitation to grant preparation, legal and financial checks, possible requests for clarifications, and final grant signature. Indicative timetable: evaluation September–December 2026; award decisions December 2026; grant agreement signature expected February 2027.

Success rates and selection caveats

Success rates are not published for this specific call. Funding depends on quality of proposals, adherence to eligibility and award criteria, and available budget. The Commission may not award all funds or may reallocate them between topics. Passing the Relevance threshold (21/30) and the overall threshold (70/100) is mandatory for funding consideration.

Ethics, security and data protection considerations

Ethics:projects must adhere to highest ethical standards, EU values and applicable laws. Projects dealing with victims, vulnerable groups or personal data must describe safeguards, informed consent processes and risk mitigation. Security: projects dealing with EU classified information must undergo security scrutiny; classified actions may require facility security clearance, personnel security clearance and secure premises. Data protection: personal data processing must comply with the EU legal framework (GDPR and/or Regulation 2018/1725 where applicable).

Contact and support

For questions related to the call and topics contact:HOME-ISF@ec.europa.eu. For IT and portal support contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT Helpdesk. Guidance and templates are available in the Portal Reference Documents and the Online Manual; the call document and templates available on the topic page should be read carefully. Submission and proposal templates inside the Submission System are mandatory for upload.

Templates and required documents (applicants must provide)

Mandatory forms and supporting documentation at submission:Part A (online administrative forms), Part B (technical description PDF using the Portal template, max 50 pages without annexes), Part C (KPIs online), Annexes as requested in the call (list of previous projects is mandatory as a separate annex), Participant Register validation documents (for grant preparation: legal status, financial documents if requested), consortium agreement recommended. Additional documents may be requested during grant preparation (financial statements, bank account validation, CFS certificates if applicable).

Concluding summary

This ISF call topic on Trafficking in human beings finances operational, cross-border and multi-stakeholder projects that directly contribute to dismantling organised criminal networks involved in THB. The call funds actions that strengthen law enforcement operational cooperation (including joint investigations and cross-border prosecutions), enhance parallel financial investigations and asset tracing, improve victim detection, referral and protection, foster cooperation with online platforms and private sector actors, and support judicial capacity building and evidence access for THB cases. Applicants must form consortia with at least two beneficiaries from two different EU Member States, present operationally focused proposals deliverable within 24 months, request EU contributions between €1,000,000 and €2,550,000 for this topic, and submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal using the prescribed templates. Proposals should demonstrate operational impact, practical implementation measures, multi-stakeholder engagement (civil society and private sector), and respect for ethics, data protection and security requirements. Successful projects will contribute to improved cross-border cooperation, enhanced detection and protection of victims, stronger financial investigations and better prosecution outcomes across the EU, and will be evaluated against Relevance, Quality and Impact award criteria with strict eligibility and reporting conditions.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call documentation, templates and the Model Grant Agreement are available on the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page and Reference Documents. See the call fiche and call document for complete legal and operational details: Call fiche and documentation

Programme and Call Details

This opportunity is part of the Internal Security Fund (ISF) 2021–2027, under the call for proposals on Organised Crime (ISF-2026-TF2-AG-OC), specifically Topic 2: Trafficking in Human Beings ISF-2026-TF2 ¹. The call is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) and aims to dismantle organised criminal networks engaged in THB across the EU, including poly-criminal networks ².

Key Dates and Budget

Who Should Apply and Consortium Requirements

Eligible applicants include public bodies, non-profit public/private entities, profit-making entities, and international organisations established in EU Member States (excluding Denmark) or relevant third countries ³. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least two independent legal entities from two different participating Member States. Profit-making entities and international organisations cannot act as coordinators ⁴.

Consortium Composition Highlights:Minimum 2 beneficiaries from 2 different EU Member States; third-country entities can participate only if part of a consortium with at least one EU beneficiary and one additional EU beneficiary ⁵.

Funding Amounts and Financial Rules

The grant reimburses only eligible costs actually incurred. Indirect costs are covered at a flat rate of 7% of eligible direct costs. VAT (non-deductible) is eligible, but for-profit organisations must declare revenues, and any profit will be deducted from the final grant amount ⁶.

Project Objectives and Scope

The overall objective is to dismantle THB criminal networks by strengthening operational cooperation (including with third countries), enhancing financial investigations, improving criminal justice effectiveness, and ensuring a victim-centred approach throughout the justice chain ⁷. Key scope areas include exploring links between THB and other crimes (e.g., drug trafficking, corruption), increasing early victim detection (especially online), enhancing public-private partnerships, intensifying cross-border joint investigations, and improving asset tracing and confiscation ⁸.

1. 1Increase understanding of criminal networks’ modus operandi
2. 2Enhance cross-border law enforcement coordination
3. 3Boost civil society and private sector involvement
4. 4Improve availability and use of technical tools for law enforcement
5. 5Strengthen victim referral, protection, and rights in criminal proceedings

Expected Impact

In the short-term, projects should increase understanding of criminal networks, enhance cross-border coordination, involve civil society, and improve technical tools for law enforcement ⁹. In the long-term, the funding aims to increase operational capacity of law enforcement (including tracing money laundering), improve cross-border cooperation and best practice sharing, and enhance victim detection, referral, and protection in criminal proceedings ¹⁰.

Evaluation Criteria and Thresholds

Proposals must pass both the individual Relevance threshold (21 points) and the overall threshold (70 points) to be considered for funding. Evaluation follows a two-step process: pre-selection on Relevance, then full assessment on all criteria ¹¹.

How to Submit and Key Requirements

Applications must be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The proposal includes Part A (administrative data, filled online), Part B (technical description, max 50 pages, uploaded as PDF), and Part C (KPIs, filled online). Mandatory annexes include a list of previous projects ¹². All beneficiaries must be registered in the Participant Register before submission, and a consortium agreement is recommended ¹³.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call document: Call Fiche ISF-2026-TF2-AG-OC
2. 2Topic overview: ISF-2026-TF2-AG-THB Topic Page
3. 3Eligibility criteria: Call Document Section 6
4. 4Consortium composition rules: Call Document Section 6.2
5. 5Third-country participation: Call Document Section 6.1 (note 13)
6. 6Financial rules and funding rate: Call Document Section 10
7. 7THB topic objectives: Call Document Section 2 (ISF-2026-TF2-AG-THB)
8. 8THB scope and activities: Call Document Section 2.2 (THB)
9. 9Short-term expected impact: Call Document Section 2.3 (THB)
10. 10Long-term expected impact: Call Document Section 2.3 (THB)
11. 11Evaluation criteria and thresholds: Call Document Section 9
12. 12Submission requirements: Call Document Section 5
13. 13Consortium agreement recommendation: Call Document Section 13