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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal must deliver an end-to-end, zero-trust framework across the entire computing continuum (IoT to cloud and data spaces) that tightly integrates portable hardware/software co-designed Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) accelerators with privacy-preserving distributed analytics. The consortium must showcase genuine cross-layer interoperability and real-world multi-provider pilots while strictly adhering to Article 22(5)-style ownership control restrictions and lump-sum budget justification.
TRL 4 → 8
Based on programme defaults
Develop advanced security solutions for edge to cloud. For example, investigating lightweight cryptographic techniques, including in combination with or based on post-quantum cryptography, incorporated in zero-trust architectures, and decentralized security models to ensure end-to-end protection from edge to cloud, while maintaining privacy during data transmission and processing.
Enhance interoperability of security measures across different computing layers. Exploring security protocols, identity and access management solutions, and cross-domain authentication mechanisms to seamlessly integrate security controls across diverse computing ecosystems, including privacy-preserving protocols that enable the secure and compliant data exchange.
Develop portable, deployable PQC acceleration solutions through SW/HW secure co-design to secure user data and computing tasks across heterogeneous platforms and applications in all layers of the continuum.
Improve resilience against distributed cyber threats. Exploring anomaly detection, including AI-driven anomaly detection, intrusion prevention techniques, and automated response mechanisms to counter emerging threats targeting interconnected infrastructures and data spaces, while upholding privacy through techniques such as federated analysis, secure multi-party computation, Fully Homomorphic Encryption or other.
Enhanced resilience against distributed cyber threats and adversarial attacks targeting interconnected systems, while preserving data privacy in highly dynamic and heterogeneous environments;
Security solutions tailored to distributed computing systems including for example IoT and edge computing environments, integrating privacy-preserving mechanisms;
Improved interoperability of security measures and cross-layer security, including the compatibility of privacy-enhancing technologies across different layers of the computing continuum and data spaces, and across providers in the multi-provider edge cloud continuum.
No expected impacts identified for this destination.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
highRegulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) establishes the legal framework for the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data across the EU. It enforces key principles including data minimisation, purpose limitation, transparency, and data protection by design and by default.
Evaluators expect a robust Data Management Plan detailing how personal data collected across the IoT-edge-cloud continuum will be secured and processed legally. Proposals must demonstrate concrete technical and organisational measures for data protection by design and by default, clarify data ownership and governance in shared data spaces, and explicitly define data controller/processor roles among consortium partners.
Specific requirements
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Establishment in Member States or Associated Countries
Participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States and Associated Countries.
Exclusion of non-eligible country controlled entities
Entities established in an eligible country, but directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
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described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States and Associated Countries. In order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Some activities resulting from this topic may involve using classified background and/or producing of security sensitive results (EUCI and SEN). Please refer to the related provisions in section B Security — EU classified and sensitive information of the General Annexes.
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
Information on Security issues (Security section)
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will rigorously scrutinize compliance with the strict eligibility restriction prohibiting entities directly or indirectly controlled by non-eligible countries (mandatory Ownership Control Declaration). Key scoring criteria will prioritize:
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Develop advanced security solutions for edge to cloud. For example, investigating lightweight cryptographic techniques, including in combination with or based on post-quantum cryptography, incorporated in zero-trust architectures, and decentralized security models to ensure end-to-end protection from edge to cloud, while maintaining privacy during data transmission and processing. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Enhance interoperability of security measures across different computing layers. Exploring security protocols, identity and access management solutions, and cross-domain authentication mechanisms to seamlessly integrate security controls across diverse computing ecosystems, including privacy-preserving protocols that enable the secure and compliant data exchange. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Develop portable, deployable PQC acceleration solutions through SW/HW secure co-design to secure user data and computing tasks across heterogeneous platforms and applications in all layers of the continuum. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Improve resilience against distributed cyber threats. Exploring anomaly detection, including AI-driven anomaly detection, intrusion prevention techniques, and automated response mechanisms to counter emerging threats targeting interconnected infrastructures and data spaces, while upholding privacy through techniques such as federated analysis, secure multi-party computation, Fully Homomorphic Encryption or other. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Enhanced resilience against distributed cyber threats and adversarial attacks targeting interconnected systems, while preserving data privacy in highly dynamic and heterogeneous environments; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Security solutions tailored to distributed computing systems including for example IoT and edge computing environments, integrating privacy-preserving mechanisms; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Improved interoperability of security measures and cross-layer security, including the compatibility of privacy-enhancing technologies across different layers of the computing continuum and data spaces, and across providers in the multi-provider edge cloud continuum. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Handling of EU classified and sensitive information (EUCI and SEN)Some activities resulting from this topic may involve using classified background and/or producing security-sensitive results (EUCI and SEN), requiring adherence to provisions in section B Security of the General Annexes. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| No expected impacts in this call. | |||
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1general data protection regulation (gdpr)Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) establishes the legal framework for the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data across the EU. It enforces key principles including data minimisation, purpose limitation, transparency, and data protection by design and by default. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
Establishment in Member States or Associated Countries
Participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States and Associated Countries.
Exclusion of non-eligible country controlled entities
Entities established in an eligible country, but directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action.
4 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
Consortium composition faces a hard gate regarding foreign interference. Any partner, even if established in an eligible Member State or Associated Country, will be disqualified if they are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country. You must secure a mandatory Ownership Control Declaration from every partner before finalizing the consortium to avoid failing the eligibility check.
Source: Eligibility rules
Proposals relying solely on software-based cryptography will fail to capture top scores. Evaluators are explicitly instructed to prioritize hardware/software co-designed Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) accelerators that deliver measurable performance gains on constrained edge and IoT nodes. Your methodology must detail the physical integration and benchmarking of these accelerators alongside privacy-enhancing technologies.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Because this is a lump-sum grant, the payment structure dictates the proposal architecture. Evaluators will rigorously scrutinize the granularity of work package milestones and cost justifications within the strict 45-page limit. Design your deliverables so that financial risks are mitigated, ensuring no single milestone creates a bottleneck for major consortium payments.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Privacy-preserving technologies are not just technical requirements; they are legal imperatives for this call. Evaluators expect a concrete demonstration of data protection by design and by default across the multi-provider continuum. Your proposal must explicitly define data controller and processor roles among partners and map data ownership within the shared data spaces.
Source: Underlying policies
Nothing to show for this call yet.