The Civil Security cluster is in line with the Security Union Strategy, dedicated to increasing security from different angles, utilizing six different destinations to do so. The calls require collaboration between different entities on research and innovation challenges dealing with crime and terror, border management, critical infrastructures, cyber security, disaster management and innovation uptake.
Why apply?
Participation in Horizon Europe Cluster 3 calls offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research and innovation that can significantly impact physical and online security, critical infrastructures and disaster preparedness. Successful projects receive substantial funding and support, fostering collaboration and advancement in these critical areas by connecting with leading researchers, businesses and organisations across Europe
The six destinations of Cluster 3 – Civil Security for Society are:
Better protection of the EU and its citizens against crime and terrorism (FCT)
- Modern information analysis for police authorities
- Improved forensics and lawful evidence collection
- Increased security of citizens against crime and terrorism
- Improved intelligence picture and prevention of various forms of organised crime
- More secure cyberspace for citizens, especially children
Effective management of EU external borders (BM)
- Improving border management tasks including managing irregular or illegal activities involving people or goods across external borders of the EU
- Protecting human rights in efficient border management
- Integrated and continuous border surveillance, situational awareness and analysis support
- Security, privacy and usability of identity and travel documents
- Detection and prevention of dangerous, illicit and illegal goods and materials trafficked through external borders of the EU and the supply chain
Resilient infrastructure (INFRA)
- Increase in both physical and digital aspects of critical infrastructure security, including specific challenges for cybersecurity
- Developing and upgrading systems to enable a rapid, effective response to complex threats and challenges while also supporting emergency responders
- Security by design for critical infrastructures
- Improving cross-sectoral cooperation and risk assessment abilities
Increased cybersecurity (CS)
- Investing in cybersecurity research and innovation
- Protecting critical infrastructures from cyber and hybrid attacks
- Supporting EU competitiveness in cybersecurity, protection of EU digital supply chain
- Developing the European cybersecurity competence community
- Promote Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the cybersecurity ecosystem
Disaster-resilient society for Europe (DRS)
- Improving the capacities of first responders in all operational phases related to any kind of disasters including education and training
- Improving disaster risk governance including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery
- Supporting the creation of a clear strategy, from international to local, on society adaption to evolving disaster risks
- Enhancing citizen and local authorities’ involvement in research actions with a focus on risk awareness and disaster prevention
Strengthened security research and innovation (SSRI)
- Focus on the use of results of security research and ideation
- Planning EU security capabilities
- Developing socially acceptable security technologies
- Safeguarding the EU’s open strategic autonomy and technological sovereignty in critical security areas and making the European security ecosystem more consistent
Application requirements
A consortium of at least three independent legal entities (“beneficiaries”), each established in a different EU member state or Horizon Europe associated country (e.g. Israel); at least one member of the consortium must come from an EU member state.
Additionally, some of the Civil Security calls require the participation of specific partners in the proposal (for example: local authorities, border management authorities, first responders or others) – read the specific topic carefully to see the requirements.
Funding
- Grants of up to several million Euros per project, according to the specific topic description.
- 70% or 100% of the eligible costs + 25% overhead, depending on the type of funding mechanism; Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) will cover 100% of the expenses and Innovation Actions (IA) will cover 70% of the expenses. Nonprofit entities are always eligible for 100% of the eligible costs + 25% overhead.
Submission
In 2025 there will be one submission deadline: 6 November 2025, 17:00 Brussels time. RIA/IA proposals must follow this provided template, CSA proposals must follow this provided template.
Evaluation process
- Your proposal will be first evaluated and scored remotely by at least 3 EU expert evaluators, each giving it a grade of 5 on the three evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact, and Implementation.
- The evaluation process is expected to take 5 months after the deadline.
Useful links
The Cluster 3 Civil Security for Society work programme 2023-2024
SeReMa – a free online B2Match partner search platform
A presentation of the 2024 calls
For ISERD support.
For questions and more information: yotam@iserd.org.il