FundingCalls
ForthcomingGrantEligibility not yet screened

Open topic on reinvigorating and shielding European democracy

European Commission · Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON)

Posted 2 Mar 2027 · About 7 months left

Summary

Expected Outcome:

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

EU institutions and national decision-makers, civil society organisations and other societal actors and citizens at large are better equipped, with new data, knowledge and methods, to confront threats and challenges of democracies as well as to enhance their inclusiveness and participatory elan.

Strengthened citizens’ long-lasting engagement in the democratic life, including but going beyond electoral processes, and increased trust in democratic institutions.

Scope:

The Political Guidelines for 2024-2029 of the European Commission[1] announced a new European Democracy Shield. Building on the European Democracy Action Plan[2] and the Defence of Democracy Package[3], this initiative aims to safeguard, strengthen and promote democracy in the EU and to reinforce public trust. The Democracy Shield will aim to reinforce citizens’ participation and engagement in the democratic life, promote free and fair elections and support free and independent media. It will also address the increasing threats to democratic systems, institutions and processes within the EU, often driven by various hostile actors…

Excerpt from the donor's page. The full text, annexes and forms are on the original call.

Eligibility and conditions

Show the eligibility text from the source

">General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

Applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation (see General Annex F) must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application (see General Annex E).

As 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.

2. Eligible Countries

As 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.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner. The JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal - see General Annex B.

In order to achieve the expected outcomes, consortia must include, as beneficiaries or affiliated entities, (i) at least one relevant public body with a policy-making role; and (ii) at least one relevant civil society organisation.

In addition, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

The first-stage proposals of this topic will be evaluated blindly.

In addition, as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

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]].

The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.

In addition, as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions

As described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):

Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System

Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1 BLIND)

Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations

Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND)

Guidance

HE Programme Guide

Model Grant Agreements (MGA)

Lump Sum MGA

Call-specific instructions

Detailed budget table (HE LS)

Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"

Additional documents:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes

HE Programme Guide

HE Framework Programme 2021/695

HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764

EU Financial Regulation…

Themes