Civil Security for Society 2026

Home Funding Calls for proposals Accessible and available travel facilitation Accessible and available travel facilitation HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-02 Topic Call for proposal Internal navigation General information Topic description Topic updates Conditions and documents Budget overview Partner search announcements Start submission Topic Q&As Get support General information Programme Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Call Civil Security for Society 2026 (HORIZON-CL3-2026-01) Type of action HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions Type of MGA HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Open For Submission Deadline model single-stage Opening date 06 May 2026 Deadline date 05 November 2026 17:00:00 Brussels time Topic description Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved trusted, secure, and easier automated seamless facilitation for travel, border crossing through border crossing points (BCPs), and/or visa procedures with an integrated approach, minimized risk for bias, and accessible for all travellers minimising digital divides; Facilitated solutions with same approach adaptable by all European border control staff, in all conditions and border control points (BCPs); Reduced workload and improved safety, user experience and performance of practitioners’ staff involved in border management. Scope: Facilitation of travel and border crossings at border crossing points (BCPs) across the external EU borders went, and is further going, through developments thanks to updated procedures and regulatory frameworks and to innovative European technologies. From automated border control (ABC) gates to “no-gate” solutions and “seamless travel”, and with systems like the Entry-Exit System (EES), the Electronic Travel and Information Authorisation System (ETIAS), and the development of digital travel credentials and digital identity more in general, Europe has one of the most advanced, secure and facilitated border check systems in the world. Travel facilitation schemes are still not as fair, inclusive and accessible as they should be. There are several technical exceptions that for example make difficult for families, other groups of people travelling together, people with disabilities and/or reduced mobility, or with relatively lower digital skills, to smoothly use travel and border crossing facilitation solutions. This is a capability gap of travel facilitation systems that has an impact on both a fair accessibility and availability for travellers, and on performance and efficiency of the systems themselves. Travel facilitation systems should ensure both security and easy passenger flow, while remaining accessible to all travellers. On the other hand, both technical systems and procedures may have differences depending on the context or the BCP of application. This may be a limit for the performance and user experience of European integrated border management, especially in a perspective of a larger help to national members of the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG) from the Standing Corps of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (EBCGA). According to the EBCG Capability Roadmap, legal border crossings should be as swift and simple as possible, while at the same time allowing a smooth crossing of bona fide persons, and of the goods carried with them. Innovation actions funded under this topic will develop and test solutions for advanced seamless travel and border crossing and/or visa procedures, protecting and promoting fundamental rights, minimising the risk for bias and being accessible for all travellers, with no or minimised limitations depending on age, sex, gender, disability, physical or digital abilities. To minimise potential for discrimination or physical or digital divide regarding travel facilitation schemes, solutions should be inclusive and accessible. Furthermore, solutions should be tested for use with the same approach by all European border control staff in all conditions and BCPs. The proposed solutions can include innovative technologies, innovative processes, innovative knowledge and/or a combination thereof. Solutions should include automated decision support systems suggesting to the end-users (border checks operators) which procedure, technology or database can be used without infringing rights of travellers. Solutions should also integrate and, if appropriate, further develop, biometric matching that minimises data shared (for example limiting to matching scores) to improve data protection. Proposals submitted under this topic are expected to address the priorities of the European Border and Coast Guard and of its Agency (Frontex) and of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA). This should start from the definition of requirements and the design phase of their work, including basing on the EBCG Capability Roadmap; and on the engagement with the Agencies during the implementation of the project. At the stage of proposal preparation, Frontex and eu-LISA will not provide any guidance on, or otherwise be involved in the preparation of, project proposals. Proposals should consider and foresee that Frontex and eu-LISA may observe pilots and demonstrations when the project will be implemented, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the border, customs and coast guard community. To ensure the active involvement of and timely feedback from relevant security practitioners, proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable consisting in the assessment of the project’s mid-term outcomes, performed by the practitioners involved in the project. Depending on the particular scope of the proposal, participation of Customs Authorities is welcome. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Show more Topic updates 07 July 2026 With reference to the topic related additional eligibility conditions, please note that: It is full responsibility of the applicants to explain and justify how each project beneficiary fulfil the additional eligibility conditions. We invite you to fill in properly the Annex “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, by using the template provided in the submission IT tool. Each beneficiary, i.e. an independent legal entity participating in the project as consortium partner, can cover the role of only one type of practitioner. For example, legal entities such as Ministries of Interiors cannot cover both the role of Police Authorities and Forensic Institutes. The proposal will have to indicate clearly which type of practitioners the entity represents. Clarifications on the type of practitioners required in the topic related additional eligibility conditions: Border or Coast Guard Authority: In the context of the Work Programme, Border and Coast Guards Authorities are competent authorities designated by the EU Member States (or Associated Countries) in accordance with their national law to carry out civilian border management and maritime security tasks. 07 May 2026 The submission session is now available for: HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-04, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-01, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-01, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-02, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-05, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-02, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-03, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-04, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-01, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-05, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-03, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-02, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-04, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-01, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-01, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-02, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-06, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-03, HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-02 Show more Topic conditions and documents General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout 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 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 In line with the “restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action. Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks. The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 Border or Coast Guard Authorities from at least 2 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. For these participants, applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, following the template provided in the submission IT tool. If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are 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 described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants 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. 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. Specific conditions 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 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) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instr [... συνέχεια στην επίσημη πρόσκληση]