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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 2 · Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

Persons with disabilities: opportunities for labour inclusion and social protection through the life course

HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-TRANSFO-07 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingRIA · lump sumDeadline 23 September 2027EUR 3 million to EUR 4 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL2-2027-01-TRANSFO-07
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL2-2027-01 — Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society - 2027
DestinationInnovative Research on Social and Economic Transformations (2026-27)
Type of actionResearch and Innovation Actions · lump sum
Opening13 May 2027
Deadline23 September 2027
BudgetEUR 3 million to EUR 4 million per project · 3 projects expected · EUR 12 million in total
Part B page limit45 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

Projects may contribute to some of the expected outcomes; say which ones and why. The topic says: “Projects should contribute to two of the following expected outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Provide implementable, quality, disaggregated and evidence-based data to policymakers and research and innovation stakeholders to bridge the employment gap between persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities.
  2. EO2 Deliver scalable and replicable inclusive person-centred interventions addressing the situation of persons with disabilities in relation to the labour market in a manner that they are transferable to the new contexts of work, studying and comparing their impacts.
  3. EO3 Develop innovative policy approaches in the area of social protection for persons with disabilities to compensate the cost associated to disabilities, removing barriers for their participation and encourage them to engage in employment in the open labour market, while at the same time guaranteeing them an adequate level of social protection.

Expected impacts named in the destination

The wider, long-term effects the destination seeks. Your outcomes feed them; they are not project deliverables.

  1. EI1 Strengthening social and economic resilience and sustainability.
  2. EI2 Boosting inclusive growth and reducing vulnerabilities effectively.
  3. EI3 The European Pillar of Social Rights, and its Action Plan with its three ambitious targets (78% employment rate, 60% of population with yearly training, and reduction of the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 15 million by 2030)
  4. EI4 the European Education Area and its EU-level 2030 targets.
  5. EI5 The Union of Skills (including envisaged initiatives on skills portability and the European Strategy for Vocational Education and Training, the Pact for Skills and the Skills Agenda)
  6. EI6 the first-ever EU Anti-Poverty Strategy and the European Affordable Housing Plan.
  7. EI7 The Union of Equality policies and strategies, including: the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities); the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), and the European Disability Card The Gender Equality Strategy 2020 – 2025 and the Directive combating violence against women and domestic violence EU Anti-racism Action Plan 2020-2025 The Strategic EU Framework for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation 2020-2030 The LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025.
  8. EI8 The Communication on Demographic change in Europe: a toolbox for action.
  9. EI9 The EU’s just transition policy framework, in line with the 2040 Climate Target Plan, including the Just Transition Mechanism, the Social Climate Fund, and the Council Recommendation on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality.
  10. EI10 The new Pact for European Social Dialogue and the Council Recommendation on strengthening social dialogue in the EU.
  11. EI11 The European Child Guarantee.
  12. EI12 The Council Recommendation on adequate minimum income.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • Projects may contribute to some of the expected outcomes; say which ones and why.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
  • Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

  • “Thus, new and innovative ways of inclusion into the labour market of persons with disabilities need to be explored and tested with the objective to reduce the gaps between persons with and without disabilities, reduce inequalities and promote their social and economic inclusion on an equal basis with others.”
  • “Research (including through SSH disciplines) should address the disadvantages and barriers faced for increasing inclusion in the labour market of persons with disabilities, collect data on proved effective measures to improve the situation, and provide a thorough analysis of the impact and efficacy of existing policy measures, such as positive discrimination provisions, quotas, employment targets and others.”
  • “The role of employers, their concerns and good practices for labour inclusion of persons with disabilities needs to be assessed, as well as reasons to circumvent obligations to include employees with disabilities.”
  • “Research should also take stock of existing accessible working environments tools and equipment, as well as reasonable accommodation tools and support at work already provided or still needed and their impact on the employment of persons with disabilities.”
  • “Different types of work - adapted to the often-hidden talents of persons with disabilities - should be explored, taking into account their competences and abilities, disability type, level, sex and age.”
  • “Thus, research is expected to address the issue of social protection through the life course of persons with disabilities, including different aspects such as disability benefits, possible in-kind benefits, coverage of extra costs associated to disabilities, the transition to pension age for persons with disabilities or acquiring disabilities after pension age.”
  • “Attention should be paid to measures that disincentivise or create barriers to the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market.”
  • “Proposals should consider also the in and out of employment and the possible compatibility with other benefits, such as disability benefits avoiding the benefit trap.”
  • “The benefit trap needs to be addressed since it may act as a deterrent to take employment for persons with disabilities, who may lose their disability benefits and may be led to in-work poverty.”
  • “Thus, applicants are encouraged to ensure harmonised data collection by using Eurostat standards and existing international sets of questions in their areas of research.”
  • “Applicants are encouraged to involve persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, stakeholders, policymakers and public authorities, social services, citizens and civil society organisations, end-users and service providers.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 45 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • Lump sum: the budget is fixed per work package and paid when each work package is completed. Every work package needs activities and deliverables an evaluator can verify, and the effort must match the money.

Impact pathway and traps

  • The topic asks for social sciences and humanities (SSH) expertise. Evaluators look for SSH partners with a real role in the methodology, not a token task.
  • Users or citizens are part of the scope. Show how they take part in the design and testing, not only that they are informed.
  • Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
  • For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
  • Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
  • Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.
The scope, as published

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises the right to work for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others (Art. 27). However, only half of the 42.8 million persons with disabilities of working age in the EU is employed, this being translated into an employment gap in which only 51% of persons with disabilities are employed compared to 75% of persons without disabilities. In addition, persons with disabilities are overrepresented among those inactive in the labour market, not looking for a job due to different barriers, such as a generalised lack of accessibility of workplaces, inaccessible transportation, built environment and infrastructure, insufficient or inadequate reasonable accommodation, lack of flexibility in employment, administrative burdens or incompatibility with disability benefits. Thus, new and innovative ways of inclusion into the labour market of persons with disabilities need to be explored and tested with the objective to reduce the gaps between persons with and without disabilities, reduce inequalities and promote their social and economic inclusion on an equal basis with others. An assessment of the benefits, including for society and the economy, of employment of persons with disabilities could be carried out. Research (including through SSH disciplines) should address the disadvantages and barriers faced for increasing inclusion in the labour market of persons with disabilities, collect data on proved effective measures to improve the situation, and provide a thorough analysis of the impact and efficacy of existing policy measures, such as positive discrimination provisions, quotas, employment targets and others. The role of employers, their concerns and good practices for labour inclusion of persons with disabilities needs to be assessed, as well as reasons to circumvent obligations to include employees with disabilities. Moreover, discrimination against persons with disabilities during the hiring process and the impact on job retention could be addressed. Research should also take stock of existing accessible working environments tools and equipment, as well as reasonable accommodation tools and support at work already provided or still needed and their impact on the employment of persons with disabilities. The role of accessible digital services, digital skills and assistive technologies and other advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential for advancing the labour inclusion of persons with disabilities may be explored. Different types of work - adapted to the often-hidden talents of persons with disabilities - should be explored, taking into account their competences and abilities, disability type, level, sex and age. The transition from supported/sheltered employment to the open labour market, including different models such as self-employment and entrepreneurship, re- and upskilling, vocational education and training, could be considered, looking for sustainable pathways to facilitate the process and to be maintained in the long run. Persons with disabilities are at a higher risk of poverty due to insufficient labour market participation in combination with insufficient social protection and insufficient compensation for extra costs related to disability, including family-based care. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises the right to social protection and to the enjoyment of that right without discrimination on the basis of disability (Art. 28). Thus, research is expected to address the issue of social protection through the life course of persons with disabilities, including different aspects such as disability benefits, possible in-kind benefits, coverage of extra costs associated to disabilities, the transition to pension age for persons with disabilities or acquiring disabilities after pension age. Attention should be paid to measures that disincentivise or create barriers to the employment of persons with disabilities in the open labour market. Proposals should consider also the in and out of employment and the possible compatibility with other benefits, such as disability benefits avoiding the benefit trap. The benefit trap needs to be addressed since it may act as a deterrent to take employment for persons with disabilities, who may lose their disability benefits and may be led to in-work poverty. Data collection is essential to understand the employment participation of persons with disabilities and remains a challenge to collect data disaggregated per type of disability, sex, and age. Thus, applicants are encouraged to ensure harmonised data collection by using Eurostat standards and existing international sets of questions in their areas of research. Applicants are encouraged to involve persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, stakeholders, policymakers and public authorities, social services, citizens and civil society organisations, end-users and service providers. Projects are also encouraged to explore potential complementarities with projects funded under the Cluster 2 topic HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-9: “Good practices for increased autonomy of persons with disabilities, including physical, mental, intellectual and sensory disabilities” and Cluster 1 topic HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-STAYHLTH-01-two-stage: “Improving the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families”. Article 1 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities: Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-persons-disabilities https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/3e1e2228-7c97-11eb-9ac9-01aa75ed71a1/language-en

Other topics in HORIZON-CL2-2027-01

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.