Open topic on preventing and countering the misuse of emerging technologies for criminal purposes, including issues related to lawful access to data

Expected outcomes

• Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
• 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.

• “Therefore, there is a strong need to adequately tackle challenges for Police Authorities stemming from all these new and emerging developments as well as to make sure that the lawful access to data keeps track with these evolutions, respecting applicable legislation and fundamental rights such as personal data protection and privacy.”
• “Proposals should emphasize adaptive methodologies and frameworks that can evolve in response to new threats and challenges, empowering Police Authorities to act effectively while ensuring adherence to legal standards regarding data access.”
• “Thus, research activities proposed within this topic should, in a balanced way, 1) develop modern tools, methodologies and training material for police to tackle the problem of misuse for criminal purposes of the new and emerging technologies under consideration, and 2) address issues related to lawful access to data in this context.”
• “Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged to avoid duplication and to exploit complementarities as well as opportunities for increased impact.”
• “The proposals funded under this topic that concern issues which are within the mandate of Europol are expected to engage with the Europol Innovation Lab during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the law enforcement community.”
• “Similarly, if the proposals concern drug-related issues, they are expected to engage with the EU Drugs Agency during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes.”
• “Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Fighting Crime and Terrorism Destination.”

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.
• TRL: the topic expects TRL 5 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
• Other Eligible Conditions: “The following additional eligibility criteria apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 2 Police Authorities[[In the context of this Destination, ‘Police Authorities’ means public authorities explicitly designated by national law, or other entities legally mandated by the…”
• Other Eligible Conditions: “Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.”

Impact pathway and traps

• The gender dimension is named in the topic. Show how sex and gender analysis enters the research content, not only team balance.
• Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
• Link your outcomes to the destination's expected impacts in the Work Programme. 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.