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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 3 · Civil Security for Society

Open topic on increasing security of citizens against terrorism, including in public spaces

HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-04 — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingIA · lump sumDeadline 4 November 2027around EUR 4.5 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-04
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL3-2027-01 — Civil Security for Society 2027
DestinationBetter protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism (2026-27)
Type of actionInnovation Actions · lump sum
Opening5 May 2027
Deadline4 November 2027
Budgetaround EUR 4.5 million per project · 2 projects expected · EUR 9 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 6–8
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: “Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Enhanced ability of Police Authorities in Europe and other relevant security practitioners to identify and prevent emergent challenges in the terrorism-related issue under consideration.
  2. EO2 Harmonised and modern tools as well as procedures are available for Police Authorities in Europe and other relevant security practitioners to counter the terrorism-related problem under consideration, in full compliance with applicable legislation on protection of personal data and protection of fundamental rights.
  3. EO3 Improved cooperation between Police Authorities in Europe and other relevant security practitioners, as well as with international actors, in tackling the problem in question.
  4. EO4 Training curricula are available for Police Authorities in Europe and other relevant security practitioners for an improved countering of the terrorism-related problem under consideration.

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 Modern information analysis for Police Authorities, allowing them to efficiently fight criminals and terrorists who use novel technologies.
  2. EI2 Improved forensics and lawful evidence collection, increasing the capabilities to apprehend criminals and terrorists and bring them to the court.
  3. EI3 Enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence of societal issues related to various forms of crime, including cybercrime, and terrorism, such as violent radicalisation, as well as domestic sexual violence, and gender-based violence, with a particular emphasis on protecting populations in a vulnerable situation and victims at increased risk of violence, including those affected by child sexual abuse and juvenile delinquency.
  4. EI4 Increased security of citizens against terrorism, including in public spaces (while preserving their quality and openness)
  5. EI5 Improved intelligence picture and enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence of various forms of organised crime.
  6. EI6 More secure cyberspace for citizens, especially children and elderly people, through a robust prevention, detection, and protection from cybercriminal activities.
  7. EI7 challenges regarding prevention, detection and deterrence of various forms of crime and terrorism through an enhanced understanding of the related societal issues, such as tackling the nexus between disinformation, hate speech and radicalisation, countering gender-based violence, or fighting violence-as-a-service.
  8. EI8 challenges related to counterterrorism, protection of public spaces, such as improving detection of remote explosives and explosives in closed spaces and urban environments, or use and countering of unmanned systems, including neutralisation of commercial drone attacks.
  9. EI9 Police cooperation package (information exchange, automated data exchange for police cooperation - “Prüm II”, operational cross-border police cooperation)
  10. EI10 Counter-Terrorism Agenda for the EU (incl. Regulation 2021/784/EU on addressing dissemination of terrorist content online & Directive 2017/541/EU on combating terrorism)
  11. EI11 EU C-UAS Strategy (counter-drone policy)
  12. EI12 EU Strategy to Tackle Organised crime.

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 EO4), 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.

  • “Adapted to the nature, scope and type of proposed projects, proposals should convincingly explain how they will plan and/or carry out demonstration, testing or validation of developed tools and solutions.”
  • “In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort.”
  • “Proposals should also delineate the plans to develop possible future uptake and upscaling at national and EU level for possible next steps after the research project.”
  • “Research proposals should consider, build on if appropriate and not duplicate previous research, including but not limited to research by other Framework Programmes’ projects.”
  • “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.”
  • “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.”
  • “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 6–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “The following additional eligibility conditions apply: This topic requires the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of at least 3 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: “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…”

Impact pathway and traps

  • Users or citizens are part of the scope. Show how they take part in the design and testing, not only that they are informed.
  • The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
  • 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.
  • 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

Under the Open Topic, proposals are welcome to address new, upcoming or unforeseen challenges and/or creative or disruptive solutions for increasing security of European citizens against terrorism, including in public spaces, that are not covered by the other topics of Horizon Europe Calls Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2021-2022, Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2023-2024, Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2025 and Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2026-2027. Adapted to the nature, scope and type of proposed projects, proposals should convincingly explain how they will plan and/or carry out demonstration, testing or validation of developed tools and solutions. In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort. Proposals should also delineate the plans to develop possible future uptake and upscaling at national and EU level for possible next steps after the research project. Research proposals should consider, build on if appropriate and not duplicate previous research, including but not limited to research by other Framework Programmes’ projects. 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. For aspects of training of Police Authorities, cooperation of successful proposals with CEPOL is expected, provided that the Agency opts out from applying for funding. 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. Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Fighting Crime and Terrorism Destination.

Technology readiness, as published

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32016R0794 (Annex I).

Other topics in HORIZON-CL3-2027-01

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.