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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 4 · Digital, Industry and Space

Facilitate the engagement of European stakeholders in international digital standardisation (CSA)

HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-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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ForthcomingCSA · lump sumDeadline 18 March 2027around EUR 7 million per project

GrantWise › Horizon Europe topics › HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-07

TopicHORIZON-CL4-2027-04-HUMAN-07
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL4-2027-04 — DIGITAL
DestinationDigital and industrial technologies driving human-centric innovation (2026-27)
Type of actionCoordination and Support Actions · lump sum
Opening17 November 2026
Deadline18 March 2027
Budgetaround EUR 7 million per project · 1 project expected · EUR 7 million in total
Part B page limit28 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant. The topic says: “Proposals are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:”

  1. EO1 Increasing the participation and influence of European experts in digital standardisation to promote EU values and strategic interests, contributing to strengthen EU competitiveness in the digital field.
  2. EO2 Improvement of the skills of European experts, especially from SMEs, R&I institutions, Open-Source community, academia and societal stakeholders, to successfully contribute and lead in the development of digital standards.
  3. EO3 Development and update of standardisation landscapes and gap analyses of key digital technologies as outlined in the Rolling Plan for ICT Standardisation.
  4. EO4 Provision of foresight analyses regarding standardisation in new emerging technologies to identify short and medium-term digital standardisation needs to support EU policies and anticipate appropriate participation by EU stakeholders.
  5. EO5 More awareness of the benefits and competitive advantages of standardisation, in particular for SMEs and researchers, and more visibility of the European digital standardisation ecosystem.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO5), 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.

  • “To achieve this objective, proposals under this topic should provide for:.”
  • “The proposal should take into account the previous activities carried out at least in terms of educational material and facilities for funding experts within the topics ICT-40-2017 (implemented by the StandICT.eu project), ICT-45-2020 (implemented under StandICT.eu2023 project), HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01-21 (implemented under StandICT.eu 2026) and HORIZON-CL4-2024-HUMAN-03-04 (implemented under StandICT.eu 2029).”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 28 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.
  • Coordination and support action: no research is funded. Evaluators look for coordination, networking, dissemination or policy support with a clear audience.
  • Legal and financial set-up of the grants: “Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP). The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000. As the primary purpose of the action is to support European experts in the global ICT standardisation scene,…”

Impact pathway and traps

  • Standardisation is mentioned. Name the committees or bodies and the partner who engages with them.
  • The topic expects cooperation with other projects or initiatives. Reserve effort and budget for it in the work plan.
  • 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.
The scope, as published

Contribute to the implementation of the EU Standardisation Strategy and other policy initiatives such as Europe’s Digital Decade, Apply AI Strategy or the Competitiveness Compass, with an emphasis on supporting the EU’s leading position in global standards-setting of key digital technologies. The goals are inter alia to 1) strengthen the EU competitiveness in the digital domain; 2) contribute to EU tech sovereignty and 3) promote EU values and interests internationally, by empowering and financially supporting the active participation of European stakeholders in the development of digital international standards. The objective is to reinforce the presence of experts from the EU and associated Horizon Europe countries in global digital standards setting, especially those coming from SMEs, R&I institutions, Open-Source community, academia and societal stakeholders. To achieve this objective, proposals under this topic should provide for: Setting up of a management facility to support contributions and leadership (e.g. chairing of technical committees, convenor positions) of European specialists in activities in relation to global digital standardisation When relevant, support financially the hosting of international standardisation meetings (e.g. 3GPP, ISO/IEC JTC1) and workshops in Europe to ease the participation of European experts Landscape and gap analysis of standardisation activities in key digital priority areas, as outlined in the Annual Union Work Programme and the Rolling Plan for ICT standardisation, including identification of new emerging technology areas. Promotion of the relevance and benefits of digital standardisation, especially for strengthening the competitiveness of EU industry, driving sustainability, achieving tech sovereignty, and promoting EU values. The proposal shall build synergies with other similar EU- and national-funded initiatives. It shall also include actions, including development of tools and materials, to promote education and skills on standardisation. The proposal should take into account the previous activities carried out at least in terms of educational material and facilities for funding experts within the topics ICT-40-2017 (implemented by the StandICT.eu project), ICT-45-2020 (implemented under StandICT.eu2023 project), HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01-21 (implemented under StandICT.eu 2026) and HORIZON-CL4-2024-HUMAN-03-04 (implemented under StandICT.eu 2029). See website: http://www.standict.eu.

Other topics in HORIZON-CL4-2027-04

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.