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

The European Commission supports, within the framework of the Horizon Europe program, the coordinated support (Coordination and Support Action) to strengthen the participation of European stakeholders in international digital standardization. With a total budget of up to €7,000,000, the call contributes to increasing the EU's competitiveness in the digital sector. Eligible for funding are European companies of all sizes, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and public bodies based in an EU Member State or associated country. A completed standard application form (“HE CSA”), a financial plan, and CVs of key personnel must be submitted. The submission deadline is 18 March 2027 via the EU portal, with the project start date planned from 17 November 2026. Applicants commit to supporting experts from industry, research, the open-source community, and civil society in active participation in technical committees and workshops, and to ensuring a balanced gender representation within the teams.

Eligible costs include personnel expenses, travel costs, material costs for workshops and studies, as well as expenses for organizing events. The funding rate is 100% of eligible costs, excluding real estate acquisitions, retrospective costs, and debt coverage. Selection criteria are the excellence and level of innovation of the concept, the expected impact, and the quality and efficiency of project implementation. Projects should produce landscape and gap analyses of digital technologies, provide foresight studies on standardization needs of new technologies, and build synergies with EU and national initiatives. The aim is to increase the visibility and expertise of European experts, communicate the opportunities of standardization especially for SMEs and research institutions, and strengthen the EU’s global position in key areas such as AI, cyber-security, and 5G.