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Overview
The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre manages cybersecurity funding under both Horizon Europe and Digital Europe. These are different routes: one develops research and innovation, while the other supports deployment and capacity building.
Choose the action type before assembling a consortium.
Is this for you?
Success rates — the honest picture
Eligibility
- 1Eligibility depends on the individual topic, programme and action type.
- 2Check consortium composition, eligible countries and any security or ownership-control restrictions in the call documents.
- 3Deployment actions and research actions have different cost, maturity and co-financing conditions.
The call applies Article 12(5) conditions. A programme-wide listing does not establish that a particular company or ownership structure is eligible.
The ECCC page’s title and linked call materials use different year labels. Use the exact Funding & Tenders topic identifier when applying.
The current call lists EU Member States and EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein). Security restrictions cover direct and indirect control, participating roles and location of activities; prepare the required ownership declarations.
Regional Cable Hubs require competent public-authority participation; NCC support is not an unrestricted startup grant. Read section 6 for the precise composition of your selected topic.
Published call topic envelopes
These seven published topic allocations total €96M. Individual awards and funding rates are call-specific.
Simple Grants generally reimburse 50%. SME Support Actions use 75% for SMEs and 50% for other beneficiaries. Topic-specific provisions and the final grant take precedence.
How to apply — step by step
- 1Select the exact topicBefore submission
Match the use case to CYBERAI, AI4SME, COORDPREP, REGCABH, NCC, EULEG or DUALUSE.
Official instructions - 2Check security and consortium conditionsBefore consortium commitment
Confirm country, ownership, control and partner eligibility under the chosen topic.
Official instructions - 3Submit the topic’s application14 January 2027, 17:00 CET
Use the live portal forms and required annexes.
Official instructions - 4Check ownership and the submission packageBefore submission
Prepare the ownership-control material and required annexes. Part B is limited to 70 pages in this call; use the portal template and do not transfer limits from another programme.
Call document
What evaluators look for
Relevance
Fit with the selected topic and EU policy objectives; topic-specific exclusions apply.
Implementation
Project maturity, delivery plan, resources and team capacity.
Impact
Expected outcomes and benefits under the selected topic. A proposal must also reach at least 10/15 overall across all three criteria.
Documents you'll need
Seven topics, funding models, security conditions, proposal requirements, evaluation and grant timetable.
- Contains:
- Seven topics, funding models, security conditions, proposal requirements, evaluation and grant timetable.
- Length:
- 86 pages; eligibility pp. 48–51, evaluation pp. 55–56
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
July 2026 amendment and deployment priorities.
- Contains:
- July 2026 amendment and deployment priorities.
- Length:
- 86 pages
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Seven topic envelopes and application window: 1 September 2026 to 14 January 2027.
- Contains:
- Seven topic envelopes and application window: 1 September 2026 to 14 January 2027.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Exact application package, amendments and portal submission for SME-oriented cybersecurity deployment.
- Contains:
- Exact application package, amendments and portal submission for SME-oriented cybersecurity deployment.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Guidance referenced by the call for direct/indirect ownership, control and restricted participation.
- Contains:
- Guidance referenced by the call for direct/indirect ownership, control and restricted participation.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Live funding inventory and programme information.
- Contains:
- Live funding inventory and programme information.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
Registration, submission, validation and grant management.
- Contains:
- Registration, submission, validation and grant management.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
2026 Deadlines
- 2026-09-012026-09-01DEPLOY-CYBER-11 opened
Seven deployment topics.
- 2027-01-142027-01-14Submission deadline
17:00 CET (Brussels); single-stage.
- February–March 2027 — indicativeFebruary–March 2027 — indicativeEvaluation
Issuer’s indicative timetable.
- April 2027 — indicativeApril 2027 — indicativeResults notification
Invitation to grant preparation is not a signed award.
- October 2027 — indicativeOctober 2027 — indicativeGrant agreement signature
Subject to successful checks and preparation.
After you're funded
Grant rates, pre-financing, deliverables and reporting depend on the topic and signed agreement; the call envelope is not a per-company award.
Practical notes
Choose the action type before assembling a consortium. A deployment proposal and a research proposal need different evidence, partners and budgets.
Official sources checked on 12 October 2026. Calls can be amended; confirm the current terms and exact submission time in the linked official documents.
Complete Part A and Part B using the submission-system forms. Part B is limited to 70 pages. Ownership/control declarations include associated partners and subcontractors; validated public bodies have the stated declaration exemption. The fiche does not require a separate detailed budget calculator, CV set, prior-year activity report or previous-project list. Cybersecurity Competence Community registration evidence is optional.
The NCC topic allows financial support to third parties up to €100,000 each. NCC open calls must be widely publicised, appear on the Funding & Tenders Portal and participant websites, and remain open for at least two months. Its 50% EU funding rate also applies to the NCC action’s subgrant budget. A downstream SME grant is not automatically available when the central NCC call opens.
NCC and EULEG use equipment depreciation. CYBERAI, AI4SME, COORDPREP, REGCABH and DUALUSE also allow full cost for specifically listed equipment. COORDPREP has an indicative 24-month duration; the other six topics indicate 36 months. Other justified durations are possible. Consult the topic-specific exceptions to the evaluation subcriteria.
Key Features
Official links & resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Cybersecurity companies and research teams with a precise match to a published topic. Relevant areas include AI security, post-quantum technologies and strengthening the resilience of organisations and supply chains.
Amounts and funding rates belong to the individual call. A programme budget is not a per-startup award and should not be used as one in a funding plan.
The published cybersecurity call opened on 1 September 2026 and closes on 14 January 2027 at 17:00 CET. Check the exact portal topic, security restrictions and any amendments.
No. The current ECCC deployment call includes establishment, ownership/control and activity-location restrictions. Some topics require competent public authorities or designated national centres. Check the selected topic before assembling partners.
No. Under DEPLOY-CYBER-11, REGCABH uses 70%. AI4SME uses 75% for SMEs and 50% for other eligible participants. The other five topics use 50%.
Six topics have no minimum consortium size. REGCABH requires at least two independent beneficiaries from two eligible countries and public authorities from at least two relevant Member States. COORDPREP and NCC still have designated-authority or recognised-centre requirements even without a consortium minimum.
Related Programmes
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