Open & upcoming calls

Democracies are at risk when reliable and independent journalism is at risk. Journalistic newsrooms are under severe economic pressure, forced to compete for citizens' attention with infotainment that sometimes entails unverified opinions and low-quality or malicious sources. Applicants are invited to work together with news media organisations to enhance innovation across the news media sectors, focusing on: development of methods to recognise content produced with journalistic standards (trust indicators, browser plugins, metadata standards); identification of AI models that help media build attractive services and generate revenues; innovative methods for user-centric design; and roll-out of pan-European innovative platforms. Proposals are also encouraged to investigate the need for transparency and accountability mechanisms for influencers and content creators, and the evolving trust dynamics between human-curated journalism and AI-driven news delivery.

In an era characterised by numerous concurrent crises, accelerated technological development, and waning public trust in government, this topic aims to furnish a precise depiction of the current condition of public service in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Proposals are expected to cover three focus areas: (1) New governance paradigm — new governance approaches and reforms in response to declining public trust, including anticipatory governance, agile leadership, the impacts of digital technology (especially AI and automation), open government approaches, and central communication strategies; (2) Innovative approaches to public service and policy development — multidisciplinary approaches including citizen participation, stakeholder engagement, systems thinking, and the role of technology/AI and interconnected data systems; (3) New public employment management and civil service empowerment — transforming the civil service through innovation and HR policy, including upskilling, reskilling, future literacy, and organisational framework conditions conducive to innovation.

The integrity of electoral processes in Europe is facing challenges in the digital age. The digital transformation of democratic processes has created new avenues for citizen engagement, but it also poses significant risks from disinformation to the integrity of electoral and other democratic processes. Proposals should examine the effects of digital technologies on public opinion and governance, and investigate the development of ethical AI, transparent political advertising, and tools to counter misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). This includes exploring multi-stakeholder approaches, fostering dialogue with online platforms, media and political parties, and examining how AI-generated content influences public opinion, social narratives, and civic engagement. The ultimate goal is to create robust and resilient electoral systems that can meet the challenges of the digital age, ensure the safety and integrity of electoral processes, and promote free, fair, inclusive and transparent elections.

Digital and media literacy as drivers for democratic and civic resilience

Expected Impact: In the short term, the funding is expected to: • Increase understanding and dissemination of challenges, risks and good practices in the priority areas identified under this call; • Enhance communication, coordination and operational cooperation between authorities responsible for the prevention, detection and repression of corruption; • Improve the availability and use of data, methodologies and tools for measuring corruption risks, trends and the impact of anti-corruption measures. Where applicable, proposals should demonstrate how they build on relevant previous or ongoing EU-funded projects and existing corruption measurement frameworks. In the long term, the funding is expected to: • Improve the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of corruption across the EU; • Contribute to the implementation of EU anti-corruption policy priorities, including recommendations addressed to Member States in the Rule of Law Reports and the European Semester, as well as the objectives of the Directive on combating corruption [to be updated when adopted]; • Reduce the role of corruption as an enabler of organised crime and criminal infiltration into the licit economy; • Foster a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability across public and private sectors in the EU. Objective: In line with the European Commission’s policies, as set-out above, the objective of this call is to prevent and combat corruption, by supporting actions addressing both its prevention and repression. Scope: Project applications submitted under the present call for proposals should provide for activities supporting the prevention of, and the fight against corruption, in line with the objectives and priorities described in the call document.

NOTICE: Amended July 24, 2026. This amendment announces the Step-2 due date for this program element, which was previously TBD, is now September 25, 2026. Step-2 proposals can only be submitted by those who submitted a Step-1 proposal and were invited to submit a Step-2. Also, the requirements for Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending Support have been updated, see the table of Requirements for Expertise and Resources Not Anonymized (E&R) Document on page 11 in Section 3.2. New text is in bold. NOTICE: Research security training required starting August 5, 2026. All PIs and any Co-Is that would spend ≥ 10% time on a proposed grants or cooperative agreements must certify they have taken research security training. NASA will be satisfied with the four online research security training modules on the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Research Security Training website at https://www.nsf.gov/research-security/training or the SECURE Center condensed version of the four modules at https://www.secure-center.org/ctm NOTICE: Amended February 11, 2026. This amendment makes two corrections to this program element: The length of the Step-1 Proposal in Section 3.3.1 has been corrected from two pages to three, and the expected budget numbers given in the summary table are per award, per year, not the budget for all of the new awards in the SST. NOTICE: Amended February 3, 2026. This amendment releases the final text for this program element, which was previously TBD. Step-1 proposals are due May 1, 2026. The Step-2 due date will be announced at least 60 days before the Step-2 proposal due date, see Section 3.1. An individual may be Principal Investigator (PI) of one and only one proposal to this program element. There is an exception for multiple submissions per PI only when institutions require oversight for efforts that involve Science PIs. The rules regarding interagency awards described in Section 1.1.1 of B.1 Heliophysics Research Pro

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the following technical area: physics and nonlinear control of inertial measurement units (IMUs) appropriate for tactical and unmanned missions. The Precision Inertial Navigation & Positioning On an Integrated Tesseract (PINPOINT) program will challenge the research community to overcome the decade-long performance plateau of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) IMUs by exploring revolutionary sensor architectures that operate in highly nonlinear regimes. DARPA is soliciting proposals for the research and development of novel inertial sensors based on physics such as, but not limited to, electromagnetically levitated proof masses, non-linear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems. A central theme of this program is the tight co-design of the physical sensor package with advanced, real-time adaptive control systems necessary to stabilize and harness these complex dynamics. Performers should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. All responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit a proposal that shall be considered by DARPA. See the Eligibility Information section of the BAA for more information.

Tillämpningsområde: Syftet med detta ämne är att bedöma möjligheten att skapa en AI-ram för försvarstillämpningar som en språngbräda för att utveckla framtida koncept för taktisk intelligens genom att tillhandahålla militär simuleringskapacitet, historiska dataset, en omfattande databas med scenarion och riktmärken, tillgång till doktrinära modeller och utdata från tidigare utvecklade AI-tjänster. Detta skulle också möjliggöra en gemensam simuleringsram för krigsspel/stridssimuleringar med potential att på liknande sätt underlätta förbättrat lärandestöd vid uppdragsplanering och utförande, bland annat genom AI-aktiverad stridsrymdssimulering. Utöver försvarsteknik bidrar detta ämne också till STEP-målen enligt STEP-förordningen inom målinvesteringsområdet djup och digital teknik. Målinriktade typer av verksamheter: Studier och utformning, med undantag för verksamheter uppströms och nedströms som kan komma i fråga för forskningsåtgärder. Preliminär budget: 16 000 000 euro för detta ämne inom ramen för ansökningsomgången för EDF-2026-RA. EU:s ekonomiska bidrag per förslag: Den begärda finansieringen får inte överstiga 8 000 000 euro. Preliminärt antal förslag som ska finansieras: Flera förslag kan komma att finansieras för detta ämne.

Modelling & simulation supported AI framework for military decision-making and training

Open (non-thematic) lump-sum research call for SMEs and research organisations to pursue any defence-relevant research topic. Eligible areas explicitly include cognitive warfare, information domain operations, AI for military decision-making, and digital governance in defence contexts. The SME coordinator must represent a majority of the consortium budget; research organisation budget may not exceed 40% of total. Lump-sum grant modality with simplified financial management.

Funds the first military multi-domain operational cloud prototype enabling secure operations across land, air, maritime, cyber, and space domains. Addresses fragmented military information systems through standards-based interoperability. Requires EU-secure data governance, chain-of-trust mechanisms, zero-trust architecture, and edge computing capabilities in degraded and contested environments. Must support AI-driven command infrastructure and interoperability with existing national C2 systems across EU member states.

Challenge call for teams developing AI swarming technologies to participate in a competitive evaluation. STEP-labelled for industrial strategic priority.

Challenge call to organise a competitive AI swarming evaluation event targeting TRL 6 for autonomous systems. Separate track for organisers of the challenge framework.

In a defence modelling and simulation (M&S) context, AI can provide tactical intelligence in near real time through enhanced situational awareness and planning and decision-making support. The objective is to assess the feasibility of creating an AI framework for defence applications, to serve as a springboard for the development of future tactical intelligence concepts by providing military simulation capabilities, historical data sets, a rich scenario and benchmark database, access to doctrinal models, and output from previously developed AI services. Proposals must investigate solutions in the simulation area, cover two or more use cases in forces readiness, and support operations and capability development. Mandatory activities include Studies (identifying research gaps; covering AI core components such as data ingestion, machine learning, human-AI collaboration, cybersecurity, and simulation modules) and Design activities (demonstrating at least two of four defined use cases: end-to-end MDO performance assessment, Human Machine teaming, course of actions development and comparison, and simulation to support AI data generation). The outcome should contribute to reducing time and costs in COA development and wargaming, while structuring a European simulation ecosystem for military use.

Development of enhanced cognitive electronic warfare systems.

Development of AI-based tactical situational awareness systems for multi-domain operations.

Enhanced cognitive EW system with intelligent RESM CESM signal analysis

Non-thematic development programme for SMEs in the defence sector.

Research funding specifically for SMEs and research organisations in defence.

Development of quantum-secured communication networks for military applications.