HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-03: Government in Transition — Civil Service Futures

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.