Open Topic on Testing/Validating Tools, Technologies and Data Used in Cross-Border Prevention, Preparedness and Responses

Scope

• The European Commission is developing and implementing an EU Preparedness Union Strategy following whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. The proposals’ outcomes should especially work towards supporting the Strategy and follow the recommendations of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) to ensure a successful uptake to the end users. Under the open topic, proposals are welcome to testing/validate tools, technologies and data used in cross-border prevention, preparedness and responses to climate/geological/accidental fire disasters and chemical, biological or radiological emergency threats (including medical countermeasures) by different practitioner’s sectors in view of demonstrating their interoperability in real-case situations, with focus on the use of AI and ML tools, miniaturized sensors for threat detection and victim identification, and communication (including cross-border emergency communications).
• Proposals are expected to address one of the following options focused on testing/validation of tools and technologies, and demonstration of their interoperability:
  • Option a:
    • Use of artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) tools to support first responder’s analysis, planning and decision making;
  • Option b:
    • Miniaturized sensors for threat detection and victim identification;
  • Option c:
    • Information exchange/Communication among first responders in a reliable, secure and universal way, and cross-border emergency communications;
  • Option d:
    • Alert system to detect CBRN threats, integrating different systems at national, regional and European levels.
• Adapted to the nature, scope and type of proposed projects, proposals should also convincingly explain how they will plan and/or carry out demonstration, testing or validation of developed tools and solutions. Furthermore, proposals should outline the plans to develop possible future uptake and upscaling at national and EU level for possible next steps once the project is finalised. Proposals should also consider, build on if appropriate and not duplicate previous research, including but not limited to research by other Framework Programmes’ projects. Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged in order to avoid duplication and to exploit complementarities as well as opportunities for increased impact.
• Proposals funded under this topic are expected to engage beyond the project consortium with disaster management authorities, Industry/SMEs and Standardisation Organisations during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the Disaster Risk Reduction community.
• To ensure the active involvement of and timely feedback from relevant practitioners, i.e., First Responders with expertise in the different types of natural or human-made threats, proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable consisting in the assessment, performed by the practitioners involved in the project, of the project’s mid-term outcomes.

Funding Information

• Budget (EUR) – Year 2025: 13 500 00
• Contributions: around 4500000

Expected Outcomes

• Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcome(s):
  • Enhanced European and global interoperability of existing tools and technologies and improved capacities to prevent, better prepare and respond to different types of disasters (natural and human-made) by various practitioners (e.g., firefighters, medical responders, civil protection).

Eligibility Criteria

• Entities eligible to participate:
  • Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from nonassociated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic.
  • A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
• To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
• To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
  • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions:
    • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
  • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States:
    • Aruba (NL), Bonaire (NL), Curação (NL), French Polynesia (FR), French Southern and Antarctic Territories (FR), Greenland (DK), New Caledonia (FR), Saba (NL), Saint Barthélemy (FR), Sint Eustatius (NL), Sint Maarten (NL), St. Pierre and Miquelon (FR), Wallis and Futuna Islands (FR).
  • countries associated to Horizon Europe;
    • Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

For more information, visit EC.