CFPs: Innovative Countermeasures for CBRN Threats – Detection and Diagnosis

This action will focus on supporting advanced research on threat-agnostic medical countermeasures against CBRN agents and platform approaches to treat injuries from CBRN agents. The objective is to improve the Union’s readiness to respond to intentional health threats, including cross-border ones, by supporting the development of medical countermeasures to biological, chemical and radio-nuclear agents for which there currently are no or only limited treatment options. The focus of sub-topic c) is on detection and diagnosis.

The range of activities include an end-to-end approach to bridge the gap between advanced research, innovation, market access and deployment by supporting advanced research and development (‘R&D’) to support the development of medical countermeasures, involving end users and security practitioners to bring the research products closer to market readiness, and supporting research into market readiness or facilitating tech and entrepreneurial skills development. This will be done in synergy with relevant Horizon Europe and European Defence Fund actions.

Specific action-level indicators for reporting purposes include number of diagnostic tools developed against CBRN threats in this topic’s scope, number of CBRN threats that the tool can detect, number of patent applications filled, and number of conformity assessment procedures undertaken.

This action is expected to increase the preparedness of the Union to respond to CBRN threats and improve the availability of medical countermeasures against these threats. It should advance one or more medical countermeasures against CBRN threats along the steps towards regulatory approval and market readiness. For detection and diagnostics, a special focus is on tests that can rapidly detect individual or broad range of chemical and biological agents, including biotoxins.

Type of applicants targeted: secondary or higher education establishments, research organisations, hospitals, expert networks including ERNs, security practitioners, end users, other private entities or public bodies and public authorities. Proposals under this action that are eligible and exceed the evaluation thresholds will be awarded a STEP Seal, aimed at increasing their visibility and helping them attract alternative or additional public and private investments.

The total budget available for this sub-topic is EUR 1,000,000, with an expectation to fund one grant agreement. Projects should be maximum 24 months, though durations up to 48 months may be justified by the nature and expected duration of the proposed activities. Eligible applicants include legal entities established in EU Member States, EEA countries, or other countries associated with the EU4Health Programme. Applications must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before the deadline of 4 December 2025 at 17:00 CET. Proposals are evaluated on relevance, quality, and impact, with only those passing the thresholds being considered for funding.

For more information, visit EC.