Deadline Date: June 16, 2026
The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) initiative is offering a significant opportunity to advance research data sovereignty while enabling secure and efficient cross-border data sharing.
The focus areas of this initiative include the development and implementation of national, community, and institutional research data sovereignty frameworks harmonised with EU digital and data legislation and international agreements; demonstration and validation of adoption cases aligned with open science and FAIR data principles; development of harmonised governance frameworks for smooth enforcement of data sovereignty policies; creation of comprehensive data provenance tools to trace and verify data quality and lineage; preparation of templates and guidelines for secure and sovereign data management, including agreements and licensing; establishment of guidelines for classifying critical data and services and managing associated risks; analysis of data categories and definitions across scientific disciplines in compliance with EU and national security requirements; and recommendations for the establishment of a support centre integrated into the EOSC Federation.
Research data sovereignty ensures that data owners retain effective control over the usage and sharing of their data, particularly for personal or sensitive datasets. By implementing transparent and community-driven frameworks, this initiative strengthens open science practices, safeguards the quality of curated research data, and ensures compliance with relevant EU and national legislation. Data sovereignty mechanisms also enhance the resilience of research infrastructures against risks associated with access and preservation of critical data, including data generated or stored outside the EU/EEA.
The exponential growth of research data and increasingly cross-disciplinary collaborations have highlighted challenges in lawful, secure, and efficient cross-border data sharing. This initiative addresses those challenges by removing barriers while maintaining data sovereignty, enabling trusted scientific collaboration across EU member states and third countries where data protection is deemed sufficient.
Proposals under this initiative are expected to develop and implement harmonised frameworks, demonstrate adoption through concrete use cases, and provide governance structures and tools that ensure compliance, traceability, and secure handling of research data. Support and training for researchers and data stewards on EU and national legislation, licensing, and international agreements are also key components to promote effective data sharing and reuse. Integration with other European data spaces and adherence to best practices from EOSC are essential to achieve interoperability and sustainable data management practices.
The total funding available for this initiative is €10,000,000, with individual projects eligible for grants ranging from €3,000,000 to €5,000,000.
For more information, visit EC.
