Deadline Date: November 5, 2026
The European Commission is seeking applications to strengthen Europe’s civil security communications through the development of a secure, interoperable, and resilient European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS).
The focus areas of this initiative include the creation of an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems, advancement of next-generation communication capabilities, development of mission-critical communication devices and applications, support for interoperability through 3GPP Mission Critical Services (MCX) and open APIs, enhancement of real-time communication for law enforcement and emergency responders, integration of wearable sensors, haptics, and augmented reality technologies, implementation of post-quantum cryptography for secure authentication and data exchange, support for communication in environments without cellular infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and gender-sensitive solutions, facilitation of cross-agency and pan-European collaboration, and contribution to relevant standardisation processes.
The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) represents a strategic effort to establish a unified communication infrastructure capable of supporting critical public safety and civil security operations across Europe. The initiative is designed to provide reliable and secure communication capabilities for law enforcement agencies, first responders, emergency services, and other critical sectors, particularly in challenging and high-risk operational environments.
The action funded under this topic will focus on the development of advanced communication devices and applications tailored to the operational needs of practitioners from different civil security disciplines. These solutions are expected to go beyond current communication technologies by introducing ruggedized and specialized devices equipped with hands-free functionalities, wearable sensors, haptic technologies, and augmented reality features to improve situational awareness during operations.
The project will also address the growing need for secure communications by incorporating advanced post-quantum cryptographic protocols to protect authentication systems and data exchange processes. The solutions are expected to maintain high availability and resilience even in areas where commercial network coverage is limited or unavailable. Compatibility with the future EUCCS framework is essential, particularly through the use of 3GPP Mission Critical Services and open platform architectures that support interoperability.
Collaboration with first responders and operational practitioners will play an important role in ensuring that the developed technologies effectively respond to real operational challenges. The initiative also emphasizes inclusiveness and gender-sensitive design approaches to ensure that communication systems meet the needs of diverse user groups across Europe.
Funding is available under HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-04 – HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of approximately €3,000,000 per project. The call follows a single-stage submission process, opening on 6 May 2026 and closing on 5 November 2026.
Eligibility for participation is open to any legal entity, including entities from non-associated third countries and international organisations, provided that the conditions established under the Horizon Europe Regulation and the specific topic requirements are fulfilled. Beneficiaries and affiliated entities are required to register in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) before signing the grant agreement.
For more information, visit European Commission.
