Support to Programme Execution on SESAR Architecture and on Strategic Deployment Planning and Monitoring

Deadline: 16 September 2025

The European Commission is inviting proposals for the Support to Programme Execution on SESAR Architecture and on Strategic Deployment Planning and Monitoring topic.

Scope

The scope covers deployment activities on the ATM Master Plan and the support to SESAR architecture activities (i.e., architecture modelling framework and support).
Regarding the support to SESAR 3 JU in the management of the SESAR architecture (e.g., common taxonomy maintenance, content integration analysis, etc.), the scope covers the following activities:
- Upon the explicit request of the SESAR 3 JU, maintain architecture modelling methodology and framework and extend it if justified by programme needs (e.g., supporting the cyber risk assessment of supporting assets).
- Monitor SESAR architecture modelling, consistency/coherency analysis of architectural information, etc., applying the methodology defined and agreed during DES IR1 call activities under project AMPLE-3, and documented in the SESAR project handbook.
- Monitor and report SESAR architecture progress at programme level, as the architecture modelling point of contact, within each SESAR 3 JU programme management team through monitoring and consolidation of each SESAR Solution architecture
- Support to SESAR 3 JU on monitoring the progress of the R&I programme on key dimensions of the ATM Master Plan such as trajectory based operations (TBO), dynamic airspace configuration levels, automation levels, etc
- (At the request of the SESAR 3 JU), contribute to maturity gates (as prioritised by SESAR 3 JU) to confirm that performance benefits and architecture progress are not only robust enough, but also aligned to the ATM Master Plan vision (i.e., performance ambitions and benefits, new service delivery model and target architecture), etc.).
On the deployment dimension, this includes supporting the SESAR 3 JU to report on deployment activities in both industrialisation and implementation. To achieve the expected outcomes, the activities to be performed under the leadership of the SESAR 3 JU will focus on the following areas:
- Main activities:
  - Support the SESAR 3 JU for the elaboration of the annual strategic deployment monitoring report, covering both voluntary deployment (e.g., by early movers associated to SDOs) and mandatory (e.g., regulated by Common Project CP1) deployment activities in both industrialisation (i.e., standardisation and regulation/certification) and implementation. This report should also establish a clear link and capture synergies with the implementation of the performance scheme and the mechanisms in place to monitor related investments (e.g., Performance Review Body (PRB) annual reports).
  - Encourage market uptake of SESAR Solutions throughout the European network, provide support in updating the SESAR Solutions catalogue and the SESAR 3 JU website, regarding links to deployment, as a communications and dissemination tool.
  - Support market uptake through deployment guidance (e.g., focusing on the human dimension of SDOs, etc.). Support on CBA activities in support of market uptake (e.g., keeping consolidated SDOs CBAs updated and deep-dive on some deployment actions when necessary to support market uptake) developing the required material for supporting decision makers. This may include network impact assessment activities, running integrated simulation on multiple SESAR Solutions, duly replicating observed real world operational environments to assess the impact that they could have at network level.
  - Support SESAR 3 JU in maintaining the links between standardisation and regulatory needs (and corresponding enablers) and the European ATM standards coordination group (EASCG) and the European UAS standards coordination group (EUSCG) rolling plans
- Additional support activities (on the request of the SESAR 3 JU):
  - Support (at the request of the SESAR 3 JU) other ad hoc strategic planning and monitoring activities (e.g., airspace architecture study-type activities, definition of future common project proposals where and when mandated, update of SRIA, etc.).
  - Support the alignment of the ICAO aviation system block upgrade with the evolution of the European ATM Master Plan.
  - Support preparation for performance impact plans on future reference periods (at national and ECAC levels).
  - Support to a potential ATM Mater Plan update campaign.

Funding Information

Budget (EUR) – Year 2025: 1 000 000
Contributions: 500000 to 1000000
The maximum project duration is 36 months.

Expected Outcomes

The proposals will contribute to the following expected outcomes in support of the SESAR 3 JU:
- Consistent SESAR architecture design (including when necessary, modelling) across the programme.
- Future Common Project regulations support the deployment of those strategic deployment objectives (SDO) elements that require a synchronised and harmonised rollout at European level.
- Involvement of ATM workforce through their professional staff in the deployment planning activities, training, and engagement to gain social acceptance of the changes envisaged by the SDOs.
- Focus should be paid on facilitating the market deployment of priorities (i.e., SDOs) by a critical mass of early movers.
- In doing that, the project should support the SESAR 3 JU in the coordination at technical level of all entities involved in deployment at European level (e.g., EASA, SDM, EUROCAE, EDA, CNS Programme and Network Managers):
  - Supporting S3JU in securing that Governing Board members are well informed at strategic level about the status of prioritised deployment activities defined in the European ATM Master Plan.
  - The European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPAS) of European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and its supporting standardisation framework is fully aligned with priorities and timelines of the Master Plan.
  - SES instruments work hand-in-hand (as from RP4) to promote investments on SDOs.
  - ATM functionalities within the scope of SDOs requiring global harmonisation are recognised in the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) as priorities for global harmonisation fostering the necessary adaptation of the global regulatory framework.

Eligibility Criteria

Entities eligible to participate:
- 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 .
Entities eligible for funding :
- 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, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom.