Open topic on modern information and forensic evidence analysis and on frontline policing
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See in 5 min if you're eligible for Open topic on modern information and forensic evidence analysis and on frontline policing offering max €18.0M funding💰 Funding Details
Funding Description
Call Identifier: HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-FCT-01
Action Type: HORIZON-RIA (Research & Innovation Action)
Total Indicative Budget per Grant: *up to €18 million*
Submission Modality: Single-stage, opens 12 June 2025, deadline 12 November 2025 – 17:00 (Brussels time)
Purpose
The call finances disruptive R&I that *modernises information analysis, forensic evidence exploitation and frontline policing* across the EU. Proposals must select one of three dedicated options:
1. Option a – Advanced Technology Challenges (e.g. AI-driven intelligence fusion, quantum-safe evidence storage).
2. Option b – Modern Forensics Using Emerging Technologies (e.g. nanopore DNA analysis, trace digital twins). *Active involvement of forensic institutes is recommended.*
3. Option c – Modernisation of Frontline Policing (e.g. smart wearables, augmented-reality patrol support).
Expected Outcomes
• Validated, court-proof tools, skills and training curricula for police and forensic practitioners.
• Cross-border information-exchange mechanisms compliant with EU legislation & fundamental rights.
• Evidence-based regulatory insights for policy-makers.
Eligibility Highlights
* At least two Police Authorities from two different EU Member States/Associated Countries (your country) must be beneficiaries.
* If satellite data are used, Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS services are mandatory.
* Admissible length: 45 pages Part B (HE RIA template).
* Projects within Europol or EU Drugs Agency remit must plan structured engagement with the respective innovation labs.
Budgeting Tips
* Funding rate: 100 % of eligible direct costs + 25 % flat-rate indirect.
* Allocate ≥5 % to ethics, data protection, gender (where relevant) and security architecture.
* Ring-fence resources for *mid-term practitioner assessment* (mandatory deliverable).
📊 At a Glance
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🇪🇺 Strategic Advantages
EU-Wide Advantages & Opportunities for "Open topic on modern information and forensic evidence analysis and on frontline policing" (HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-FCT-01)
1. Single Market Access
- Scale of 450+ million citizens offers a unique test-bed and launchpad for solutions affecting policing, forensic science and information analysis.
- Harmonised data-protection and criminal-procedure frameworks (GDPR, e-Evidence, Prüm II) mean that once a tool is validated in one Member State it can be rolled out with minimal adaptation elsewhere, accelerating time-to-market.
- Opportunities for public-procurement of innovative security solutions (PPIs, PCPs) at EU level can translate successful pilots into contracts across multiple jurisdictions.
2. Cross-Border Collaboration & Knowledge Exchange
- Mandatory inclusion of ≥2 Police Authorities from ≥2 countries instantly embeds multinational end-user feedback loops, making outputs inherently interoperable.
- Direct engagement with Europol Innovation Lab and (where relevant) the EU Drugs Agency provides privileged access to cross-border intelligence datasets, operational scenarios and dissemination channels.
- Alignment with the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security, CEPOL, ENFSI and EACTDA enables joint training curricula, shared reference datasets and mutual recognition of forensic standards.
3. Alignment with Flagship EU Policies
- Security Union Strategy 2020-2025: contributes concrete capabilities for information-led policing and terrorism prevention.
- EU Data Strategy & Digital Europe Programme: leverages European common data spaces, AI regulatory sandboxes and High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) resources for large-scale analytics.
- European Green Deal & Fit-for-55: energy-efficient AI/edge computing and low-carbon mobile labs can be showcased, supporting twin (green-digital) transition targets.
- Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025: by integrating sex/gender analysis where relevant, projects support inclusive security innovations.
4. Regulatory Harmonisation & Standard Setting
- Participation in Horizon-funded Working Groups positions consortia to shape forthcoming standards (ISO/IEC, CEN) on digital forensics, AI transparency, body-worn sensors and chain-of-custody metadata.
- Court-proof evidence methodologies developed under uniform EU rules increase prosecutorial success rates and reduce appeals based on procedural discrepancies.
5. Access to Pan-European Innovation Ecosystem
- Synergies with 250+ existing Horizon security projects, EIT Digital nodes, DIH4AI network and Euro-Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) provide open APIs, datasets and testbeds.
- Cutting-edge labs (JRC, Fraunhofer, CEA-List, VTT, TNO, etc.) offer TRL elevation services, certification facilities and scalability mentoring.
6. Funding Synergies & Blended Financing Opportunities
- Digital Europe (DEP): up to €150 M available for AI Testing & Experimentation Facilities that can host large-scale validations post-RIA.
- Internal Security Fund (ISF): deployment funding for cross-border law-enforcement cooperation tools (ideal for post-project up-take).
- InvestEU & EIB Security Lending: low-interest loans to industrialise prototypes (software hardening, hardware production).
- Regional Smart-Specialisation funds (ERDF) can co-finance local piloting sites or technology adoption by SMEs.
7. Scale, Impact & Sustainability Potential
- EU-wide certification and practitioner validation facilitate swift procurement via common purchasing channels (e.g., EUROPOL Innovation Procurement).
- Interoperable architectures (e.g., NGSI-LD, FIWARE) foster plug-and-play integration with national command-and-control and EU-level platforms (EURODAC, SIS II, future European Police Records Index System).
- Dissemination through EU Agencies guarantees visibility to 27 Ministries of Interior and 30+ associated countries—multiplying adoption chances.
8. Strategic Recommendations for Applicants
- Target a pan-EU pain point (e.g., AI-assisted triage of multilingual digital evidence, quantum-resilient chain-of-custody) that no single Member State can solve alone.
- Plan early for standardisation by allocating WP to CEN/TC 419-Digital Forensics liaison or ISO/IEC SC42.
- Design for scalability: cloud-native, micro-service architectures deployable on GAIA-X compliant infrastructure.
- Leverage complementary funds: outline a DEP or ISF follow-up for deployment, strengthening excellence & impact sections.
- Commit to open science & open code (where security-appropriate) to accelerate peer validation and uptake under the EU Open Research Data policy.
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Working at EU scale under this call not only maximises scientific excellence but also unlocks regulatory, financial and market mechanisms that no purely national initiative can match, dramatically increasing the probability of sustainable uptake and systemic impact across the Union.
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Ready to Apply?
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See in 5 min if you're eligible for Open topic on modern information and forensic evidence analysis and on frontline policing offering max €18.0M funding