Opportunities Horizon Europe 2026-27: Civil Security for Society (Cluster 3)

Horizon Europe 2026-27: Civil Security for Society (Cluster 3)

Calls available under Cluster 3, covering challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters.
Registration Details
06/05/2026 04/11/2027 00:00
Opportunity Type
Collaboration, Funding
Award
Funding of €1m-€8m per project is available, depending on the call.
Organisation
Horizon Europe
Sector
Work programme information and download

A Global Challenges theme

The European Commission has published all of the 2026-27 Horizon Europe Work Programmes, which list the funding opportunities under the 2026-27 call topics.

No matter your field – whether you’re a business, university, research institute, charity, or not-for-profit – you could be eligible to apply for Horizon Europe funding to advance your cutting-edge research and innovation, fostering lasting impact and meaningful change.

Our Innovate UK European Team and UK National Contact Points can support you with these exciting potential funding opportunities and help you get the most out of Horizon Europe.

Applying from the UK

UK organisations and businesses can apply for Horizon Europe funding, working as part of a consortium with at least three countries, one of which must be an EU Member State (see “Who can apply?” below). If you are interested in one of the calls and would like to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s European Programmes team.

For Cluster 3 several calls require the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of 2 or more Police Authorities, Border Guard, Coast Guard, and/or Civil Society Organisations from EU member states or associated countries. Please refer to the Cluster 3 work programme for full details of these requirements.

If you have formed a consortium and are ready to apply, you can do so via the Horizon Europe Funding and Tenders Portal. Click here to see all open Horizon Europe calls (you will need to search for the title of the call you are interested in).

Note that the calls listed below will not be open to applications before May 2026.

The Civil Security for Society Work Programme

Funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme for Cluster 3, this Work Programme document outlines the expected impacts as set out by Pillar 2 of the strategic plan and details specific calls for proposals and their relevant conditions to apply.

The available topics in Cluster 3, “Civil Security for Society”, are summarised below; for 2026-27, they have been subdivided into 6 Destinations. For further details on each call, view the 2026-27 Cluster 3 Work Programme. The calls in this cluster include some single-stage calls opening in May 2026 and closing in November 2026, and some single-stage calls opening in May 2027 and closing November 2027.

Destinations:

  • Effective management of EU external borders
  • Better protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism
  • Resilient Infrastructure
  • Cybersecurity (cross-cutting theme with no specific calls)
  • Disaster-Resilient Society for Europe
  • Strengthened Security Research and Innovation

Several of these calls require the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of 2 or more Police Authorities, Border Guard, Coast Guard, and/or Civil Society Organisations from EU member states or associated countries. Please refer to the Cluster 3 work programme for full details of these requirements.

There are no planned info days or consortium building events for Cluster 3 at present.

  • Unless otherwise provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in Horizon Europe actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:

    • at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State;
    • and at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries (this includes the UK).

    Our European team can help you find eligible partners to form a consortium.

    There may be further eligibility conditions for specific topics. Please check the Work Programme and contact our team to ensure your eligibility before applying. In particular, several Cluster 3 calls require the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of 2 or more Police Authorities, Border Guard, Coast Guard, and/or Civil Society Organisations from EU member states or associated countries. Please refer to the Cluster 3 work programme for full details of these requirements.

  • There are no current info days or consortium building events listed for Cluster 3 for the 2026-27 calls. This page will be updated with any planned events.

    You can also contact the UK NCP for Cluster 3 for updates and queries.

  • Single-stage calls opening 6 May 2026, deadline 5 Nov 2026
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-01: Improving capabilities of law enforcement to counter climate-related challenges. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-02: Open topic on preventing and countering the misuse of emerging technologies for criminal purposes, including issues related to lawful access to data. c.€4.5m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-03: Missing persons: prevention and investigation. c.€5m for a single project.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-04: Crime prevention approaches, online and off-line, tackling the nexus between addictions and crime. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-05: Enhancing the security of citizens against terrorism and lone-actor violence in confined spaces such as schools. c.€4.875m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-FCT-06: Prevention and mitigation of misuse of synthetic biology for bioterrorism purposes. c.€3m for a single project.
    Single-stage calls opening 5 May 2027, deadline 4 Nov 2027

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-01: Online harms detection and investigation tools using a short development cycle model. c.€7.833m for a single project.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-02: Community policing in diverse societies in Europe. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-03: Open topic on enhanced prevention, detection and deterrence of societal issues related to various forms of crime. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-04: Open topic on increasing security of citizens against terrorism, including in public spaces. c.€4.5m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-FCT-05: Effective and evidence-based responses to the increased availability and use of synthetic drugs and stimulants in Europe. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.

  • Single-stage calls opening 6 May 2026, deadline 5 Nov 2026
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-01: Advanced border surveillance and situational awareness. c.€6m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-02: Accessible and available travel facilitation. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-BM-03: Reliability of age assessment methods in the context of security and border management. c.€1.33m for a single project.
    Single-stage calls opening 5 May 2027, deadline 4 Nov 2027

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-01: Open topic on research and innovation for effective management of EU external borders that promotes fundamental rights and EU values. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-02: Trusted, secure, quality future digital travel credentials. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-BM-03: Detection and characterisation of threats or illegal/ smuggled goods in cargo. c.€3.5m per project for up to 4 projects.

  • Single-stage calls opening 6 May 2026, deadline 5 Nov 2026
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-01: Tools and processes to support stress tests of critical infrastructure. c.€4.835m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-02: Security challenges of the green transition in urban und peri urban areas. c.€4m for a single project.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-INFRA-03: Targeted innovative capabilities for the resilience of critical entities to natural and human-induced disasters, including hybrid scenarios. c.€4.5m per project for 2 projects.
    Single-stage calls opening 5 May 2027, deadline 4 Nov 2027

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-INFRA-01: Enhancing physical protection of critical infrastructures. c.€6m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-INFRA-02: Impact of malicious use of Open-Source Intelligence on critical infrastructure business continuity. c.€3.835m per project for 2 projects.

  • Single-stage calls opening 6 May 2026, deadline 5 Nov 2026
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-01: Designing new ways of risk awareness and enhanced disaster preparedness. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-02: Multi-hazard approach and cumulative / cascading impacts. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-03: Development of innovative tools, processes, equipment and technologies through responses to disasters and emergencies for search and rescue in hazardous conditions. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-04: Open topic on driving innovation uptake of disaster risk solutions. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-DRS-05: Climate security and civil preparedness – new ways to develop pre- and post-crisis climate-change related scenarios for a more resilient Europe. c.€4.5m for a single project.
    Single-stage calls opening 5 May 2027, deadline 4 Nov 2027

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-DRS-01: Open Topic on advanced protective gear optimized for CBRN-E (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives) environments and new generation of smart protective equipment for disaster responders. c.€3.835m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-DRS-02: Societal resilience, engagement of the younger generations and digital innovation for disaster resilience. c.€3m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-DRS-03: Enhancing decision support system for disaster crises: leveraging emerging technologies for improved civil preparedness and crisis management. c.€3m per project for 3 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-DRS-04: Enhancing preparedness for large-scale cross-border disasters. c.€4m per project for 2 projects.

  • Single-stage calls opening 6 May 2026, deadline 5 Nov 2026
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-01: Open topic on supporting disruptive technological innovations for civil security. c.€1.5m per project for 2 projects.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-02: Demand-led innovation in security. c.€5.83m for a single project.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-03: Public procurement of innovation for security. c.€2m for a single project.
    • HORIZON-CL3-2026-01-SSRI-04: Development of ecosystem and next-generation capabilities for a secured European Critical Communication System in civil security. c.€3m for a single project.
    Single-stage calls opening 5 May 2027, deadline 4 Nov 2027

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-SSRI-01: Accelerating uptake through open proposals for advanced SME innovation. c.€1.5m per project for 3 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-SSRI-02: Open grounds for future pre-commercial procurement of innovative security technologies. c.€1m per project for 2 projects.

    HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-SSRI-03: Demand-led innovation in security. c.€5.83m for a single project.

Work programme information and download

Get in touch

Contact IUK Business Connect’s European team for any enquiries.

Work programme information and download

Programme

This opportunity is part of Horizon Europe.

Explore information on the UK’s official Horizon Europe Hub to help guide you on your research and innovation journey.

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