Open topic for role of the human factor for the resilience of critical infrastructures
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-INFRA-02
- Programme
- Civil Security for Society
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Closed (31094503)
- Opening Date
- June 12, 2025
- Deadline
- November 12, 2025
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €6,000,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €6,000,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €6,000,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 1
- Keywords
- HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-INFRA-02HORIZON-CL3-2025-01Crisis management operationsCritical Infrastructure Protection (CIP)Cyber Defence systemsFirst respondersOperator trainingOperators of critical infrastructurePolicy and SupportProtection of areas and infrastructuresResilience aspectsSecurityTraining
Description
Projects’ results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following outcomes:
- Critical infrastructure is more resilient to natural hazards, intentional and accidental harmful human actions, including cyber attacks;
- Infrastructure operators and authorities have better understanding of human factor for the critical entities resilience;
- Infrastructure operators and authorities have access to improved risk and threat assessment, and forecast;
- Infrastructure operators and authorities have access to increased post-incident investigation capabilities contributing to better crisis prevention;
- Insider threats are effectively tackled, including through innovative, cost-efficient systems for background checks that are in full compliance with privacy;
- Training curricula for infrastructure operators, authorities and/or first responders are developed.
Under this open topic, proposals are invited to address new challenges, and/or develop innovative solutions or strengthen capabilities to tackle existing challenges taking into account the human factor, for the benefit of resilience of critical infrastructures. The emphasis of the proposals should be on the human dependant abilities of critical infrastructure to cope with an adverse event, including their capacity to prepare for the crisis, absorb the impact, reduce the recovery time, and adapt by reducing future exposure and vulnerabilities.
To ensure the active involvement of, and timely feedback from relevant security practitioners, proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable consisting in the assessment, performed by the practitioners involved in the project, of the project’s mid-term outcomes.
Activities proposed within this topic should address both technological and societal dimensions of the tackled challenge in a balanced way. This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of related research and innovation activities.
Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged in order to avoid duplication, exploit complementarities, and use opportunities for increased impact. Similarly, coordination with projects funded under HORIZON-CL3-2025-INFRA-01-01: Open topic for improved preparedness for, response to and recovery from large-scale disruptions of European infrastructure.
Eligibility & Conditions
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
2. Eligible Countries
Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
The following exceptions apply: subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
The following additional eligibility conditions apply:
This topic requires involvement as beneficiaries of at least 3 relevant practitioners from at least 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Depending on the specific proposal submitted, these practitioners should represent one or several of the following portfolios:
- critical infrastructure operator,
- national or regional authority responsible for critical infrastructure resilience,
- civil protection authority,
- law enforcement or private companies delivering security for critical infrastructure.
For these participants, applicants must fill in the table “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all requested information.
If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
Described in the Work Programme 2025 – 6. Civil Security for Society.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
Described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
Described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
Described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
Described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 6. Civil Security for Society
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support & Resources
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant.
Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management.
Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular.
National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’).
Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding.
IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.
European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal.
The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers.
Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.
Latest Updates
Guidance for applicants - Clarifications on the topic related additional eligibility conditions
General information:
With reference to the topic related additional eligibility conditions, please note that it is full responsibility of the applicants to explain and justify how each project beneficiary fulfil the additional eligibility conditions. We invite you to fill in the Annex “Information about security practitioners” in the application form with all the requested information, by using the template provided in the submission IT tool.
Clarifications on the type of practitioners:
Critical infrastructure operator: In the context of the Work Programme, a critical infrastructure operator may be a private or public entity in charge of the management and operation of critical infrastructure (understood as an asset, facility, equipment, network or system, or a part of the aforementioned), providing essential service(s) to the society (please consult the CER directive for respective definitions).
Authority responsible for critical infrastructure resilience: In the context of the Work Programme, these entities are typically competent authorities designated by the EU Member States (or Associated Countries) in accordance with their national law, responsible for the resilience of critical infrastructure against a range of threats, such as natural hazards, human-induced disasters, criminal activities, hybrid attacks or public health emergencies.
Civil protection authority: In the context of the Work Programme, a Civil protection authority is typically a competent authority designated by the EU Member States (or Associated Countries) in accordance with their national law, responsible for the protection of people, the environment, or property against all kinds of natural and human-induced disasters. Along with the deployment of forces and equipment in response to an emergency, typical tasks also involve the planning, preparedness and recovery from such events.
Law enforcement or private companies delivering security for critical infrastructure: Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are typically national or regional authorities responsible for maintaining law and order, preventing and investigating crimes, and protecting citizens. Private companies providing security services are typically commercial entities that offer security services. Scale and form of security provided to critical infrastructure (critical entities) depends both on the adopted national model and critical infrastructure type. Some of the typical LEAs and/or private companies security services for critical infrastructure, include:
- Physical (parameter) protection;
- Cybersecurity services;
- Access control and area surveillance;
- Emergency response;
- Intelligence gathering