Open Internet Stack Support For Scale (CSA)
HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions
Basic Information
- Identifier
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03
- Programme
- DIGITAL
- Programme Period
- 2021 - 2027
- Status
- Open (31094502)
- Opening Date
- January 15, 2026
- Deadline
- April 15, 2026
- Deadline Model
- single-stage
- Budget
- €1,000,000
- Min Grant Amount
- €1,000,000
- Max Grant Amount
- €1,000,000
- Expected Number of Grants
- 1
- Keywords
- HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DATA-03HORIZON-CL4-2026-04(user-centric) privacy preservationInternet Services & ApplicationsInternet architecturesOpen Source SoftwareTrustworthy ICT
Description
Projects results are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:
- A common approach and hub for cataloguing, packaging, reviewing and validating Open Internet Stack components and projects.
- Long term viability by advising on Open Source sustainability and maintenance models including business and foundation; Promotion of the EU and Associated Countries as ideal location for Open Source Foundation sieges.
- A common branding, marketing, training and communication plan ensuring consistent perception and scale-up.
A close interleave with policy development through a dedicated policy sandbox.
Scope:Applicants should devise a plan for:
- Cataloguing solutions in a structured and easy to discover way
- Performing security and accessibility audits on the selected solutions under the Open Internet Stack.
- Screening and selecting European funded Open Source projects, including by exploring the relevant Horizon Europe programmes, and devising a strategy for the Open Internet Stack to become a central hub for those solutions.
- Establishing links and mutual support with national, multi-country and pan-European initiatives supporting Open Source sovereign solutions.
- Advising on sustainability models (both for and non-for profit), on standardisation, licencing schemes, or localisation/internationalisation
- Elaborating a common branding with associated marketing and communication tool
- Developing training material on these solutions that stresses their value in terms of EU legislation compliance (GDRP, DSA/DMA, CRA…), security (e.g. reference to security audits, list of dependencies), use cases, funding/business model, deployment requirements (server side, user side), link to repository and community resource (maintainers, community manager, discussion board…). Training material will be tailored to each target audience: Operators of infrastructure, Integrators, Government & verticals IT, end users.
- Implementing measures to identify/attract technology adopters (e.g. services providers, integrators, OSPOs in governments/verticals) to become promoters of these technologies.
- Developing sandbox tools for ensuring smooth compliance-by-design of the Open Internet Stack with relevant existing or futures EU policies.
- Supporting Open Source awards scheme and sustainability models after the action is finished.
We consider that proposals with an overall duration of typically 36 months would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other durations.
Beneficiaries that intend to transfer ownership or grant an exclusive licence must formally notify the granting authority (i.e. DG-CNECT and HaDEA) before the intended transfer or licensing takes place and the granting authority may up to four years after the end of the action object to a transfer of ownership or the exclusive licensing of results.
Destination & Scope
Developing an agile and secure single market for data and trustworthy AI services is central to Europe’s digital sovereignty and competitiveness. The convergence of the Telco-Edge-Cloud continuum (3C) with open orchestration platforms will unlock the transformative potential of AI across strategic sectors, from mobility and energy to health and manufacturing, fostering new services and business models. Building a sovereign Open Internet Stack, rooted in open-source, interoperable and standard-based solutions, will reinforce trust, resilience and innovation, while ensuring Europe retains control over critical digital infrastructures. At the same time, decentralised and federated approaches to AI data processing, combined with breakthroughs in sustainable data centres, will help overcome Europe’s compute bottlenecks and dependencies, and reduce the environmental footprint of AI. By aligning with the Data Union Strategy and Common European Data Spaces, these efforts will deliver secure, compliant and adaptive data-sharing frameworks that empower citizens, businesses and administrations. Together, they will strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate, scale and lead globally in data and AI, anchoring digital sovereignty in line with EU values and strategic interests.
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.
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
Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
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
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are 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
The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
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 CSA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE CSA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. 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
Frequently Asked Questions About Open Internet Stack Support For Scale (CSA)
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.
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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.
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