Demand-led innovation in security
Horizon Europe · Cluster 3 – Civil Security for Society · HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-SSRI-03
Funding for public buyers to jointly commission and validate innovative civil security technologies through pre-commercial procurement.
This call is announced but not open yet. Dates and conditions can still change.
What is this call about?
The topic funds a pre-commercial procurement action through which public buyers commission the development and validation of innovative civil security technologies. It is aimed at groups of civil security practitioners and public procurers, and opens the market to SMEs and startups as suppliers.
What does this call fund?
Scope
The topic funds a pre-commercial procurement (PCP) action in which public procurers jointly buy research and development services and innovative civil security technology solutions. Proposals should build on earlier Horizon Europe coordination actions that prepared the ground for PCP in security.
What proposals should show
- Interest from a wider community of potential buyers beyond the beneficiaries, willing to adopt mature solutions jointly.
- An analysis of the state of the art and the market, with a range of technical alternatives.
- Clear evidence that the challenge needs a PCP action, and a consolidated group of practitioners and procurers committed to it.
- Cooperation with policymakers to strengthen national policy frameworks and mobilise national budgets for innovation procurement.
- Open market consultations completed in at least three EU Member States.
Project stages
- A short preparation stage to finalise the tender documents and the validation procedures for prototypes.
- A call for tenders leading to competitive development of at least 2 prototypes from 2 different providers, through design, integration and verification, and validation in a real operational environment.
- Consolidation of results and a strategy for uptake, including technical specifications, standardisation needs and joint cross-border procurement.
Deployment commitments
Procurers should state whether they will buy solutions within the PCP, launch a follow-up procurement, adopt solutions without procurement, or offer incentives for others to adopt them. In these cases a fast-track PCP (for example 2 instead of 3 phases) is possible. Where end-users outside the consortium, such as citizens, are given incentives to adopt solutions, financial support to third parties of up to €100,000 may be used.
Technology readiness
Activities are expected to reach TRL 6-8 by the end of the project.
What are the key facts?
- Topic budget
- €5,830,000
- Funding per project
- €5,830,000
- Call code
- HORIZON-CL3-2027-01-SSRI-03
- Programme
- Horizon Europe
- Expected number of projects
- 1
Who can apply for this call?
- Proposals come from a consolidated group of civil security practitioners and public procurers with shared needs, committed to the PCP process.
- Open market consultations should be completed in at least three EU Member States.
- The call for tenders should envisage competitive development leading to at least 2 prototypes from 2 different providers, validated in a real operational environment.
- Applicants should clarify the measures that ensure compliance with the principles of the EU public procurement rules, particularly those on PCP.
Check your eligibility and how your project fits
In your free account, we check the eligibility conditions against the call documents for your organisation and assess how well your project fits this call.
When is the deadline?
4 November 2027 (364 days)
4 November 2027 (single-stage submission).
Interested in this call? Summary written with AI from the official call documents. Details can differ, so check the official call page before you apply. Read the official call documents before you decide. The official text is always binding.
Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the official call documents. Official call page Last updated 6 October 2026.