Global Human Rights and EU values
Horizon Europe · Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society · HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-08
Funding for research on how EU trade, diplomacy and courts can better protect human rights and gender equality worldwide.
This call is announced but not open yet. Dates and conditions can still change.
What is this call about?
The topic funds research on how the EU can promote and protect human rights and gender equality worldwide through trade, diplomacy and accountability mechanisms. International cooperation is strongly encouraged.
What does this call fund?
Scope
Research, including by social sciences and humanities, should improve understanding of how global governance, trade, sanctions, conditionality and geopolitical interests affect human rights and gender equality, and identify new approaches to promoting and protecting them. Groups of concern include ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, refugees, women, LGBTIQ people, elderly persons and indigenous peoples.
Research areas
- The impact of trade and investment policies on human rights, including the Global Gateway infrastructure investment strategy, and on the perception of the EU as a values-based actor.
- Effective diplomatic strategies and cooperation frameworks.
- The role of national courts and international organisations in promoting accountability.
- Participatory research approaches may be used to improve inclusivity and stakeholder engagement.
Expected outcomes
- Policymakers develop mechanisms to investigate and prosecute international crimes and cooperation frameworks with third countries on humanitarian assistance, security and international law.
- Organisations in EU Enlargement, Neighbourhood and low- and lower middle-income countries are better able to support groups in a vulnerable situation and report human rights abuses.
- Human rights considerations are integrated into trade agreements, supply chains and labour standards.
Further expectations
- The research should cover the EU Neighbourhood (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in the East; Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia in the South) and low- and lower middle-income countries, with a focus on the Western Balkans and the accession countries.
- Proposals are encouraged to explore collaboration with related EU-funded projects.
What are the key facts?
- Topic budget
- €12,000,000
- Minimum amount per project
- €3,500,000
- Maximum amount per project
- €4,000,000
- Call code
- HORIZON-CL2-2027-01-DEMOCRACY-08
- Programme
- Horizon Europe
- Expected number of projects
- 3
Who can apply for this call?
- The call text sets no conditions of its own on who can apply; the general eligibility conditions of the programme apply.
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?
23 September 2027 (322 days)
23 September 2027 (single-stage). The planned opening date is 13 May 2027.
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 8 October 2026.