Development of ecosystem and next-generation capabilities for a secured European Critical Communication System in civil security

What is this call about?

The topic funds secure, ruggedised and interoperable communication devices and applications for first responders that work without cellular coverage and use post-quantum cryptography. Projects are expected to reach technology readiness level 6-8.

What does this call fund?

Scope

The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) is a flagship initiative to gradually build a unified, secure and interoperable communication infrastructure for public safety and civil security across Europe, giving law enforcement, first responders, emergency services and other critical sectors reliable real-time communication, even in challenging or high-risk environments. This topic supports an integrated ecosystem of secure and resilient communication systems for civil security operations and next-generation capabilities that are robust, scalable and interoperable, taking into account the EU's migration to post-quantum cryptography.

What the action develops

• Secure communication devices and applications designed for the needs of practitioners in different disciplines, going beyond current technology with specialised, ruggedised devices that support hands-free use, including wearable sensors, haptics and augmented reality for situational awareness.
• Devices that communicate where there is no cellular infrastructure, built to high security and trustworthiness standards, with cryptographic security based on post-quantum cryptography, and an inclusive, gender-sensitive approach to diverse users.
• Mission-critical solutions with high availability, resilience, data exchange and authentication secured by state-of-the-art post-quantum protocols, even with limited or no commercial network coverage.
• Full compatibility with the EUCCS, using 3GPP Mission Critical Services and open APIs to form a versatile, interoperable ecosystem, developed in close cooperation with first responders and open platforms to support cross-agency and pan-European collaboration.

The action should support relevant standardisation processes where possible, and proposals should address the applicable considerations in the introduction to the Strengthened Security Research and Innovation destination. Activities are expected to reach technology readiness level 6-8 by the end of the project.

Expected outcomes

Contributions to some or all of: an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems supporting civil security operations across Europe; and next-generation capabilities that are robust, scalable and interoperable for the critical civil security functions of the future EUCCS.

When is the deadline?

5 November 2026