Who can apply for funding under national calls and European Union programs?

Funding opportunities are open to a wide range of applicants - private enterprises, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, scientific and educational institutions, as well as partnerships between them. Each fund, each call or procedure has specific conditions and requirements, so it is important to analyze the eligibility and potential of the applicant in advance.

What does "eligibility of costs" mean and why is it important?

The eligibility of costs is one of the most strictly controlled aspects of any project. Only costs that are directly linked to the activities carried out within the eligible period and supported by correct documentation can be recognized. NORTAN experts perform detailed verification and ensure compliance with the requirements of the governing authorities, which reduces the risk of financial corrections.

What are the main stages in managing an EU-funded project?

The project cycle goes through several key phases: 1. Analysis of client needs and identification of suitable financing opportunities; 2. Development of a project idea and preparation of a proposal; 3. Assessment and approval by the Managing Authority; 4. Implementation, monitoring and control of activities; 5. Final reporting and sustainability of results. NORTAN Ltd offers comprehensive support at every stage - from concept to successful completion of the project.

What are the most common reasons for project proposals being rejected?

Among the most common errors are incomplete or incorrect documentation, a mismatch between the project objectives, the scope and priorities of the program, as well as incorrect budget structuring, which includes expenses for remuneration, the purchase of equipment and other external services. Our team conducts a thorough analysis before submitting the project proposal to ensure full compliance and increase the likelihood of approval.

How does the project reporting and control process work?

Reporting includes the presentation of detailed technical and financial reports that demonstrate the implementation of activities and the achievement of results. NORTAN provides methodological and expert support throughout the entire process, from documentation preparation to communication with governing bodies, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and legality at the completion of each project. NORTAN Ltd. experts, with proven experience in writing technical and financial reports, provide full support in their preparation and reporting to the competent institutions.

What is cascade funding?

Cascading Funding is a mechanism where the European Commission provides funds to a lead beneficiary (usually a consortium), which then distributes part of these funds to third parties (SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, researchers) through open calls for applications. This type of funding is widely used in programs such as Horizon Europe and Digital Europe and is also known as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) .

Do you work with municipalities?

Yes, we work with municipalities and municipal enterprises , providing expert support in project development and implementation, including strategic planning, application and subsequent management.

Do you work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

Yes, we work with non-governmental organizations , including foundations and associations, in preparing and implementing projects in areas such as social activities, education, culture, innovation and sustainable development.

Do you work with other organizations?

Yes, in addition to SMEs, municipalities and NGOs, we also work with: • universities and scientific organizations; • public institutions and agencies; • startups and innovative companies; • consortia and partnerships on international projects.

What does co-financing mean?

Co-financing is the part of the project budget that is not covered by European funding and is provided by the beneficiary or other sources.

What are eligible costs?

These are costs that: • are directly related to the project; • were made within the eligibility period; • comply with the rules of the relevant program; • are duly documented.

Over €56 million available to strengthen European cybersecurity capabilities

8 hours ago
3 min read

For universities, research centres, technology companies, SMEs, start-ups, public authorities, NGOs and industry associations (in consortium) | Budget – €56.2 million | TRL 2–6 (RIA) and TRL 6–8 (IA) | Cybersecurity, Secure AI and Cryptography | Deadline – 15.09.2026

Three calls for proposals with a total budget of €56.2 million have opened under the 2026 Horizon Europe annual work programme, part of Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society. The calls aim to strengthen European cybersecurity capabilities and protect digital systems, infrastructures and data.

Project proposals are sought for the development of new technologies, tools and methods that protect networks, software and hardware from cyberattacks; increase the resilience of critical digital infrastructures; ensure data privacy and protection; and strengthen the EU’s technological sovereignty in cybersecurity.

The calls are:

Approaches and tools for security in software and hardware development and assessment (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-01)

Projects are sought in one or both of the following areas:

Secure hardware systems through trusted chips

Development of new chip and processor architectures resistant to manipulation; exploration of new secure microprocessor designs;
Increasing transparency in the supply chain for chip manufacturing and integration;
Creating methodologies for assessing hardware security based on the “security by design” principle;
Developing methods and tools for efficient non-destructive authentication and physical analysis of integrated circuits and multi-chip modules (chiplets);
Developing technical solutions to ensure hardware supply chain security and secure PQC implementations.

Software supply chain security

Development of innovative tools for real-time vulnerability detection and automated remediation;
Improving the security of software frameworks, including protection against quantum threats;
Enhancing resilience against cyber threats in supply chains.

Budget: €20 million. Up to 5 projects will be funded.

Enhancing the security, privacy and robustness of AI models and systems (SecureAI) (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-02)

The aim is to strengthen the resilience of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and algorithms against various threats and attacks by:

Developing robust AI models resistant to adversarial attacks;
Improving the detection of manipulated or tampered training data;
Addressing the concept of private AI by developing mechanisms that allow AI models to be trained, deployed and operated in privacy-preserving environments, especially for sensitive use cases such as government and corporate environments.

Budget: €21.2 million. Up to 5 projects will be funded.

Advanced cryptographic schemes and highly secure high-speed cryptographic implementations (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-03)

Projects will be funded for the development of new digital signatures and advanced cryptographic schemes suitable for wallets and electronic identifiers with applications in privacy and business. They should focus on one of the following technological areas:

Design and implementation of advanced post-quantum cryptography (PQC) schemes and protocols for enhanced security and privacy;
Development of a unified specification language for formalizing and documenting cryptographic safety and security conditions in software applications.

Budget: €15 million. Up to 4 projects will be funded.

The first and third calls are Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and support collaborative activities aimed at establishing new knowledge or exploring the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product, process or solution. In these projects, development has not yet reached the stage of a commercial product (TRL 2–6). Funding covers 100% of eligible costs.

The second call is an Innovation Action (IA) and will support activities aimed at developing plans or designs for new, modified or improved products or processes. These are close-to-market projects (TRL 6–8) aimed at commercialization shortly after the project ends. Funding covers 70% of eligible costs.

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

Technology Readiness Levels include:

TRL 2 – technology concept and/or application formulated;
TRL 3 – experimental proof of concept;
TRL 4 – technology validated in a laboratory environment;
TRL 5 – technology validated in a relevant environment;
TRL 6 – technology demonstrated in a relevant environment;
TRL 7 – prototype demonstrated in an operational environment;
TRL 8 – system complete and qualified;
TRL 9 – system proven in an operational environment.

Eligible applicants include universities and research centres, technology companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, public authorities, NGOs, industry associations, and others from EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe. Applications must be submitted by consortia of at least three organisations from different countries.

The deadline for submitting project proposals is 15 September 2026, 17:00 (Central European Time) via the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal.

Over €56 million available to strengthen European cybersecurity capabilities

Approaches and tools for security in software and hardware development and assessment (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-01)

Enhancing the security, privacy and robustness of AI models and systems (SecureAI) (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-02)

Advanced cryptographic schemes and highly secure high-speed cryptographic implementations (HORIZON-CL3-2026-02-CS-ECCC-03)

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

Environmental Investments in the Processing of Agricultural Products

Support for Modernization and Processing of Agricultural Products