Deadline: 21-Nov-2024
The European Commission (EC) is offering grants to support the implementation of Multi-Country Projects (MCPs) under the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL).
Objectives
- The topic aims to facilitate the implementation of Multi-Country Projects, including where the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs), have been chosen as implementation mechanism. The selected projects should be implemented either by an EDIC or by a consortium which includes at least three Member States. The projects selected for funding under this topic are expected to:
- address one of the key areas in which the Digital Europe Programme supports critical EU capacity building through large scale deployments;
- represent a high level of engagement from various Member States and a long-term sustainability for the project implemented;
- pool EU, national and/or private resources to achieve progress that no Member State could do on its own;
- reduce digital divides within and between Member States;
- prove a clear EU added value through their impact that no single entity nor Member State could achieve on its own;
- contribute to bridge the gap between large scale piloting and full deployment;
- support the consolidation of an interconnected, interoperable, and secure Single Market, considering to the extent possible the interests of public and private sectors.
- to the extent possible, support interoperability of data and digital infrastructure amongst the MCPs. Digital infrastructure might include data, high-performance computing, quantum computing, AI and connectivity;
- where relevant, support common operating models that promote fair data economy, cross-border services, digital public services, new business models, trust-based ecosystems, digital identity and a high level of personal data protection.
Scope
- The awarded proposals are expected to ensure that:
- they are compliant with the operational objectives outlined in the Regulation (EU) 2021/694 (Articles 4-8);
- they have a high potential to contribute to digital priorities of the Union provided for in the Digital Decade Policy Programme. Projects that involve higher number of Member States, either as members of an EDIC, or another MCP implementation mechanism, shall be considered as an indication of higher impact in this regard;
- the level of maturity of the project proposed – project is ready for deployment, as demonstrated by solid implementation strategies. Projects may include research and innovation activities, provided that they are necessary to the achievement of deployment objectives of the DDPP Decision;
- consolidate available capacities at EU and Member State level by building on existing initiatives and developing widely agreed frameworks and/or tools;
- coordinate with existing and future initiatives relevant for the project;
- coordinate with other relevant projects funded through Digital Europe Programme (e.g. Data Spaces Support Centre);
- have in place a long-term sustainability plan (which may be a part of an implementation strategy), which may include the setting up of an EDIC;
- address interoperability concerns that could hamper an EU wide deployment (if relevant to the proposed project).
Funding Information
- The estimated available call budget is EUR 25 000 000.
Outcomes and Deliverables
- Outcomes:
- Deployment of a few MCPs delivering fully functional digital infrastructure(s) or operational service(s). The projects are expected to prove a clear EU added value through their impact, that no single entity or Member State could achieve on its own. The projects shall contribute to the targets of the DDPP Decision.
- Deliverables:
- An implementation strategy covering at least the following:
- Description of actions and a timeline for their implementation;
- Tasks, roles and responsibilities of partners (if applicable);
- Milestones targets and deliverables;
- Key performance indicators (KPIs);
- Risk assessment, if necessary, with appropriate mitigation measures;
- Implementation modalities;
- Stakeholder mapping;
- A financial viability plan;
- A long-term sustainability plan.
- Blueprints for each of digital infrastructures, services or other distinct components of the project. These blueprints shall include: scope, objectives, resources and timeline. The blueprints shall complement the implementation strategy and shall focus on operational/technical modalities.
- A yearly impact report, covering the project as a whole, as well as each of digital infrastructures, services or other distinct components of the project.
- An implementation strategy covering at least the following:
KPIs to measure Outcomes and Deliverables
- Incremental contribution to the achievement of at least one of the Digital Decade targets.
- Number of Member States involved (either as members of a specific MCP implementation mechanism such an EDIC or as members of a consortium of Member States).
- Amount of funding mobilised (public and, where relevant, private).
- Number of relevant stakeholders (which may be split into relevant categories, as appropriate for a given project).
Activities
- The funding can cover the following categories of activities:
- Deployment and use of common EU digital infrastructures, including the underlying technologies, blueprint architecture, standards, tools and applications;
- Deployment and use of advanced EU wide services targeting their large-scale adoption including through industry and/or SMEs, and/or public administrations;
- Use of computing and processing capacities;
- Data generation, collection, aggregation and sharing;
- Creation, optimization of large data models;
- Normalisation and certification of services, digital infrastructures and/or data models;
- Deployment of trustworthy AI capacities and resources;
- Dissemination and exploitation of project results;
- Stakeholder engagement;
- Capacity building, including on legal and competitiveness matters;
- Any other activities that are necessary to the achievement of the objectives of the relevant Multi-Country Project.
Targeted Stakeholders
- Targeted stakeholder is any entity capable of contributing to the implementation of Multi-country Projects, thus facilitating the achievement of the general objectives and the digital targets, including in particular the user community of the digital infrastructures or services provided.
- As a consequence, categories of targeted stakeholders will depend on the Multi-Country Project targeted by the proposal.
- A stakeholder mapping shall be provided as part of the implementing strategy.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme
For more information, visit EC.