Open Call: Advancing Research Data Sovereignty and Secure Data Sharing in EOSC

The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) initiative offers €10 million in funding to support research data sovereignty frameworks, secure cross-border data sharing, and open science practices. Grants ranging from €3–5 million will fund projects that implement harmonised governance, data provenance tools, and compliance with EU digital legislation.

What is the EOSC Research Data Sovereignty Initiative?

The EOSC initiative aims to strengthen research data sovereignty while enabling secure and efficient cross-border sharing. It focuses on developing harmonised frameworks at national, community, and institutional levels, aligned with EU digital and data legislation, FAIR data principles, and international agreements. The initiative supports open science, transparent data governance, and resilient research infrastructures.

Key Focus Areas

• Development and implementation of research data sovereignty frameworks

• Demonstration of adoption cases aligned with open science and FAIR data principles

• Creation of harmonised governance frameworks for enforcing data policies

• Development of data provenance tools for verifying data quality and lineage

• Preparation of templates and guidelines for secure data management, licensing, and agreements

• Guidelines for classifying critical data and managing associated risks

• Analysis of data categories and definitions across disciplines in compliance with EU and national security requirements

• Recommendations for establishing a support centre integrated into the EOSC Federation

Why It Matters

Research data sovereignty ensures that data owners maintain control over usage and sharing, particularly for sensitive or personal datasets. Transparent and community-driven frameworks:

• Strengthen open science practices

• Safeguard curated research data quality

• Ensure compliance with EU and national legislation

• Enhance resilience of research infrastructures against risks related to access, preservation, and international storage of critical data

The initiative addresses challenges arising from the exponential growth of research data and cross-disciplinary collaborations, promoting secure, lawful, and efficient data sharing across the EU and third countries with sufficient data protection standards.

What Projects Are Expected to Do

Projects under this initiative should:

1. Develop and implement harmonised data sovereignty frameworks at institutional, community, or national levels

2. Demonstrate practical adoption through concrete use cases

3. Provide governance structures and tools ensuring compliance, traceability, and secure handling of research data

4. Offer training and support for researchers and data stewards on EU and national legislation, licensing, and international agreements

5. Integrate with other European data spaces and adhere to EOSC best practices for interoperability and sustainable data management

Funding Details

• Total Funding Available: €10,000,000

• Grant Range per Project: €3,000,000 – €5,000,000

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants include institutions, research communities, and consortia capable of implementing harmonised frameworks and adoption cases in compliance with EU and national data legislation. Projects should demonstrate the ability to manage large-scale research data securely while enabling cross-border collaboration.

How to Apply

1. Develop Proposal: Define objectives, expected outcomes, adoption cases, and governance frameworks

2. Demonstrate Compliance: Show alignment with EU digital and data legislation, FAIR principles, and data sovereignty standards

3. Submit Application: Follow the EOSC funding call guidelines

4. Implementation Plan: Include timelines, data management strategies, and integration with EOSC Federation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failing to demonstrate compliance with EU and national legislation

• Submitting proposals without concrete adoption cases

• Overlooking interoperability with EOSC standards

• Ignoring governance, traceability, or secure handling of sensitive data

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is research data sovereignty? Control by data owners over usage, sharing, and preservation of data, especially sensitive datasets.
2. What types of projects are eligible? Projects that develop harmonised frameworks, governance, and data provenance tools supporting open science.
3. What is the total funding and project range? €10,000,000 total; individual grants from €3,000,000 to €5,000,000.
4. Are international collaborations allowed? Yes, especially with countries meeting sufficient data protection standards.
5. Is compliance with FAIR principles required? Yes, all adoption cases should follow FAIR data principles.
6. Are training and support components necessary? Yes, projects must provide guidance for researchers and data stewards on legislation and licensing.
7. How should projects integrate with EOSC? Projects must align with EOSC best practices for interoperability, sustainable data management, and cross-border data sharing.

Conclusion

The EOSC Research Data Sovereignty initiative provides a strategic opportunity to develop frameworks, governance tools, and adoption cases that strengthen EU research data sovereignty while enabling secure, interoperable cross-border sharing. Funded projects will advance open science, enhance research infrastructure resilience, and ensure compliance with EU and international data standards.