Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Digital Europe Programme is the first EU programme that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe.
Worth €7.6 billion (in current prices), the Programme is a part of the next long-term EU budget, (the Multiannual Financial Framework), and it covers 2021 to 2027. It will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society.
The Programme is fine-tuned to fill the gap between the research of digital technologies and their deployment, and to bring the results of research to the market – for the benefit of Europe’s citizens and businesses, and in particular SMEs. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The objective is to enable the adoption of PQC in industrial sectors like automotive, automation, finance, control systems or energy. The overarching aim is to seamlessly integrate PQC systems, equipment, components, protocols, and network technologies into existing digital security and communication networks.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals should focus on the integration of a standardised PQC protocol into the digital security and communication networks in the automotive, automation, finance, or energy sector, while taking into account specific needs of the sector, such as necessary keys strength and keys management. Proposals should cover the development or adaptation of the required software/hardware and the validation of the solution in a large-scale demonstrator. This includes creating an inventory of assets requiring protection with a quantified level of risk, a migration plan for both the migrating entities and their suppliers and customers, taking into account data protection policies, contributing to the development of standards and certification.
Successful consortia are expected to raise awareness on the need to transition to PQC and share their experience and best practice.
This action aims at the creation of a technology that will be used to protect the cybersecurity of critical industrial assets with a new paradigm that is set to be a game changer in encryption.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
Simple grant — 50% funding rate indicatively
Project budget (maximum grant amount): between €5 million and €7 million per project but other amounts are not excluded.
The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested. The minimum budget for each topic as listed above is strongly recommended.
Thematic Categories
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Eligibility For Participation Notes
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)
- EEA countries (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein)
Targeted stakeholders: This topic targets Post Quantum Cryptography stakeholders, industrial players, including SMEs and start-ups, and relevant actors that play a role in the PQC integration and standardisation process.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Directorate of Research and Innovation
Eleana Gabriel
Telephone: +357 22 691918
Email: egabriel@dmrid.gov.cy