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 of the topic is to continue to support national Safer Internet Centres (which may be composed of one or more NGOs, government bodies/agencies, private sector organisations) in providing online safety information, educational resources, public awareness tools and counselling and reporting services (through dedicated helplines and hotlines) for children and youth, parents/carers, teachers and educators, and other professionals working with children. The activities performed by the Safer Internet Centres will help minors to tackle online risks and to become media-literate, resilient, digital citizens, and will allow citizens to anonymously report online child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Detailed Call Description
The funding will ensure the continuation of the well-established European network of national Safer Internet Centres, by enabling the awarded consortia to provide at least:
- A centre for raising awareness among children, youth, parents, carers, teachers and educators as well as other relevant professionals working with children about online opportunities and risks for those under 18s. The focus will be to identify and address:
- online opportunities by fostering digital literacy to help children and youth to develop their digital skills and competences and to actively participate by giving them a say in the digital environment;
- specific and general emerging opportunities and risks (e.g. new apps and games, but also AI, virtual, augmented and extended reality, the internet of things and other technological changes raising new social and ethical challenges that impact children and youth);
- issues such as mental and physical health risks related to the use of technologies (e.g. self-generated sexualised content, live streaming of violent and age-inappropriate content, self-harm, addiction, cyberbullying, hate speech, risky online challenges, promotion of eating disorders);
- risks facing children as young consumers (e.g. incentives to spend money, aggressive marketing strategies, loot boxes) on which specific attention will be paid.
- A helpline to give advice and support to parents and children on issues related to children’s use of digital technologies and services. The helpline will also strengthen support to victims of cyberbullying, with closer cooperation with the national 116111 service being required.
- A hotline for tackling CSAM (i.e., receiving, analysing, and processing reports of such material). Closer cooperation with law enforcement and the private sector should be further explored in the context of the EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse and the proposed new legislation.
(further details in the call document p. 14-17)
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
50%
Maximum grant amount per project: between €80 000 and €1 350 000
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Justice - Security
Eligibility for Participation
- Associations
- Educational Institutions
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Private Bodies
- State-owned Enterprises
- Youth
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)
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature
Οne or more NGOs, government bodies/agencies, private sector organisations.
Targeted stakeholders: Existing or new Safer Internet Centres in the eligible countries.
The consortium should also provide a youth panel to engage directly with children from different demographic groups, including the organisation of regular youth participation activities, allowing them to express their views and pool their knowledge and experience of using online technologies.
The consortium shall also support implementation of the relevant Digital Services Act (DSA) obligations, under guidance from the European Commission on the methodology to be applied. This may include carrying out tests related to certain specific provisions under the DSA aimed at protecting minors.
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