Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (EU-Rail) aims to deliver, via an integrated system approach, a high-capacity, flexible, multimodal, sustainable, reliable and integrated EU railway network for European passengers and cargo.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The coordination and supporting actions of the project stemming from this topic shall deliver the following:
- Programme Management Office (PMO) Functions
- Set up and operate a central coordination function to oversee timelines, dependencies, and progress across planning of FRMCS future deployment activities.
- Capacity Mapping & Planning Analysis
- Develop and distribute sector-wide surveys (by sending out questionnaires) to gather data on deployment plans, readiness, and capacity. Analyse responses and identify gaps and challenges across Member States and cross-border situations.
- Independent Cost and Time Driver Study
- Conduct a study to assess cost structures and investment drivers relevant to FRMCS implementation across different operational contexts (in particular on-board assets).
- Conduct relevant Cost Business Analyses.. Analyse main factors that determine the required rollout timeline and measures to optimise those.
- Stakeholder Management
- Facilitate cooperation among rail and telecom stakeholders, as well as with relevant associations.
- Communication & Dissemination
- Support targeted communications for the FRMCS Deployment Group and Organise outreach and engagement with the broader sector to raise awareness and share developments.
- Deployment Guidelines Toolbox
- Support the development a non-binding set of practical guidelines and migration scenarios to support railway undertakings and infrastructure managers in their transition to FRMCS.
- Expertise & Technical Support
- Provide subject-matter expertise on key domains including, but not exclusive: System authorisation, Cybersecurity, RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety)
- European Deployment Dashboard
- Support the establishment and maintenance an online dashboard to: Report on deployment readiness and progress and rack national initiatives and alignment with European goals
- Knowledge Sharing and Acceleration
- Gather and share test results, best practices, and lessons learned and promote early implementation and innovation in FRMCS assets.
- Risk & Deviation Management
- Support the development of frameworks for identifying, reporting, and mitigating risks and deviations across the deployment chain.
- Develop market readiness
- Support the identification of measures needed to be address by the market for ensure a swift FRMCS deployment. This activity should be framed in the context of the anticipated short time frame to conduct the migration from GSM-R to FRMCS that may lead to a high demand on scarce resources in different fields.
Detailed Call Description
The coordination and supporting action of the project stemming from this topic shall :
- Provide support for the activities of the European FRMCS Deployment Group, ensuring well-organised planning, effective execution, and continuous monitoring of all actions related to deployment.
- More specifically, support the EU-RAIL FRMCS deployment subgroup on the :
- Analysis of (current) Infrastructure, rolling stock, industry and workshop capacity for (fast, easy and cost effective) deployment. Estimate necessary capacities
- Definition of sound and acceptable solutions for the acceleration and simplification of authorisation,
- Delivery of cost analyses, CBA and risk assessments
- Development of toolbox with diverse migration scenario’s (greenfield and brownfield situations)
- Delivery of analyses of plans/installations of currently dedicated –not aligned- cross-border connection interfaces and of public-private mobile networks interfaces
- Alignment with other major rail upcoming investments for EU system programmes and cooperation with stakeholders
Interaction with the Flagship Area 2, System Pillar and Deployment Group
The action to be funded under this topic shall foresee strong interaction with and support to the EU-RAIL High-Level and its FRMCS Deployment Subgroup.
The action to be funded under this topic shall foresee strong interaction with the projects included in the Flagship Area 2.
The action to be funded under this topic shall exchange regularly with the EU-RAIL System Pillar especially on the interface between the System Pillar Task 2 activities and the EU-RAIL FRMCS Deployment Subgroup.
Gender dimension
In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
60%
Thematic Categories
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Transport
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Educational Institutions
- International Organisations
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The general admissibility and eligibility conditions are described in Annex A, Annex B and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
For additional information about the eligibility conditions and the special skills and/or capabilities expected from the applicant(s) under each call, please visit the description of the topic of your interest in the Europe’s Rail Work Programme 2025-2026 (the link can be found under the “Further information” section of this email).