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 this topic is to support the implementation of the proposed Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) through tools that support, and where possible automate, internal compliance procedures, including testing and specification drafting with focus towards European SMEs, in particular micro and small enterprises.
Detailed Call Description
This action aims at the design and development of tools to facilitate, and where possible automate, CRA compliance, with particular focus towards automated compliance tools that would ensure alignment with the CRA cybersecurity essential requirements and documentation obligations.
CRA compliance solutions are foreseen based either on technical specifications, training modules, and/or other relevant material. Tools for penetration testing, testing facilities and other cybersecurity practices, aligning with CRA requirements, are also in the scope.
Tools should be tailored towards needs of European SMEs, with a focus on micro and small enterprises, though also usable by broader stakeholder categories, such as:
- Manufacturers of relevant product categories falling within the scope of the CRA, including software developers.
- Others, such as distributors, importers, open-source community, etc.
CRA compliance tools should be made widely available on fair and reasonable terms and also take into consideration the specific needs of different stakeholders such as the behaviour of consumers, business users, and other relevant factors.
This action aims at the creation of tools that, amongst others, do penetration testing or document technical specifications with relation to cybersecurity, including for entities that are providers of essential services and critical infrastructures. As such tools and information could be exploited by malicious actors, they must be protected against possible dependencies and vulnerabilities in cybersecurity to pre-empt foreign influence and control. As previously noted, participation of non-EU entities entails the risk of highly sensitive information about security infrastructure, risks and incidents being subject to legislation or pressure that obliges those non-EU entities to disclose this information to non-EU governments, with an unpredictable security risk.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
SME support action grants — 50% of total eligible costs except for SMEs where a rate of 75% applies.
Project budget (maximum grant amount): indicatively between €2 and €3 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 in particular European SMEs but other applicants are not excluded.
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