Digital Europe: Preparedness Support and Mutual Assistance, Targeting Larger Industrial Operations and Installations

Status2 - Open for application
ThemeCyber risk managementImplementation of - EU - cybersecurity legislationIT/OT securitySystem and chain securitySecure data-driven working
Organisation typeLarge enterpriseEducational institutionResearch institutionGovernment agencyStart-up / SMEFoundation / non-profit
Development phaseTRL 7-8 Deployment phaseTRL 9 Operations phase

This Digital Europe subsidy is for organisations working on improving cyber security by supporting parties in their preparation for cyber incidents. The subsidy also aims to help governments test for potential vulnerabilities.

Practical information

Application period: 04 July 2024 - 21 January 2025 17:00 CET
Budget: €35 million
Expected number of projects funded: 9
Estimated project duration: 36 months
Subsidy programme: Digital Europe

Conditions

This subsidy is specifically for organisations that distribute part of the subsidy to third parties (Financial Support for Third Parties).

This subsidy aims to strengthen cybersecurity by supporting parties in their preparation for cyberincidents. It involves developing or offering services to large industrial plants and infrastructures, operators of essential services and providers of digital services. The subsidy is also meant to help governments test for potential vulnerabilities.

Preparedness actions should benefit various entities, including SMEs and start-ups, in sectors identified as critical infrastructure sectors in the NIS2 regulation ((EU) 2022/2555), such as, energy, transport, and banking.

Projects must contribute to one or more of the following activities:

Development of scenarios for testing vulnerabilities in computer systems. These can be scenarios for networks, applications, virtualisation solutions, cloud solutions, industrial control systems and the Internet of Things.
Support for testing by entities managing critical infrastructure to identify potential vulnerabilities.
Support the introduction of digital solutions and infrastructure that enable the execution of testscenarios and conducting exercises. Consider cyber ranges or other testfacilities that mimic specific characteristics of critical sectors to conduct cyber exercises, especially in cross-border situations.
Evaluate and test cybersecurity capabilities of member states (including the ability to prevent, detect and respond to incidents).
Advisory services for improving infrastructure security and building and strengthening capabilities.

Read more about this call on the European Commission's Funding & Tender Portal (Topic-ID DIGITAL-ECCC-2024-DEPLOY-CYBER-07-LARGEOPER).

Submission criteria

Submitting in a consortium is not mandatory. However, we recommend you to consider submitting in a consortium. This is because the description of the subsidy states that a consortium proposal can increase the impact of the action.