NCC-NL: European funding for cybersecurity
The content of this page has been checked on 20 August 2026
Are you looking for international funding to boost your innovative cybersecurity solution? The European Union offers a wide range of funding opportunities for cybersecurity research, innovation, and market launch. Whether you are a startup, SME or established organisation, there may well be a programme that matches your ambitions. On this page, you can read more about European funding and how the Netherlands Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCC-NL) can help you find the right funding for your organisation.
What is European funding for cybersecurity?
The European Union (EU) provides grants to businesses, civil society organisations and public authorities to help achieve the objectives it has set for its various policy areas. The EU has stated that cybersecurity is fundamental to strengthening the Union's digital resilience. It has therefore made funding for cybersecurity innovation a priority.
Benefits of international funding
Compared with national funding, European funding offers several additional benefits:
- It enables organisations to learn from European frontrunners and gain access to a broader pool of European expertise and knowledge.
- European funding can provide access to larger funding sums.
- Participation in European projects helps organisations build an international network and develop cross-border partnerships.
- Projects funded at the European level contribute directly to the European Union's strategic objectives, enabling organisations to align their activities with broader European priorities.
- European funding can support longer-term investments and is often more structural in nature within specific policy domains. This can offer organisations greater continuity and enable them to develop and implement cybersecurity solutions over a longer period.
Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)
European grants often focus on specific stages of innovation and product development. Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) are used to indicate these specific stages. It is important for your project, product or idea to determine which stage you are at. The stages are divided into 4 main phases:
- 1-3 discovery phase
- 4-6 development phase
- 7-8 demonstration phase
- 9 deployment phase
Read more about TRLs (in Dutch)
EU funding programmes
The 2 main EU funding programmes for cybersecurity are the Digital Europe Programme and the Horizon Europe programme:
- The Digital Europe Programme has a specific work programme focused on cybersecurity.
- In the Horizon Europe programme, cybersecurity is included as part of the work programme for Cluster 3 (Civil Security for Society).
Below, we briefly explain the differences between the 2 programmes.
| Digital Europe Programme | Horizon Europe Programme | |
| General information | The aim of this programme is to bridge the gap between market implementation and research into digital technologies. The programme contributes to the digital transformation, whilst strengthening the EU's resilience. The focus is on the development and implementation of products and ideas. | Among other things, this programme aims to strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological bases, boost its capacity for innovation and enhance its competitiveness. |
| For whom? | Public institutions, private for profit organisations, research organisations, academic institutions and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). | Primarily research organisations and academic institutions. Also for profit organisations and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), |
| TRL level | 7 - 9 | 1 - 6 |
| Duration project | +/- 3 years | +/- 3 years |
| Budget | Total budget: € 8.1 billion, of which € 1.6 billion is allocated to cybersecurity for the period 2021-2027. | Cybersecurity is part of Horizon Cluster 3, which has a total budget of € 1.6 billion. |
| Funding rate* | Per topic between 50% - 100%, depending on the topic and type of action. Various funding rates for different stakeholders may apply. | Often 100%, depending on the topic and type of action. Various funding rates for different stakeholders may apply. |
| Application success rate | 25% - 35% | 3% - 6% |
| Read more on Digital Europe Programme (in Dutch) | Read more on Horizon Europe Programme |
* The funding rate indicates how much (the percentage) of the eligible project costs will be covered by the EU. Remaining costs must be financed by the applicant.
Cybersecurity Funding Portal
Do you think European funding is the right step for your organisation? The Cybersecurity Funding Portal provides an up-to-date list of funding opportunities, at both European and national level. Visit the portal to find out which funding is available and which funding will open soon.
The actual application must be submitted via the European Funding and Tenders Portal. When you select a call for proposals, make sure you choose the calls with 'ECCC' in the title. These calls are directly related to cybersecurity.
For certain topics, the Dutch government provides additional national funding. This funding is available for selected topics that are not fully covered by the European programme. Visit the Cybersecurity Funding Portal to find out for which topics additional national funding is available.
Work programmes, calls for proposals and topics
EU funding opportunities are devided into work programmes, calls and topics:
- The work programmes set out the funding priorities.
- A call is an EU funding opportunity with a specific focus. A call may contain one or more topics.
- Each topic describes a specific area for which you can apply for funding. The requirements can differ between topics within the same call.
Requirements for consortia
For most grants under the Horizon Europe programme and the Digital Europe programme, applications must be submitted by an international consortium. A consortium is a group of companies or organisations working together to carry out a project. The exact requirements for consortia for each grant topic are set out in the European Funding and Tender Portal.
Please note that you and all your consortium members must be registered at the Funding and Tender Portal’s register of participants. Start this process in good time so that you can submit your proposal on time.
Key sources
To submit an application for European funding, it is important to read or prepare a number of documents. Below, you can find the most important documents:
Grant topic information
Grant topic information
Information about the specific funding topic for which you are applying for funding is of crucial importance to your project proposal.
- For Digital Europe, the call document sets out in detail the content of the various topics, objectives, the budget, eligibility criteria, security requirements and so on.
- For Horizon Europe Cluster 3, the work programme and its annexes serve a similar purpose. However, these are not compiled into a single document. Please ensure you read through these documents, and pay particular attention to the pages specifically dedicated to the relevant criterion.
Application forms
Application forms
Digital Europe Programme and Horizon Europe programme use different application forms:
- This template is used for Digital Europe. It consists of Part A and Part B. Part A contains the administrative details and Part B the technical description of the project. Please read the important notice carefully to avoid your proposal being rejected due to formatting discrepancies. The maximum number of pages and the layout are described in Part B.
- This template is used for Horizon Europe. As with Digital Europe, this template is divided into Part A and Part B. Part A is for the administrative details and Part B for the project proposal – the technical description.
Please note that once you log in to submit an application, the correct templates will appear for you. The templates available on the website are for illustrative purposes only.
Ownership Control Declaration
Ownership Control Declaration
Certain calls for proposals and their topics are reserved exclusively for legal entities from EU Member States and, in some cases, also for third countries. This applies to Digital Europe Cyber and Horizon Cluster 3. The Ownership Control Declaration is a form of self-assessment that must be completed by all project participants to ensure that the project is eligible for EU funding. The form is justified and is used to safeguard the security of the Union.
Grant Agreement
Grant Agreement
The Grant Agreement is the contract between the European Commission and the consortium partners. In this document, you must describe the activities, as well as the financial arrangements, intellectual property, governance structure and the division of tasks. It is a binding document that consists of various annexes, including the Description of the Action (DoA). The Annex consists of 2 parts:
- Part A relates to project information
- Part B describes the work to be carried out
The EU Funding and Tenders Portal provides an overview of the templates required for the Grant Agreement.
Consortium Agreement
Consortium Agreement
The Consortium Agreement is a contract signed by the consortium partners. The contract supplements the Grant Agreement. It sets out the rights and obligations of the beneficiaries, as well as the financial provisions, the use of intellectual property, project governance and decision-making.The Consortium Agreement does not require approval by the European Commission.
How to apply for European funding for cybersecurity
Find out more about the application process.
Is EU funding right for you?
Are you still exploring your options, but would you like to find out whether EU funding is right for you? Then please complete the decision tree below:
National opportunities
Is your project not eligible for European funding? If so, national grant opportunities may be a better option for your organisation.
For example, NCC-NL administers a national grant scheme, called the Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL). CIF-NL will reopen for applications in 2027.
In addition, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) offers access to numerous national grant schemes, tax benefits and other forms of support. Please contact our advisers at ncc-nl@rvo.nl for further information.
Questions?
Do you have a question about European or national cybersecurity funding opportunities? Then contact our advisers at ncc-nl@rvo.nl.
