Advanced cryptographic schemes and High-Assurance high-speed cryptographic implementations

Closed

The source does not publish a status. We worked this out from the opening and closing dates it does publish.

Sign in to bookmark this

Expected Outcome:
Proposals are expected to contribute to one or more of the following:

• Quantum-resistant cryptographic primitives, also other than lattice-based approaches if relevant, that enhance the security and privacy of digital wallets, both for natural persons and wallets, as well as the design and implementation of post-quantum solutions for entity authentication and authenticated key establishment over insecure networks;
• Formal verification tools, improved High-Assurance Cryptographic Software (HACS) approaches and their integration in software workflows, to provide strong security guarantees in post-quantum migration, and enable streamlined evidence-based evaluation of secure systems that use cryptography. Scope:
The development of new digital signatures and advanced cryptographic schemes, tailored specifically to the use cases and requirements in the context of wallets/eIDs, for privacy and business applications is highly relevant nowadays. Moreover, these devices need secure connections over insecure networks requiring protocols for entity authentication, authenticated key establishment, as well as Password Authenticated Key Exchange (PAKE) schemes for ensuring user authentication via passwords in different use cases and for data recovery protocols of Wallet data.
Another key area is the development of High-Assurance Cryptographic Software (HACS), including automated evaluation methods.
Considering the above, proposals should address one of the following technology areas:

• Design and implementation of PQC advanced schemes and protocols for enhanced security and privacy, also including schemes other than lattice-based approaches if relevant. Proposals should also include recommendations that balance security, performance, and usability in practical applications and be based on open-source reusable software libraries.
• Development of a unified specification language to formalise and document conditions on cryptographic safety and security in software implementations; development and improvement of tools and methodologies that can be used to evaluate both the implementation and the usage of cryptography in software applications and provide formal machine-checked guarantees of correctness and security. Proposals should also consider improving existing HACS tools and their integration in such software implementations.

Status

Closed

Deadline

15 September 2026 (time not stated)

Opens

3 March 2026

Published

12 December 2025

Total budget

€15,000,000

Grant range

€2,000,000 – €3,000,000

Country

European Union (EU-wide)

Programme

Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

Funder

European Commission

Official page

Open at the source portal

What applying involved

12 steps, all of them taken from this call's own documents.

This call is closed. The steps below show what applying involved, and are kept for reference only.

Understand the call

• Read the call on the source portal and download its documents
• Write the proposal against the award criteria and thresholds standard for this programme

  are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §5a

• Check the grant's legal and financial set-up standard for this programme

  Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) . described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work … — conditions §6

• Check the amount you plan to request against the call's range

Check you are eligible

• Check your country of establishment is eligible

  The source scopes this to EU Member States and Associated Countries. — ai_results.eligibility

• Check every partner is established in an eligible country standard for this programme

  described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide — conditions §2

• Meet the call's other eligibility conditions

  In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States and Associated Countries. In order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or by a … — conditions §3

• Be able to show financial and operational capacity standard for this programme

  described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes — conditions §4

Prepare the documents

• Prepare Part B of the Application Form standard for this programme

  Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. — conditions

• Complete the detailed budget table standard for this programme

Submit

• Check the submission and evaluation process standard for this programme

  are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual — conditions §5b

• Submit before the closing date shown above

  The source states the closing day but no closing time — check the portal before the last day. — calls.deadline

Sign in to track these

Other calls under Horizon Europe (HORIZON)

• PV based electrification of the economy: Designing & optimising PV systems supporting industrial electrification and promoting participation in electricity markets (EUPI-PV Partnership)Forthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €18,000,000
• Advanced TSO control rooms to enhance grid observability, stability and resilienceForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADSM) for more efficient and flexible distribution gridsForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Community of practice - Data-Driven Decision-Making in EnergyForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €6,000,000
• Industrial processes and equipment for innovative, reliable and scalable tandem technologies (EUPI-PV Partnership)Forthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €28,500,000
• Integrated Approaches for Retrofitting Infrastructures with Innovative Energy Storage TechnologiesForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €22,500,000
• Demonstration of hydropower technologies for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plantsForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €17,000,000
• Delivery of industrial CCUS clusters – Societal Readiness pilotForthcoming · deadline 1 December 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €30,000,000

All calls under this programme

Similar opportunities

• Secure PQC implementations, Cryptanalysis and Post-quantum Digital TrustForthcoming · deadline 15 September 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €19,000,000 · same sector, same funder
• New primitives and protocols for functionalities of future hybrid classical-hybrid and quantum networksForthcoming · deadline 15 September 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €4,000,000 · same sector, same funder
• Approaches and tools for security in software and hardware development and assessmentClosed · deadline 15 September 2026 · European Union (EU-wide) · €20,000,000 · same sector, same funder
• Next-Generation QKD SystemsOpen · deadline 17 November 2026 · European Union (EU-wide) · €24,000,000 · same funder, same programme
• Secure Computing Continuum (IoT, Edge, Cloud, Data spaces)Forthcoming · deadline 15 September 2027 · European Union (EU-wide) · €24,000,000 · same sector, same funder
• Enhancing the Security, Privacy and Robustness of AI Models and Systems (SecureAI)Closed · deadline 15 September 2026 · European Union (EU-wide) · €21,200,000 · same sector, same funder