Are you a security practitioner dealing with real-world challenges that need innovative solutions?
The Horizon Europe – Cluster 3 ‘Civil Security for Society’ programme offers funding opportunities for law enforcement, first responders, critical infrastructure operators and other relevant public authorities to co-design, test and deploy new security technologies.
Your operational experience is essential, not just as an end-user but as a key partner in EU-funded research.
By joining a research project, you can:
- Influence the development of tools tailored to your needs;
- Test and validate solutions before they hit the field;
- Accelerate the adoption of technologies that save lives, boost preparedness, prevent crime and protect infrastructure.
Why end-users are critical in Horizon Europe
In the Horizon Europe - Civil Security for Society programme, the active involvement of security practitioners – referred to as ‘end-users’ – is a central requirement. Without your input, even the most advanced technologies risk failing in real-word deployment.
Projects must integrate end-users into:
- Meaningfully shaping the project from day one
Involve end-users early so their needs and perspectives help define the project’s goals and priorities, rather than just test outcomes in the final stages.
- Contributing to the development process
Engage real users during the design and development phase to help tailor solutions to actual operational contexts and improve relevance and adoption.
- Participating in pilot testing and validation to refine tools before full-scale deployment
Involve users in usability tests, pilot programs or user acceptance testing to ensure products are validated against real-world use cases and allow refinement before scaling up.
Who are the end-users?
In Horizon Europe, the term ‘end-users’ refers to:
- Law enforcement authorities (police, border guards, customs)
- Ministries and governmental authorities (e.g. Ministry of the interior)
- Civil protection authorities and first responders (firefighters, paramedics, emergency services)
- Medical and health services (hospitals, crisis response teams)
- Critical infrastructure operators (energy, transport, digital networks)
- EU agencies (such as FRONTEX, EUROPOL, EU-LISA) and other relevant EU de-centralised agencies (such as EUDA and CEPOL)
How to get involved
Join a project consortium
- Lead or co-lead a proposal with research partners
- Define operational requirements to steer innovation toward practical use
- Pilot-test solutions in real-world scenarios
Engage with EU Agencies and mechanisms
Partner with agencies such as FRONTEX (border security) and EUROPOL (law enforcement) to test and validate tools.
Leverage EU mechanisms for pilot deployments, such as the
EU Civil Protection Mechanism (disaster response) and rescEU (emergency response reserves).
Stay informed and network
Contact your National Contact Point for guidance.
Attend the Horizon Europe Cluster 3 Info Day to connect with researchers and policymakers.
Join CERIS, the community for European research and innovation security.
Success stories: practitioners driving innovation
Hear from security professionals who have turned EU funding into operational impact, such as:
Chief Inspector José Manuel Colodras from the Spanish National Police. "Public procurement is what turns promising research into usable solutions. Instruments such as the Pre-Commercial Procurement allow police authorities to turn operational needs into real-world security tools,” he said.
Tiina Ristmäe, from the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW). "Feedback from first responders is crucial in ensuring that the technologies we develop meet their needs and are effective in real-world scenarios. By involving them in the development process, we can identify potential issues and make improvements that might not have been apparent otherwise,” she said.
Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Camara, from the French Gendarmerie’s Centre for Forensic Artificial Intelligence. “Although there is still much work to be done to modernize Law Enforcement Agencies across Europe and increase the uptake of existing technology, we must continue to invest in research. Without it, we risk falling behind,” he said.
Key resources
- Horizon Europe - Cluster 3: “Civil security for society”
- Horizon Europe work programmes - Research and innovation
- Horizon Europe - How to apply
- Horizon Europe - Support for applicants
- How to build a successful consortium for a Horizon Europe project National Contact Points
- FRONTEX | EUROPOL
- EU Civil Protection Mechanism
- CERIS
Ready to apply?
The next call for project proposals will open on 6 May 2026. Check out our website and the Funding and Tenders Portal for more information.
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