[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

March 18, 2027 (Full application submission deadline, single-stage call)

€44,000,000 total budget | ~€44,000,000 per grant | 1 grant expected

Supports the development of safe, energy-efficient, state-of-the-art frontier AI models in Europe with a focus on computational efficiency and robust safety research.

--- ## Description This funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program aims to advance the development of frontier artificial intelligence (AI) models in Europe, emphasizing both cutting-edge performance and responsible, energy-efficient, and safe-by-design AI. Projects should focus on developing and training advanced AI models with multimodal and agentic capabilities (e.g., reasoning, autonomous problem-solving), while also researching and implementing methods to reduce computational costs—such as model compression, distillation, and novel architectures. The grant prioritizes research that addresses the environmental impact of AI, lowers barriers to entry for new researchers and organizations, and ensures the safety and trustworthiness of AI systems. This includes work on alignment, adversarial robustness, transparency, and interpretability. Funded projects are expected to collaborate closely with the European AI research community and relevant EU initiatives (e.g., RAISE, AI Factories, Data Labs) and to share results with the broader European R&D ecosystem. --- ## Due Dates - March 18, 2027: Full application submission deadline (single-stage call) --- ## Funding Amount - Total available budget: €44,000,000 - Indicative grant size: ~€44,000,000 (one large grant expected) - Duration: As per Horizon Europe RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) rules; see call documents for details. --- ## Eligibility - **Eligible Applicants:** Legal entities established in EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and associated countries (Canada, Israel, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom). Entities from countries that may become associated during 2026–2027 may also be eligible if listed at the time of application. - **Strategic Autonomy:** Participation is restricted to avoid technological dependency on non-EU sources. Entities controlled by non-eligible countries/entities may only participate if they provide guarantees (subject to assessment) ensuring no negative impact on EU strategic interests. - **Additional Requirements:** See [Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf) for full eligibility details. --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** Single-stage electronic submission via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=4&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate). - **Application Form:** Use the [standard application form (HE RIA, IA)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/temp-form/af/af_he-ria-ia_en.pdf). - **Evaluation:** Proposals will be evaluated based on excellence, impact, and quality of implementation. See [Annex D](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf) for criteria. - **Supporting Documents:** Refer to the [Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) and [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf). --- ## Additional Information - Projects are expected to establish links with EU AI resources (RAISE, AI Factories, Data Labs) and to coordinate with the European Partnership on AI, data, and robotics (ADRA) as well as the GenAI4EU central Hub. - Proposals must include mechanisms for progress assessment (KPIs, benchmarking). - Results should be shared via the AI-on-demand platform and with the wider European R&D community. - Page limits and formatting rules apply; see call documents. --- ## External Links - [Call Topic & Submission Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=4&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf) - [General Annexes (Eligibility, Evaluation, etc.)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf) - [Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) - [Partner Search Tool](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/how-to-participate/partner-search) --- ## Contact Information | Type | Details | |-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Funder Main Page | [European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en) | | General Enquiries | [Contact the European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Research Programme | [Research Enquiry Service](https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/contact-us/research-enquiry-service_en) | | National Contact Points | [NCP Directory](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) | | IT/Portal Helpdesk | [IT Helpdesk Contact Form](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-form) | ---

EU Frontier AI Initiative: Developing frontier AI solutions that are safe and computationally efficient within Apply AI (RIA) - European Commission

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