Support to the implementation of Multi-Country Projects (MCPs)

Support to the implementation of Multi-Country Projects (MCPs)

TOPIC ID: DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE-07-MULTICOUNTRY

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme: Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL)

Call: Accelerating the best use of technologies (DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE-07)

Type of action: DIGITAL-SIMPLE DIGITAL Simple Grants

Type of MGA: DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based [DIGITAL-AG]

Status: Forthcoming

Deadline model: single-stage

Planned Opening Date: 04 July 2024

Deadline dates: 21 November 2024 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Deployment of a few MCPs delivering fully functional digital infrastructure(s) or operational service(s) with a clear a long-term sustainability plan. The projects are expected to prove a clear EU added value through their impact that no single entity or Member State could achieve on its own.

Objective:

Multi-Country Projects (MCPs) are large scale projects facilitating the achievement of the targets for digital transformation of the Union and industrial recovery. They involve at least three Member States and typically include the Union’s and Member States’ financing.

The topic aims to facilitate the implementation of Multi-Country projects, including where the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs) have been chosen as implementation mechanism. The selected projects should be implemented either by an EDIC or through another mechanism listed in the DDPP Decision, including a consortium which includes at least three Member States.The projects selected for funding under this topic are expected to:

• address one of the key areas in which the Digital Europe Programme supports critical EU capacity building through large scale deployments;
• represent a high level of engagement from various Member States and a long-term sustainability for the project implemented;
• pool EU, national and/or private resources to achieve progress that no Member State could do on its own;
• reduce digital divides within and between Member States;
• prove a clear EU added value through their impact that no single entity nor Member State could achieve on its own;
• contribute to bridge the gap between large scale piloting and full deployment;
• support the consolidation of an interconnected, interoperable, and secure Single Market, considering to the extent possible the interests of public and private sectors.
• to the extent possible, support interoperability of data and digital infrastructure amongst the MCPs. Digital infrastructure might include data, high-performance computing, quantum computing, AI and connectivity;
• where relevant, support common operating models that promote fair data economy, cross-border services, digital public services, new business models, trust-based ecosystems, digital identity and a high level of personal data protection.

Scope:

The awarded proposals are expected to ensure that:

• they contribute to the achievement/pursue one of the operational objectives outlined in the Regulation (EU) 2021/694 (Articles 4-8);
• they have a high potential to contribute to digital priorities of the Union provided for in the Digital Decade Policy Programme;
• the level of maturity of the project proposed is ready for deployment;
• consolidate available capacities at EU and Member State level by building on existing initiatives and developing widely agreed frameworks and/or tools;
• coordinate between participating partners existing and future initiatives relevant for the project;
• coordinate with other relevant projects funded through Digital Europe Programme (e.g. Data Spaces Support Centre);
• have in place a long-term sustainability plan, which may include the setting up of an EDIC;
• address interoperability concerns that could hamper an EU wide deployment.

The funding can cover the following categories of activities:

• Deployment and use of common EU digital infrastructures, including the underlying technologies, blueprint architecture, standards, tools and applications;
• Deployment and use of advanced EU wide services targeting their large-scale adoption including through industry and/or SMEs, and/or public administrations;
• Use of computing and processing capacities;
• Data generation, collection, aggregation and sharing;
• Creation, optimization of large data models;
• Normalisation and certification of services, digital infrastructures and/or data models;
• Deployment of trustworthy AI capacities and resources;
• Dissemination and exploitation of project results;
• Stakeholder engagement;
• Capacity building, including on legal and competitiveness matters.

Priority will be given to projects that present a broader Member States support, and a higher level of maturity.

Conditions

1.Admissibility conditions: described in section 5 of the call document

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

2. Eligible countries:described in section 6 of of the call document

3. Other eligibility conditions:described in section 6 of the call document

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:described insection 7 of the call document

5.Evaluation and award:

• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds:described in section 9 of the call document

• Submission and evaluation processes:describedsection 8 of the call document and theOnline Manual

• Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement:described in section 4 of the call document

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants:describedin section 10 of the call document

Call document is accessiblehere

Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System

Detailed budget table -available in the Submission System

Guidance Classification of information in DIGITAL projects

Guidelines onHow to Complete your Ethics Self-Assessment

Digital Europe Work Programme 2023-2024

Digital Europe ProgrammeRegulation 2021/694

EU Financial Regulation 2018/1046

Start submission

The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

Get support

For help related to thiscall, please contact ushere

Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ– Submission of proposals.

IT Helpdesk– Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.

Online Manual– Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and submission to reporting on your on-going project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.