The European Commission is looking to boost funding for cybersecurity research in 2025, with plans to allocate €231 million for civil security research and innovation, up from €194 million in 2024. Cybersecurity is set to receive a significant increase from €60.4 million to €90.5 million, reflecting the growing need to protect individuals, businesses, and infrastructure in the face of evolving cyber threats.
This move comes in response to the escalating geopolitical tensions, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the rise of hybrid threats in modern warfare, including cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and supply chains.
While the draft document outlining these plans has not yet been finalized by the Commission, it is expected that Cluster 3 civil security calls will open on 12 June 2025 and close on 12 November. The focus will be on generative AI for cybersecurity applications, post-quantum cybersecurity, and new advanced tools and processes for operational cybersecurity.
In addition to cybersecurity, Cluster 3 will also address other security issues, including crime and terrorism, border management, resilient infrastructures, and disaster management. With a total budget of €1.6 billion over seven years, civil security remains the smallest cluster in Horizon Europe.
Efforts are also underway to ensure that innovations developed through Horizon Europe are effectively adopted by end users, with funding allocated for cross-cutting research and support for National Contact Points. The aim is to bridge the gap between research and market uptake, particularly for start-ups and SMEs in the security sector.
As discussions continue on boosting defence capabilities and potentially integrating dual-use R&I in future programmes, stakeholders are emphasizing the importance of maintaining funding for civil security programmes. Science|Business is providing transparency on the drafting process for the EU research budget in 2025 through its Horizon Papers database, highlighting the evolution of the programme through successive rounds of drafting between the Commission and member states.