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 against sophisticated cyber threats in today’s digital age.
The proposed increase in funding is also a response to the current geopolitical instability, including events like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the rise of hybrid threats in modern warfare, such as cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and supply chains.
While the draft document outlining these plans has not yet been adopted by the Commission and may be subject to change, it is expected that Cluster 3 civil security calls will open on 12 June 2025 and close on 12 November.
In addition to cybersecurity, Cluster 3 will also cover other security issues, with funding allocated for crime and terrorism topics, border management, resilient infrastructures, and projects addressing natural and human-made disasters.
To ensure that innovations developed through Horizon Europe are effectively adopted by end users, the work programme includes funding for cross-cutting research, support for National Contact Points, and services to facilitate market uptake for new technologies.
With a total budget of €1.6 billion over seven years, civil security is the smallest of the six clusters in Horizon Europe. As attention shifts towards boosting defence capabilities, stakeholders have emphasized the importance of not cutting back on civil security programmes.
For more information on the drafting process of the EU research budget for 2025, Science|Business is providing access to the full history through their Horizon Papers database. This transparency aims to shed light on the political process behind the evolution of the programme between the Commission and member states.