Reliable Services Operation

The main goal of this opportunity is to advance the development and implementation of efficient service operation methods involving multiple stakeholders, supporting complex and dynamic services that meet societal needs such as sustainability, privacy, and AI alignment. The focus areas include automation and intelligence in security operations, self-healing and proactive defense, and platforms for Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) tailored to 6G networks. Projects should also optimize deployment for applications that are time-sensitive and require significant computing power, while considering energy use, reliability, and security. The geographic scope covers most EU Member States, Associated Countries, OECD, and Mercosur countries, with specific exclusions for certain countries and high-risk suppliers.

• Develop automation and intelligence in 6G security operations, including proactive defence, self-healing, and secure AI-based detection.

• Design service methodologies that can build reliable, end-to-end services using untrusted or mixed-trust infrastructure.

• Propose new service instantiation models supporting runtime adaptation, energy efficiency, privacy, and user control.

• Define interfaces and mechanisms enabling coordinated response to failures and cyberattacks.

• Create multistakeholder auditing tools offering near real-time visibility on service performance across the ecosystem.

• Deliver software/hardware for PoC and future trials, aiming for standardisation impact and alignment with EU priorities.

Example projects:

• A research collaboration developing an automated, AI-driven security operations platform for 6G networks between EU and Mercosur partners.
• A university-led project designing a low-overhead monitoring system for energy-efficient, time-sensitive applications.
• A consortium of public bodies and industry players creating a proactive defense methodology for multi-provider telecom infrastructures.

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment (depreciation or rental)
• Consumables and materials
• Dissemination and communication
• Access to research infrastructure
• IPR and certification
• Audit costs
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate)
• Internally invoiced services

• Budget for this Call: 8,000,000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 1
• Budget per grant: 8,000,000€

• Applicants must be legal entities established in EU Member States, Associated Countries, OECD, or Mercosur countries.
• Entities from Russia, Belarus, or non-government-controlled territories of Ukraine are not eligible.
• Entities controlled by non-eligible countries must provide guarantees to ensure no negative impact on EU interests, autonomy, or security.
• Organizations identified as high-risk suppliers of mobile network equipment, or controlled by such suppliers, are not eligible.
• Public bodies, research organizations, and higher education institutions must provide a gender equality plan.
• Intellectual property and sensitive results must remain within eligible countries, with restricted access for non-eligible entities.
• Eligibility may depend on forming collaborations or consortia, especially for research and innovation actions.