Independence of the judiciary as an aspect of rule of law compliance

The main goal of this opportunity is to support research projects that improve understanding and practical implementation of judicial independence, a fundamental element of the rule of law. The focus is on providing comparative research and policy recommendations to strengthen judicial cooperation, impartiality, and integrity across Europe. Projects should address safeguards for judicial independence, statutory frameworks, significant court cases, and recent developments. The aim is to promote rule of law, human rights, and democracy in EU Member States and enlargement countries. International cooperation and networking are encouraged, including with projects funded by other EU programs.

• Analyze how the independence of the judiciary impacts rule of law compliance across EU Member States.

• Map actors, institutional frameworks, and factors influencing judicial independence at local, national, or European levels.

• Provide evidence-based insights into how judicial independence shapes citizen trust, policy effectiveness, and democratic resilience.

• Develop policy toolkits and recommendations to enhance judicial independence, counter undue influence, and inform governance reforms.

• Identify risks, vulnerabilities, and systemic weaknesses affecting judicial autonomy in different European contexts.

• Facilitate transnational cooperation and networking among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

• Build on previous Horizon and EU-funded research on rule of law and judicial governance by collaborating and clustering with related projects.

• Use interdisciplinary research methods (legal studies, political science, sociology, empirical analysis) to support robust findings.

• Ensure open, FAIR-aligned data outputs to encourage re-use and transparency in rule-of-law research.

Examples:

• A research project comparing judicial independence across several EU countries with policy recommendations for improvement.
• A study analyzing major court cases that have influenced judicial impartiality in enlargement countries.
• A collaborative initiative developing new guidelines to strengthen statutory frameworks safeguarding judges' independence.

• Personnel costs (salaries, wages, and social security contributions)
• Travel and subsistence expenses for project staff
• Costs for equipment and materials directly related to research activities
• Subcontracting costs for specialized services
• Costs for organizing or attending conferences, workshops, and networking events
• Dissemination and communication expenses (including publication and outreach)
• Costs for data collection, analysis, and management
• Expenses related to project management and coordination
• Costs for developing policy recommendations and reports
• Other direct costs necessary for the implementation of the project

All expenses must fit within the lump sum budget structure and follow the detailed budget template provided in the application system.

• Budget for this Call: 10.500.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 3
• Budget per project: 3.500.000€
• Minimum value per project: 3.000.000€

• Consortium must include at least three independent legal entities from three different eligible countries.

• At least one partner must be based in an EU Member State.

• All participants must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries.

• Participants must demonstrate sufficient financial and operational capacity according to Horizon Europe General Annexes B and C.

• The project must be a Research & Innovation Action (RIA) focusing on judicial independence and rule of law compliance.

• Standard Horizon Europe ethics, integrity, exclusion, conflict of interest, data protection, and legal compliance rules apply as per General Annexes A–G.