CEF Telecom deploys Digital Service Infrastructures (DSIs) that deliver networked cross-border services for citizens, businesses and public administrations. Supported projects contribute to improving the competitiveness of the European economy, promote the interconnection and interoperability of national, regional and local networks, as well as access to these networks, thus supporting the development of a Digital Single Market.
Since the launch of the programme, nearly €400 million of CEF funding have been awarded to more than 700 projects (including the new 85 successful projects of the last call), that deploy the ecosystem of 20 Digital Services supported by the programme. Of these 700 projects, over 280 are completed, demonstrating the CEF Telecom programme’s capacity to deliver concrete benefits to citizens, businesses and administrations across the EU.
The second 2020 CEF Telecom call for proposals was the last CEF Telecom call and supported eight Digital Services Infrastructures (DSI):
- Business Register Interconnection System (BRIS) - Four proposals from organisations from three EU Member States and one EEA country will receive funding of approximately €600,000 to facilitate access to information on EU companies and to ensure that all EU business registers can communicate with each other electronically in a safe, secure and rapid manner.
- Cybersecurity – almost €11 million will be awarded to 22 selected proposals from 17 EU Member States and one EEA country, to increase the cooperation and the capabilities of actors that are fundamental for the EU Cybersecurity Strategy in a variety of domains, for example: coordinated response to cybersecurity incidents in line with the Cyber Blueprint; cybersecurity certification under the Cybersecurity Act; capacity building, public-private sector and institutional cooperation under the NIS Directive.
- eArchiving – Four proposals from ten EU Member States and one EEA country will be granted approximately €800,000 to facilitate the storage and preservation of digital information over the long term in a sustainable and interoperable manner.
- eHealth – 24 proposals from nine EU Member States and one EEA country will receive around €5 million to facilitate access to highly specialised knowledge and care for patients suffering from rare and complex diseases using information and communication technologies.
- eProcurement – Four proposals from six EU Member States and one EEA country will be granted €3 million for implementing services enabling EU businesses across Europe to respond to public procurement procedures from contracting entities in any Member State using minimum harmonised public procurement rules.
- European Digital Media Observatory – over €11 million will be granted to eight proposals from 16 EU Member States and two EEA countries to support the creation of national and multinational research hubs to detect, analyse, disclose harmful disinformation campaigns and assess their impact on society and democracy.
- European Platform for Digital Skills and Jobs –14 proposals with beneficiaries from 14 EU Member States will receive €1.5 million funding to ensure that European citizens are equipped with adequate digital skills.
- Public Open Data – over €5.6 million will be granted to five proposals with applicants from seven EU Member States to achieve better services for citizens, public administrations and companies, in particular SMEs, thanks to the re-use of public-sector information deploying innovative solutions.
The list of projects selected for funding under CEF-TC-2020-2 is available here.
The newly created Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) will now begin the preparation of the individual grant agreements with the successful applicants. Moreover, it will continue to manage and follow up the technical and financial implementation of the CEF Telecom projects, providing technical expertise and high quality programme implementation.
Support to advanced digital skills, Cyber security and data reuse is foreseen to continue under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP), which aims to build the strategic digital capacities of the EU and to facilitate the wide deployment of digital technologies. DEP will play a key role in the acceleration of the digital transformation of Europe. It will also help Europe to remain globally competitive and strategically autonomous, and to shape the way new technologies reflect our needs and values.
Follow the HaDEA website regularly to stay informed about the latest news and developments with CEF funding and projects, and future funding opportunities.
More information about the CEF Telecom supported projects is available in the latest Connecting Europe Facility Telecom brochure.