The European Union has opened seven new cybersecurity funding calls worth a combined €96 million under the Digital Europe Programme. Managed by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), the calls cover AI-powered cybersecurity tools, support for European SMEs using cybersecure AI solutions, preparedness testing, submarine cable resilience and other capacity-building projects.
The call package, formally titled DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11, opened on 1 September 2026. Proposals must be submitted through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 14 January 2027, with evaluations scheduled from February through April 2027. The official ECCC call document sets out the seven topics and their individual budgets.
For businesses, technology providers and cybersecurity specialists, the most notable part of this package is its emphasis on deployment. The calls are aimed at strengthening European cybersecurity capacity and preparedness through defined project areas, rather than simply setting broad policy goals. That creates a potential route for eligible organisations to participate in projects focused on practical security capabilities.
The seven cybersecurity funding topics
The €96 million is divided across seven distinct topics. Two of the largest allocations focus on cybersecure AI solutions for European SMEs and cybersecurity capacity aligned with EU legislative requirements, at €20 million each.
| Funding topic | Budget | Primary focus |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecure tools, AI-based cybersecurity technologies and services | €15 million | AI-based cybersecurity tools, technologies and services |
| Strengthening cybersecurity capacities of European SMEs with cybersecure AI-powered solutions | €20 million | Cybersecure AI-powered solutions for European SMEs |
| Coordinated preparedness testing and other preparedness actions | €15 million | Preparedness testing and related actions |
| Regional Cable Hubs | €5 million | Regional submarine cable hub resilience |
| Strengthening EU cybersecurity capacities and capabilities in line with legislative requirements | €20 million | Capacity and capability aligned with EU cybersecurity legislation |
| Dual-use technologies | €10 million | Dual-use cybersecurity technologies |
| Enhancing the NCC Network | €11 million | The National Coordination Centres network |
The structure matters because it separates several related but different needs. A proposal centred on AI-based security technology is not necessarily the same as a project intended to expand SME cybersecurity capacity, test preparedness or improve regional cable infrastructure. Applicants should therefore match their project concept to the relevant topic rather than treating the €96 million as one undifferentiated funding pool.
Why AI security and SME capacity stand out
The calls explicitly include cybersecure AI-powered solutions for European SMEs, alongside a separate €15 million topic for cybersecure tools and AI-based cybersecurity technologies and services. This gives AI a defined place in the funding package, but the call framing is important: the emphasis is on cybersecurity, not AI adoption in general.
For companies developing or deploying relevant solutions, that can mean focusing on how an AI-enabled system contributes to a cybersecurity outcome. The official scope supports areas such as AI-based security tools and services, while the SME-focused topic points to strengthening cybersecurity capacity through cybersecure AI-powered solutions.
This is also a practical distinction for businesses considering participation. The relevant question is not simply whether a tool uses AI. It is whether the planned project fits the objective, expected activities and conditions of the specific call topic published in the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Preparedness, resilience and legislative alignment
The remaining topics show that the programme reaches beyond software tools. One €15 million call addresses coordinated preparedness testing and other preparedness actions. Another €5 million allocation is directed at Regional Cable Hubs, reflecting the role of resilient submarine cable infrastructure in wider digital resilience.
The €20 million topic on strengthening EU cybersecurity capacities and capabilities also refers to legislative requirements, including the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2, GDPR and DORA. The call does not make every business a direct applicant by default. However, it signals that projects designed around cybersecurity capability and relevant European requirements are part of this funding round's stated scope.
The dual-use technologies topic, with €10 million available, and the €11 million allocation to enhance the NCC Network further broaden the package. Together, the seven topics cover tools, operational readiness, infrastructure resilience, legislative alignment and the European coordination ecosystem.
What prospective applicants should do before 14 January
The confirmed deadline is 14 January 2027, so organisations interested in the calls should begin by reviewing the requirements of the individual topic that best matches their planned work. The supplied call information confirms the deadline, the seven-topic structure and the evaluation period, but it does not provide a universal eligibility checklist or a single application format for every topic.
A disciplined first review should include:
- Identifying the exact call topic and its €96 million package allocation.
- Checking the topic documentation and submission requirements in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
- Assessing whether the proposal is focused on AI-based security, SME capacity, preparedness, cable resilience, legislative alignment, dual-use technology or the NCC network.
- Planning submission work early enough to meet the 14 January 2027 deadline.
That topic-by-topic approach is especially important for smaller companies. A business may be directly relevant to the SME and AI security objective, but participation conditions, project design and any partnership expectations must be verified in the official materials for the chosen call. The published timetable indicates that applicants can expect evaluation activity between February and April 2027 after the submission window closes.
Cybersecurity funding can be most useful when it supports a concrete operational outcome, such as reducing security gaps, improving readiness or introducing AI capabilities with clear safeguards. If your company is assessing where AI can strengthen security operations or business processes, Scalevise can help turn broad opportunities into a practical implementation plan through AI consultancy for business adoption. Request a consultation to identify feasible AI use cases and the systems needed to support them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11?
DIGITAL-ECCC-2027-DEPLOY-CYBER-11 is a set of seven cybersecurity deployment calls under the EU Digital Europe Programme. The calls are managed by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre and have a total budget of €96 million.
When is the deadline for the EU cybersecurity calls?
Proposals are due by 14 January 2027 through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. The evaluation timeline is scheduled for February through April 2027.
How much funding is available for cybersecure AI solutions for European SMEs?
The topic titled “Strengthening cybersecurity capacities of European SMEs with cybersecure AI-powered solutions” has a budget of €20 million.
Do the calls include infrastructure resilience projects?
Yes. The Regional Cable Hubs topic has a €5 million budget and addresses regional submarine cable hub resilience.
Where can organisations check eligibility and submission requirements?
Organisations should review the documentation and topic requirements for their chosen call in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Eligibility and application details should be confirmed against the official materials for the specific topic.
Conclusion
The ECCC's new Digital Europe call package directs €96 million toward a broad set of cybersecurity priorities, with meaningful attention to cybersecure AI solutions, SME capacity, preparedness and critical infrastructure resilience. The key opportunity is not generic funding availability, but the ability to align a well-defined cybersecurity project with one of the seven published topics before the January 2027 deadline.
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