With a budget totalling 1.7 billion euros, the European Commission's Digital Europe Work Programme 2025 - 2027 supports innovative projects in AI, data, cloud, cybersecurity and Digital skills. The programmes involved are:
- The Main Work Programme (€1.3 billion)
For cross-border cooperation on AI and data applications, digital skills and secure digital public services. - The Cybersecurity Work Programme (€390 million)
AI-driven security solutions, SME support and critical infrastructure protection.
In addition to EU funding, the Ministry of Economic Affairs makes national co-funding available for matters not fully covered by the EU programme. This enables Dutch participants to cover a larger portion of their project costs. The details will soon be published on the website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland - RVO).
Three new calls AI/Data
The first 3 new European calls for funding proposals in the Digital and Information Technology fields of AI and Data have now been announced. These calls are as follows:
- Sectoral digital skills academies: Digital Skills Academy in GenAI (budget: 7 million euros
- Apply AI: GenAI for the public administrations (budget: 21 million euros for a total of 4 projects)
- Data Spaces Support Centre (budget: 10 million euros)
Two new calls: Digital Twinning and Immersive Technologies
In addition, 2 new European calls for proposals have been announced in the Digital and Information Technology field of Digital Twinning and Immersive Technologies. These calls are as follows:
- Sectoral digital skills academies: Virtual Worlds Skills Academy (budget: 10 million euros)
- Sectoral digital skills academies: Quantum Skills Digital Academy (budget: 10 million euros)
All 5 of the calls listed above will open on 15 April 2025, and proposals can be submitted until 2 September 2025.
Further details of the calls:
1) Sectoral digital skills academies: Digital Skills Academy in GenAI
Most of the major AI models are currently being developed outside the European Union. Businesses in countries such as the USA and China have easier access to large amounts of computing power, large data sets and the skills needed to develop and train the underlying algorithms. In addition, many professionals in the EU are not yet familiar with the use and impact of this technology within their work environment.
Understanding and applying AI and GenAI technologies is critical to achieving digital transformation across the EU. The AI Skills Academy contributes to the goals of the AI Innovation Package launched by the European Commission in January 2024. The academy focuses on strengthening basic and advanced AI skills among students (undergraduate, master's and postgraduate), as well as current and future sector and ICT specialists within SMEs, startups and the public sector. This will enable them to develop, deploy and apply AI models and applications within their own fields.
The AI Skills Academy will work closely with and further support the AI factories that will be built in Europe. The Netherlands is also keen to roll out an AI-driven, customised supercomputing infrastructure to further strengthen the innovation power and skills of the European AI ecosystem.
Available budget: 7 million euros
Call opening date: 15 April 2025
Deadline: 2 September 2025
More information about this call
2) Apply AI: GenAI for the public administrations
This call for proposals focuses on pilot projects with European GenAI solutions within government agencies, scaling up and reusing tested GenAI solutions within government organisations and member states, and realising a GenAI4EU community of government agencies in Europe.
Available budget: 21 million euros (for a total of 4 projects)
Call opening date: 15 April 2025
Deadline: 2 September 2025
More information about this call
3) Data Spaces Support Centre
The goal of this call for proposals is to select a consortium to take on the continuation of the Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC). The DSSC will coordinate all relevant actions related to Common European Data Spaces to ensure that they are developed in a coherent manner, are mutually compatible and benefit from economies of scale through the use of common practices, components ('building blocks'), protocols and tools (such as software implementations or services that apply these building blocks and are fit for purpose).
The aim is to support the development, proper functioning and interconnection of data spaces to enable secure and reliable data sharing and reuse within and across sectors, for the benefit of both the public sector and European businesses, with a particular focus on SMEs.
In addition, the DSSC supports the work of the European Data Innovation Board (EDIB), for example, by identifying cross-sector standards for data use and sharing, performing comparative analysis across sectors, and sharing best practices related to data security and access management. This will take into account sectoral standardisation efforts. To ensure alignment with sectoral initiatives, the DSSC works closely with key stakeholders within the data spaces.
Available budget: 10 million euros
Call opening date: 15 April 2025
Deadline: 2 September 2025
More information about this call
4) Sectoral digital skills academies: Virtual Worlds Skills Academy
The Virtual Worlds Skills Academy will contribute to strengthening the talent pool needed to deliver on the EU's ambitions in the field of virtual worlds. This will include the development of the various building blocks such as extended reality, 3D graphics, content creation, computer vision, AI, interactive media, modelling and industrial applications (digital twins), digital identity, data privacy and Big Data.
Available budget: 10 million euros
Call opening date: 15 April 2025
Deadline: 2 September 2025
More information about this call
5) Sectoral Digital Skills academies: Quantum Skills Digital Academy
Quantum technologies have the potential to accelerate the development of immediate solutions to global societal challenges and drive economic growth. To position the EU as a world leader in developing quantum technologies and to promote industrial applications that make use of them, interdisciplinary training is necessary - especially for sector professionals without a specific background in quantum physics or engineering.
The Quantum Digital Skills Academy will act as a single central entity offering specialised training and practical experience in quantum technologies at various levels. The academy will play an important role in realising the goals of the European Declaration on Quantum Technologies, particularly in the area of developing quantum skills and training.
Available budget: 10 million euros
Call opening date: 15 April 2025
Deadline: 2 September 2025
More information about this call
More new calls in the tool
More new EU calls for proposals will be published in the field of Digital innovation in the coming period, for example within the Digital Europe Work Programme on Cybersecurity, but also within the Horizon Europe funding programme. Are you looking for European funding opportunities for innovative projects? The tool below will give you insight into available calls, conditions and deadlines. Easily filter by relevant topics and discover which opportunities match your organisation and goals.