Prevention and mitigation of misuse of synthetic biology for bioterrorism purposes
- Fetched
- 2026-06-09T15:42:49Z
Topic description
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Increased understanding of European policy makers, research community, biotech companies, and relevant security practitioners of the threat of bioterrorism and of synthetic biology, including a thorough lawful analysis of what needs to be monitored in this context, what needs to be regulated and how; Awareness raised within the related scientific community how research in synthetic biology can be used for malicious purposes. Scope: The rising threat of bioterrorism is driven by recent scientific advancements, notably by growing accessibility of synthetic biology, genetic engineering, related commercial services and public databases, which in turn enhance their obtainability to non-state actors and individuals with malicious intentions. The proliferation of do-it-yourself biohacking and community laboratories, including gene editing and sequencing technology, dropping costs of equipment and increased simplicity of use may inadvertently facilitate knowledge and skills dissemination about biological threats and open new pathways for bioterrorism. Challenges in detection, particularly the lengthy incubation periods of biological agents, underscore the urgent need for improved identification technologies to allow for timely intervention and reduce potential mass casualties, considering both characterization through advanced tools by expert labs and simple deployable methods. Given that properly weaponized biological agents can be more lethal than nuclear weapons, their cross-border implications warrant focused attention. Recent incidents involving biotoxins across various European countries illustrate the feasibility of biological attacks. The increasing weaponisation of drones highlights an alarming trend that could extend to biological agents, further complicating threat landscapes. The potential economic and social consequences of biological attacks necessitate robust prevention and preparedness measures to mitigate overwhelming impacts on healthcare systems and society at large. Proposals are expected to address, in a lawful manner, the emerging threats of bioterrorism in Europe, particularly in the context of synthetic biology. Recognising bioterrorism as a low-probability but high-impact event, consortia should review current and future risks, flag areas requiring reinforced monitoring, as well as identify missing regulatory frameworks necessary for ensuring public security and safety. Furthermore, proposals should bring together diverse consortia to enhance our understanding, prevention, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism and create a comprehensive approach to this pressing issue. Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged to avoid duplication and to exploit complementarities as well as opportunities for increased impact. In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort. Proposals funded under this topic are expected to provide ideas on how they would engage with the Europol Innovation Lab during the lifetime of the project. Similarly, if the proposals concern drug-related issues, they are expected to engage with the EU Drugs Agency during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes. Finally, proposals are expected to address all applicable considerations expressed in the Introduction of the Fighting Crime and Terrorism Destination. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.
Conditions and documents
General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide . 3. Other Eligible Conditions If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used). described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual . 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf ]]. described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Some activities resulting from this topic may involve using classified background and/or producing of security sensitive results (EUCI and SEN). Please refer to the related provisions in section B Security — EU classified and sensitive information of the General Annexes. Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?" Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 6. Civil Security for Society HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Budget overview
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