The European Commission has opened a €6.5 million call for proposals to co-fund projects on digital investigations and standardising data formats for law enforcement under the EU’s Internal Security Fund.
The funding is split into €5 million for projects supporting digital investigations and €1.5 million for projects focused on standardisation of data formats and communication protocols, the Commission informed in a release on Friday.
The maximum EU contribution per project will range from €1 million to €2.5 million for digital investigations, while projects on standardisation must not exceed €1.5 million.
For digital investigations, projects can seek support to strengthen the operational capacity and capabilities of law enforcement and/or judicial authorities, increase the availability of technical tools, and raise awareness of best practices and available solutions.
Standardisation and “lawful access” to data
Projects in the standardisation strand should focus on ensuring future technologies allow “lawful access” to data and that security solutions are interoperable and compatible with EU rules, the Commission said.
It added that common data formats and communication systems are intended to help law enforcement and judicial authorities request and handle digital evidence more quickly and efficiently.
The application deadline is 15 December 2026, according to the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing.
