Networking and Future Photonics Strategy (CSA) (Photonics Partnership) -

EVALUATION RESULTS

Call HORIZON-CL4-2026-04

Published: 12.12.2025

Deadline: 15.04.2026

Available budget: EUR 221,800,000.00

The results of the evaluation for each topic are as follows:

HORIZON-CL4-2026-04

DATA-02

DATA-03

DATA-06

EMERGING-01

EMERGING-08

EMERGING-09

Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls)

31

6

63

4

8

41

Number of inadmissible proposals

0

0

2

1

0

0

Number of ineligible proposals

1

2

3

1

3

2

Number of above-threshold proposals

24

2

39

2

3

30

Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals

222,798,016.25 €

7,993,073.04 €

538,094,514.11 €

33,999,387.25 €

53,990,531.25 €

173,178,667.04 €

Number of proposals retained for funding

3

1

3

1

1

1

Number of proposals in the reserve list

1

1

1

1

1

1

Funding threshold [1]

14.00

14.00

14.50

12.50

14.50

14.50

Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14

3

1

8

0

1

2

Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13

7

0

5

0

1

3

Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 10

14

1

26

2

1

25

HORIZON-CL4-2026-04

EMERGING -14

EMERGING-15

EMERGING-17

EMERGING-19

HUMAN-01

HUMAN-02

Number of proposals submitted (including proposals transferred from or to other calls)

1

2

1

18

105

32

Number of inadmissible proposals

0

1

0

0

1

0

Number of ineligible proposals

0

0

0

2

0

3

Number of above-threshold proposals

1

1

1

12

81

19

Total budget requested for above-threshold proposals

3,043,282.50 €

999,976.25 €

1,163,306.74 €

179,979,870.75 €

387,981,592.72 €

126,943,323.25 €

Number of proposals retained for funding

1

1

1

3

6

2

Number of proposals in the reserve list

0

0

0

3

2

1

Funding threshold [1]

11.50

13.50

12.50

13.50

14.50

13.50

Number of proposals with scores lower or equal to 15 and higher or equal to 14

0

0

0

2

12

1

Number of proposals with scores lower than 14 and higher or equal to 13

0

1

0

1

20

3

Number of proposals with scores lower than 13 and higher or equal to 10

1

0

1

9

49

15

[1] Proposals with the same score were ranked according to the priority order procedure set out in the call conditions (for HE, in the General Annexes to the Work Programme or specific arrangements in the specific call/topic conditions). For HE, to determine the ranking for ‘Innovation actions’, the score for ‘Impact’ is given a weight of 1.5.

Summary of observer report:

The two independent observers were tasked by the EC services to follow the evaluation processes of call HORIZON-CL4-2026-04 with respect to their conduct, transparency, and fairness, and to provide recommendations for process improvement. This Observers’ Report consolidates their observations and recommendations. Based on the observed Consensus Meetings and Panel Meetings, the evaluation procedures for all topics were carried with transparency, efficiency, fairness, consistency, impartiality with homogenous criteria in compliance with the applicable evaluation rules for each stage of the selection exercise (Individual Evaluation, Consensus Meetings, Quality Check, Cross-reading, Panel Meeting and Final Ranking for funding). The evaluation processes were carried out in full accordance with the Horizon Europe evaluation rules and the provided Digital Europe Programme evaluation briefings. The Call with 12 topics received 312 proposals, where 5 were inadmissible, 17 ineligible and 0 withdrawn. The number of proposals per topic varied from 1 to 105. Proposals were evaluated by 218 experts, with a satisfactory gender balance (44,5% female; 55,5% male). The majority of experts were from EU Member States and a small number from associated countries. Sixteen invited experts declined due to conflict of interest or other reasons. In conclusion, the overall assessment of all submitted proposals were executed in full transparency and compliance with the Horizon Europe applicable rules in a fair and impartial manner to select the best proposals for funding according to the topics’ specifications and expected results. The observers’ conclusion is that the scientific evaluations have been carried out in a just, transparent, and unbiased manner based on the Horizon Europe evaluation rules.

We recently informed the applicants about the evaluation results for their proposals.

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