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Call key data
Fighting against disinformation while ensuring the right to freedom of expression
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
Call number
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-09
deadlines
Opening
15.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 10,500,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
between € 3,000,000.00 and € 3,500,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
Mis- and disinformation and information manipulation can thwart political and societal responses to external challenges, such as climate change, public health, or migration. Solutions to such challenges, to be successful, must be based on evidence.
Call objectives
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right that involves the right to hold and express one's opinions, as well as the right to receive and impart information and ideas, without prior authorization (censorship) or other forms of interference from the government or any other form of public authority. Therefore, freedom of expression is crucial to democracy and a key value of the European project, and it is closely linked to the role of the independent (news) media, a key pillar for checks and balances in a democratic system.
Proposals should investigate how the functioning of the media systems (in particular the data-driven information systems, that use data as a core component of their operation, decision-making processes, and overall functionality) favours disinformation, including gendered disinformation and anti LGBTIQ rhetoric, by creating an optimal environment for its creation, diffusion and proliferation.
Proposals are encouraged to look into the market incentives for media that promote mis- and disinformation and information manipulation, such as decline in viewers and incentives to focus on content that promotes engagement over factuality. This trend is driven by the need to catch audience attention in a competitive media landscape, which often prioritizes sensationalism and emotional reactions over accuracy.
Proposals should also explore how regulations aimed at countering disinformation can be conceived in compliance with citizens' fundamental rights, such as the right to freedom of expression, and preserving independent and pluralistic news media.
Proposals should investigate how to develop a diverse and healthy online (news) media sphere, through the design and management of trust indicators and comparison between facts and opinions on social media platforms, browsers, and websites, to help citizens, particularly children and youth, distinguish content produced with journalistic standards from non-sourced content and opinions. Such investigation should consider existing initiatives such as browser plugins and journalism trust indicators and should be developed/tested with media organisations. Therefore, research activities should involve media organisations and/or media practitioners, as well as information spreaders (individuals or entities that actively disseminate information across various platforms and channels, such as influencers, among others), in consultation and piloting activities to develop theoretical models and policy recommendations. The involvement of one or more of these categories of stakeholders is particularly important to develop innovative methodologies and solutions to counter growing phenomena, such as astroturfing. Astroturfing misleads by impersonating grassroots support through fake accounts or paid actors, amplifying visibility and public influence of misleading media content. It undermines trust in genuine online exchanges, manipulates public opinion, and reinforces echo chambers. This misuse of digital platforms spreads disinformation, undermining online debate integrity.
Proposals are also encouraged to investigate the role of professional “mediators”, i.e. individuals and entities involved in the development, structuring, and dissemination of media content: journalists, editors, producers, and broadcasters. These “mediators” play an important role in understanding and filtering information before it reaches the public and are critical in developing narratives and shaping public discourse. Moreover, proposals are encouraged to investigate the role of "media dissemination hubs”, which distribute information and influence public opinion and public discourse through news, entertainment, and other types of content (such as platforms similar to traditional media, newspapers, TV, radio, and digital channels, namely social media, news websites).
Proposals should develop policy recommendations and methodologies for how to define and provide legal safeguards for protecting open civic discourse in the face of, but not limited to, Holocaust denial, hate speech or incitement to violence.
Proposals should build on past EU-funded projects, and seek cooperation with on-going ones, as well as plan to exploit potential complementarities with project(s) funded under HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-05 — Evolution of political extremism and its influence on contemporary social and political dialogue; HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-06: Media for democracy – democratic media; HORIZON-CL2-2022-DEMOCRACY-01-07: Politics and the impact of online social networks and new media; HORIZON-CL3-2021-FCT-01-03: Disinformation and fake news are combated and trust in the digital world is raised. Clustering and cooperation with other selected projects under this topic and other relevant projects are strongly encouraged.
Research activities should involve a wide range of stakeholders and societal actors, including non-scientific and non-academic ones, such as, but not limited to public bodies, policymakers, private corporates, media organisations, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, fact-checkers, educational bodies, education and security practitioners, libraries and other cultural heritage institutions. The latter, with their extensive collections - including newspaper archives and web archives from recent decades - can provide valuable historical insights and help study the evolution of disinformation practices over time. Proposals are encouraged to make use of participative methodologies and experimental methods.
Research activities should also involve entities which are signatories of the Code of Practice on Disinformation, and entities which are subject to the Digital Services Act (DSA) and to the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).
Research activities could also involve signatories of the Code of Conduct on Disinformation, media companies, public and private broadcasters, online news platforms, and digital services object of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), and other private entities, such as providers of intermediaries’ services under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).
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Expected results
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- EU institutions, national decision-makers, practitioners in relevant sectors, civil society organisations and other societal actors are better equipped to confront and prevent different forms of mis- and disinformation and information manipulation, while protecting and respecting the freedom of expression and academic freedom.
- EU institutions and national decision-makers have a better understanding of the categories of stakeholders opposing policies and initiatives aimed at combating disinformation and information manipulation, including understanding the drivers behind their narratives, and are better equipped to engage with them.
- EU institutions and national decision-makers understand how digital media shapes public opinion and regulate it without compromising citizens' rights to information, media freedom, privacy and data protection, and protection from harm.
In addition, projects should contribute to at least one of the following expected outcomes:
- Media, education and security practitioners are increasingly knowledgeable about tools and legal remedies to counteract the narratives of those opposing policies and initiatives designed to combat disinformation, and to recognise and counter their drivers.
- EU institutions and national decision-makers have a better understanding of the role of independent media and the role and importance of “media dissemination hubs” and professional “mediators” who facilitate citizens’ access to professionally produced content and analyse the crucial aspect of access to information (such as availability, accessibility, affordability, comprehensibility, transparency, inclusivity, privacy and data protection, and security).
- EU institutions, national decision-makers, and practitioners in the media sector have a better understanding of astroturfing, its use in spreading mis- and disinformation and information manipulation, and are equipped with tools and policy recommendations to recognize and counter this phenomenon.
- EU institutions, national decision-makers, practitioners in the media sector, and other relevant societal actors have adequate educational materials to understand how to design and implement initiatives to combat mis- and disinformation and information manipulation without harming freedom of expression.
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 50 pages.
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). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive SocietyHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society(1200kB)
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