Cyber Resilience Boost: Supporting capacity building for cyber resilience of products

The maximum amount of financial support (in the form of a grant) is EUR 100,000.

The projects will be financed at 50% of the eligible costs, which means that the beneficiary will receive support equal to one half of the eligible costs incurred in the implementation of the project and demonstrated according to the established rules. Projects implemented under this call will be funded on the basis of actual costs.

The financial support awarded to the project may be less than the amount requested in the application. The decision on the final amount of support to be granted will depend on the quality of the project application, the consistency of the expected results with the proposed budget and the structure of the individual costs planned.

Beneficiaries will be required to regularly document the actual expenditure associated with the implementation of the project. Details of the frequency and form of reporting will be specified in the grant agreement.

Applicants must ensure that the project proposal complies with conditions that prevent the financing of the project from giving rise to unlawful indirect State aid within the meaning of the relevant European legislation or to double funding.

The following types of organisations are eligible to participate in this call and meet the criteria set out in the EU Digital Europe programme:

- Small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in (or interested in) providing services in the field of cyber security, ICT product testing or certification processes. Eligible enterprises are those interested in developing and accrediting a conformity assessment body (CAB), i.e. a certification body or testing laboratories in accordance with European standards, or in providing training for professionals involved in certification processes. Also eligible are enterprises that focus on education or training in the field of cyber security, especially in the context of certification and testing of ICT products. In other words, enterprises that provide, or are interested in providing, training to auditors, testers and other professionals involved in certification processes under the IA EUCC/EUCC.

- (Future) Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs): Eligible are bodies that have an interest in developing and accrediting conformity assessment bodies (CABs), i.e. certification bodies or testing laboratories in accordance with European standards, or in providing training for professionals involved in certification processes. Institutions seeking to have laboratory capacity that can be used for testing processes in the EU Common Criteria scheme.

- Accreditation body

- Consortia and Partnerships: Groups of organisations, which may include combinations of the above entities, working together on joint projects. These consortia should be able to effectively coordinate activities and resources to achieve the objectives of the call.

The Applicant must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e. an EU Member State (including overseas countries and territories) or an EEA country (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). The controlling person of the Applicant, whether a commercial corporation or a natural person, must also be established or resident in one of the eligible countries.

Eligibility to apply is subject to the Applicant's ability to meet the objectives and requirements set out in the Digital Europe Programme, including financial and operational stability and the ability to implement and manage projects supported by EU funds. Applicants will also be assessed on their professional capacity on the basis of their application for support in accordance with the evaluation criteria.

Further information available on Národní úřad pro kybernetickou a informační bezpečnost - Výzvy

The aim of this call is to systematically support the building and strengthening of capacities in the field of cyber resilience in accordance with CRA requirements. The call focuses on supporting the development of professional infrastructure, tools and knowledge capacities that will enable organisations operating in the field of ICT products and services to effectively fulfil their obligations under the CRA, both from the perspective of manufacturers and importers, as well as from the perspective of certification and assessment bodies. The call is oriented towards four main thematic pillars:

1.Support for the establishment and development of conformity assessment bodies (CABs): The call supports the development of the professional, technical, and procedural capacities of certification bodies and testing laboratories that will be able to evaluate products with a digital element in accordance with the CRA. The aim is to ensure that CABs are prepared for future accreditation and regulatory requirements, to establish or strengthen laboratories capable of testing products in accordance with CRA requirements, and to introduce assessment and certification procedures that reflect the expected harmonized EU standards and methodologies (preparation for accreditation/notification).

2.Development of support tools and documentation for CRA self-assessment: The aim is to provide manufacturers, importers, and distributors with practical tools that will facilitate fulfilling their obligations under the CRA, including templates for technical documentation and declarations of conformity, methodological guides, checklists and instructions, consultation or support services for self-assessment and risk assessment.

3.Increasing the preparedness and awareness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): The call aims to reduce barriers to entry for SMEs that will have to comply with CRA. Support will be provided for training activities focused on CRA, including practical

workshops, e-learning tools and webinars, pilot implementation of CRA requirements

(e.g., conducting internal audits, preparing documentation), and preparing staff

and internal processes in accordance with CRA.

4.Support for cooperation, standardization, and sharing of best practices: The call promotes knowledge sharing among actors in the field of conformity assessment, government, standardization bodies, and the professional community. Support will be provided for international and interdisciplinary initiatives aimed at harmonizing approaches to CRA, joint projects, working groups, and participation in standardization activities, the creation of community platforms or open databases of good practice.

This call thus aims to strengthen the overall readiness of the Czech and European markets for the implementation of CRA and to accelerate the creation of practical support tools and services, while supporting small and medium-sized enterprises so that they can meet new regulatory requirements without undue burden. Supported projects will have to clearly demonstrate compliance with the objectives of the call and the potential for practical application of the results.