The Open Call for the POLICY ENLARGE project, funded under Horizon Europe and focusing on cross-border R&I cooperation, innovation, and mobility, is officially open for applications.

The call aims to support cross-border partnerships among research and innovation actors in enlargement countries, promote the uptake of research results, and strengthen people-to-people cooperation, thereby contributing to the integration of these countries into the European Research Area (ERA).

📅 Call Calendar and Key Events
The call operates under a continuous submission scheme with 4 evaluation cut-off dates:

• Cut-off Date 1: 12 November 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time)
• Cut-off Date 2: 5 May 2027, 17:00 (Brussels time)
• Cut-off Date 3: 3 November 2027, 17:00 (Brussels time)
• Cut-off Date 4 & Final Deadline: 3 May 2028, 17:00 (Brussels time)

Information Sessions:

• Online Info Day: 23 September 2026, 10:00 (CET)
• Step-by-Step Application Webinar: 14 October 2026, 12:00 (CET)
  
  

📌 Application Process and Condition

• Applications must be submitted in English exclusively through the OnePass platform.
• Funding is provided as a lump sum based on agreed deliverables rather than actual cost reimbursement.
• The maximum grant rate is up to 80% of the budget, with the remaining 20% required as co-financing.
• Selected projects will be implemented within the POLICY ENLARGE Support Programme, lasting up to 6 months.
• Each applicant may benefit from only one funding instrument throughout the entire call.
  
  

✅ Eligibility
Eligible countries for the call are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Entities in Türkiye are eligible as TÜBİTAK serves as a consortium partner in the project.

• Funding Instruments #1 and #2: Cross-border consortia composed of at least two independent legal entities established in two different eligible enlargement countries (companies, research organisations, academic research groups, non-profits, Digital Innovation Hubs, etc.).
• Funding Instrument #3: Researchers, artists, creative professionals, or entrepreneurs affiliated with independent legal entities who are nationals or permanent residents of eligible enlargement countries.
  
  

💶 Funding Scope and Budget
With a total budget of EUR 300,000, the call will support up to 45 projects and mobility grants across 3 distinct funding instruments:

1. Funding Instrument #1 – Small Grants for Joint Regional Innovation Actions: Up to EUR 8,000 per project (up to 15 projects).
2. Funding Instrument #2 – Small Grants for Collaborative Uptake of Results: Up to EUR 8,000 per project (up to 10 projects).
3. Funding Instrument #3 – Small Grants for People-to-People Cooperation Projects: Up to EUR 5,000 per mobility grant (up to 20 mobility grants).
   

📌 Important Links

• Horizon Europe Call Announcement
• POLICY ENLARGE Application Portal & Documentation (OnePass)
• POLICY ENLARGE Call Announcement
• POLICY ENLARGE Project Page
  
  

✉️ We invite researchers preparing proposals and academics seeking partners to contact our Project Office team for feedback and guidance support: projectoffice@bogazici.edu.tr