Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Improved, modern, uniform and validated tools, skills, methodologies and innovative training curricula for Police Authorities in Europe, to prevent, detect and investigate organised crime offences, including the early detection of criminal networks and the identification of emerging trends and challenges;
• Improved mechanisms for the use of cross-border tools to facilitate secure information exchange in the fight against organised crime, including criminal networks, taking into account all applicable legislation and fundamental rights;
• Enhanced understanding of the key challenges and best practices related to combating cross-border organised crime;
• Evidence-based support to policy-makers on shaping and tuning of regulation related to cross-border organised crime including criminal networks.

Scope:

Under the open topic, proposals are welcome to address new, upcoming or unforeseen challenges and/or creative or disruptive solutions for improving the intelligence picture and enhancing the prevention, detection and deterrence of various forms of organised crime, that are not covered by topics of Horizon Europe Calls Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2023-2024. If they related to some of the topics covered by Horizon Europe Calls Fighting Crime and Terrorism 2021-2022, the proposals should convincingly explain how they will build on and not duplicate them. Adapted to the nature, scope and type of proposed projects, proposals should also convincingly explain how they will plan and/or carry out demonstration, testing or validation of developed tools and solutions. Furthermore, proposals should outline the plans to develop possible future uptake and upscaling at national and EU level for possible next steps once the project is finalised. Proposals should also consider, build on if appropriate and not duplicate previous research, including but not limited to research by other Framework Programmes’ projects.

Coordination among the successful proposals from this topic should be envisaged to avoid duplication and to exploit complementarities as well as opportunities for increased impact. If relevant, the active involvement, as beneficiaries, of Border Guard and/or Customs Authorities from EU Member States or Associated Countries is recommended.

The proposals funded under this topic that concern issues which are within the mandate of Europol^[1] are expected to engage with the Europol Innovation Lab during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes, with the aim of facilitating future uptake of innovations for the law enforcement community. Similarly, if the proposals concern drug-related issues, they are expected to engage with the EU Drugs Agency during the lifetime of the project, including validating the outcomes.

To ensure the active involvement of and timely feedback from relevant security practitioners, i.e., Police Authorities and Border Guards / Customs Authorities, proposals should plan a mid-term deliverable consisting in the assessment, performed by the practitioners involved in the project, of the project’s mid-term outcomes.

In this topic, the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content should be addressed only if relevant in relation to the objectives of the research effort.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32016R0794 (Annex I)