RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures
RFCS Project Grants
Funding Amount
Amount not specified
Deadline
24/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the RFCS-2025 Steel Accompanying Measures Call?
Grant Description
This call supports research and accompanying measures to decarbonise and modernise the European steel industry in line with the European Green Deal. Projects must develop, demonstrate and improve near-zero-carbon steelmaking processes, advanced steel grades, resource conservation, circular economy approaches, energy efficiency, environmental protection and workforce skills. Accompanying measures include talent attraction, skill formation, and policy studies providing decision-makers with up-to-d...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Projects funded under this call are expected to deliver:
• Clean steel breakthrough technologies moving towards zero-carbon steel-making processes by 2030.
• Demonstration and validation of near-zero-carbon iron- and steel-making processes with improved productivity and product quality, substantially reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, energy consumption, carbon footprint and other environmental impacts.
• Optimised steel production chains and integrated process efficiencies supported by digitalisation, big data, AI, process modelling and automation.
• Advanced steel grades with superior mechanical, physical and durability properties, extended service life, and applicant-driven application performance (e.g. mobility, lightweight design, safety, eco-design).
• Standardised test and evaluation methods, predictive simulation tools for microstructure and process control.
• Circular-economy solutions, including high-quality scrap recycling, waste-and-by-product valorisation, pollution control measures, design for end-of-life recyclability and life-cycle assessments.
• Pilot and demonstration projects integrating renewable/zero-carbon energy sources or hydrogen into steelmaking operations.
• Strengthened workforce competencies for digitalised, near-zero-carbon steel production and improved workplace health, safety and ergonomics.
• For accompanying-measure proposals: enhanced talent attraction frameworks and skill-formation pathways; comprehensive strategic overviews and policy roadmaps for decarbonisation and zero-pollution steelmaking, benchmarked against EU and international best practices.
• Clean steel breakthrough technologies moving towards zero-carbon steel-making processes by 2030.
• Demonstration and validation of near-zero-carbon iron- and steel-making processes with improved productivity and product quality, substantially reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, energy consumption, carbon footprint and other environmental impacts.
• Optimised steel production chains and integrated process efficiencies supported by digitalisation, big data, AI, process modelling and automation.
• Advanced steel grades with superior mechanical, physical and durability properties, extended service life, and applicant-driven application performance (e.g. mobility, lightweight design, safety, eco-design).
• Standardised test and evaluation methods, predictive simulation tools for microstructure and process control.
• Circular-economy solutions, including high-quality scrap recycling, waste-and-by-product valorisation, pollution control measures, design for end-of-life recyclability and life-cycle assessments.
• Pilot and demonstration projects integrating renewable/zero-carbon energy sources or hydrogen into steelmaking operations.
• Strengthened workforce competencies for digitalised, near-zero-carbon steel production and improved workplace health, safety and ergonomics.
• For accompanying-measure proposals: enhanced talent attraction frameworks and skill-formation pathways; comprehensive strategic overviews and policy roadmaps for decarbonisation and zero-pollution steelmaking, benchmarked against EU and international best practices.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must:
• Address at least one of the two accompanying-measure themes:
i) Talent attraction and skill formation for the steel industry (may build on existing initiatives);
ii) Development of a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of innovative steelmaking technologies and zero-pollution decarbonisation scenarios for decision-makers, based on:
a. RFCS, other EU and national projects as benchmarks;
b. Non-EU programmes to include an international dimension.
• Align with the European Green Deal objectives and the RFCS steel research objectives (Council Decision 2008/376/EC as amended by EU 2021/1094), specifically Articles 8–10a covering low-carbon processes, advanced grades, resource conservation, circular economy and workforce management.
• Be submitted as a single-stage proposal in the RFCS-AG model by the 24 September 2025 deadline (17:00 Brussels time).
• Address at least one of the two accompanying-measure themes:
i) Talent attraction and skill formation for the steel industry (may build on existing initiatives);
ii) Development of a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of innovative steelmaking technologies and zero-pollution decarbonisation scenarios for decision-makers, based on:
a. RFCS, other EU and national projects as benchmarks;
b. Non-EU programmes to include an international dimension.
• Align with the European Green Deal objectives and the RFCS steel research objectives (Council Decision 2008/376/EC as amended by EU 2021/1094), specifically Articles 8–10a covering low-carbon processes, advanced grades, resource conservation, circular economy and workforce management.
• Be submitted as a single-stage proposal in the RFCS-AG model by the 24 September 2025 deadline (17:00 Brussels time).
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
Admissibility and eligibility conditions:
• Proposal page limits and layout: per section 5 of the Call Document and Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System.
• Eligible countries and types of participants: per section 6 of the Call Document.
• Other eligibility conditions: per section 6 of the Call Document.
• Financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria: per section 7 of the Call Document.
Evaluation and award:
• Submission and evaluation procedures: per section 8 of the Call Document and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.
• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: per section 9 of the Call Document.
• Indicative evaluation and grant-agreement timeline: per section 4 of the Call Document.
Legal and financial set-up:
• Model Grant Agreement terms: per section 10 of the Call Document (RFCS MGA).
Required documentation:
• Call Document and annexes (Application Form templates, Detailed Budget table, Content of Evaluation Forms).
• RFCS Decision 2008/376/EC; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; Rules for LEAR appointment and financial-capacity assessment; EU Grants Annotated MGA; Portal Terms & Conditions, Privacy Statement.
Submission system:
• Single-stage model for RFCS-PJG and RFCS-AG; final deadline: 24 September 2025, 17:00:00 Brussels time.
• Proposal page limits and layout: per section 5 of the Call Document and Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System.
• Eligible countries and types of participants: per section 6 of the Call Document.
• Other eligibility conditions: per section 6 of the Call Document.
• Financial and operational capacity, and exclusion criteria: per section 7 of the Call Document.
Evaluation and award:
• Submission and evaluation procedures: per section 8 of the Call Document and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual.
• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: per section 9 of the Call Document.
• Indicative evaluation and grant-agreement timeline: per section 4 of the Call Document.
Legal and financial set-up:
• Model Grant Agreement terms: per section 10 of the Call Document (RFCS MGA).
Required documentation:
• Call Document and annexes (Application Form templates, Detailed Budget table, Content of Evaluation Forms).
• RFCS Decision 2008/376/EC; EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509; Rules for LEAR appointment and financial-capacity assessment; EU Grants Annotated MGA; Portal Terms & Conditions, Privacy Statement.
Submission system:
• Single-stage model for RFCS-PJG and RFCS-AG; final deadline: 24 September 2025, 17:00:00 Brussels time.
Important dates
Open from: 18/06/2025
Deadline:24/09/2025
Application period has ended
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