Pilot action for the establishment of future Union Testing Facilities in AI

Closed

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Digital Europe Programme

Programme Description

Digital Europe Programme is the first EU programme that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe.

Worth €7.6 billion (in current prices), the Programme is a part of the next long-term EU budget, (the Multiannual Financial Framework), and it covers 2021 to 2027. It will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society.

The Programme is fine-tuned to fill the gap between the research of digital technologies and their deployment, and to bring the results of research to the market – for the benefit of Europe’s citizens and businesses, and in particular SMEs. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

DIGITAL-2024-AI-ACT-06-TESTAI

Call

Pilot action for the establishment of future Union Testing Facilities in AI

Summary

The main objective of this action is to launch a pilot project to prepare the implementation of the concept of “EU AI testing support structures” and define the requirements for a full-scale operation of these testing facilities (after the pilot phase).

Detailed Call Description

This topic should perform the following tasks:

  • developing an approach to the implementation of the requirements on EU AI testing support structures, including notably the approach to the testing of the compliance of AI systems with the requirements introduced by the AI Act, as well as the expertise and infrastructure requirements of future EU AI testing support structures;
  • carrying out preliminary testing of AI systems (to validate the proposed approach);
  • providing independent technical or scientific advice at the request of the Commission, the AI Office, or Member States market surveillance authorities;
  • organising workshops and other activities fostering collaboration and exchange of information between Member States market surveillance authorities in preparation of the implementation of the AI Act;
  • conducting initial and further training courses for the benefit of the staff of market surveillance authorities of Member States and the Commission,
  • in the context of activities of standardization organizations, including notably CEN/CENELEC JTC 21, contributing to the development of standards to verify and validate AI systems against the AI Act’s requirements for High-Risk scenarios, whether stand alone or integrated in regulated products and services.

Deliverables for this topic should include notably:

  • a tested and validated suite of testing procedures and tools to be used in a future full-scale;
  • training material for market surveillance authorities;
  • recommendations for the long-term establishment of EU AI testing support structures.

Call Total Budget

€1.500.000

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

100%

Maximum grant amount per project: €1.500.000

Thematic Categories

  • Other Services
  • Public Administration
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation

Eligibility for Participation

  • Central Government
  • Legal Entities
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Private Bodies
  • State-owned Enterprises

Eligibility For Participation Notes

In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must:

  • be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • non-EU countries:
      • EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
      • other countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (list of participating countries)

Targeted stakeholders: This topic should focus on the needs of market surveillance authorities of Member States, the AI Office and the Commission.

Call Opening Date

29/02/2024

Call Closing Date

29/05/2024

National Contact Point(s)

Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Directorate of Research and Innovation
Eleana Gabriel
Telephone: +357 22 691918
Email: egabriel@dmrid.gov.cy

EU Contact Point

For help related to this call, please visit the following link: Write to us | European Union (europa.eu)