Cyberstand Project Funding EU Cybersecurity and Standards Experts to support implementation of Cyber Resilience Act

The Cyberstand project is making available 1.500.000€ for cybersecurity and standardisation experts to participate in European standardisation activities. Delivered through 6 funding rounds, the project will procure services from experts to create the standards to support the Cyber Resilience Act. Activities that are eligible for the support contracts include participation in Technical Committees and Working Groups of European SDOs, creating technical reports or specifications and creating/chairing a Technical Committee or Working Group.

These efforts are in support of the new European Cyber Resilience Act. This is a flagship piece of legislation, that for the first time will set a minimum level of cybersecurity requirements for all connected devices and embedded software for products sold on the European market. A common approach to requirements will be adopted, regardless of the product category, with the means of verification changing depending on the product level.

Who Can Apply for the Service Contracts?

Specific Service Procedure (SSP) contracts are available to European specialists who:

• Are individuals or natural persons residing in European Member States and Associate countries (Link ad European member states and associate countries)
• Have experience regarding developments of standards, e.g., existing standards for development for CRA, SReq; existing CRA-related TC/WGs for development;
• Are not receiving support from other instruments (PPPs, EU or national R&I projects) for the proposed activities.

How to apply for the SSPs and how do they work?

Applications are made through the project website; funding is available on a rolling basis, with application periods being opened every 6 months. These will remain open for two months before the applications are evaluated. Three types of proposals are available:

• Proposal type: ST – short-term contribution
  • Description: Contribution to ongoing standards development as a chair, convener, rapporteur or member of an SDO WG. E.g. comments on standards development and drafts, attending meetings also as an observer, paying membership fees. Contribution to standards documentation e.g. liaison to WG, comments on standards drafts, participation at meeting with membership fee paid.
  • Maximum contract duration: 3 months
  • Funding range: up to 5.000€
• Proposal type: MT – mid-term contribution
  • Description: Contribution to ongoing standards development as a chair, convener, rapporteur or member of an SDO WG. E.g. comments on standards development and drafts, attending meetings also as an observer, paying membership fees. Contribution to standards documentation e.g. liaison to WG, comments on standards drafts, participation at meeting with membership fee paid.
  • Maximum contract duration: 6 months
  • Funding range: up to 10.000€
• Proposal type: LT – long-term contribution
  • Description: Contribution to ongoing standards development as a chair, convener, rapporteur or member of an SDO WG. E.g. comments on standards development and drafts, attending meetings also as an observer, paying membership fees. Contribution to standards documentation e.g. liaison to WG, comments on standards drafts, participation at meeting with membership fee paid.
  • Maximum contract duration: 12 months
  • Funding range: up to 20.000€

Please do note that the maximum funding requested per proposal cannot exceed that indicated for the respective type of application (LT, MT, ST), nor can the duration exceed that indicated.

DIGITAL SME’s Role in Cyberstand
DIGITAL SME will ensure that SMEs needs and requirements are included in the standardisation activities, to make sure that the resulting standards are suitable and achievable for SMEs. Further to this, DIGITAL SME will develop tailored guides to standardisation for SMEs and deliver trainings, as well as providing support to the experts, ensuring that their work is aligned with the latest activity in European Standards Development Organisation.

To support companies in achieving compliance, the European Commission, through empowering Cyberstand, will identify relevant standards and certificates that can be used to demonstrate that the requirements have been met. To learn more about this process, follow the Cyberstand project on social media and sign up to the newsletter through the project website.