Open Call for ICT Experts to represent SMEs in Standardisation Groups at EU and International Level

Deadline
August 29, 2025
Funding amount
€10.500 plus travel allowances
Category
Cybersecurity and Data Protection AI Innovation Technology Standards
Call Type
Call for experts
Eligibility (geography)
EU Member States, EFTA

Small Business Standards (SBS) has opened a Call for Experts for 2026 to represent small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in standardisation. In this framework, the objective is to appoint experts to represent the interests of SMEs in Technical Committees (TCs), Sub-Committees (SCs) and Working Groups (WGs) of CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, ISO and IEC. Experts will be appointed for one year.

Eligibility

  • This call is open to candidates, from an SME background, with technical expertise in any ICT standardisation topic relevant for SMEs
  • Candidates shall be based in the EU or EFTA countries
  • Applicants must demonstrate the absence of double-funding and the absence of conflict of interest

Applications on topics included in the 2025 Annual Union Work Programme for European Standardisation are strongly encouraged, among others: Standardisation in support of the Cyber Resilience Act, Data (data interoperability, etc., Digital skills/competences, Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT), Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial intelligence, Smart cities, smart houses and domotics, Quantum computing, Cloud and edge computing, Platforms (interoperability, open-source implementation), Standardisation in support of the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), Software and systems engineering, Sustainable digitalisation of industries…

Selected experts will be offered a contract for one year (2026):

  • Experts will be paid a lump-sum of € 10,500 for their work.
  • A lump-sum payment covering person-days, travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs will be provided for physical meetings attended, for at least one during the year. The travel lump-sum amounts are fixed per geographical destination.

Deadline:

  • Please submit your interest in the form below for the possibility of receiving the support of the European DIGITAL SME Alliance. The deadline to compile the request form is Friday 29 August 2025, 18:00.

Please note that:

  • Applications must be backed by a recognised SME association. A support letter from the SME association will need to be submitted together with the candidate’s application.
  • For this Open Call for 2026, experts are required to find external co-funding for their selected Technical Committees and Working Groups, as this cannot be granted by the expert’s employer or affiliated entity anymore.

In this context, DIGITAL SME is prepared to also cover the co-funding that will enable experts participation to the most strategic standardisation groups. As the number of TCs DIGITAL SME can co-fund is limited, it is currently possible to proceed only with applications expressed by DIGITAL SME Innovators Club Members. This possibility also applies for new Members joining in this period, more information is found here.  For further questions, please contact Gabriele Casalini (g.casalini@digitalsme.eu).

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