TLDR: The European Commission has cancelled a €45 million Horizon Europe funding call for generative AI projects, citing concerns over the specificity of the call text. The initiative, known as ‘Challenge-Driven GenAI4EU Booster (RIA)’, is now slated for inclusion in the 2026-2027 Work Programme following necessary legal and content adjustments.
The European Commission has announced the cancellation of a significant €45 million funding opportunity under its Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects. The call, identified as HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09 and also known as the ‘Challenge-Driven GenAI4EU Booster (RIA)’, was withdrawn due to feedback from applicants regarding the lack of specificity in the call text. This decision aims to ensure a fair and equitable evaluation process for future submissions.
The Commission has confirmed its intention to reintroduce this funding opportunity within the Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2026-2027. The re-launch will involve making essential legal adjustments while striving to maintain minimal changes to the original content of the call. Despite the cancellation, the topic continued to appear as ‘open for submission’ on the official portal until its original closing date of October 2, 2025, a technicality that could not be immediately altered. Applicants who had already initiated proposals were unable to proceed with their submissions, and new entries were blocked.
Also Read:
- Forrester Report: EU Cloud Sovereignty Goals Face Reality Check by 2026
- Closed-Loop AI Frameworks: A Solution to Enterprise Trust Issues in Generative AI Adoption
This specific call is part of the broader GenAI4EU flagship initiative, which seeks to integrate generative AI into Europe’s strategic sectors and enhance the continent’s competitive edge. The GenAI4EU initiative has already surpassed its initial commitment of €500 million, with nearly €700 million in funding allocated across Horizon Europe, the Digital Europe Programme, and the European Innovation Council. These funds are designed to support researchers, innovators, and companies in developing and deploying generative AI solutions. For instance, funding ranging from €15 million to €17 million is available for projects leveraging multimodal data to advance generative AI in biomedical research, with a focus on predictive and personalized medicine. The overarching goal of GenAI4EU is to boost AI adoption among EU companies, which currently stands at 13.5%, thereby fostering innovation and competitiveness.
