InDiCo-Global has successfully completed all projects funded under its Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) Open Call 1, marking a key milestone in the project’s work to advance international cooperation on ICT and digital standardisation.
The first Open Call attracted 51 applications, of which 31 were deemed eligible and evaluated through the project’s established peer-review process with support from the External Pool of Experts. Following the evaluation, 11 projects were selected for funding and have now concluded their activities.
A diverse set of completed activities, from capacity building to strategic foresight
The completed projects reflect a broad mix of approaches to strengthening standardisation knowledge, policy alignment, and practical adoption. Activities included specialised training and courses, high-impact workshops, landscaping and comparative studies, the development of guidelines and manuals, and convening stakeholders through consultations and events.
Collectively, the projects supported InDiCo-Global’s wider aims by:
- Building awareness and capacity around EU-aligned standards and regulatory approaches
- Supporting dialogue and knowledge exchange between European and non-European stakeholders
- Developing practical guidance to enable standards adoption in real-world contexts
- Expanding cooperation across priority policy areas including AI governance, data protection, cybersecurity, digital identity, accessibility, open data, and strategic technologies
The funded projects covered a wide range of ICT policy areas and priorities, including:
- Understanding EU Climate Fintech: Legal and Regulatory Perspectives (Mittetulundusühing Blockchain and Climate Institute)
- SAREF4ALL (AI4People)
- Geopolitics of Semiconductor Standards & High-Performance Computing Chips: De-Risking China (Universität Würzburg; CASSIS Fellow Uni Bonn)
- High-Impact Workshops for Knowledge Exchange Between Chile and Europe on Standardisation Initiatives (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile)
- Artificial Intelligence, Landscaping analyses/studies (Confederation of Indian Industry – Institute of Quality)
- Enhancing Digital Government in Guatemala through European Standards (Asociación Civil Red Ciudadana)
- Use of AI systems in online content moderation, review and remedies in EU and OHADA regions (UC Louvain)
- Fostering data protection and responsible AI compliance in Bolivia (InternetBolivia.org Foundation)
- Accessibility Standards / European Accessibility Act in Africa (Access Austria / HGBS)
- Bridging the Gap Between European and Mexican ICT Standards in Open Data (ETHOS)
- Developing Guidelines on Common Denominators for Security Levels of Digital Identity Wallets (Thales Digital Identity & Security)
The completion of first Open Call strengthens InDiCo-Global’s evidence base across priority topics such as AI governance, data protection, digital identity, accessibility, open data, and strategic technologies. The work carried out by the 11 projects helps expand shared understanding of standards-related challenges and opportunities across different contexts, while supporting more informed dialogue between European and international stakeholders.
“The initiatives funded under the first InDiCo-Global open call have contributed to broaden both the geographical and technical scope of activities while also expanding the network of contacts for the InDiCo-Global partners. These projects have contributed to supporting the overarching objectives for the project: inform partners about the policy, regulatory and standardisation work for Digital in Europe, learn about their own approach and priorities, and foster engagement across regions. The links built through these projects will last beyond their completion and be valuable assets for a continued international cooperation,” said Xavier Piednoir, Director International Projects, ETSI and InDioCo-Global Project Coordinator.
About InDiCo-Global
InDiCo-Global, a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action, builds bridges between technical communities and policy makers globally, on topics relating to Digital policies and ICT standardisation. Powered by a strong consortium - ETSI, CEN, CENELEC, Trust-IT, Martel Innovate and COMMpla, InDiCo-Global aims to develop mutual understanding of policy, regulatory and technical approaches to ICT/digital technologies, enhance cooperation on ICT standards and alignment in policies and regulations, leading to a wider use of common standards for the benefit of European industry.
The InDiCo-Global project received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101136022. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
