GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Within these topics, the following activities can be funded:

Investigation and surveillance equipment and methods: The purchase and maintenance of investigation and surveillance equipment and methods used by beneficiaries to prevent and fight against irregularities, fraud, and corruption detrimental to the financial interests of the Union. The purchase of adapted transport equipment, IT hardware and software, and audio-visual equipment may be included, if an applicant can clearly demonstrate that the purchase helps to prevent and combat fraud, corruption and any other illegal activities affecting the financial interests of the Union. Specialised training to enable staff to operate these tools must be included as part of the action.

Digital forensic hardware: The purchase and maintenance of digital forensic equipment and software, mobile forensic tools, and computer forensic collaborative systems used to prevent and fight against irregularities (and fraudulent irregularities in particular), fraud, and corruption detrimental to the financial interests of the Union. Cross border cooperation enabling the exchange of information and best practices, in particular at operational level, is strongly encouraged. Projects may also include updates of existing software systems and associated training. Specialised training to enable staff to operate these tools must be included as part of the action.

Data analytics technologies and data purchases: The purchase and maintenance of: (i) commercial specialised databases; (ii) data-analysis platforms capable of running analyses in ‘big data’ environments; (iii) risk and predictive analysis tools; (iv) data mining tools; and (v) systems supported by artificial intelligence used in preventing and combating irregularities, fraudulent activities and corruption, detrimental to the financial interests of the Union; (vi) data collection tools for the purpose of risk and anti-fraud analysis. These purchases include capacity building in Member States to develop, use and share databases and business-intelligence tools. These purchases may also enable the acquisition of integrated packages that comprise: hardware, software (including tools using emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, block chain technology and biometrics) and training. Specialised training to enable staff to operate these tools must be included as part of the action.

Detection of illicit trade: The purchase and maintenance of equipment and IT tools to strengthen beneficiaries’ operational and technical capacity to detect smuggled and counterfeited goods, including cigarettes and tobacco, imported into the Union with the intention of evading VAT, customs duties and/or excise taxes. Specialised training to enable staff to operate these tools must be included as part of the action.