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Call key data
European Digital Media Observatory
Funding Program
Digital Europe
Call number
DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE-TECH-07-EDMO
deadlines
Opening
04.07.2024
Deadline
21.11.2024 17:00
Funding rate
50% (SME/KMU 75%)
Call budget
€ 8,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
between € 1,000,000.00 and € 1,300,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
The European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) has been created with the aim of supporting an independent multidisciplinary community to contribute to the fight against disinformation. EDMO is composed of the national or regional hubs and a central platform and governance structure which supports and coordinates them. The objective of this topic is to finance the work of independent national or regional hubs for analysis of digital media ecosystems in order to ensure the coverage of geographical areas covered by the EDMO hubs for which the funding is ending at the end of 2024 and in 2025. In this regard, a hub may cover more than one Member State with similar media ecosystems within an EU region. However, a Member State will be covered by only one hub, unless this can be duly justified by the media and information ecosystem.
Call objectives
The EDMO hubs should cover at least all the following activities:
- Reinforce the EDMO network by:
- actively participating in the EDMO governance structure, including electing hub representatives and ensuring smooth and agile communication with the EDMO network by appointing a single contact point for coordination activities among the hubs and the governance structure.
- contributing to the planning and implementation of the EDMO network long term strategy, and to an EDMO independence preserving scheme. This will entail to contribute to the development of a protection scheme for fact checkers and for other EDMO network members.
- actively participating in relevant joint activities of EDMO in key areas; such as fact-checking, investigations, or research, media literacy, policy analysis, as well as in specific thematic collaborative activities.
- contributing to the EDMO annual conference and ensuring a wide participation of the members of the consortia.
- participating in and contributing to the EDMO hubs meetings and other relevant EDMO network events, including internal collaboration meetings of the EDMO network.
- keeping the EDMO network and the European Commission informed with sufficiently advanced notice about all the initiatives and events organised by using the EDMO platform to share information and collaborate in joint fact checking and research activities and provide feedback to improve platform’s functionalities.
- reporting regularly to the EDMO network, the European Commission and the public about its activities in the form of brief quarterly updates as a minimum (e.g. newsletter or factsheets). These reports should also be published and distributed to various communication channels, adapted to reach also specialised or general audiences.
- Detect, fact-check and disclose harmful disinformation campaigns at national, multinational and EU level, including disinformation created by using new technologies, such as deep fakes or generative AI. If the hub intends to use previously developed technological tools or to develop new tools, including AI based tools, to support its activities of fact-checking the proposal should clearly explain which new functionalities will be developed. The foreseen tools should be fully functional by the end of the project. The hubs are encouraged to develop these technological tools in cooperation with other hubs. Whenever possible the developed tools or functionalities shall be made available to other EDMO hubs.
A hub should contribute to joint across-hubs fact-checking projects identified by the EDMO network (as already done for instance with the EDMO Task-Force on European Parliamentary elections 2024). The hubs should also include their fact-checks in repositories of joint EDMO projects (as already done for example for the war in Ukraine) and contribute to the periodic EDMO fact-checking briefs. In addition, the hubs should include their fact-checks in the EU fact checking repository which will be set up based on the relevant commitments of the Code of Practice on Disinformation. The fact-checks produced by each hub should be published on their website or made accessible via the website and disseminate them proactively in various forms such as by fact-checking briefs, cooperation with media etc. - Analyse harmful disinformation campaigns at national, regional and EU level and their impact on society and democracy, in particular by:
- analysing and exposing current disinformation narratives and trends.
- monitoring the evolution of disinformation-related risks and harms on relevant audiences and new technologies such as deep fakes and generative AI etc.
- detecting and analysing in an agile and practice-oriented way, emerging and prominent issues related to the disinformation landscape including for example relevant actors, tools, methods, dissemination dynamics and prioritised topics and targets of disinformation campaigns. Whenever relevant and possible, in particular regarding joint projects, hubs should contribute and use common methodology.
- actively contributing to EDMO joint investigation or research projects that are relevant for the hub.
The hubs should contribute to the EDMO network’s activities aiming to improve the access to online platforms’ data for researchers.
In view of the rapidly changing media, technological, geopolitical, legal and policy environment as well as the related disinformation landscape, hubs need to stand ready to react and adapt their activities accordingly, including new, emerging needs and crisis. This applies to all areas of activities of the hub.
- Conduct and support tailor-made and media literacy campaigns for the covered territory or linguistic area, including in cooperation with the EDMO network, the European Commission and Member States. Such campaigns should target the general public and vulnerable groups. They could also include activities dedicated to schools and education. The hubs should also foster the growth of local media literacy activities. Additionally, the hubs will leverage on the exchange of good practices and materials stored on the EDMO platform and contribute to the EDMO repositories with their own material. Hubs should explore possibilities of developing and implementing joint media literacy activities and campaigns.
- Contribute to the monitoring of online platforms’ policies to tackle disinformation within the European legal and policy framework defined by the Digital Services Act, including the Code of Practice on Disinformation. The hubs’ work should be equipped with relevant expertise in this regard in order to contribute to related EDMO network investigation and analysis. Moreover, the hubs should be ready to contribute actively to monitoring activities based on emerging needs related to the EU policy framework in a flexible way, reacting to new developments and priorities.
The hubs should prepare and provide, at the request of the European Commission, targeted information on disinformation in the regional landscape of a hub and on current issues related to disinformation and other issues relevant to the areas of their activity.
- Foster the growth of a strong national and regional multidisciplinary community by building cooperation with a wide network of relevant stakeholders within the geographical area of the hub, in particular independent fact-checkers, media practitioners, media literacy experts, and other disinformation specialists, beyond the organisations involved in the proposal. The applicants must have the ability to reach out to a large network of experts. To this end, the applicants must prove to have in place a broad network of experts and/or organisations they intend to cooperate with, which are not involved in the proposal. Such cooperation should also provide expertise in relevant areas of investigation and research (e.g. security, health, climate change, migration, economics, European policies or other relevant areas prone to disinformation. The applicants must include evidence in their proposal on how they cooperate and intend to expand such cooperation with such a network of experts.
- Communicate and reach out through various channels to a broad audience (e.g. by traditional and online media outlets, podcasts, social media etc.) and carry out related communication campaigns about its activities. This includes the dissemination of:
- the fact-checks produced by the hub;
- the results of investigation or research activities related to the analysis of disinformation campaigns as well as trends and risks related to the disinformation phenomenon;
- media literacy related activities and material.
The communication activities should target the large public as well as specialists in the field, where appropriate by preparing targeted content for different audiences and for different media. Each hub should indicate in its proposal the type of collaborations intended for this purpose with independent media outlets operating within its territory or linguistic area.
The hubs will also coordinate their communication activities with the EDMO network as appropriate. In particular, the hubs should be involved in dissemination of the activities and results of the EDMO network, including, when relevant, activities of other EDMO hubs, and promote EDMO events to media professionals and citizens. To this end, the hubs will follow the requirements of the communication strategy designed by the EDMO governance. Hubs should also, where relevant and possible, share their outputs and materials with the EDMO network for broader dissemination across the EU.
The communication plan, developed at early stage of the project, should clearly indicate the target groups and the KPIs.
The hubs should organise outreach events (e.g. conferences, workshops) to disseminate information about their activities and foster the growth of and exchange within the local stakeholder community. This could also include awareness raising on the EU policy framework as well as on activities and results of other EDMO hubs. The hubs should inform the European Commission and the EDMO network about upcoming events organised and invite the European Commission to those events where relevant.
Hubs should also provide targeted and relevant training activities relevant to their stakeholder community.
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Expected results
- Production of a continuous flow of fact-checks which will also be stored in the EDMO’s repositories.
- Deliver practice-oriented reports, studies and investigations on specific disinformation campaigns and/or linked to relevant disinformation phenomena.
- Deliver media literacy campaigns and/or events at national/regional level to increase citizens’ awareness and societal resilience.
- Supporting the monitoring of online platforms’ policies and in particular related to the relevant EU policy framework, including the Code of Practice on Disinformation, in the geographical area covered by the hub by targeted inputs and analysis as well as delivering overviews and reports providing insight about the (dis)information landscape of the geographical/linguistic area covered.
- Implementing a communication strategy building on the targeted use of various channels (e.g. traditional and online media outlets, podcasts, social media etc.) aiming to reach a broad audience (both professional audience and the general public). Organising relevant outreach and training activities.
- Delivering an annual report on the activities of the hub. which will include information on i) the cooperation with other hubs; ii) participation in the EDMO governance body and in joint projects; (iii) additional funds received by the hubs; and iv) the process and safeguards put in place to preserve the independence of the hub; V) efforts to foster the growth of a regional multidisciplinary independent community.
- Each Hub should have a website already up and running, whereby all information is published in the languages covered by the national/regional hub. The main menu should be also available in English.
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Iceland (Ísland), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Liechtenstein, Montenegro (Црна Гора), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)
eligible entities
Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
Proposals must be submitted by:
- minimum 2 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities).
- the coordinator of the consortium must be established in an EU Member State to be covered by the hub.
- For complementary information refer to section 2 – Targeted stakeholders for consortia composition (pages 11-12 of the call document).
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be:
- legal entities (public or private bodies)
- established in one of the eligible countries:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme (list of participating countries)
Specific cases:
Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of self-employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
International organisations — International organisations are not eligible, unless they are International organisations of European Interest within the meaning of Article 2 of the Digital Europe Regulation (i.e. international organisations the majority of whose members are Member States or whose headquarters are in a Member State).
EU bodies — EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.
Entities without legal personality — Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’.
other eligibility criteria
Applicants who already received funding under previous Digital Europe Programme calls on EDMO Hubs and who plan to apply again under this call must clearly explain in the relevant section of the application of their proposal (notably the section of Relevance) how their proposed Action will build on and/or differ from the Action funded under the previous call(s). Applicants who apply for the first time under this call must clearly explain how their proposed Action will build upon the previously funded Hub.
Financial support to third parties is not allowed.
Projects involving EU classified information must undergo security scrutiny to authorise funding and may be made subject to specific security rules (detailed in a security aspects letter (SAL) which is annexed to the Grant Agreement).
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
project duration
between 30 and 36 months
Additional Information
Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System (accessible via the Topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section. Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:
- Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants (future coordinator, beneficiaries and affiliated entities) and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
- Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
- Mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
- detailed budget table/calculator: not applicable
- CVs of core project team: not applicable
- activity reports of last year: not applicable
- list of previous projects (key projects for the last 4 years) (template available in Part B): applicable for the topic DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE TECH-07-EDMO
Proposals are limited to maximum 70 pages (Part B).
Call documents
Call document DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE-TECH-07-EDMOCall document DIGITAL-2024-BESTUSE-TECH-07-EDMO(576kB)
Contact
Website
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