PPPA – Net-Zero AI4Permitting – 2026

Objectives

• To stengthen the administrative capacity of permitting authorities in Net-Zero Acceleration Valleys
• To improve interoperability across digital infrastructure, ensuring smooth integration and cohesion between existing systems at both local, regional and national levels
• To ensure that all permitting processes comply robustly with EU and national legislative frameworks

Priorities

• Priority 1: acceleration and streamlining of permitting processes
• Priority 2: digital infrastructure interoperability
• Priority 3: compliance with EU and national legislation
• Priority 4: cross-regional and cross-border replication and reusability
• Priority 5: alignment with ongoing digitalization initiatives

Among financed actions

• Analysis
• Deployment of digital/AI-based solutions
• Training

Eligibility

• Be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
• Be involved in industrial permitting procedures in designated Net-Zero Acceleration Valleys and/or in potential Net-Zero Acceleration Valleys, and supported by an endorsement letter from a national authority designating the Net-Zero Acceleration Valley. This applies to local, regional and national permitting authorities
• Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register before submitting the proposal
• A consortium composed of at least four applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities), which complies with the following conditions, must be constituted:
  • minimum four independent entities from two different Member States
  • at least two public authorities from the already established and/or potential Net-Zero Acceleration Valley, recognised via the endorsement letter
  • the Coordinator of each Consortium must be one of the public authorities described in the above bullet point

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: between 24 and 30 months

Extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment.

• Contact: EISMEA-SMP-NET-ZERO-AI4-PERMITTING@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 7.15 million euros
• Amount of the grant: between 1.500.000 and 2.400.000 euros per project

The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.

• Funding rate: 80% of the total eligible costs