Call launch
The Pilot Line on Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits call, CPL-5, was launched on 25 July 2025, with a total EU budget of €190M.
A call for pilot line includes three simultaneously launched calls: one call to select the hosting entities, one Horizon Europe Programme (‘HE’) call to provide the funding for the setup and integration costs and one Digital Europe Programme (‘DEP’) call to provide funding for the operational costs.
In addition, large portion of the equipment of each pilot line will be acquired through joint procurements so that the Chips JU will own 50% of the crucial equipment of each pilot line.
This initiative will focus on advancing PIC technologies beyond the current state-of-the-art, particularly extending operational wavelengths from the near-infrared into the visible and mid-infrared spectrums. This expansion is crucial for tapping into new application areas such as biomedical imaging, quantum computing, and environmental sensing, which require specific wavelengths for optimal performance.
The proposed pilot line needs to serve as a critical infrastructure for bridging the gap between laboratory research and industrial-scale production, facilitating the development of reliable, scalable, and cost-effective PIC solutions. It should foster collaboration among research institutions, SMEs, and large corporations across Europe, driving innovation, and accelerating the commercialization of PIC technologies. By doing so, it should not only enhance Europe’s competitive edge in a key technological domain but also contribute significantly to the continent’s economic resilience and strategic autonomy in critical technologies.
EU budget for the call
Timeline
The CPL-5 call on integrated photonic circuits was launched to advance Europe’s capabilities across the full PIC value chain.
The submission, evaluation, and selection of this call took place in the last quarter of 2024. The negotiations and signatures of the Hosting Agreement, Joint Procurement Agreement, HE grant and DEP grant will take place in 2025.
The submission deadline was 17 September 2024, and it is planned to launch the pilot line in the first half of 2025. Coordinators are informed within one week of the PAB decision on selection.
Due to the high technical complexity of pilot lines, the Chips JU anticipated a limited number of highly specialised applicants.
The evaluation was conducted by a panel of external experts. For CPL-5, the evaluation of the three interlinked calls (HE, DEP, hosting) was performed simultaneously. A proposal could only be funded if it passed all thresholds across all components and was approved by the Public Authorities Board.
Call timeline
Proposals
Two proposals were submitted for the PL-5 call. The Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits Pilot Line for Europe, PIXEurope, was selected for funding.
Submitted proposals
One of the proposals was considered ineligible.
Selected proposal
The PIXEurope proposal was selected for funding.
PIXEurope - Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits Pilot Line for Europe
PIXEurope (CPL-5) is a distributed pilot line to develop breakthrough technologies and processes across the complete photonic integrated circuit (PIC) supply chain. This includes improved monolithic chip fabrication and novel materials integration processes, advanced wafer-level packaging processes, and high-throughput test and reliability analysis procedures. It will create a unique ecosystem to exploit the vast potential of PIC technologies. The PIXEurope pilot line brings together 20 partners, 14 of which will also be hosting entities.
Negotiation
Pilot lines are complex action with different funding sources combined and different contracts and grants to support them in distinct periods of their implementation. Therefore, a specific Hosting Agreements (HA), had to be negotiated with the consortium to cover the full scope and duration of each action. In addition, joint procurement agreements (JPA) with the participating states of the hosting entities had to be negotiated and signed. Furthermore, the grant preparation negotiations had also to be concluded.
In the set up and implementation phase of the pilot lines, hundreds of pieces of equipment need to be jointly procured with the national authorities under national rules. The execution of the procurement by the JU would require hiring additional staff as well as knowing different national laws which should apply to the related procedures. Consequently, to be able to handle the process properly, the JU decided to delegate the joint procurement to the respective national authorities as enabled by the Financial Regulation of the European Union, Art. 165. The following elements were taken into consideration:
• The JU is to own 50% of the pilot line crucial equipment
• The JU staff should have full access to the respective procurement procedures and will monitor the process.
• The JU should give explicit consent for the procurement of the jointly owned equipment.
• The respective national laws should apply to the related procedures.
As a consequence, Joint Procurement Agreements (JPAs) had to be negotiated with the different national contracting authorities. The negotiation of those HAs and JPAs for CPL-5 will be finalised in 2025.
