Publication of the 4th joint transnational call of the THCS (Transforming Health and Care System) partnership: 'Access to Care 2026'

On 21 November 2025, the Ministry of Health (hereinafter referred to as the "MZD") publishes the following information in accordance with Act No. 130/2002 Coll., on support for research, experimental development and innovation from public funds and on amendments to certain related acts (Act on support for research, experimental development and innovation), as amended (hereinafter referred to as the "Act"),

Joint Transnational Partnership Call THCS (Transforming Health and Care System): "Access to Care 2026"

Call 2026

Deadline for announcement of results
October 2026

National budget allocation for the call
500 000 EUR

Maximum amount of support per project
250 000 EUR

Maximum aid intensity per project
Table: Maximum possible aid intensity by type of entity and type of research (according to the current version Methodology: European Partnerships in Health)

Applicants
research organisation, enterprise, patient organisations

Project duration
3years / 36 months

Deadlines for submission of project proposals:
Pre-proposals: 2 February 2026, 14:00 CET
Full proposals: 30 June 2026, 14:00 CEST

Interested parties can participate in the international information webinar on 10 December 2025. Registration is available at this link: REGISTER

Documents

Conditions for the participation of the Czech applicant in THCS JTCS 2026

Methodology: European Partnerships for Health

Sub-programme 3: European Partnerships in Health - effective from 22.5.2024

Mandatory attachments of the Czech applicant for Phase 1 (pre-proposals)

  1. Affidavit on behalf of the tenderer or co-tenderer (PO)
  2. Affidavit on behalf of the tenderer or co-tenderer (FO)
  3. Affidavit for research organisations (if applicable)
  4. Affidavit of consortium composition (only if a Czech company is represented in the project)
  5. Budget tableAZV ČR Application Form)

Mandatory annexes of the Czech applicant for Phase 2 (full proposals)

  1. Affidavit of competence;
  2. Updated budget table AZV ČR Application Form)

Other documents

Commission Regulation

Frascati manual

Definition of types of results

Support contract

The official call documents are available here

Information about the call

Transnational Partnership Call THCS: "Access to Care 2026"aims to:

  • Support research and innovation projects that contribute to reducing inequalities in health and social care and its use, within an ecosystem approach.
  • Support projects that focus on improving access to health and social care at all levels. Projects should focus on the development of innovative financing models, new approaches to the organisation and delivery of care, and the introduction of interdisciplinary and integrated care programmes that link different professionals, institutions and levels of the system.

The call aims to support research and innovation projects that contribute to these THCS objectives:

  • Health outcomes: improved health status of the population, such as reduced morbidity and mortality, better management of chronic diseases and improved mental health.
  • System efficiency and effectiveness: Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health care, including reducing health care costs, reducing hospital readmissions, and streamlining patient care.
  • Accessibility and equity: ensuring equal and fair access to quality healthcare regardless of socio-economic status, origin or geographical location.
  • Impact on policy and practice: Influencing policy decisions and creating or modifying regulatory frameworks and clinical practices to achieve improvements in health and care systems based on validated data and evidence (e.g., through updating professional guidelines or reforming procurement models).
  • Empowering patients: empowering patients and health organisations, promoting their active and independent participation in co-designing health care.
  • Knowledge creation and dissemination: generation of new knowledge, best practices and innovative solutions, and their effective dissemination to the professional and lay public.
  • Ecosystem approach: promoting multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together experts from different disciplines and sectors to address complex health and care challenges.
  • Sustainability and environmental impact: Taking into account the long-term sustainability of proposed solutions and their environmental impact, promoting greener approaches and adaptation of the health sector to climate change.

Projects should address the fact that best practices often remain limited to the original setting and are not scaled up. Each proposal must describe how the results will be transferred and scaled up to different settings and how they will be adapted to local conditions and needs.

This includes:

  • a clear transfer strategy,
  • tools or methodologies for replicating successful solutions,
  • Involvement of decision-makers, partners and users.

Projects that are limited to epidemiological or descriptive studies (e.g. prevalence mapping or risk factor analysis) without proposing concrete, feasible solutions or models for implementation in health care systems will not be accepted. Similarly, projects relating exclusively to social services without a link to the health sector are excluded from the call.

Size of the project consortium

Each project consortium must include at least 3 partners from 3 different eligible countries, at least 2 of which must be from EU Member States or associated countries. Each of these partners must be eligible and apply for funding from the relevant funding organisation. All 3 legal entities must be independent of each other. A maximum of 2 eligible partners from the same country are allowed per consortium . The project coordinator must be eligible for funding by its regional/national funding organisation participating in the call. The project coordinator may not be changed between the first and second phase. A maximum of 2 self-funding partners, called collaborators, are allowed in a consortium . The maximum number of partners is 9, not including the countries of the collaborators. Only transnational projects will be funded.

List of participating countries:

Belgium (FNRS), Czech Republic (MZCR/AZVCR), Denmark (IFD), Estonia (ETAG), France (FR MOH and ANR), Ireland (HRB), Iceland (Rannís), Italy (AReSS, RT, IT MOH and FRRB), Israel (CSO-MOH), Lithuania (LMT), Latvia (LCS), Malta (Xjenza Malta), Netherlands (ZonMw/NWO/NWO-SIA), Norway (RCN), Poland (NCBR), Portugal (CCDRC, FCT), Austria (FFG), Romania (UEFISCDI), Greece (GSRI), Slovakia (CVTI SR), United Kingdom (NIHR), Spain (CSCJA, ISCIII and IDIVAL), Sweden (Forte), Switzerland (Innosuisse and SNSF).

*The list of participating countries is current as of 21 November 2025.

Call rules:

The call is governed by transnational rules common to applicants from all participating countries. In addition to the transnational rules, Czech applicants must also comply with the national conditions set by the relevant national provider. Applicants participating in applied research projects will therefore have to comply with national conditions based on Sub-programme 3: European Partnerships in Health.

Contact persons:

Ing. Rachel Hengalová
Email: 
Tel: + 420 778 880 697

Mgr. Monika Kocmanová
Email: 
Tel: +420 778 973 186

You can also submit questions about the transnational call via email: .