Submit Applications for EFCSN Database Tender

The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) is inviting eligible fact-checking organisations outside the European Union and DEP-associated countries to contribute verified fact-checking content to a central European fact-check database. Selected organisations may receive up to €70,000 over 24 months in exchange for providing fact-checks, supporting technical data integration, reviewing AI-generated metadata, and licensing content for third-party access. What Is the EFCSN Fact-Checking Call? The European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) has launched a tender to expand a centralised European database of fact-checking content. The opportunity is part of the FACTEUR project, which aims to strengthen Europe’s resilience against disinformation, misinformation, and information manipulation. The selected organisations will contribute professional fact-checking content that can be incorporated into the database and made available to third parties under fair and reasonable licensing conditions. What Is the FACTEUR Project? FACTEUR is focused on strengthening the capacity of European information ecosystems to respond to disinformation. The central fact-check database will bring together verified fact-checking content from participating organisations and make this information more accessible for further use. Therefore, €70,000 represents the maximum potential contract value, rather than a guaranteed amount for every successful applicant. Who Is Eligible? The opportunity is specifically aimed at fact-checking organisations outside the EU and DEP-associated countries.

Eligible organisations must:

Be a fact-checking organisation. Have a substantial editorial focus on a qualifying Council of Europe member country, Kosovo, Belarus, or Russia. Not be established in an EU Member State. Not be established in a DEP-associated country. Have the capacity to contribute fact-checking content. Be able to support the required technical data contribution process. Be able to review and annotate AI-generated metadata. Be able to grant the required licensing rights. The geographical eligibility requirement is particularly important because organisations established inside the EU or DEP-associated countries are excluded from this specific tender. What Type of Organisations Should Consider Applying? The opportunity may be particularly relevant to established fact-checking organisations that already produce a substantial volume of editorial content. Potentially suitable organisations include those that: Regularly publish professional fact-checks. Focus on misinformation and disinformation. Have a strong editorial presence in a qualifying country. Maintain digital archives of fact-checking content. Have technical capacity for structured data sharing. Have staff capable of reviewing AI-generated metadata. Can provide appropriate licensing rights for their content. Why This Opportunity Matters Fact-checking organisations play an important role in helping audiences distinguish reliable information from false or misleading claims. However, fact-checking content can remain fragmented across different websites, languages, and national information ecosystems. A centralised database can improve the discoverability and reuse of verified fact-checking information.

The EFCSN initiative is intended to:

Strengthen access to fact-checking content. Improve resilience against disinformation. Support cross-border information sharing. Create a structured repository of fact-checks. Combine human editorial expertise with AI-assisted metadata. Make relevant fact-checking data available to third parties. How the Tender Works Eligible organisations should prepare for a process that combines editorial, technical, and licensing requirements.

Step 1: Confirm Eligibility

First, organisations should verify their country of establishment and editorial focus. The organisation must not be established in an EU Member State or DEP-associated country and must meet the specified geographical and editorial requirements.

Step 2: Assess Fact-Checking Capacity

Applicants should determine whether they can provide an appropriate volume of full-text fact-checks over the 24-month period. The expected number of contributions is relevant to determining the eventual contract value.

Step 3: Review Technical Requirements

Organisations should assess their ability to establish or operate the technical infrastructure required to transfer fact-checking data to the central database.

Step 4: Prepare for Metadata Review

Applicants should ensure they have editorial personnel who can review and annotate AI-generated metadata associated with their fact-checks.

Step 5: Consider Licensing Requirements

Organisations should carefully assess the proposed licensing arrangement and ensure they have the necessary rights to license the contributed content.

Step 6: Submit the Tender

Applicants should follow the official EFCSN tender documentation and submission requirements, including any required organisational, technical, editorial, and licensing information. What Should Applicants Highlight? A strong tender response should clearly demonstrate the organisation’s ability to deliver the required services. Applicants should provide clear information about: Their fact-checking experience. Their geographical and editorial focus. The volume and type of fact-checks they produce. Their technical data capabilities. Their ability to review AI-generated metadata. Their content licensing rights. Their expected contribution during the 24-month contract. Their organisational capacity to meet the project’s requirements. Common Mistakes to Avoid Applicants should pay particular attention to the eligibility conditions because the tender has specific geographical restrictions.

Common issues to avoid include:

Applying despite being established in an EU Member State. Failing to demonstrate the required editorial focus. Underestimating the technical requirements. Providing insufficient infor