The Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs) aim to help innovators bring trustworthy AI and robotics solutions from the lab to real-world use.
In this list of FAQs, CoordinaTEF gathers the most common questions about how to use TEF services, who can benefit from them, and what support is available. It’s designed to give you quick, practical answers so you can make the most of what the TEFs have to offer.
About TEFs
Testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs) are defined in the EU AI Act as facilities that provide technical and scientific support to AI providers and to notified certification bodies.
TEFs offer a combination of physical and virtual facilities, in which technology providers can get primarily technical support to test their latest AI-based software and hardware technologies (including AI-powered robotics) in real-world environments (physical and digital).
TEFs offer a combination of physical and virtual facilities, in which technology providers can get primarily technical support to test their latest AI-based software and hardware technologies (including AI-powered robotics) in real-world environments (physical and digital).
European TEFs are presently consortia of public and private partners funded by the European Commission and Members States.
Browse our Interactive Map to find all TEFs nodes and satellites.
Browse our Interactive Map to find all TEFs nodes and satellites.
The AI sectorial TEFs are funded in the framework of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) launched by the European Commission.
The Digital Europe Programme has established 4 sectorial TEFs: agri-food, healthcare, manufacturing as well as smart cities and communities. All 4 are be co-funded by Member States.
You can find more information on the TEFs websites listed below.
Agri-food sector: agrifoodTEF
Manufacturing sector: AI-MATTERS
Smart cities sector: CitCom.ai
Health sector: TEF-Health
You can find more information on the TEFs websites listed below.
Agri-food sector: agrifoodTEF
Manufacturing sector: AI-MATTERS
Smart cities sector: CitCom.ai
Health sector: TEF-Health
The prioritisation of sectors (agrifood, health, manufacturing and smart cities and communities) was developed in cooperation with the Member States in the context of the Digitisation of European Industry (DEI) - AI group.
The TEF work programme and call texts under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) provide more details or illustrative examples for each sector, as relevant.
The TEF work programme and call texts under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) provide more details or illustrative examples for each sector, as relevant.
TEFs are an ecosystem of private-public organizations, such as research and technology organisations (RTOs), higher education institutions, companies, hospitals, and more.
Discover the partners of each TEF:
AgrifoodTEF
TEF-Health
AI-MATTERS
CitCom.ai
Discover the partners of each TEF:
AgrifoodTEF
TEF-Health
AI-MATTERS
CitCom.ai
TEFs offering
TEFs offer services to test customers' AI solutions under development and to prepare product certification, both in physical and digital environments.
Yes, TEFs are required to provide access to relevant data-sets to its users as is necessary for testing AI at scale. Collecting and harvesting data can contribute to improving the quality of data-sets.
The TEFs main task (as defined in the EU AI Act) is to support AI providers and notified bodies in testing and validating AI driven products in real world environments. The resulting services are spanning a wide range including technical support, testing, business modelling, market research, compliance and ethics assistance.
Discover all types of services offered by TEFs through our Catalogue of Services.
Access to TEFs services
TEFs are providing services to private, such as SMEs, and public organisations. Organisations located in the EU member states will be co-funded, under specific conditions and requirements, by European Commission and national / regional authorities through Digital Europe Programme.
You can get in contact with each TEF through the contact details available on TEFs websites.
Details about the available service offerings can be discovered conveniently via the TEFs Catalogues.
You can easily reach out to each TEF through their websites:
Contact AgrifoodTEF
Contact TEF-Health
Contact AI-MATTERS
Contact CitCom.ai
Contact AgrifoodTEF
Contact TEF-Health
Contact AI-MATTERS
Contact CitCom.ai
Choosing the right TEF depends on the sector (i.e., agrifood, health, manufacturing, smart cities and communities) as well as on your specific needs and objectives. Each TEF offers specialised knowledge, facilities, and services across different technological and application areas.
To help you choosing the right TEF, please get in touch with us through our Helpdesk
To help you choosing the right TEF, please get in touch with us through our Helpdesk
Your journey begins by identifying the relevant sector-specific TEF and by exploring its Catalogue of Services to identify the expertise and support that best match your needs.
You can then contact the TEF directly via their website or submit a request through the CoordinaTEF Helpdesk to obtain further information and discuss your objectives.
Based on this initial exchange, the TEF will contact you to to assess your needs and identify the most suitable services.
Once the scope is agreed and service definition has been completed, the delivery stage begins, with the TEF supporting you throughout the process.
Finally, you and the TEF review the results and impact together.
For more information, please visit the dedicated webpages for each TEF:
Agri-food sector: agrifoodTEF
Manufacturing sector: AI-MATTERS
Smart cities sector: CitCom.ai
Health sector: TEF-Health
You can then contact the TEF directly via their website or submit a request through the CoordinaTEF Helpdesk to obtain further information and discuss your objectives.
Based on this initial exchange, the TEF will contact you to to assess your needs and identify the most suitable services.
Once the scope is agreed and service definition has been completed, the delivery stage begins, with the TEF supporting you throughout the process.
Finally, you and the TEF review the results and impact together.
For more information, please visit the dedicated webpages for each TEF:
Agri-food sector: agrifoodTEF
Manufacturing sector: AI-MATTERS
Smart cities sector: CitCom.ai
Health sector: TEF-Health
Entities established in countries which are not eligible countries can benefit from the TEF as long as it does not contravene any of the purposes of the restricted call (meaning, for instance, that the collaboration will not pose a security risk, will not lead to access of confidential information, and will guarantee the protection of intellectual property rights).
For further information, please visit the Questions and Answers section on the European Commission website.
For further information, please visit the Questions and Answers section on the European Commission website.
The CoordinaTEF Helpdesk is your one-stop access point for expert support across Europe's AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs).
You can submit an inquiry to any of the four TEFs or to the CoordinaTEF team, whether you have a general question or need support with a technical issue you experienced.
Your request will be reviewed by our expert team, who will contact you promptly and, where appropriate, direct you to the relevant TEF for further assistance.
You can submit an inquiry to any of the four TEFs or to the CoordinaTEF team, whether you have a general question or need support with a technical issue you experienced.
Your request will be reviewed by our expert team, who will contact you promptly and, where appropriate, direct you to the relevant TEF for further assistance.
You can find the services proposed by TEFs on their websites by visiting the dedicated Catalogues.
In case you have any doubt, we highly recommend to send us your inquiry through the CoordinaTEF Helpdesk and we will provide you a detailed answer and support.
TEFs are committed to protecting the confidentiality and IP of all users / customers throughout the testing and validation process.
If deemed necessary, NDAs are normally signed by the TEF and the Customer before detailed technical interactions and signature of service contracts.
If deemed necessary, NDAs are normally signed by the TEF and the Customer before detailed technical interactions and signature of service contracts.
Service Execution
The customer may take part or not in the service execution depending on the service and in agreement with the customer.
Results are normally explained in the final delivery reports.
Results are normally explained in the final delivery reports.
Prior to execution, the service is usually customized to be in line with the customer's needs and expectations.
Modifying it while it is ongoing might be possible, but will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Modifications might require an agreed amendment of the contract for the ongoing service.
Modifying it while it is ongoing might be possible, but will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Modifications might require an agreed amendment of the contract for the ongoing service.
Monitoring is agreed on individual service interaction basis between the TEF Partner and the customer.
The signed contract will include all measurements fit to assess the progress of the service.
The signed contract will include all measurements fit to assess the progress of the service.
If you would like to showcase the outcomes of service delivery, the TEF team can work with you to prepare a success story, news article or other communication materials highlighting your solution and achievements. With your prior approval, your success story may be published on the TEF website - Success Stories and promoted through other communication channels, such as newsletters, social media, events and dissemination activities.
