Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Understanding and tackling the inland sources, pathways, distribution and cumulative impacts of marine litter and plastic pollution into the ocean is fundamental to reduce the overall anthropogenic impact on our ecosystems and to guide the process towards the Mission’s 50% plastic litter reduction target in European water systems.
The overall aim of the activities under this topic is to co-design with relevant public authorities and public service providers, as well as other interested parties the most appropriate tools and solutions to address marine litter and plastic pollution according to a land-to-river-to-sea approach at basin level.
The main deliverable of funded projects under this topic will be a toolbox providing evidence-based data and information on sources, pathways, distribution and cumulative impacts of marine litter on ecosystems and water quality, including plastics and information on related hotspots and areas of accumulation, together with a set of demonstrated, sustainable and environmentally sound removal solutions, as well as measures to prevent litter and plastics reaching the sea.
Work should focus on inland waters (including deltas and coastal areas), where, in the absence of systematic monitoring of plastic litter, data and standardised methodological tools and techniques for collection, identification, classification and quantification of plastic pollution are most urgently needed. Activities are also expected to enhance cross-border cooperation and coordination at different levels, national, regional, local.
Detailed Call Description
All following components are expected to be embedded in the toolbox:
– Marine litter monitoring and data collection to detect, identify and characterise major sources and pathways, hotspots and areas of accumulation of riverine litter, as well as cost-effective quantification of litter presence and fluxes, both above and below water. Relevant data collected through these actions should follow the New guidelines for a common approach to tackle marine litter of the MSFD Technical Group on Marine Litter and be made openly available through the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet);
– A set of suitable and cost-effective innovative solutions for the sustainable and environmentally sound removal of plastics litter in rivers and inland waters, leading to reduction of litter in sea basins, without harming living organisms;
– Measures to engage with society and relevant industrial sectors, including the fishing industry, to prevent plastic litter reaching the sea (e.g.: good practices; awareness raising campaigns, community-led actions, education schemes, audio-visual campaigns, proper waste management) and to support the uptake of innovative solutions, thus driving environmental improvements and transformative changes.
Each proposal should identify explicitly the basin being addressed, i.e.: 1. Atlantic and Arctic sea basin or 2. Mediterranean Sea basin or 3. Baltic and North Sea basin or 4. Danube River basin, including Black Sea. Only one basin per proposal should be addressed. Activities should be tailored to address regional/sea basin specificities.
The effectiveness and efficiency of the toolbox should be demonstrated through at least 3 use-cases in three different countries per basin, in the most relevant identified sites, such as river deltas, important source-sites of litter or other strategic points for litter removal and with the involvement of different users (e.g.: regional authorities, municipalities, entities managing waterbodies).
To address the impact-driven approach of the Mission and the nature of Innovation Actions, projects are expected to work with and engage at least 3 ‘associated regions’ to showcase the effectiveness of the toolbox and develop a replication plan for its uptake in the associated regions. For this reason, beneficiaries may provide Financial Support to Third Parties (see the Specific Conditions table for this topic) to implement the ‘Associated regions’ scheme. An ‘Associated region is represented by local/regional authorities/public bodies. The aim of the Associated Region scheme is to support the replication of innovative solutions and/or to build capacity at local level in order to address plastic litter according to a land-to-river-to-sea approach. The projects should ensure that the ‘Associated regions’ are not already involved in the use cases covered by the projects. The partners should proactively reach out to the ‘associated regions’ to enable them to follow closely the project and its activities. The projects should continuously share their outcomes and knowledge with those ‘associated regions’ and provide them with technical assistance to build capacity and to implement in their territory the approach they developed. Proposals must outline the selection process of the third parties to which financial support would be granted in accordance with the specific conditions of this topic, the requirements of the Financial Support to Third Parties application template and part B of the General Annexes to this work programme. The involvement of ‘Associated regions’ through the Financial Support to Third Parties, as described above, is a key element of the proposed action.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
Expected EU contribution per project: between €4.50 and €5.00 million.
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to Third Parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The Financial Support to Third Parties may only be awarded to local and/or regional authorities/public bodies located in Member States/Associated Countries. The maximum amount to be granted to each Third Party is €100.000, aiming at showcasing the effectiveness of the toolbox and develop a replication plan for its uptake in an ‘associated region’. The Financial Support to a Third Party is provided only once for the entire duration of the project.
Thematic Categories
- Environment and Climate Change
- Fisheries/ Aquaculture and Maritime Policy
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Legal Entities
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Semi-governmental organisations
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.
If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
Address: 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Person:
Mr. Christakis Theocharous
Scientific Officer A’
Email: ctheocharous@research.org.cy