5th REINFORCING Open Call (Incubators Call) on “Responsible Digitalisation”

Opened

Code: 36784 | Identifier Code: REINFORCING | Programme name: 20613 | Start submission calls: 05/06/2025 | End submission calls: 05/08/2025

REINFORCING supports organisations and institutions in Europe to transition to a new paradigm where responsibility and openness drive research and innovation (R&I) processes.
This call is open to public and private organisations of all sizes, including startups and SMEs.

Assessing and modelling ecosystems’ dynamic processes to guide restoration activities and to improve models used for climate

Opened

Code: 36763 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-05 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/03/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 set the following targets for 2030: significant areas of degraded and carbon-rich ecosystems are restored; habitats and species show no deterioration in their trend and conservation status, and at least 30% of them achieve favourable conservation status or at least show a positive trend.

Proposals should either address on:

• Area A: main focus on terrestrial ecosystems
• Area B: main focus on marine ecosystems

Assessing and modelling socio-economic impacts of nature restoration

Opened

Code: 36761 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-06 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 set the following targets for 2030: significant areas of degraded and carbon-rich ecosystems are restored; habitats and species do not show a deterioration in their trend and conservation status, and at least 30% of them achieve favourable conservation status or at least show a positive trend.

Demand-led innovation for civil security through Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP)

Opened

Code: 36758 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL3-2025-01-SSRI-06 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Civil security for society (Cluster 3) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 12/06/2025 | End submission calls: 12/11/2025

As past experience shows that pre-commercial procurement opens up the procurement market for startups and enables the public sector to address societal challenges more effectively, public procurers should make more strategic use of PCP. Applicants are invited to submit proposals for PCP action to acquire Research and Development (R&D) services and innovative civil security technology solutions.

Proposals should demonstrate interest from a broader community of potential buyers, beyond the direct beneficiaries, who share similar needs and are open to jointly adopting the solutions developed, provided they are proven mature and operationally viable. The proposals must include an analysis of the state of the art and market landscape, aligning research activities with identified needs and presenting a range of technical alternatives to address the challenge. Furthermore, to stimulate dialogue with the supply side, public procurers are required to organise proposals should demonstrate sustainability of the action beyond the life of the project.

Additional activities for the European Biodiversity Partnership: Biodiversa+

Opened

Code: 36753 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The objective of this action is to continue to provide support to the European Biodiversity Partnership Biodiversa+, identified in the strategic plan “Horizon Europe” 2021-2024 and implemented under the previous themes HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-02-01 and HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01-18, and, in particular, the funding of additional activities (which may also be undertaken by additional partners) in view of its envisaged scope and duration, and in accordance with Article 24(2) of Horizon Europe.

It is expected that the additional activities of the Partnership will contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and the European Climate Act, through the development of innovative solutions for ecosystem restoration that can maintain and enhance natural carbon stocks and through the further development of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation measures.

Digital Europe Programme – Set-up and integration of Design Enablement Teams

Opened

Code: 36748 | Identifier Code: DIGITAL-JU-CHIPS-2025-CSA-DET | Programme name: 32499 | Start submission calls: 04/06/2025 | End submission calls: 30/07/2025

The design platform will focus on empowering emerging companies in the industry, providing them with access to an integrated chip design ecosystem, from early stages to final production.

Pilots of long-term climate impact forest monitoring sites: Linking stand-level information and remote sensing

Opened

Code: 36747 | Identifier Code: FORWARDS | Programme name: 20613 | Start submission calls: 19/06/2025 | End submission calls: 24/08/2025

FORWARDS is a Horizon Europe project that will prototype the ForestWard Observatory, a pan-European monitoring and evaluation tool that will help demonstrate the impact of climate change on forests and guide decision-making for practical forest management.

Strengthening taxonomic approaches for biodiversity

Opened

Code: 36741 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

R&I activities should:

• fill gaps in taxonomic expertise, including in the context of intra-species biodiversity (genetic diversity within and between populations) and habitats/ecosystems;
• establish, pilot and test novel taxonomic approaches on observing and quantifying biodiversity at all levels;
• develop strategies and roadmaps for systematic capacity building and transfer of taxonomic knowledge;
• compile a comprehensive open online catalogue of taxonomic and nomenclatural databases, and encourage the existing databases to align with common standards and FAIR principles, to merge where possible, and to link with or mirror each other. This catalogue should be designed to support the process of taxonomic identification, covering a wide range of databases from genetic information to species classification, and support a common European Taxonomy Initiative contributing to the Global Taxonomy Initiative;
• support development of tools to facilitate taxonomic training, such as reference collections, guidelines, standards and schemes for academic certification (e.g. within the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ECTS);
• establish an EU network of taxonomy and genomics experts, from taxonomic facilities to universities, including an interconnected network of biodiversity genomics facilities;
• ensure representative coverage of biodiversity across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, including lesser-known taxa and ecosystems and with regard to such taxa and ecosystems that act as climate change indicators, recognising the critical role that biodiversity and ecosystem services play in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Reducing pollution from the food and drink industries

Opened

Code: 36738 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-07 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

 Food systems, on the one hand, are a source of pollution and, on the other, suffer the consequences of pollution. Moving towards zero-pollution food systems can therefore help to increase the resilience of food systems and the natural ecosystems on which they depend.

Contaminants accumulate in food, either through food contact with specific materials at different stages of the food supply chain, such as food processing plants, packaging, or in agriculture with contaminated soil, air and water.

Open Topic: Innovative solutions for the sustainable and circular transformation of SMEs

Opened

Code: 36737 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 05/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Under this open topic, proposals should address common but also new, upcoming, or unforeseen challenges to the green transition of SMEs through innovative, disruptive and sustainable solutions. Proposals should identify and analyse key barriers for the sustainable and circular transition of SMEs and develop and demonstrate innovative solutions.

European partnership: Forests and Forestry for a Sustainable Future

Opened

Code: 36732 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

As the main instrument for cooperation between public organisations from EU Member States and associated countries in forest-related fields , the Partnership will facilitate coordinated research and innovation actions on the diverse forestry challenges in Europe, involving a wide range of stakeholders, thus reducing the fragmentation of relevant R&D.

The Partnership should mobilise key partners and stakeholders, such as ministries responsible for research, forest and environment-related sectors, funding agencies, research organisations, research infrastructures, foresters, industry, NGOs, international networks, etc.

Τhis partnership will mobilise research and innovation to accelerate the transition to a sustainable forest bioeconomy to enhance forest sector value, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

Breeding for resilience: enhancing multi-stress tolerance in crops

Opened

Code: 36730 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 05/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Crop production faces significant challenges due to climate change and the need to adopt low-input practices, including efficient water use, to reduce the environmental impact while ensuring food security. Issues such as salinity, extreme weather conditions like droughts, waterlogging, high temperatures, and emerging patterns of pests and diseases severely impact crops, resulting in reduced productivity and yield losses. Crop responses to multiple stresses differ from their responses to single stresses. Therefore, attention should be given to enhancing crop tolerance to combinations of multiple abiotic and biotic stresses, thus better reflecting real-life agricultural conditions.

To address these challenges, it is crucial to evaluate local crop varieties, which are often better adapted to specific environmental conditions and stresses. Identifying local varieties with high plasticity enhances crop resilience and agro-biodiversity. Developing agro-ecological practices to improve stress tolerance will further support these efforts, promoting low-input practices and enhancing the overall adaptability of agricultural systems. Additionally, broad-spectrum strategies for improving stress tolerance in crops should be developed. Smart and future-proof breeding programmes need to systematically consider characteristics that enhance crop resilience and adaptation to these demands.

Harmonising and optimising composting plants performances in Europe

Opened

Code: 36729 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-12 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The Waste Framework Directive allows for the collection of waste that meets the relevant standards for packaging that can be recovered through composting and biodegradation, together with bio-waste. For example, the collection of bio-waste with industrially compostable plastic bags is encouraged (Communication on the “EU Policy Framework for Bio-based, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics” COM(2022). Harmonisation of the performances of industrial composting plants in the EU would help meeting the targets for bio-waste collection and the quality of resulting compost.

Novel circular business models to enable the just transition to a sustainable and circular economy

Opened

Code: 36725 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The green transition and the move to a circular economy will require changes not only in the way materials are used and products are designed, but also in the way businesses operate and business models are shaped. The majority of current business models and the global economic and trading system are based on the linear and unsustainable use of materials and products.

This results in ever-increasing consumption, resource depletion, increased CO2 emissions and environmental degradation, as well as unwanted waste generation.

The transition to a sustainable, competitive and circular economy requires transformational changes in material use and corporate activities, with innovative business models capable of triggering sustainable consumption behaviours and market preferences.

Provide digital solutions tailored to small and medium-sized farms to monitor and sustainably manage agricultural inputs and natural resources

Opened

Code: 36722 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-06 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

A key challenge for the agricultural sector is to provide food in a context of increasing global population, climate change and price volatility while reducing pollution and preserving natural resources and biodiversity for future generations. Farmers should be able to adopt innovative solutions to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the farming sector while lowering its environmental footprint. However, still many farmers, particularly small and medium-sized ones, do not have easy access to monitoring and decision support systems and tools fed with data reflecting local conditions and farm characteristics.

Digital and data technologies offer solutions to monitor environmental parameters (e.g. soil conditions, water and air quality, nutrients content and availability) in a cost-efficient manner while supporting decision-making of natural resources and inputs management.

Towards a comprehensive European strategy to assess and monitor aquatic litter including plastic and microplastic pollution

Opened

Code: 36719 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The monitoring and assessment of litter including plastic, microplastic and nanoplastic pollution in Europe’s marine and freshwater environment remains fragmented and diverse, although progress has been made under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) for monitoring quantities and impacts of marine litter and harmonised guidance for monitoring has been produced. However, large discrepancies between countries, marine regions, litter types and environmental compartments can still be observed and large data and knowledge gaps persist on the sources, pathways, distribution and concentrations of litter in marine and freshwater, which are impeding comprehensive assessments of the extent of litter pollution including microplastics in EU waters. Different approaches for assessing and monitoring litter pollution in freshwater and marine environments are further hindering such assessments.

Despite the large amount of literature and recent scientific advancements to develop reliable and harmonised analytical research methodologies, guidance, protocols and reference materials, pan-European approaches and strategies that set out what to measure, where to measure, when to measure and how to measure are missing.

Journalism Science Alliance – call 1

Opened

Code: 36706 | Identifier Code: JSA | Programme name: 20613 | Start submission calls: 02/06/2025 | End submission calls: 04/08/2025

The Journalism Science Alliance (JSA) is a programme co-funded by the EU’s Creative Europe Programme. JSA delivers grant funding, training, mentoring and networking to drive the production of local, regional, and transnational investigative journalism backed by science, and enhance cross-sectoral collaboration between journalism and research institutions. Supported by training and mentorship provided by JSA, journalists and scientists will work together to uncover new topics of public interest that will reach and engage (new) audiences for investigative journalism, while serving public interest across Europe. The Journalism Science Alliance is managed by a consortium led by NOVA University Lisbon, in partnership with the European Journalism Centre (EJC).

The scope of the call is intentionally wide and inclusive. Applicants are free to propose projects on virtually any topic of public interest where scientific evidence is relevant, needed, or can add depth and credibility.

EP PerMed Education Call 2025: The EP PerMed Guide to Personalised Medicine for Healthcare Professionals

Opened

Code: 36704 | Identifier Code: EP PerMed | Programme name: 20613 | Start submission calls: 04/06/2025 | End submission calls: 09/09/2025

The objective of this call is to provide grants to support the delivery and development of educational content aimed at health care professionals (HCPs) for the implementation of personalised medicine (PM).

Gaps in HCPs’ knowledge and skills in PM have been identified as one of the key barriers to PM implementation. This initiative will strengthen HCPs’ ability to integrate PM into their daily practice by ensuring that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies.

The scope of this call includes general and specialized training on PM and its application in clinical practice, interdisciplinary collaboration among HCPs, and effective communication between HCPs and patients. The courses will be designed and implemented in collaboration between selected consortia and EP PerMed.

Innovative and advanced monitoring and modelling systems for revised air quality policies

Opened

Code: 36698 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The revised Air Quality Directive (AAQD) complements the European Green Deal and is a key action in the Commission’s Zero Pollution Action Plan.

It aims to bring EU air quality standards more closely in line with WHO recommendations and to better support national and local authorities in achieving cleaner air by strengthening air quality monitoring and modelling and improving air quality.

To achieve these objectives, several challenges will need to be overcome in the coming years, in particular in terms of improving the accuracy, comparability and character of real-time monitoring and modelling for air quality assessment in Member States and associated countries, in relation to already regulated air pollutants subject to stricter limit values (the main pollutants include PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, benzene and O3) and air pollutants of concern (such as ultra fine particles – including nanoparticles of all kinds, black carbon, volatile organic compounds, ammonia, oxidising potential of particles) and the distribution of their sources.

Development and testing of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes (EPR) within the priority Circular Economy Action Plan value chains

Opened

Code: 36694 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The 2020 circular economy action plan introduces measures that aim at making sustainable products the norm, contributing to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target and to halt biodiversity loss. It focuses on resource-intensive sectors with the highest circularity potential such as textiles, plastics, packaging, electronics including ICT products, furniture and construction products.

EPR schemes can contribute to improve circularity gaps in key product value chains with high circularity potential, given its full lifecycle approach. They make producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of the products made available on the market, from the design-phase up to their end of life, including waste collection and recycling.