Coupling circularity and climate mitigation in industrial sites and their cities and regions

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Code: 37698 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-04-CIT-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Climate mitigation and circularity are key building blocks for achieving industrial and urban futures that are climate-neutral and sustainable. While mitigation and circularity performance are typically modelled at the global or national level, a gap persists in action plans and practice at local level where the coupling of decarbonisation and circularity against the background of industrial-urban symbiosis and of the sharing economy (energy and materials) could yield significant ecological, economic and social benefits. There is therefore a pressing need to overcome the lack of coordination among industrial, circularity and urban activities and actors that yields sub-optimal outcomes in terms of climate mitigation, energy efficiency, resource use (including water), environmental pollution, material valorisation and waste reduction.

Proposals must involve at least three different demonstration sites and at least three replication sites. The consortia should involve key circular economy and mitigation actors from both local public authorities and industries in a certain region. Demonstration sites are expected to cover at least two different economic sectors, value chains and/or services.

Broadening the living labs approach for soil health in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

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Code: 37696 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-05-SOIL-02-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Living labs are an effective tool to bridge the gap between science and practice in soil health. They are based on three key principles: (a) co-creation of solutions with diverse stakeholders, (b) implementation in real-life settings, and (c) active involvement of end-users. These labs bring together multiple actors who conduct experiments on sites such as farms, forests, urban green spaces, industrial areas, and enterprises, where practices are tested and monitored under real conditions.

Improving soil health requires site-specific and adaptive practices. However, reaching millions of small land managers with tailored solutions and advisory support remains a challenge, mainly due to weak feedback loops between land managers and researchers, which can result in inappropriate or poorly adapted practices.

This topic therefore promotes human-centred initiatives that integrate research, development, education, and extension to support sustainable soil management. The aim is to accelerate and expand the adoption of context-specific soil health solutions in Africa and Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC). While the Mission Soil living labs concept will not be directly replicated, it will serve as inspiration for new participatory models and community-driven initiatives emerging from African and LAC contexts to act as drivers of change in soil management.

Living labs to enhance soil health in Continental, Boreal and Alpine biogeographical regions

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Code: 37693 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-05-SOIL-01-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

The Mission Soil promotes the use of living labs as an innovative approach to research and innovation in soil health. Living labs bring together multiple actors in real-life sites at local or regional levels to co-create and test solutions, with the goal of improving soil health and governance and reaching 100 living labs and lighthouses by 2030.

Soil health living labs are long-term collaborations involving 10–20 sites (such as farms, forests, urban green areas, or industrial lands) where soil challenges are addressed and monitored under real-life conditions. Depending on context, fewer sites may also be accepted. Lighthouses are exemplary sites that demonstrate solutions, provide training, and communicate best practices; they can be part of a living lab or independent.

Projects are expected to initiate or strengthen participatory processes, with durations adapted to the longer timescales of soil processes. By working together across living labs, actors can compare results, exchange practices, replicate solutions, and accelerate the transition towards healthy soils.

Increasing walking and cycling: to reap health benefits, emission reductions and integrate active mobility and micro-mobility devices, with smart technologies and infrastructure

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Code: 37689 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-06-CIT-CANCER-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Mobility and transport are essential in daily life but also contribute heavily to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, congestion, and reduced urban liveability. Active mobility options such as walking and cycling provide sustainable, healthy, and low-cost solutions that can help achieve the EU’s climate targets of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030 and reaching climate neutrality by 2050. They also bring major health benefits: physical activity lowers risks of cancer and chronic diseases, supports recovery for patients during or after treatment, and improves survival and quality of life.

To fully realise these benefits, cities must invest in high-quality infrastructure, including safe cycling and walking networks, integration with public transport, improved planning, and better traffic management. The growing use of micro-mobility devices (e-bikes, e-scooters) also requires inclusion in smart and connected transport systems. While connected mobility and cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) are being developed, bicycles and e-scooters are not yet fully integrated. Expanding digital infrastructure and connectivity to include them would improve safety, support wider adoption, and increase their share in urban transport.

Fostering Innovative and Compliant Data Ecosystems (IA) (AI, Data and Robotics Partnership)

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Code: 37685 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-13 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

The continuous expansion of EU legislation, both in digital domains (such as GDPR, the Open Data Directive, the Data Governance Act, the AI Act, and the Data Act) and non-digital fields (such as the Green Deal, due diligence, healthcare, and transport), is creating increasing challenges for businesses and professionals to remain compliant. The complexity and growing volume of reporting obligations also make it difficult for regulators to enforce laws and for organisations to comply effectively, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to simplify compliance processes and strengthen competitiveness within the EU.

A further challenge arises from the limitations of real-world data, including issues of availability, confidentiality, and bias. Synthetic data is becoming an essential tool to address these shortcomings by improving data quality, diversity, and representativeness, thereby supporting AI-driven innovation and regulatory compliance. In this context, actions should also cover aspects such as cybersecurity, interoperability, reproducibility, and standardisation, and where relevant, collaborate with related initiatives to facilitate secure and effective data sharing across platforms and sectors. Moreover, comprehensive user training and support must be provided, involving stakeholders both inside and outside projects, to ensure adaptability and scalability in response to evolving regulations and diverse organisational needs. Proposals should demonstrate how they address the real needs of users and stakeholders, linking training and support to clear and measurable progress indicators.

Preparing the Advancement of the state of the art of submarine cable infrastructures (CSA)

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Code: 37679 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-12 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

Submarine connectivity infrastructures are vital for Europe’s strategic autonomy and economic security, with potential secondary uses such as early-warning systems against natural hazards. To stay at the technological forefront, Europe must advance not only cable technology but also related components like repeaters, landing stations, control centres, acoustic sensor networks, and cybersecurity. While some progress comes from broader research in optical communications and network management, there is a need for a dedicated roadmap and SRIA focused on submarine cable technologies. Key research areas may include multi-core fibre, digital signal processing, repeater systems, intelligent and acoustic sensing, oceanographic sensors, cable network management, underwater robotics, and wireless sensor networks for monitoring and threat detection.

Open Internet Stack: development of technological commons/open-source 3C building blocks (RIA)

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Code: 37676 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-11 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

This action will foster an Open-Source framework, developed through commons, i.e. Open Source software governed by communities of contributors, that will provide key technology components for the operation of the 3C large scale pilot. They will be addressing relevant areas, structuring them in a stack and supporting the development of 3C building blocks making them available through a library of digital commons supporting applications on top of the European providers ecosystem.

Roadmap for next generation computing technologies from IoT device level to edge to cloud to HPC (CSA)

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Code: 37672 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-10 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

Alignment of stakeholders towards the supply-side large-scale pilot of end-to-end infrastructures integrating device, network computing and communication capabilities (CSA)

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Code: 37669 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-09 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

The CSA governance mechanism is expected to consolidate priorities and align strategies between demand and supply sides for key infrastructure services, while coordinating with EU policies such as the White Paper. It will oversee the delivery of open-source Telco Edge Cloud building blocks aligned with industrial and European initiatives (IPCEI-CIS, Sylva, Anuket, Nephio, CAMARA), ensuring continuous feedback between vertical sectors and supply-side pilots. By providing a European alternative to multinational-led platforms, the project will serve as a forum for consultation with demand-side actors, while also identifying paradigm shifts in areas such as virtual worlds, mobility, and energy. Furthermore, it will assess opportunities for monetising edge computing, ensuring interoperability and advancing innovation across dynamic content delivery, AI adoption, and the telco-cloud-edge-IoT continuum.

Large-scale pilots for supply end-to-end infrastructures integrating device, network computing and communication capabilities for Telco Edge Cloud deployments, as a basis for Connected Collaborative Computing Networks (3C networks) (RIA)

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Code: 37665 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-DATA-08 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 10/06/2025 | End submission calls: 02/10/2025

The Commission’s White Paper stresses the need to strengthen Europe’s digital infrastructure through the creation of the 3C Network (Connected Collaborative Computing). This involves the convergence of connectivity (5G/advanced mobile networks) with cloud and edge computing to meet future demands from IoT and AI.

Investments in these technologies will support Europe’s industry, sustainability goals, and innovation. To achieve this, Europe needs more edge and cloud facilities, advanced network management, and neutral interconnection services.

A large-scale pilot of the 3C Network will integrate devices, networks, cloud, and edge computing across sectors, complementing existing EU initiatives like Digital Europe and IPCEI-CIS, and paving the way for future deployments.

Developing and embedding upcycling technologies into viable business (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA)

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Code: 37662 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-TWIN-TRANSITION-35-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

The recycling of end-of-life materials into valuable materials that can replace primary raw materials requires integrated systems from the collection to dismantling and separation to their final processing. The technologies and implementation (including logistics and economics) of such circular schemes should be addressed in an integrated way. The innovation needed will depend on the addressed waste category. However, even if the upcycling technologies and implementation may be sector/material specific, the cross-sectorial elements are important and should deserve due attention.

Demonstrators for clusters of social circular enterprises (IA)

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Code: 37659 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-TWIN-TRANSITION-21-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Social Circular Enterprises (SCEs) have been pioneers in the circular economy since decades. They are active in all stages of the circular economy and deal with various waste stream. SCEs are also known to offer new and innovative circular business models and brining new circular services and products to the market. In the last decade SCE also entered the market of secondary raw materials by collecting and dissembling various products and goods. The majority of SCEs are SMEs and offer local employment opportunities to vulnerable groups (99%). On average, a circular social enterprise creates 70 jobs per 1,000 tons collected with a view of being re-used.

Enhanced logistics and operations of construction sites (IA)

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Code: 37656 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-TWIN-TRANSITION-11-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Construction works on the building site, whether for civil infrastructure or for buildings, often involve a variety of complex operations apart from the actual assembly of elements. These can include transport and movement of construction products to and around the site; storage of products, materials and other items on site, and their eventual removal; dealing with packaging of products and other consumables related to the construction works; temporary accommodation for workers; temporary utility connections and associated works; planning of works; coordination of trades and operations, including machines as well as human workers. Mistakes and delays in construction works can lead to negative consequences such as risk of accidents, waste, pollution, inefficiency and financial consequences.

Construction works need to be carried out more quickly and efficiently, with less room for error and waste. This could be improved through technology-driven innovations linked to on-site operations and logistical aspects.

Development of safe and sustainable by design alternatives to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) (IA)

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Code: 37653 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-51-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

PFAS are a large class of substances used in a wide range of applications (for instance, as adhesives, coatings, lubricants, sealants, surfactants), for their technical and/or safety functions (e.g., water and oil repellence, antiadhesion, thermal & chemical stability). Nevertheless, PFAS have been detected in groundwater, surface water and soil, the remediation of which is extremely problematic. Their accumulation in the environment has been linked to negative effects for the wildlife and the human health, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic and toxic effects for the endocrine system. In January 2023, five national authorities submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a PFAS restriction dossier to ban the manufacture, placing on the market and use of PFAS as a chemical class in all uses, with few exemptions.

The Commission initiative for SSbD sets a framework which should be a reference in the proposal. The new alternatives to be developed should meet the technical functions required in the specific applications and align with such framework.

Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership)

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Code: 37644 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-43-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

One of the main factors limiting the lifespan of products (and their components) is their prolonged exposure to environmental elements. The combination of different stressors and changing conditions (operational, daily, seasonal) results in accelerated aging and premature or unanticipated failures. To prevent the resulting adverse effects, protective coatings and sealings are key to provide additional protection without requiring the reassessment of the physical design of the product/component, nor the inherent properties of the parts to be coated/sealed.

Moreover, performance evaluation of coated samples to select coating solutions which meet the demands of industrial end users constitute another bottleneck in the fast development of IAM-based coatings. In addition, recyclability is often hampered by the sealants and coatings used. The new IAMs-based coatings, functionalised surfaces and sealings should allow to decompose products and structures into recyclable or reusable parts.

Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for product monitoring, smart maintenance and repair strategies in the construction sector (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership)

Opened

Code: 37640 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-42-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Extend the lifetime of materials used in the construction sector (e.g. cement, concrete, composites, technical textiles, plaster board, pipes) for which durability is often limited by poor stability and low flexibility and/or by increasingly aggressive and changing environments. Extending a products’ life (use phase) is an important pillar of a solid sustainable and circular strategy because it reduces materials demands. In addition, new materials fit for the circular economy should be easily dismantlable into reusable or recyclable components. The actual condition and functional performance of products, components and materials should be monitored and assessed and smart maintenance and repair functions implemented, ideally at the level of individual products or components. Autonomous repair systems often use sensors to detect changes in the material’s condition through physical principles or mechanical deformation. The smart (AI) exploitation of collected data enables real-time monitoring of the material’s condition. The surfaces created in the building process are ideal for smart solutions incorporating ubiquitous electronic systems.

EU-Japan cooperation on the exploitation of Quantum Space Gravimetry data

Opened

Code: 37637 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-81 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

The development of quantum sensing technology brings several promises and expectations, in terms of sensor performances and stability. However, in order to best exploit quantum sensors, it is critical to prepare the scientific community to use the data generated by such sensors, develop new or tailor existing processing algorithms, and initiate and develop new applications based on this enhanced data.

Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – Advanced Packages and Memories

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Code: 37635 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-74 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – Connectors

Opened

Code: 37632 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-73 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Space Critical Equipment and Related Technologies for EU non-dependence – Chip Scale Atomic Clocks and Solar Cells

Opened

Code: 37626 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-72 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space equipment and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of equipment, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements and alternative products, sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control with extra territorial applicability, that limit the access, re-export or raise challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space equipment with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU, establish a long-term sustainable supply chain and support EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.