European mini-slate development

Opened

Code: 36604 | Identifier Code: CREA-MEDIA-2025-DEVMINISLATE | Programme name: 3948 | Sub-program: MEDIA | Start submission calls: 08/04/2025 | End submission calls: 17/09/2025

The objective of the European mini-slate development support is to foster the competitiveness of European independent production companies and to increase their economic weight on the market. The aim is also to increase the capacity of audiovisual producers to develop projects with the potential to circulate throughout Europe and beyond, and to facilitate European and international coproduction.
The support will also provide an entry point for emerging talent, giving them the opportunity to direct a short film supported by the strong foundation provided by experienced companies.

Circular-by-design fibre-based packaging with improved properties

Opened

Code: 36602 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IAFlag-03 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

The packaging industry is facing several challenges in terms of material supply, sustainability, legislation and market dynamics. New production technologies are emerging, yielding fibre-based packaging materials with improved or novel properties enabling their wider use which could lead to a replacement of current incumbents with more circular and sustainable fibre-based alternatives. In order for this to happen, a substantial scale-up of production processes is needed to enable fibre-based packaging with competitive performance and cost.

Valorisation of untapped forest biomass

Opened

Code: 36600 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-01 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Forest managers often face challenges in implementing more sustainable practices. Additional value can be gained from forestry (both monocultured and mixed forests), agroforestry and horticulture as well as from their residual streams, and from the biomass removed for fire, flood, drought, and disease prevention. Valorisation of such biomass streams can contribute to address the risk of forest abandonment while preserving biodiversity. This is particularly important where the resulting forest or forest-like biomass is low in volume, value, or both. The available biomass mainly consists of small wood, damaged wood (e.g., wood affected by parasites), and various types of wood from mixed forests. Additionally, it includes non-wood biomass, such as shrubs, bark, cork, branches, and resin. These kinds of biomass generally have low or even negative economic value, meaning they often need to be disposed of at a cost. Typically, this biomass is burned locally for energy or simply incinerated, releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere and providing little or no economic benefit to forest managers. This topic should explore valorisation pathways for the targeted feedstock beyond bioenergy and biofuel production.

Urban-industrial symbiosis for bio-waste valorisation

Opened

Code: 36597 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IAFlag-01 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Separately collected urban bio-waste is currently mostly valorised through state-of-the-art anaerobic/aerobic digestion, resulting mainly in biomethane and/or compost. While prioritising the prevention of waste, other valorisation routes could further support phasing out landfilling and incineration. There is a presently untapped potential at industrial scale to valorise urban bio-waste into higher value bio-based products. Some innovative routes have been demonstrated or are under demonstration, tackling the technological challenges related to the complexity of this feedstock, in terms of composition and its variability across seasons. Urban-industrial symbiosis may be instrumental to overcome such challenges both upstream and/or downstream the bio-waste valorisation pathways.
The main feedstock in scope for this topic is separately collected urban bio-waste, as defined under the Waste Framework Directive.

Develop and deploy new curricula and knowledge exchange practices relevant to bio-based systems

Opened

Code: 36595 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-CSA-01 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Collaboration between university/higher education and industry is a necessary condition for innovation and essential for greater competitiveness of the circular bioeconomy sector(s). Besides technical/technological development, training and re/up/skilling of (future and present) bioeconomy professionals is essential. Key skills could include digital skills, biotech/biomanufacturing, environmental sustainability assessment and circularity, toxicology/risk assessment, ecodesign and safe-and-sustainable-by-design (SSbD) concept for bio-based products, business development, process development etc. Soft skills and cross-sectorial skills remain an important aspect, as well as overall open-mindedness to new knowledge, points of views and cultural differences.

The scope of this topic covers higher education, vocational training, as well as post-graduate and executive courses, as relevant for training students and reskilling and upskilling adult professionals, as needed for the emerging circular bio-based economy.

Bio-based drop-ins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass

Opened

Code: 36593 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IAFlag-02 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Overall, bio-based platform chemicals, according to their chemical structure, can be classified as dedicated and drop-ins. Drop-in and smart drop-in chemicals are compatible with downstream value chains and thus have a theoretically lower market entry barrier compared to novel molecules. However, they have to face direct competition with their fossil-based counterparts, thus needing economies of scale and related large CAPEX investments to be competitive.

Bio-based and biodegradable delivery systems for fertilising products to reduce microplastics pollution & promote soil health

Opened

Code: 36591 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-02 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

The presence of microplastics in soil has been reported to alter soil organic matter content, pH, electrical conductivity and organic carbon storage. It is estimated that 8000 tonnes of polymers are used annually in the EU in polymer coated fertilisers (PCF). PCF can be used as additives to improve physical properties of fertilisers or to produce slow/controlled release fertilisers (SRF/CRF). CRFs help synchronise nutrients release according to crop needs, increasing efficiency and reducing losses to the environment. Non-biodegradable plastics accumulate in the ecosystem, can be assimilated by animals and can be ultimately consumed as food by humans. Each year around 42000 tonnes of microplastics end up in the environment. Polymer coated fertilisers have been identified by FAO as high priority in terms of risk of microplastic release. Bio-based biodegradable polymers may be an alternative to conventional non-biodegradable plastics. However, more research is needed to develop such biodegradable delivery systems and validate them while assessing improvements associated to microplastics release prevention.

Alternative biomanufacturing routes for natural and synthetic rubber

Opened

Code: 36588 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-03 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Rubber-based products have a wide array of applications such as automotive, construction, industrial, healthcare products and consumer goods. The market is roughly equally divided between natural rubber and fossil-based synthetic rubber.

Considering the future market developments and related sustainability issues, and the issue of EU strategic autonomy for critical raw materials, European rubber manufacturers are urgently looking for resource diversification, taking care about the sourcing impacts on deforestation and forest degradation, to comply with the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products. The focus is on broadening the range of sustainable natural rubber sources and alternatives to fossil based synthetic rubber for the European bio-based industry.

Retrofitting of (bio)refineries industrial plants towards higher-value bio-based products

Opened

Code: 36586 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IAFlag-04 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Europe is home to many industrial facilities, that are currently redundant, under-exploited, or are becoming obsolete. Their infrastructures nonetheless represent a valuable asset that can contribute to European bioeconomy when converted to biorefineries – an approach exemplified in a number of large-scale projects across Europe. Benefits of exploiting existing plants include easier permits, reduction of CAPEX and other economic and technological benefits (e.g., shorter lead times, faster implementation, fewer production time losses and lower risks compared to fully greenfield plant construction). However, significant challenges are also related to such projects in terms of conversion of industrial equipment, establishing bio-based value chains and reskilling of the workforce. Both existing biorefineries and fossil-based industrial plants on brownfield are in scope of this topic as a target of the retrofitting action. Greenfield implementation is out of scope.

Sustainable macroalgae systems for innovative, added-value applications: cultivation and optimised production systems

Opened

Code: 36584 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-01 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Whether exploiting its biomass or genetic potential, the aquatic environment may play a major role in a sustainable bioeconomy. It may help reduce pressure on land and contribute in a sustainable and more diverse manner with the supply of sustainable biomass for food, feed and other industry applications. Design and engineering principles for marine biorefining are less developed compared to biorefineries for terrestrial crops. The development of sustainable, stable and scalable cultivation technologies, as well as addressing sustainable and cost-efficient harvesting, product extraction and biorefinery processes, represent the main challenges of algal biotechnology for production of high-value or bulk products. At the same time, care must be taken to avoid any detrimental effect on marine ecosystems and biodiversity from macroalgae cultivation (especially when carried out in open environments), even contributing to their regeneration.

Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources

Opened

Code: 36582 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-03 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

The overarching challenge of ensuring sufficient sustainable availability of proteins for human and animal nutrition is far from being solved. The shift towards sustainably sourced alternative proteins can contribute to building food system resilience. If the proteins are sourced locally, this can also reduce dependency on protein imports as highlighted in the European Protein Strategy. Many alternative protein sources already exist and increasing R&I efforts is needed to boost their uptake as a key nutritional food ingredient, while ensuring safety and acceptability to consumers/end-users. Previous R&I projects, dealing with alternative proteins, have been mainly focused on studying new production technologies, providing relevant contribution to developing new knowledge. There is still the need to foster innovation by scaling-up processes enabling to respond to end-user needs, decreasing production costs and improving circularity.

SSbD bio-based solutions to replace hazardous conventional chemicals for textiles production

Opened

Code: 36580 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-02 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles announced actions along the textiles value chain to increase circularity and sustainability. The European consumption of textiles has the fourth highest impact on climate change and the environment, after the food sector, housing and mobility. Conventional textiles production is one of the most resource intensive and polluting industries. Many textiles’ functionalities and properties can currently only be achieved through processing with chemistry that has been identified as hazardous or of potential concern. This includes, for instance, coatings such as PFAs, heavy-metal-rich dyes and fixing agents, solvents, and surfactants. Moreover, fossil-based polymers, e.g., PVC and PU, have widespread use in coated fabrics but they are under scrutiny for the potential adverse effects (due to their additives), and high health & safety impacts in their production phase, use, and end of life. Overall, adequate substitutes of hazardous substances need to be demonstrated and introduced into textile value chains, including considering any challenges in the case of potential remanufacturing and textiles-to-textiles recycling. There is a potential to demonstrate innovative bio-based chemicals and processes to substitute currently used hazardous chemicals.

Cost-effective and robust continuous biotech bio-based processes

Opened

Code: 36578 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-04 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

Many bio-based chemicals/products are manufactured via biotech batch or fed-batch processes at commercial scale, which despite being easier to be controlled and scaled-up, often result into lower productivity, higher equipment downtime and increased costs. Continuous biotech processes could represent promising emerging alternatives in biorefineries targeting high productivity and reduced costs. Despite having achieved significant advancements in some cases, there are still challenges to overcome towards scaling-up, such as: contamination risks, genetic instability of cells, maintaining simultaneously high production titer, productivity and yield, lack of capability of further downstream processing (DSP) to handle flow and concentration variations from upstream process, advanced monitoring and control.

SSbD bio-based polymers/copolymers unlocking new market applications

Opened

Code: 36576 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-IA-05 | Programme name: 23015 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 18/09/2025

There is a strong annual growth rate in the global market share of bio-based polymers and co-polymers; albeit still representing a small fraction of the total market volumes. There is a need to scale up the most promising and innovative solutions to demonstrate the safe, sustainable, cost-competitive, and circular production of bio-based (co)polymers with high bio-based content and adequate performances. This is essential to unlock market opportunities in sectors where bio-based polymers are currently underrepresented. Bio-based polymers and/or co-polymers are in scope.

Development and Promotion of Internationally Competitive Innovative Products and Services by Existing Enterprises (INNOVATE)

Opened

Code: 36568 | Identifier Code: INNOVATE/0525 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 29/05/2025 | End submission calls: 09/09/2025

The objective of the «Development and Promotion of Internationally Competitive Innovative Products and Services by Existing Enterprises (INNOVATE)» Programme is to support existing enterprises from all activity sectors, that will invest in research and innovation, for the development of competitive innovative products or services with quick global market penetration prospects. Moreover, the Programme facilitates the mobility of private investment funds for the support of rapid development innovative enterprises.

Open Access Research Infrastructures

Closed

Code: 36563 | Identifier Code: OPENINFRA/0625 | Programme name: 13602 | Start submission calls: 02/06/2025 | End submission calls: 01/07/2025

The “Open Access Research Infrastructures” Programme aims to the creation of research infrastructure that will be used for the implementation of research activities by the Host Organisation and other entities in the research and innovation ecosystem. The aim of the Call is to acquire equipment for research, experiments, and testing, with a view to strengthening research capabilities and promoting innovation. The Host Organisation will provide access to the equipment acquired under the Project in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner to other entities in the ecosystem.

Proof of Concept for Technology / Knowhow Applications

Opened

Code: 36558 | Identifier Code: CONCEPT/0525 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 26/05/2025 | End submission calls: 01/08/2025

The “Proof of Concept for Technology / Knowhow Applications” Programme aims at the preliminary investigation of possible industrial applications of a technology/knowhow.

Development of Internationally Competitive Innovative Products and Services by STARTUPS (SEED)

Opened

Code: 36548 | Identifier Code: SEED/0525 | Programme name: 2799 | Start submission calls: 28/05/2025 | End submission calls: 12/09/2025

The objective of the “Development of Internationally Competitive Innovative Products and Services by STARTUPs (SEED)” Programme aims to support the rapid development of dynamic and innovative STARTUPs which intend to develop internationally competitive products or services, as well as to mobilize private investment funds for this purpose.

PRIMA – Section 1 – Farming Systems in the Nexus 2025 Topic 1.2.1-2025 (IA) Enhancement of Sustainable Farming Systems within Mediterranean Wetlands for Conservation and Coexistence

Opened

Code: 36531 | Identifier Code: Topic 1.2.1 - 2025 | Programme name: 2933 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 15/07/2025

Aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal and EU Nature restoration law, and the upcoming European Water Resilience Strategy, the initiative to enhance wetland restoration in the Mediterranean serves as a catalyst for achieving the EU’s climate goals outlined for both 2030 and 2050. It aligns with the Union for the Mediterranean’s Greener Med Agenda 2030, which underscores the pivotal role of wetlands in furnishing vital ecosystem services for the region’s environmental well-being and economic advancement. Wetlands are regions where water influences the environment, fostering a unique ecosystem rich in biodiversity.

PRIMA Section 2 Multitopics 2025

Opened

Code: 36528 | Programme name: 2933 | Start submission calls: 03/04/2025 | End submission calls: 08/07/2025

The topics that have opened under the present call are the following:

• Thematic Area 1 – Water management in the Nexus: Topic 2.1.1-2025 (RIA) Enhancing Policy Development through Impact-Driven Water Footprint and Virtual Water Concepts in the Mediterranean Region.
• Thematic Area 2 – Farming systems in the Nexus: Topic 2.2.1-2025 (RIA) Upscaling Agroecology Practices at the Farm Level in the Mediterranean
•  Thematic Area 3 – Food value chain: Topic 2.3.1 – 2025 (RIA) Towards a Plant-Based Alternative Protein products Transition in the Mediterranean Region.