Restoring Ocean and Waters in waterfront Cities and their Ports

Closed

Code: 37735 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-05 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 07/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

The goal of this topic is to accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions to achieve Mission objectives and targets in waterfront cities and ports.

The project should test and demonstrate effective solutions to achieve the Mission’s specific objectives and targets in waterfront cities. The project should thus test and demonstrate solutions that contribute to:

1. protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and Nature Restoration Regulation, and/or
2. preventing and eliminating pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil and/or
3. making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the European Climate Law and the holistic vision enshrined in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy.

Supporting regions and local authorities in assessing climate risks

Closed

Code: 37732 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-01-CLIMA-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

The first European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) concluded that Europe is not prepared for rapidly growing climate risks.

Assessing climate risks is one the first steps that regional and local authorities need to undertake in the adaptation planning.

This step is key to provide robust adaptation plans that respond to the needs of the regional and local authorities.

Restoring Ocean and Waters in Regions

Closed

Code: 37728 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 07/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

The project should test and demonstrate effective solutions to achieve the Mission’s specific objectives and targets in coastal and riparian areas. The project should thus test and demonstrate solutions that contribute to:

1. protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and Nature Restoration Regulation, and/or
2. preventing and eliminating pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil and/or
3. making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the European Climate Law and the holistic vision enshrined in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy.

Pragmatic clinical trials to enhance the quality of life of older cancer patients (65 years and older) through nutrition

Closed

Code: 37725 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-05 | Programme name: 19081 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

Nutrition is of particular concern in older cancer patients due to issues like malabsorption, which is linked to adverse outcomes (such as mortality and decreased quality of life).

Moreover, cancer incidence and mortality and prevalence predictions suggest a considerable increase of older cancer patients, who are also underrepresented in clinical studies.

Hence, older cancer patients across Europe would benefit from access to optimised nutritional care-oriented interventions, to improve treatment outcomes, alleviate disease symptoms and side effects, thereby enhancing their survival and quality of life.

Digital technologies and energy transition in fisheries and/or aquaculture

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Code: 37719 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-03 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 07/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

The fisheries and aquaculture sectors, including algae, are critical components of the global food system, contributing significantly to food supply, food security and sustainable economic growth. Energy, specifically fuel consumption, is one of the major cost items in the European fisheries and aquaculture sector, putting the economic viability of the European fleet and aquaculture activities under tremendous pressure during periods of high energy prices. Moreover, this fuel usage contributes to CO₂ and other emissions, including underwater noise. Innovative solutions are needed to transform the energy landscape of the fisheries and aquaculture, making these critical industries more sustainable, resilient, and economically viable.

Projects under this topic will demonstrate how digital technologies can address the need to reduce energy consumption and associated economic and environmental costs in European fisheries and/or aquaculture and provide real-time, accurate, and actionable data and information to reduce energy use. This can include the use of advanced (remote) sensing technologies and monitoring devices, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, data-driven approaches and data analytics, robotics and automation.

Investigator-initiated multinational early-stage innovative clinical trials for paediatric cancer

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Code: 37718 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-04 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

This topic will contribute to the achievement of the Mission’s objective to provide better treatments for cancer.

The focus is on children (0-14 years of age, e.g. age of first cancer diagnosis) and/or adolescent (15-19 years of age, e.g. age of first cancer diagnosis) cancer patients.

Paediatric oncology has made considerable progress, increasing patient survival rates up to 80%; yet cancer remains the leading cause of death in children and adolescents.

Progress in R&I to support the development of targeted cancer treatments for children has been rather limited.

Over the past 20 years, less than 10% of new anti-cancer drugs have received marketing authorization for paediatric use, resulting in limited availability of innovative therapies to treat paediatric cancers.

This is even more striking when cancers with poor prognosis are considered.

A toolbox for public authorities to address marine plastics and litter from river-to-ocean

Closed

Code: 37713 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 07/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

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.

Innovative surgery as the cornerstone of affordable multi-modal therapeutic interventions benefitting cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease

Closed

Code: 37712 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-03 | Programme name: 19081 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

Cancer surgery represents the main first line treatment for solid tumours.

While cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease across Europe are often excluded from clinical studies, they would benefit from access to tailored, affordable, innovative, surgery-centred interventions, which are adapted to an increasingly precision oncology healthcare landscape.

Blue Parks – Towards a coherent European network of strictly protected areas for restoring healthy and productive marine ecosystems

Closed

Code: 37708 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 07/05/2025 | End submission calls: 24/09/2025

The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 sets a target to legally protect at least 30% of EU seas and to strictly protect 10% of EU seas by 2030. Member States have supported this target and have started the scientific and technical work to identify new areas to be (strictly) protected. Strictly protected areas are also expected to play a role in the implementation of obligations to restore habitats listed in the Regulation on Nature Restoration (habitat types in Annex II and habitats of species covered by the regulation) through passive restoration. There are however many data gaps concerning the distribution and condition of habitats and potential different strategies in Member States to find suitable areas for strict protection that may hinder the creation of a truly coherent EU network of strictly protected areas. There is a need for science-based conservation planning at a sea basin or sub-basin scale which would also take into account potential trade-offs due to the main uses of the sea as well as maximise benefits for climate and fisheries. While there are ongoing projects that should support the planning of future EU Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) networks, none of them is currently focusing on the specific target of strictly protected areas and delivering benefits for climate and fisheries, as well as explicitly addressing potential spatial trade-offs with offshore renewables and other activities.

Understanding the effects of environmental exposure on the risk of paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers

Closed

Code: 37706 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

This topic contributes to the Cancer Mission objectives by improving the understanding of the impact of environmental exposures including, their interaction with other relevant factors on cancer onset and progression and/or other relevant health outcomes along the cancer patient journey.

The age group of interest for this topic includes children, adolescents and young adults (less than 40 years of age at first cancer diagnosis).

Sustained collaboration of national and regional cancer funders to support the Cancer Mission through translational research

Closed

Code: 37703 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-01 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

Common challenges in translational cancer research require effective transnational cooperation on prioritised efforts, leveraging national, regional and charity-based resources and appropriate funding schemes. Important achievements of translational cancer research funding by long-term collaboration of national and philanthropy funding organisations have been obtained by the TRANSCAN network under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2007-2013) and Horizon 2020 (2014-2020).

More efforts are warranted to address the potential for sustainable coordination, the access to and sharing of research data to enhance the understanding of cancer as well as to further the alignment of national, regional and foundation or charity-based cancer research and innovation programmes and activities in Member States and Associated Countries. The EU contribution will not be used to co-fund the grants to third parties described hereunder.

Innovative, AI-based solutions for urban planning and management

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Code: 37701 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-MISS-2025-04-CIT-02 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Missions | Start submission calls: 06/05/2025 | End submission calls: 04/09/2025

Urban planning and management require the analysis and integration of data ranging from zoning laws and buildings to overground infrastructure (street networks and their amenities, rail networks, etc.) and underground infrastructure (sewage, gas, electricity, heat, and water supply networks). Besides this complex physical urban fabric, urban planning and management cover intangible features such as administrative organisation, flows of goods and services, environmental determinants, demographic, social, and economic trends, evolving social values, behaviours, and local cultures.

Since the 1980-ties, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) integrating urban information within layers of data and translating them into tables, graphs, and maps, were introduced in urban planning with the purpose to allow a more efficient data collection, analysis, aggregation, and management, enabling planning and decision-making for increasingly sustainable and innovative cities. However, given the rapid digitalisation of almost every aspect of urban life and the increase in complexity and variety of data over the last decades, the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) opens promising, new opportunities for embedding sustainability and climate-neutrality concepts in urban planning and management. AI-based applications (including generative AI) and tools such as machine learning (ML), neural networks (NNs), deep learning, autonomous systems, pattern recognition, simulation modelling – Digital Twins, Internet of Things (IoT), etc. can be harnessed to guide decision-making, predict trends, develop scenarios, optimize resource allocation, engage citizens, and further enhance and promote human creativity, inclusiveness and well-being in urban planning and design.

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

Closed

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)

Closed

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

Closed

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

Closed

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)

Closed

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)

Closed

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)

Closed

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)

Closed

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