Horizon Europe 2025 calls on Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (CL6)

Objectif

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 will serve the new Commission priorities for 2024-2029 with a focus on “Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature” and “A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness”. The Cluster will further contribute to the priorities “Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model” and “Protecting our democracy, upholding our values”.
The Horizon Europe mandate for Cluster 6 is to provide research and innovation opportunities to strengthen and balance environmental, social and economic goals and to set human economic activities on a path towards sustainability.

Cluster 6 supports transformative change of the EU economy and society to reduce environmental degradation, halt and reverse the decline of biodiversity, better manage natural resources, and meet the EU’s climate objectives. This needs to happen while ensuring food and water security and fostering the sustainable prosperity and competitiveness of the EU, taking into account the evolving geopolitical context. The Work Programme builds on the new research and innovation (R&I) priorities outlined in the Horizon Europe Strategic Plan 2025-2027.

Critères d'éligibilité

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
– the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
– the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
– countries associated to Horizon Europe listed here : https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf
– low- and middle-income countries listed here : https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf

Unless otherwise provided for in the specific call conditions, only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as
beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Country

Technologies clés

Destination 1: Biodiversity and ecosystem services: biodiversity observation, dynamic processes to guide restoration activities, sustainable farming systems, forests and freshwater ecosystems restoration, multi-stress tolerance in crops,

Destination 2: Fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food systems from primary production to consumption: accelerating farming systems transition, circular water management in agriculture, innovative phytosanitary measures for plant health, grassland management, animal breeding and genetics for climate change adaptation and mitigation, fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) systems

Destination 3: Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors: sustainable and circular economy, Product Environmental Footprint (PEF), Extended Producer Responsibility schemes (EPR), Consumption patterns and environmental awareness, circular systemic solutions in cities and regions, impact of the digitalization/Artificial Intelligence of the climate-neutral bio-based value chains, optimising composting plants,

Destination 4: Clean environment and zero pollution: monitoring and modelling systems for revised air quality policies, monitor aquatic litter including plastic and microplastic pollution, digital solutions tailored to small and medium-sized farms,

Destination 5: Land, oceans and water for climate action: marine carbon dioxide removal, Monitoring, reporting, verification and mitigation of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions,

Destination 6: Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities: Adapting to and mitigating demographic trends in rural areas,

Destination 7: Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal: analytical capacity and understanding of the bargaining power and interactions of farmers with the operators of the value chains, innovative payments to support farmers, bioeconomy networks, Earth Intelligence to accelerate the green and digital transition, digital twins for sustainability and resilience of agriculture, forestry and rural development, Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS)

Typologie de consortium

Projects funded under Horizon Europe usually last from 12 to 48 months. The expected EU contribution per project ranges from EUR 2M to 130M.

Deadlines go from 4 September to 24 September 2025 depending on the call.