This call is relevant for cities and regions aiming to advance a sustainable bioeconomy by involving waste management operators in the adoption of innovative, circular, bio-based materials and more sustainable waste management practices. As of 31 December 2023, EU Member States are required to collect bio-waste separately, in accordance with updated EU legislation.

The Waste Framework Directive supports this effort by permitting the collection of packaging waste, if it meets composting and biodegradability standards, together with bio-waste. To fully realize the benefits of this policy, the objective of this call is to harmonize the performance of industrial composting facilities across the EU would be instrumental in achieving both high-quality compost and ambitious bio-waste collection targets. To acheive this, international cooperation and multi-actor approach, including the involvement of waste managers in municipalities, are encouraged.

Any type of organisation can apply for Horizon Europe funding as long as they have the operational and financial capacity to carry out the tasks that they propose. For most calls for proposals, you must apply as a team of at least 3 partner organisations from 3 different EU or associated countries. At least one of the 3 partners must be from an EU country. In addition to these 3 partners, organisations from other countries might be able to join your consortium.

More information in the Horizon Europe programme guide. Further details or exceptions are listed on the pages of the call topics in the Funding & tenders portal.

Proposals should: analyse the technical performances of industrial composting plants, with a special focus on the treatment of compostable packaging, at EU and at global scale. Compostable packaging in the EU is compliant with the standard EN 13432. The analysis should address the environmental impacts of composting plants, including emissions of pollutants to air/water/soil, emissions of odours and energy consumption, and the quality and safety of the product (e.g., control of pathogens in compost), also monitoring potential changes in the microbial communities in presence of compostable materials; include a task for the project to select ad hoc performance parameters to define the best practices of industrial composting plants, ensuring the full biodegradation of compostable packaging; describe how the project will deliver a collection and assessment of the best practices of industrial composting, at EU and global level, ensuring the full biodegradation of compostable packaging, and will individuate promising innovation, e.g., microbial bioaugmentation strategies to improve composting performances in a range of conditions, to generate high quality compost, and/or to biodegrade pollutants commonly present in compost waste (i.e., microplastics); include a task for the project to provide recommendations towards the harmonization of EU industrial compositing processes and conditions, ensuring the full biodegradation of compostable packaging sustainably and safely and delivering safe and sustainable compost, as well as recommendations on improving the environmental performances of such plants, in terms of emissions of pollutants to air/water/soil and of odours.

The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 2.00 million. The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 2.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.

1. EC publishes calls for proposals on the funding and tenders portal
2. The call is open for an usual period of ca. 5 months where applicants can submit they proposal
3. Proposals can be single or two-stage application processes. A single stage application process requires the filling in of a structured proposal of max. 45 pages including objectives and innovation approach (excellence), tangible impacts that can be achieved through the project (impact) and the project planning and tasks (quality). If a two stage, the aforementioned would be the second stage application while the first is a simplified proposal of max 10 pages including only excellence and impact sections. These documents are to be uploaded to the portal in pdf format alongside filling in the respective parts of the portal with administrative information on the beneficiares, affiliated entities or others. All participants in a project need to possess a Partipant Identification Code (i.e. PIC number, a 9-digit number registered on ECAS). For more information, please see the work programme and the call documents.
4. Proposal submitted within the deadline will be evaluated by experts against evaluation criteria.
5. Winning proposals will be invited for signing a grant agreement with the EC.

Opening: 06 May 2025
 

Deadline: 17 Sep 2025