HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-04: Operationalisation of bioeconomy sustainability principles
Updated on 16.06.2025
In line with the European Green Deal, the EU’s climate targets for 2030 and 2050 and the bioeconomy strategy vision for an economic system that acts within planetary and social boundaries, the successful proposal will contribute to the impact of this Destination on effective policy mixes and multi-level governance to enable a just sustainable transition for all.
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- new and improved knowledge and better understanding of how bioeconomy sustainability principles for food and other bio-based value chains can be operationalised (e.g. cascading use of biomass or the food-first principle) in different environmental, social and economic contexts. Clarity on future projected sectoral availability and demand for biomass and biomass types will render improved clarity and transparency for businesses and consumers, thus enabling better-informed choices and policy- and decision making;
- new knowledge of how social sustainability, particularly related to distributional (international, intra-national and inter-regional) and inter-generational justice can be captured and operationalised in Bioeconomy Monitoring Systems;
- increased deployment of bioeconomies across Europe considering environmental, social and economic sustainability;
- improve knowledge of the impact of the bioeconomy on ecosystems, and provide options on how to protect /restore ecosystems, contribute to the reduction of biodiversity loss and to climate action, while developing the bioeconomy.
Relevance for Circular Systemic Solutions
This call is relevant for cities and regions aiming to strengthen the sustainability assessment of bio-based and food value chains, as well as to analyze the performance of bioeconomy innovation ecosystems from social, economic, and environmental perspectives. Demonstrating the long-term feasibility of these systems is essential to ensure that bioeconomy developments contribute meaningfully to sustainability goals.
Given that the bioeconomy operates as a place-based policy framework, the application of sustainability principles must account for local environmental and human assets, specific challenges and priorities, and the availability of logistics, financial resources, and infrastructure. As such, the objective of this call is to develop sustainability principles both with high clarity of their intention as well as sufficient flexibility to enable implementation in differing contexts. To acheive this, proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach', with a consortium based on a balanced mix of relevant actors with complementary knowledge, including for instance relevant rural actors.
Applicant criteria
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.
Eligible projects/themes
Proposals should: develop or improve the sustainability assessment of bio-based and food value chains, both from land and aquatic systems and their related value webs to increase transparency for businesses and consumers, enabling better informed choices; analyse the performance of bioeconomy innovation ecosystems with regard to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, and demonstrate their long-term feasibility (e.g. with regard to infrastructure, climate adaptation, biodiversity and ecosystem protection and restoration).
Demonstrate the applicability of bioeconomy sustainability principles in regional case studies, based on the concept of Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems; identify and address challenges for the EU, Member States and regions (e.g. public authorities) to deploy sustainability principles and providing policy recommendations to overcome them.
Amount of funding
The total indicative budget for the topic is EUR 8.00 million. The Commission estimates that an EU contribution of around EUR 4.00 million would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of a proposal requesting different amounts.
Application process
- EC publishes calls for proposals on the funding and tenders portal
- The call is open for an usual period of ca. 5 months where applicants can submit they proposal
- 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.
- Proposal submitted within the deadline will be evaluated by experts against evaluation criteria.
- Winning proposals will be invited for signing a grant agreement with the EC.
Deadlines
Opening: 06 May 2025
Deadline: 24 Sep 2025
<5 000
large 500 000-200 000, medium 200 000-50 000, and small cities 50 000-5 000
large metropolitan area >1.5 million, metropolitan area 1.5 million-500 000
predominantly urban regions, intermediate and predominantly rural regions, refer to TERCET typology NUTS 3 region
e.g. commercial, residential, service, industrial
