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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

- Single, clear statement of grant's core objective: This grant aims to advance environmental biotechnology applications for the remediation and restoration of polluted ecosystems, contributing to the EU's zero-pollution ambition.

Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: Target recipients are research organizations, universities, and industries (including SMEs) forming consortia capable of conducting Research and Innovation Actions.
MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic scope and any location requirements: Projects must be based in EU Member States or Associated Countries, with case studies focusing on degraded soil, sediment, and water in these regions.
Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Focus on environmental biotechnology, nature-based solutions, ecosystem remediation, pollution control, climate change adaptation, and digital innovation (including AI) in environmental management.
Grant frequency and program context: This is a single-stage call within the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, specifically under Cluster 6 'Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment', Destination 4: 'Clean environment and zero pollution'. It is part of ongoing efforts to address environmental degradation.

Financial Structure

Funding takes the form of a lump sum contribution, where payments are tied to the completion of work packages rather than incurred costs.
The total budget allocated for this specific topic (HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03) is €8,000,000 for the year 2025.
The expected grant contribution per project is €4,000,000.
Eligible costs include:
- Personnel costs (employees, direct contractors, seconded persons, SME owners, natural person beneficiaries).
- Subcontracting costs.
- Purchase costs (travel, subsistence, equipment, other goods, works, and services).
- Other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, access to research infrastructure, etc.).
Ineligible costs are those that would be ineligible for an actual costs grant under Horizon Europe rules.
Indirect costs are calculated by applying a flat rate of 25% to the direct cost categories that qualify.
Co-financing is required: the total estimated costs of the action must be greater than the estimated Union contribution.
A percentage between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Payments are made per work package upon proper implementation of activities. If conditions for a work package are not met, its lump sum is not paid but can be paid in a subsequent reporting period if conditions are then met.
Pre-financing follows standard Horizon Europe rules and is fixed in the grant agreement.
Beneficiaries have no obligation to document costs incurred for the action to the granting authority, but must comply with national accounting rules.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Types

Any legal entity established in an EU Member State or an Associated Country is eligible.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium.
A consortium is generally required for Research and Innovation Actions, with a multi-actor approach and international cooperation encouraged.

Financial and Operational Capacity

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial and operational capacity, as described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Standard exclusion criteria for grant applicants apply as per Annex C.

Geographic Location

Organizations must be legally established in an EU Member State or an Associated Country.

Technical and Legal Requirements

Proposals must adhere to page limits and layout described in Annex A and E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, and Part B of the Application Form.
The grant funding will take the form of a lump sum contribution, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 on lump sum contributions under Horizon Europe.

Application Process

Application Deadline

The submission deadline for proposals is 2025-09-17 00:00:00+00:00.
The submission process is single-stage.
The submission session became available on 2025-05-06.

Submission Procedure

Applications must be submitted through the Electronic Submission Service on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Applicants are required to select the specific type of action (HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions) and the appropriate model grant agreement (HORIZON Lump Sum Grant).
Existing draft proposals can be accessed via the 'My Proposals' page within the 'My Area' section of the Portal.

Required Documentation and Materials

The application form specific to this call (HE RIA, IA) is available in the Submission System.
Applicants must use the Detailed budget table (HE LS) template provided by the granting authority.
Proposals must include a detailed breakdown of the lump sum contribution per work package, and within each work package, the share assigned to each beneficiary and affiliated entity, along with a detailed description of covered activities and resources.
A declaration from beneficiaries must be included, stating that they have followed their own accounting practices for the preparation of the estimated budget.

Evaluation and Grant Agreement Timeline

An indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement preparation is described in Annex F of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
The final lump sum amount will be established after the proposal evaluation, taking into account the findings and recommendations from the expert assessment.

Application Assistance and Support

The 'Online Manual' serves as a guide for procedures from proposal submission to grant management.
The 'Horizon Europe Programme Guide' provides detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe.
A 'Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ' addresses frequently asked questions regarding submissions, evaluations, and grant management.
The 'Research Enquiry Service' is available for general inquiries about European research and EU Research Framework Programmes.
'National Contact Points (NCPs)' offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe, including for non-EU and non-associated countries.
The 'Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)' provides advice to businesses, with a special focus on SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding.
The 'IT Helpdesk' assists with technical issues related to the Funding & Tenders Portal, such as forgotten passwords or submission problems.
The 'European IPR Helpdesk' offers support on intellectual property issues.
'CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk' and 'ETSI Research Helpdesk' advise on standardisation in project proposals.
'The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct' outlines principles for researchers, employers, and funders.
A 'Partner Search' functionality is available to help find partner organizations for proposals.

Evaluation Criteria

General Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the standard Horizon Europe criteria:
- Excellence: Quality of the proposed research, innovation, and methodology.
- Expected Impact: Contribution to the specific objectives of the call, EU policies, and societal benefits.
- Quality and Efficiency of the Implementation: Soundness of the work plan, resources, and management arrangements.

Project Specifics and Scoring Factors

Scientific and Technical Quality:
- Assessment of the alignment of proposed bio-based and nature-based solutions with the precautionary principle, environmental sustainability, and efficiency in remediating polluted environments.
- Evaluation of the solutions' capacity to address biodiversity loss and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change.
- Quality and integration of digital innovation, including AI, for optimizing remediation approaches, especially in emergency scenarios.
Impact and Contribution:
- Clarity and credibility of the pathway to achieve a clean environment and reduce pollution.
- Expected enhanced scientific capacity and innovative solutions for detecting and characterizing pollution sources, pathways, and impacts.
- Potential for safe and sustainable by design bio-based solutions to replace harmful chemicals and contribute to climate neutrality.
- Anticipated adoption of zero-pollution ambitions in food systems and empowerment of farmers to make informed environmental decisions.
- Identification and assessment of economic, social, and safety risks and benefits of remediation activities, considering circular economy principles and reduction of human health risks (e.g., for vulnerable populations, integrating gender dimension).
Implementation and Collaboration:
- Soundness of the overall environmental, economic, social, and safety risk assessment for the developed integrated solutions.
- Effectiveness of plans for sharing methodologies and findings with other relevant projects (e.g., those funded under HORIZON-CL6-2021-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-10 or HORIZON-CL6-2023-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-6).
- Adequacy of the inclusion of citizen science in the research approach.
- Effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, including citizen social science approach and gender studies (especially for human health risk assessment).
- Feasibility and added value of multi-actor approach and international cooperation.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Projects must comply with the Decision of 7 July 2021 regarding the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Compliance with the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is required.
Adherence to the Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment is mandatory.
Proposals must contribute to the zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment, as outlined in the European Green Deal, and align with the 2030 zero pollution targets for air, water, and soils.
Activities related to oceans and seas must support the implementation of the zero-pollution action plan within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and EU water legislation, as well as the European Ocean Pact.
The work should support the implementation of revised legislation on industrial emissions and air quality.
Projects must contribute to the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation.
Alignment with the European Climate Law is a key requirement.

Ethical Standards

Checks, reviews, or audits will focus on ethical considerations and research integrity.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Checks, reviews, or audits will include scrutiny of dissemination and exploitation of results, and the management of intellectual property.

Data Protection and Security

Compliance with data protection and privacy regulations, including the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement, is expected.

Risk Management

Proposals must include a task to identify and assess the economic, social, and safety risks and benefits of remediation activities, particularly regarding circular economy and human health risks from contaminants.
An overall environmental, economic, social, and safety risk assessment for the developed integrated bio-based and nature-based solutions must be delivered.
The granting authority may recover funds if controls reveal that conditions for payment of the lump sum contribution per work package have not been met.

Cross-cutting Themes and Strategic Opportunities

Gender dimension: The integration of the gender dimension is required, especially in the risk assessment related to human health.
Multi-actor approach: Encouraged for broader stakeholder engagement.
International cooperation: Strongly encouraged to maximize impact.
Citizen Science: Encouraged to involve citizens in the selection and analysis of degraded ecosystem case studies.
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH): Effective contribution of SSH disciplines, including citizen social science, is required.
Digital innovation/AI: The development and use of models enabled by digital innovation, including artificial intelligence, for optimizing remediation approaches (even in emergencies) is a key focus.
Strategic Alignment: Projects should align with and contribute to the objectives of Horizon Europe Missions such as ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’, and ‘Climate-Neutral Smart Cities’. Collaboration with partnerships like Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking is also encouraged. The topic also relates to the EU’s chemicals strategy for sustainability (e.g., PFAS focus).

Grant Details