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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to operationalize bioeconomy sustainability principles for effective policy mixes and multi-level governance, contributing to a just sustainable transition within planetary and social boundaries. - Target recipient: Organizations forming consortia with a balanced mix of relevant actors, including researchers, industry, civil society, and rural stakeholders. - SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Bioeconomy, food systems, environmental governance, and related value chains. - Geographic scope: Primarily EU Member States, with potential for participation from associated and other non-EU countries if specific funding provisions apply. - Key filtering criteria: Focus on research and innovation (RIA) projects that enhance bioeconomy sustainability, require multi-actor collaboration, and generate actionable knowledge for policy-making. - Grant frequency: This is a single-stage call within the recurring Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025.

Financial Structure

Funding Type: The grant will be provided as a lump sum contribution.
Budget Range: Each successful project under this topic is expected to receive €4,000,000.
Total Topic Budget: The total budget allocated for this topic (HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-04) is €8,000,000, aiming to fund 2 projects.
Eligible Costs (for Lump Sum Calculation): The lump sum amount is based on an approximation of estimated direct and indirect project costs. Eligible cost categories typically include personnel costs, subcontracting costs, purchase costs (e.g., travel, equipment, goods, services), and other specific cost categories.
Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are calculated by applying a 25% flat rate to the direct cost categories that qualify under Horizon Europe rules.
Payment Mechanism: Payments for lump sum contributions are tied to the proper implementation and completion of defined work packages, as outlined in the grant agreement. Payments do not depend on the actual costs incurred, simplifying financial reporting.
Reimbursement Rate: The lump sum contribution is calculated by applying the reimbursement rate set out in Horizon Europe rules to the total estimated eligible costs (typically 100.0% for Research and Innovation Actions).
Financial Guarantees: Between 5% and 8% of the total lump sum is retained as a contribution to the Mutual Insurance Mechanism.
Co-financing: The co-financing principle is applied, meaning the total estimated costs of the action must be greater than the estimated Union contribution. The reimbursement rates reflect the EU's contribution to the total estimated eligible costs.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type and Structure

Eligible types: This grant is open to a broad range of legal entities, including but not limited to universities, research organizations, public authorities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and larger enterprises. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may also participate.
Consortium Requirement: Proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach', forming a consortium based on a balanced mix of relevant actors with complementary knowledge to achieve project objectives. This includes, for instance, relevant rural actors.

Geographic Location

Countries: Organizations established in EU Member States are eligible for funding. For non-EU/non-associated countries, eligibility for funding depends on specific provisions outlined in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Applicants should consult these documents for definitive country eligibility.

Capacity and Compliance

Financial and operational capacity: Applicants must meet the financial and operational capacity requirements as described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Exclusion criteria: Organizations must not be subject to any exclusion criteria detailed in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Project Type

Type of Action: This grant is specifically for 'HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions' (RIA).

Application Process

Application Deadline and Timeline

Submission Deadline: The deadline for submitting proposals is 2025-09-24 00:00:00+0000 (UTC).
Call Opening Date: The call opened on 2025-05-06.
Evaluation and Grant Agreement Timeline: The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement procedures is detailed in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes (not provided in this document).

Submission Process

Procedure: This is a single-stage submission process.
Platform: Proposals must be submitted via the Electronic Submission Service available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Required Documentation: Applicants must adhere to proposal page limits and layout requirements described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Part B of the Application Form, available in the Submission System, provides specific layout details.
Budget Proposal: Applicants are required to propose the lump sum amount based on their estimated direct and indirect costs, providing a detailed breakdown per work package and, if applicable, per beneficiary and affiliated entity.
Templates: Standard application form templates (e.g., HE RIA) and detailed budget tables specific to lump sum grants (HE LS) must be used.

Support and Guidance

Resources: Comprehensive guidance and support are available through the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, FAQs, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesk.

Evaluation Criteria

General Evaluation Criteria

Excellence: Assesses the quality of the proposed research and innovation, including the methodology, clarity of objectives, and the extent to which the project advances the state of the art. The effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, including gender studies, is evaluated here.
Impact: Evaluates the potential of the project results to contribute to the expected outcomes and impacts outlined in the work programme, including their contribution to policy, societal benefits, environmental benefits, and economic competitiveness. Dissemination, exploitation, and communication plans are also assessed.
Quality and Efficiency of Implementation: Considers the coherence and effectiveness of the work plan, the appropriateness of the resources allocated, the quality of the project management, and the composition of the consortium, including the implementation of the multi-actor approach.

Specific Scoring Factors

Relevance to Topic: The proposal's alignment with operationalizing bioeconomy sustainability principles, including assessing bio-based and food value chains.
Contribution to Expected Outcomes: The extent to which the proposal contributes to:
- New and improved knowledge on operationalizing bioeconomy sustainability principles in diverse contexts.
- New knowledge on integrating social sustainability (especially distributional and inter-generational justice) into Bioeconomy Monitoring Systems.
- Increased deployment of bioeconomies across Europe while ensuring environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
- Improved understanding of the bioeconomy's impact on ecosystems and solutions for their protection/restoration, biodiversity preservation, and climate action.
Methodology and Approach: The quality and feasibility of the proposed research methodology, including the balanced mix of actors in the consortium (multi-actor approach) and the effective integration of SSH disciplines.
Innovation and Feasibility: The development or improvement of sustainability assessments and the demonstration of long-term feasibility of bioeconomy innovation ecosystems through regional case studies (e.g., Regional Innovation Valleys for Bioeconomy and Food Systems).
Policy Relevance: The capacity to identify and address challenges for public authorities (EU, Member States, regions) in deploying sustainability principles, and the provision of actionable policy recommendations.
Synergies and Foundations: A clear plan to seek synergies with other EU programs and initiatives (e.g., ZEROPOLLUTION, CIRCBIO Cluster 6 calls) and to build on findings from authoritative reports such as the 'Global Resources Outlook 2024'.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Legal Framework: Projects must comply with Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (Horizon Europe), Council Regulation (Euratom) 2021/765, and the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509.

Financial Compliance

Audit Focus: While financial ex-post audits are minimised due to the lump sum nature, checks, reviews, and audits will focus on the technical implementation of the action, specifically on the fulfillment of conditions for releasing lump sum contributions per work package. Beneficiaries are not required to document costs incurred for the action for financial reporting to the granting authority but remain subject to national accounting rules.

Project Implementation Requirements

Multi-Actor Approach (MAA): It is a mandatory eligibility criterion that proposals implement a 'multi-actor approach'. The consortium must consist of a balanced mix of relevant actors with complementary knowledge, including, for instance, rural actors.
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH): The effective contribution of SSH disciplines, including gender studies, is a key requirement for this topic.
Synergy and Knowledge Sharing: Proposals must include a dedicated task, appropriate resources, and a plan to seek synergies with other EU programmes and funding instruments (e.g., previously funded projects under ZEROPOLLUTION and CIRCBIO Cluster 6 calls). Projects should also build on findings from the 'Global Resources Outlook 2024'.
International Cooperation: International collaboration is encouraged to enhance the project's impact and reach.

Intellectual Property

Policies: Intellectual property aspects are governed by the general Horizon Europe rules, as detailed in the Annotated Model Grant Agreement (AGA).

Risk Management

Technical Monitoring: If controls reveal that the conditions for payment of a lump sum contribution per work package were not met (e.g., a work package was not completed), the granting authority reserves the right to recover any undue payments.

Grant Details