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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

- - Core objective: To enhance plant health by increasing understanding of emerging pest drivers, developing cost-effective preventive and curative measures, and strengthening plant health policies for resilient and sustainable agri-food systems. - Explicit identification of target recipient type and size: Consortia involving diverse actors from research, plant health services, farming/forestry sectors, advisory services, and industry. SME participation is particularly promoted. - MUST state if grant is 'SECTOR-SPECIFIC' or 'SECTOR-AGNOSTIC': SECTOR-SPECIFIC (Agriculture, Forestry). - Geographic scope and any location requirements: EU Member States and Associated Countries. International cooperation with affected countries is strongly encouraged. - Key filtering criteria for initial grant screening: Focus on new or emerging plant pests, multi-actor approach, One Health approach, and alignment with EU agricultural and environmental policies. - Grant frequency and program context: This is a recurring call part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, specifically under Cluster 6 'Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment', Destination 'Fair, healthy and environment-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption'.

Financial Structure

Funding type: Lump Sum Grant (HORIZON-AG-LS).
Budget range: The total budget for this topic is EUR 12,000,000.
Minimum grant amount per project: EUR 6,000,000.
Maximum grant amount per project: EUR 6,000,000.
Currency: EUR.
Funding rate: The lump sum calculation includes a 25% flat rate for indirect costs. The reimbursement rate applied to total estimated eligible costs is not explicitly stated as a percentage for the overall grant, but for Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) it is typically 100%.
Eligible costs: Personnel costs, subcontracting costs, purchase costs (travel, equipment, other goods, works, and services), and other cost categories (financial support to third parties, internally invoiced goods/services, transnational/virtual access to research infrastructure, PCP/PPI procurement, Euratom Cofund staff mobility, ERC additional funding).
Ineligible costs: Costs that are explicitly ineligible under Horizon Europe rules.
Financial support to third parties (FSTP): Allowed.
- Maximum amount to be granted to each third party: EUR 60,000.
- Maximum percentage of the EU funding that should be allocated for FSTP: 10%.
- Consortia are responsible for defining the selection process of organisations for which financial support may be granted.
Payment mechanism: Payments are made when the corresponding work packages have been properly implemented. Payments do not depend on actual costs incurred.
Co-financing: The co-financing principle is ensured by verifying that the total estimated costs of the action are greater than the estimated Union contributions.

Eligibility Requirements

Organization Type & Structure

Eligible organization types: Any legal entity that can form part of a multi-actor consortium. This includes, but is not limited to, research organizations/universities, public bodies, SMEs, large enterprises, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, farmers' associations, and forest owners' associations.
Consortium requirement: Mandatory 'multi-actor approach' which necessitates the involvement of a diverse range of actors (e.g., researchers, plant health services, farming/forestry sectors, advisory services, industry) to ensure real-world relevance and impact.

Geographic Requirements

Location: Organisations must be established in EU Member States or countries associated with Horizon Europe.
International participation: Non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding may have specific provisions for making funding available for their participants. International cooperation with countries affected or threatened by the same pest(s) is strongly encouraged.

Technical & Operational

Project focus: Proposals must target one or more new or emerging plant pests (regulated, non-regulated, introduced, or native) that are currently causing, or are likely to cause, significant socio-economic and/or environmental impact to agriculture and/or forestry in the EU and/or Associated Countries.
Approach: Projects must integrate the 'multi-actor approach' and foster a 'One Health approach' recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

Financial

Capacity: Applicants must demonstrate sufficient financial and operational capacity as described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Application Process

Submission format: Applications must be submitted online via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission Service.
Application type: This is a two-stage submission procedure.
Submission deadlines:
- Stage 1 deadline: 2025-09-04 00:00:00+0000.
- Stage 2 deadline: 2026-02-18 00:00:00+0000.
Required documentation and materials:
- Standard application form (HE RIA, IA Stage 1 for the first stage).
- Part B of the application form, adhering to specified page limits and layout.
- For the first stage, proposals are part of a blind evaluation pilot; therefore, applicants must not disclose their organization names, acronyms, logos, or names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B.

Implementation & Reporting

Project planning: Proposals should include a dedicated task in the work plan and appropriate resources to facilitate collaboration with other projects funded under this specific topic.
Reporting obligations: For lump sum grants, reporting focuses on the proper implementation and completion of defined work packages rather than detailed financial reporting of actual costs incurred.

Support & Guidance

Application assistance availability: Extensive support is provided through the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, FAQs, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs) in EU and associated countries, Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and European Standards Organisations (CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk).
Partner search: The Funding & Tenders Portal offers functionality to allow for partner searches.

Evaluation Criteria

Scoring Factors (First Stage - Blind Evaluation)

Excellence: Assessed based on the quality of the proposed research and innovation. First-stage proposals will be evaluated blindly, meaning names of organizations, acronyms, logos, or personnel must not be disclosed in the abstract and Part B of the application.
Impact: Evaluated on the potential for the project to contribute significantly to scientific advancements, societal benefits, and economic improvements.
Quality and Efficiency of Implementation: Assessment of the soundness of the methodology, the work plan, and the efficient allocation of resources.

Project Scope & Outcomes

Contribution to Outcomes: Proposals will be scored on how effectively they contribute to all expected outcomes:
- Increased understanding of drivers of plant pest emergence (including climate change, ecosystem degradation, globalisation).
- Development of cost-effective preventive and/or curative measures for new/emerging plant pests.
- Development of economic, social, and environmentally sound solutions for effective pest management (in line with integrated pest management principles).
- Provision of scientific support, recommendations, and policy advice to strengthen plant health policies.
Pest Focus Justification: The choice of pest(s) must be clearly explained and justified in alignment with the proposal's objectives and the topic's expected outcomes.
Technical Depth: Proposals should enhance understanding of pest biology, introduction pathways, interaction with crop-soil ecosystems, and spread mechanisms, particularly concerning climate change, biodiversity crisis, land use, and globalisation. They should also detail the development of rapid and cost-effective tools for prevention, detection, surveillance, treatment, and biocontrol measures (including innovative agro-ecological practices).
Impact Mitigation Strategies: Quality of proposed strategies to assess and mitigate social, economic, and environmental impacts of plant pests on farmers/forest owners.
Resilience Enhancement: Exploration of resistant/tolerant traits and agro-ecological processes for pest regulation to enhance sector resilience.
Holistic Approach: Demonstrated integration of the 'One Health approach' in understanding and managing plant pests.

Implementation Quality

Multi-actor Engagement: Effectiveness of the proposed multi-actor approach, ensuring knowledge and needs from various sectors (research, plant health services, farming/forestry, advisory services, industry) are integrated.
Resource Management: Appropriateness of resources and the work plan, including a dedicated task and resources for collaborating with other projects funded under this topic.
Financial Soundness: Experts with financial know-how will check the budget estimate against benchmarks (market prices, statistical data, historical data) to assess if proposed resources and lump sum breakdown adequately support activities and outputs.

Strategic Alignment

Policy Contribution: How the proposal contributes to objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy, European Green Deal goals, EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and Regulation 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants.
Synergies: Coherence and complementarity with ongoing relevant Horizon Europe projects and effective capitalisation on existing research findings and tools.

Cross-Cutting Themes

Innovation: Encouragement for a balance of high as well as low Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Inclusivity: Consideration of gender and other socio-demographic groups in the project design and implementation.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory & Policy Alignment

Specific Regulation: Compliance with Regulation 2016/2031 on protective measures against pests of plants is a key requirement.
EU Strategic Goals: Projects must align with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) objectives, the European Green Deal (including its competitive, resilient, and sustainable food system goals, biodiversity strategy, zero pollution, and climate action ambitions), and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Methodological Requirements

Multi-actor Approach: Mandatory implementation of the 'multi-actor approach' to ensure that knowledge and needs from various sectors (e.g., research, plant health services, farming/forestry sectors, advisory services, industry) are integrated. This approach is defined in the introduction to the work programme part.
One Health Approach: Proposals are required to foster a holistic understanding and management of plant pests by recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

Financial & Administrative

Lump Sum Funding: This grant operates on a lump sum basis, meaning payments are linked to the successful completion of work packages rather than detailed cost reporting. This simplifies financial management and shifts focus to technical outputs.
Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP): While generally allowed, the amount of financial support to each third party is capped at EUR 60,000, and the total FSTP may not exceed 10% of the EU funding. Consortia must clearly define the selection process for these third parties.

Evaluation Specifics

Blind Evaluation Pilot: First-stage proposals will undergo a 'blind evaluation'. This means applicants must ensure that their organization names, acronyms, logos, and names of personnel are not disclosed in the abstract and Part B of their first-stage application.

Cross-Cutting & Strategic Considerations

Strategic Synergies: Applicants are encouraged to seek complementarities with relevant EU Missions (e.g., 'A Soil Deal for Europe', 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030') and European partnerships (e.g., Agroecology, Animal Health and Welfare, Sustainable Blue Economy, Sustainable Food Systems, Agriculture of Data, PRIMA, EIP-AGRI).
Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs): Proposals should be balanced in terms of high as well as low TRLs, indicating scope for both fundamental and applied research, and innovation close to market.
Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH): Relevant topics under this destination require the integration of SSH to apply a human-centred approach to research and innovation and support social innovation at regional and local levels.
International Cooperation: Strongly encouraged with countries affected or threatened by the same pest(s) to maximize impact.
SME Participation: SMEs' involvement is particularly promoted under this destination to facilitate the transition of innovations into the market.

Grant Details