Horizon Europe Mission - Restore our Ocean and Waters 2026

Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 08:37

Horizon Europe Mission Ocean 2026 calls open until Sep 2026: Mediterranean biodiversity, Blue Parks, sustainable blue economy Baltic/North Sea, Atlantic/Arctic, Danube/Black Sea.

Source: https://projects.research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/en/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters

Funding Details

Funder

European Commission – Horizon Europe

Funding Goal

Restore the health of the ocean, seas, and inland waters by 2030 through research and innovation, public engagement, and targeted blue investments — covering ecosystem protection/restoration, pollution prevention, and sustainable circular blue economy.

Funding Amount

Not specified on this page. Horizon Europe Ocean Mission grants are typically multi-million euro awards (commonly €3M–€10M+) awarded to multi-partner consortia.

Deadline

September 2026 (approximate, based on 2026 Work Programme) (Fixed)

How to Apply

Apply via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders). Browse open calls under Horizon Europe Missions. Register organization in the Participant Register, form a consortium, and submit a full proposal including technical annex and budget. Info days were held January 20–21, 2026.

Target Region

EU and associated countries; geographic focus areas: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, Danube-Black Sea

Contact

EU-MISSION-OCEAN-AND-WATERS@ec.europa.eu

Last Checked

2026-04-20 11:08

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a legal entity established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe-associated country
• Proposals typically require a consortium of at least 3 independent entities from 3 different eligible countries

Project Scope

• Project must align with at least one Mission pillar: ecosystem restoration, pollution prevention, or circular blue economy
• Work must relate to one of the four lighthouse basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic-North Sea, or Danube-Black Sea

Required Documents

• Submit full proposal via EU Funding and Tenders Portal including technical description and detailed budget
• Register all consortium partners in the EU Participant Register (PIC number required)

Constraints

• Proposals must demonstrate research and innovation content — purely operational or implementation-only projects are not eligible
• Calls have fixed deadlines under the 2026/27 Work Programme — check the Funding and Tenders Portal for specific call deadlines (approximately September 2026)

Summary

The EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters" is one of five EU Missions under Horizon Europe, with a mandate to achieve measurable progress on ocean and freshwater health by 2030. The Mission addresses three interconnected pillars: (1) protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity aligned with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030; (2) preventing and eliminating pollution in seas, oceans, and inland waters; and (3) making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular. The Mission operates through geographic "lighthouses" — area-based living labs in the Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea regions — where solutions are demonstrated and scaled. The 2026 Work Programme includes open calls targeting topics such as Mediterranean biodiversity, Blue Parks, sustainable blue economy in the Baltic/North Sea, Atlantic/Arctic, and Danube/Black Sea basins, with calls reportedly open until September 2026. A key infrastructure element is the Digital Twin Ocean, which integrates data and simulates ecosystem impacts to support real-time monitoring and evidence-based governance decisions. Eligible applicants span a broad range of public and private organizations, including research institutions, businesses, NGOs, regional/local authorities, and coastal communities — typically organized into multi-partner European research consortia. The Mission Charter has attracted over 1,000 pledges from Member States, regions, cities, and stakeholders, demonstrating a wide network for partnership. The Mission Implementation Platform (MIP) provides resources and tools for organizations seeking to engage. Funding under this Mission flows through competitive Horizon Europe calls published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Grant sizes are typically multi-million euro awards to large consortia. While thematically broad, the research-and-innovation framing and consortium requirements make direct access challenging for smaller NGOs, who may be better positioned as partners within larger bids rather than as lead applicants.

Historical Context

The Mission Implementation Plan was adopted on 29 September 2021. A portfolio analysis published June 2023 reviewed 841 EU projects contributing to Mission objectives. As of August 2025, 30 consortia secured funding under 2024 calls. The 2026/27 Work Programme introduces new calls with info days held January 20–21, 2026. Over 1,000 pledges have been registered under the Mission Charter.

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