Horizon Europe HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-09: Increasing Circularity of Bio-based Sector Through Upcycling and Recycling

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Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 10:35

Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call for increasing the circularity of the bio-based sector through upcycling and recycling for higher value and environmental benefits. EU contribution around EUR 6 million per project (total budget EUR 12 million). Requires consortia of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 EU/Associated Countries. TRL 6-7 expected. Anticipated 2027 call schedule.

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-9-food-bioeconomy-natural-resources-agriculture-and-environment_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf

Funding Details

Funder: European Commission (Horizon Europe)
Funding Goal: Develop and deploy safe, sustainable, circular and bio-based materials, products, processes and value chains using upcycled and recycled resources. Projects must address bio-waste streams, create markets for bio-waste secondary resources, develop circular solutions in sectors such as construction, packaging, pulp and paper, textiles, and other bio-based consumer products. Includes developing digital marketplace tools for bio-based resources and providing recommendations for bio-based product value chain development.
Funding Amount: Around EUR 6 million EU contribution per project; total indicative budget EUR 12 million. Lump sum grant (HORIZON-AG-LS). (6.000.000 € – 6.000.000 €)
Deadline: 2027-09-22 (Fixed)
How to Apply: Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Planned opening date 20 April 2027; deadline 22 September 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time. Single-stage submission. Call identifier: HORIZON-CL6-2027-01.
Target Region: EU Member States and Associated Countries
Contact: EU Funding & Tenders Portal; National Contact Points (NCPs); Research Enquiry Service
Official Page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl6-2027-01-circbio-09
Last Checked: 2026-05-07 03:41

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Minimum consortium of 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU/Associated Countries required
Legal entities established in China are NOT eligible

Project Scope

Effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines required
Bioenergy/biofuels sector is explicitly out of scope
Activities must target TRL 6-7 by project end

Required Documents

Submit via EU Funding & Tenders Portal from April 2027 (forthcoming call — not yet open)

Constraints

Cooperation with other funded projects under same topic must be foreseen as specific task with resource allocation
Lump sum grant — detailed budget breakdown needed for lump sum calculation

Summary

This Horizon Europe Innovation Action call (HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-09) funds projects to increase the circularity of the bio-based sector through upcycling and recycling for higher value and environmental benefits. The call sits within Cluster 6 and the Circular Economy and Biobased Sectors destination for 2026-27, supporting the EU Clean Industrial Deal, Life Sciences Strategy, EU Biotech Act, and SME Strategy. The thematic scope covers bio-based and circular value chains across multiple sectors: construction, packaging, pulp and paper, textiles, and other bio-based consumer products. Priority activities include developing and scaling safe, sustainable, circular bio-based value chains using upcycled and recycled secondary raw materials; innovative circular solutions for complex bio-waste streams; digital marketplace tools for bio-based resource traceability; and recommendations for national/European regulations and standards for bio-based product value chains. Eligible activities span TRL 6-7 demonstration and deployment, bio-waste valorisation, urban/rural/coastal industrial symbiosis, digital tools and applications for bio-based resource management, and Social Sciences and Humanities integration. Bioenergy and biofuels are explicitly out of scope, though synergies following cascading biomass valorisation principles are allowed. Geographic scope covers EU Member States and Associated Countries. China-based legal entities are excluded. International cooperation is encouraged. Projects should build on existing EU-funded projects and cooperate with parallel Horizon Europe topics including CIRCBIO-02 (construction) and HORIZON-MISS-2027-03-OCEAN-02 (seafood supply chain circularity). Eligible applicants are any legal entities (universities, research institutes, companies, NGOs) from at least 3 different eligible countries. Effective SSH discipline involvement is mandatory. Synergies with the CBE Joint Undertaking are strongly encouraged. The EU contribution is approximately EUR 6 million per project under a lump sum grant. Total indicative budget is EUR 12 million. This is a forthcoming call with planned opening date 20 April 2027 and deadline 22 September 2027. Target TRL is 6-7.

Historical Context

Part of Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027, Cluster 6 Call 01 (HORIZON-CL6-2027-01). Destination: Circular economy and biobased sectors (2026-27). The call encourages synergies with the Circular Bio-based Europe (CBE) Joint Undertaking. This is a forthcoming (2027) call, currently not yet open.

Why it was added

Deep Search PC1-1: Funds bio-based sector circularity through upcycling and recycling under Horizon Europe Cluster 6

Sources

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