Horizon Europe HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02: Achieving Mission Objectives - Reducing Pollution from Nutrients, Chemicals and Plastics

Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-11 10:35

For NGOs For Researchers Government Multilateral Grant Arctic Baltic Sea Mediterranean North Sea Biodiversity Circular Economy Coastal Protection Marine Conservation Plastic Waste Pollution Research
Horizon Europe Mission call to reduce pollution from nutrients, chemicals and plastics in oceans and waters. EU contribution EUR 7-7.75 million per project (total budget EUR 31 million). Requires consortia of legal entities with strong encouragement for public bodies and NGO involvement. Includes financial support to third parties up to EUR 100,000. 2026 call schedule.

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-12-missions_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf

Funding Details

Funder
European Commission - Horizon Europe
Funding Goal
Demonstrate nature-positive solutions addressing aquatic pollution from nutrients, chemicals and plastics while restoring biodiversity across freshwater-to-marine ecosystems, supporting the EU's Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission.
Funding Amount
EUR 7.00 to 7.75 million per project (total indicative budget EUR 31 million for 4 projects) (7.000.000 € – 7.750.000 €)
Deadline
2026-09-23 (Fixed)
How to Apply
Single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals are evaluated against standard Horizon Europe award criteria (excellence, impact, quality/efficiency of implementation). To ensure geographic balance, at least one highest-ranked proposal per sea basin is funded if all thresholds are met. Applicants should consult the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Portal Online Manual, and contact National Contact Points for guidance.
Target Region
EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, with focus on four sea basins: Atlantic/Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic/North Sea, and Danube/Black Sea
Contact
EU Research Enquiry Service for technical questions; IT Helpdesk for submission issues; National Contact Points (NCPs) for country-specific guidance
Official Page
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-miss-2026-03-ocean-02
Last Checked
2026-03-11 19:40

Application Checklist

Eligibility
Project Scope
Constraints

Summary

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 is a Horizon Europe Innovation Action under the "Restore our Ocean and Waters" Mission. It funds large-scale demonstration projects that address aquatic pollution from nutrients, chemicals, and plastics through nature-based solutions, bioremediation, regenerative practices, and hybrid technologies. The total budget is EUR 31 million, with 4 projects expected to receive EUR 7-7.75 million each. Each proposal must focus on one of four sea basins: Atlantic/Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic/North Sea, or Danube/Black Sea. Projects must demonstrate solutions at minimum 4 sites spanning source-to-sea ecosystems, directly involve public authorities and socio-economic stakeholders (farmers, fishers, aquaculture producers, water authorities), and engage at least 4 "associated regions" for replication planning. Financial support to third parties (up to EUR 100,000 per local/regional authority) is available to showcase solution effectiveness. The call is a single-stage submission opening on 4 February 2026 with a deadline of 23 September 2026. The evaluation ensures balanced geographic coverage, with at least one highest-ranked proposal per sea basin being funded if thresholds are met. Standard Horizon Europe eligibility applies: consortia of legal entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries. The call strongly encourages involvement of public bodies and NGOs, and requires open data sharing via EMODnet and use of Copernicus/Galileo for satellite data.

Historical Context

This is part of the Horizon Europe 2026-2027 Work Programme under the Missions pillar, specifically the "Restore our Ocean and Waters" Mission. The Mission was established as part of Horizon Europe's strategic framework with targets for 2030. Previous rounds of Mission calls have funded lighthouse projects and coordination actions across European sea basins.

Why it was added

Deep Search PC1-1: Ocean mission call directly targeting plastic pollution reduction with significant EU funding

Sources

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