EMFAF Marine Litter Actions (SO1.6) - Planned Call 2026
Expired – · Found: 2026-03-13 16:39
Planned EMFAF call under Specific Objective 1.6 for actions addressing marine litter, including collection of lost fishing gears (ghost gear) and marine plastic waste. Expected launch Quarter 1 of 2026. Supports circular economy efforts and prevention/collection of fishing gear waste. Eligible: NGOs, authorities, companies, associations.
Source: https://fondi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/06.-Planned-Calls_EMFAF-2021-2027.pdf
Funding Details
- Funder
- Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM) / European Commission (EMFAF Malta)
- Funding Goal
- Collection of lost fishing gears and marine litter, protection and restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems, aligned with the EU Single-Use Plastics Strategy and EU Plastics in a Circular Economy strategy.
- Funding Amount
- Funding amounts to be specified in the call documentation when launched (expected Q1 2026).
- Deadline
- 2026-01-01 (Fixed)
- How to Apply
- Application form and supplementary documentation to be published at https://fondi.eu when the call launches. Contact Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM): info.sem@gov.mt or +356 25552100. Prospective applicants should monitor https://fondi.eu for updates.
- Target Region
- Malta
- Contact
- Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM), info.sem@gov.mt, +356 25552100
- Last Checked
- 2026-03-13 17:23
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
This is a planned call under the Malta EMFAF Programme 2021-2027, Specific Objective 1.6, targeting actions that address marine litter and lost fishing gear. The call was announced to the EMFAF Monitoring Committee in November 2025, with launch expected in Quarter 1 of 2026. It is directly aligned with EU plastics legislation including the Single-Use Plastics Directive and Malta's national plastics strategy. The call focuses on encouraging interventions that protect and restore aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems, specifically through the collection of lost fishing gear (ghost gear) and marine litter. This aligns with the ambitions of Malta's Single-Use Plastic Products Strategy 2021-2030, the EU's Plastics in a Circular Economy strategy, and the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP) (EU) 2019/904. Eligible applicants include NGOs involved in marine, fisheries, or nature protection; public authorities and local councils; fishers including small-scale coastal fishers and fishing cooperatives; and research institutions with expertise in the marine environment. Both national and international organizations operating in Malta's waters may be considered. While the geographic focus is on Malta (Mediterranean), the explicit link to EU plastic strategies and the direct focus on ghost gear collection and marine litter makes this highly relevant to organizations working in the marine plastic waste value chain.
Historical Context
This is a planned call presented to the EMFAF Monitoring Committee on 14 November 2025 for anticipated launch in Q1 2026. It falls under Specific Objective 1.6 of the EMFAF regulation, aligned with Malta's Single-Use Plastic Products Strategy 2021-2030 and the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904.