EU-India Horizon: Marine Plastic Litter Call (HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05)
Expired EU · Found: 2026-03-14 15:17
EU-India jointly funded call for marine plastic litter monitoring and mitigation. EUR 12m EU + INR 90 crore India. Closed September 2025.
Source: https://cordis.europa.eu/programme/id/HORIZON_HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05
Funding Details
- Funder
- European Commission / Horizon Europe
- Funding Goal
- EU-India cooperative research and innovation on cumulative impacts of marine pollution on marine organisms and ecosystems. Projects should develop new analytical tools and sensors for detecting marine pollutants (POPs, PFAS, heavy metals, micro/nanoplastics), advance ecotoxicological risk assessments, analyse cumulative 'cocktail effects' of multiple pollutants, and assess bioaccumulation in the marine food chain including implications for human health.
- Funding Amount
- EUR 12 million EU contribution + INR 90 crore Indian co-funding for the topic (up to 12.000.000 €)
- Deadline
- 2025-09-12 (Fixed)
- How to Apply
- Via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders). Two-stage application process typical of Horizon Europe calls. See CORDIS programme page for linked projects.
- Target Region
- EU and India (bilateral cooperation focus); European seas and Southeast Asian marine environments mentioned as priority areas
- Contact
- European Commission Funding & Tenders Portal Help Desk
- Last Checked
- 2026-05-07 01:26
Application Checklist
Eligibility
Project Scope
Required Documents
Constraints
Summary
This Horizon Europe programme topic (HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05) funds jointly implemented EU-India research on the cumulative impacts of marine pollution on marine organisms and ecosystems. The call is part of the zero pollution cluster within Horizon Europe's 2025 Work Programme and reflects the bilateral EU-India Strategic Partnership framework. Thematically, the call targets multiple categories of marine pollutants including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pharmaceuticals, PFAS, heavy metals, trace elements, micro- and nanoplastics, nanomaterials, biodegradable products, microbiological contaminants, pesticides, fertilisers and nutrients. Priority research themes include: development of new analytical tools and sensors for pollutant detection and monitoring; ecotoxicological effects assessments; cumulative 'cocktail effects' of combined pollutants; bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the marine food chain; and climate change interplay with pollutant bioavailability and toxicity. Eligible activities are confined to research and innovation activities (RIA): laboratory studies, field monitoring, modelling, development of detection methods, risk assessments, and interdisciplinary analysis. No implementation, infrastructure investment, or direct community-level action is funded under this topic. Geographically the call focuses on EU seas and Indian marine environments, particularly noting high microplastic concentrations in European seas and Southeast Asia. The Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences co-funds associated partners based in India, making a genuine EU-India consortium structure mandatory. Eligible applicants are research consortia typically comprising universities, research institutes, and research-capable organisations from EU member states plus Indian partner institutions. Pure NGOs with no research capacity are not primary targets. Projects should also link to the EU Ocean Mission Mediterranean Lighthouse and JPI Oceans existing projects. The total EU-side funding envelope for this topic is EUR 12 million, with Indian co-funding of INR 90 crore for Indian-side partners. The call was open in 2025 and the deadline (approximately September 2025) has passed. Projects funded are multi-year research programmes within the standard Horizon Europe duration norms (36-48 months typical).
Historical Context
Part of Horizon Europe Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment) 2025 Work Programme. This topic is within the scope of the EU-India Strategic Partnership and aligns with the EU-India Trade and Technology Council's Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technology. Builds on EU Mission 'Restore Our Ocean and Waters' and JPI Oceans projects.
Why it was added
Grant scanner Tier A scan 2026-03-14
Sources
Similar Programs
| Program | Source | Shared Tags |
|---|---|---|
| EU-India TTC Joint Call on Marine Plastic Litter (Cumulative Impacts of Marine Pollution) | multilateral | 8 |
| Horizon Europe - EU Research and Innovation Programme | EU | 7 |
| Horizon Europe - Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters | EU | 6 |
| EU Blue Partnership - Transitioning Blue Economy Sectors | EU | 6 |
| Experiment.com Ocean Solutions Fund | International | 6 |