Horizon Europe Mission Ocean 2026 — OCEAN-02: Nature-Positive Solutions for Aquatic Pollution

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Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-14 20:38

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 funds Innovation Actions demonstrating nature-positive solutions to address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss from source to sea, including circular blue economy approaches. Budget EUR 32M, deadline 23 September 2026.

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/horizon-europe-work-programme-discover-2026-topics-mission-restore-our-ocean-and-waters

Funding Details

Funder: European Commission — Horizon Europe
Funding Goal: Demonstrating nature-positive solutions to address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss from source to sea, through ecosystem-based approaches and cross-sector collaboration. Projects must test and upscale systemic combinations of nature-positive approaches (Nature-based Solutions, bioremediation, regenerative practices, agro-ecological measures) to reduce nutrient, chemical, plastic including microplastic pollution, covering functionally connected freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. Demonstration at minimum 4 sites within one Mission lighthouse basin, monitoring, quantifying ecosystem services, assessing economic viability of scale-up, and delivering replication plans.
Funding Amount: EUR 7,000,000 to EUR 7,750,000 per grant; total budget EUR 31,000,000 for 4 indicative grants (7.000.000 € – 7.750.000 €)
Deadline: 2026-09-23 (Fixed)
How to Apply: Single-stage submission via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (ec.europa.eu). Topic identifier: HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02. Opening date: 4 February 2026. Submission session opened 13 March 2026. Apply using Standard Application Form (HE RIA, IA).
Target Region: EU Member States and Associated Countries. Projects must focus on one of four Mission lighthouse basins: Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin, or Danube River basin including the Black Sea.
Official Page: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02
Last Checked: 2026-04-21 06:25

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a legal entity from an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
Consortium required; strong involvement of public authorities and socio-economic stakeholders is mandatory

Project Scope

Proposal must focus on exactly one Mission lighthouse basin (Atlantic/Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic/North Sea, or Danube/Black Sea)
Demonstration activities must take place at minimum 4 sites from source to sea within the chosen basin
Project must engage at least 4 'associated regions' (local/regional authorities) for replication

Required Documents

Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) required via EU Funding and Tenders Portal
Action plans and roadmaps for replication and scale-up must be delivered before project end

Constraints

Open data obligation: in-situ marine observation data must be shared through EMODnet following FAIR principles
Financial Support to Third Parties limited to EUR 100,000 per local/regional authority; recipients must not already be beneficiaries in a demonstration site
If using satellite-based earth observation, must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS services

Summary

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 is an Innovation Action under Horizon Europe's Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030'. The programme funds large-scale demonstration projects that apply nature-positive solutions to address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss across the continuum from source to sea. Thematically, the call covers nutrient pollution, chemical pollution, plastic and microplastic pollution, biodiversity erosion, and ecosystem degradation in freshwater, coastal and marine environments. Priority approaches include Nature-based Solutions (NbS), hybrid NbS, bioremediation using plants or organisms, regenerative practices (e.g. bivalve mollusc and algae farming), agro-ecological measures, and innovative technologies. Eligible activities include: identifying and assessing regionally relevant nature-positive solutions; testing and upscaling systemic combinations of approaches; conducting demonstration activities at minimum 4 sites across one Mission lighthouse basin; monitoring pollution levels and ecosystem responses; quantifying ecosystem services provided; and assessing economic viability and societal acceptance of integrated approaches. Geographically, proposals must focus on exactly one of four Mission lighthouse basins: (1) Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, (2) Mediterranean Sea basin, (3) Baltic and North Sea basin, or (4) Danube River basin including the Black Sea. Eligible applicants include any legal entity from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries — including public authorities, research organisations, NGOs, SMEs, and municipalities. Strong involvement of competent authorities and socio-economic stakeholders in the consortium is explicitly encouraged. Projects must engage at least 4 'associated regions' (local/regional authorities) for replication. Target beneficiaries are Member States and Associated Countries, public authorities, and relevant socio-economic actors (farmers, landowners, aquaculture producers, fishers, water management authorities, businesses) seeking to meet targets under Water Framework Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. The budget per grant ranges from EUR 7,000,000 to EUR 7,750,000, with 4 indicative grants funded under a total budget of EUR 31,000,000. Grants are portfolio-balanced across the four lighthouse basins. Financial Support to Third Parties is permitted, up to EUR 100,000 per local/regional authority in associated regions.

Historical Context

Part of the 2026 Horizon Europe Work Programme for the Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030'. Five topics launched simultaneously under HORIZON-MISS-2026-03, with an indicative total budget of over EUR 115 million. This is the deployment and upscaling phase of the Mission. A Mission Brokerage Event was held on 28-29 January 2026 for partner networking.

Why it was added

grant-scan-universities-2026-03-14

Sources

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