Horizon Europe: Marine Organisms for Sustainable Blue Bio-Products (CL6-2026-CIRCBIO-11)

Enriched EU · Found: 2026-03-10 20:40

Harnessing unique properties of marine organisms to deliver sustainable blue bio-based products. RIA, EUR 10M budget, ~EUR 5M per project. Opens 17 Apr 2026.

Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl6-2026-01-circbio-11

Funding Details

Funder

REA / European Commission (Horizon Europe Cluster 6)

Funding Goal

Harness unique biochemical properties of marine organisms to develop sustainable, high-value blue bio-based products, replacing hazardous chemicals in sectors like textiles and polymer industries

Funding Amount

€10 million total; 2 projects expected (~€5M each). 100% funding for non-profits/research; 70% for for-profit entities. (8.000.000 € – 12.000.000 €)

Deadline

2026-09-17 (Fixed)

How to Apply

Single-stage submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Opened April 17, 2026. Electronic submission only.

Target Region

EU and associated countries. Focus on European marine and coastal environments as source of biological resources. Global market for bio-based product applications.

Last Checked

2026-05-06 11:35

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Minimum consortium of 3 entities from 3 EU/associated countries
• Non-profit and research entities: 100% funding. For-profit: 70%.
• NGO entry point: biodiversity monitoring, sustainable use governance, dissemination

Project Scope

• Must integrate biodiversity conservation and sustainable harvesting into project design
• Focus on marine organism-derived bio-based products replacing hazardous chemicals
• Two projects expected from €10M envelope (~€5M per project)
• Textile and polymer industry replacement applications are primary target sectors

Constraints

• NOW OPEN — deadline September 17, 2026. Single-stage submission.

Summary

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-11 is a Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Research and Innovation Action (RIA) call focused on the sustainable development of blue bio-based products derived from marine organisms. The call is open as of April 17, 2026, with a single-stage deadline of September 17, 2026. Budget is €10M total for approximately 2 projects (~€5M each). This call sits at the intersection of blue biotechnology, circular bioeconomy, and chemical industry decarbonisation. Thematic scope covers: extraction and processing of bioactive compounds from marine algae, bacteria, fungi, invertebrates, and other marine organisms; development of high-value bio-based materials (coatings, biopolymers, adhesives, surfactants) replacing petroleum-derived chemicals; green bioprocessing technologies enabling scalable production from marine biomass; safety and regulatory pathway assessment for blue bio-based products; prevention of unsustainable harvesting and active biodiversity conservation as part of the research design; and life-cycle assessment demonstrating environmental benefit versus conventional chemistry. Eligible activities: research and development of novel blue bioprocesses; scale-up from lab to pilot production; safety, efficacy, and regulatory bottleneck analysis; supply chain integration with downstream industry users (textile, polymer, cosmetic, food sectors); stakeholder engagement and policy support for bio-based product regulation; and dissemination of findings across the blue bioeconomy community. Geographic scope: EU and associated countries, with marine environments from Arctic to Mediterranean as biological resource bases. Sustainable resource management protocols required to prevent biodiversity loss. Third-country partnerships permitted for marine resource access where relevant. Eligible applicants: minimum consortium of 3 entities from 3 EU countries. Marine research institutes, biotech SMEs, blue economy companies, marine conservation organisations, and NGOs all eligible. Non-profit and research entities receive 100% funding; for-profit 70%. Two projects expected from €10M total envelope — individual grants approximately €5M. Duration approximately 4 years. This call is most relevant for research-oriented marine organisations or those bridging marine science and blue economy commercialisation. NGOs with marine monitoring or sustainable harvesting expertise could contribute as consortium partners. The call specifically requires that biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of genetic diversity are integrated into project design — creating a natural entry point for conservation-oriented organisations.

Historical Context

Blue bioeconomy calls appear regularly in Horizon Europe CL6. Related calls: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2022-R-03 (Circular-by-design bio-based materials). CIRCBIO-11 specifically targets marine/aquatic organisms rather than terrestrial biomass. Recurrence in 2027-2028 cycle likely.

Why it was added

EU Round 8 EU2: Horizon blue bioeconomy marine

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