Call 01 - single stage (2026)

Home Funding Calls for proposals Toward a comprehensive assessment of the disturbance of marine ecosystems by anthropogenic underwater noise Toward a comprehensive assessment of the disturbance of marine ecosystems by anthropogenic underwater noise HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01 Topic Call for proposal Internal navigation General information Topic description Topic updates Destination Conditions and documents Budget overview Partner search announcements Start submission Topic Q&As Get support General information Programme Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Call Call 01 - single stage (2026) (HORIZON-CL6-2026-01) Type of action HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions Type of MGA HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Open For Submission Deadline model single-stage Opening date 17 April 2026 Deadline date 17 September 2026 17:00:00 Brussels time Topic description Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: impacts of continuous and impulsive underwater noise levels on marine organisms and ecosystems, and the related ecosystem services they provide, including cumulative impacts with other pressures, are well understood, taking into account regional differences; environmental authorities have access to advanced methods, tools and indicators enabling them to comprehensively monitor and assess the impacts of underwater noise pollution on marine species and ecosystems and to devise strategies for protecting the ecosystems services they provide. Scope: Proposals should: develop new, or improve upon existing, scientific methods and tools for comprehensively monitoring the impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise pollution on marine ecosystems and species populations at different trophic levels and taking into account regional differences; develop new, or improve upon existing, indicators for the assessment of the effects of noise exposure as well as their cumulative effects on marine organisms and ecosystems, and the services they provide, in line with methods (including threshold values) already agreed at EU level for the assessment of good environmental status for underwater noise and taking into account regional developments; investigate options for mitigation measures for safeguarding relevant ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, and develop or improve tools to measure their impacts and efficiency. Proposals should support the objective and implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) by providing new evidence and data on the impacts of noise on marine ecosystems and related ecosystem services, in line with the MSFD guidelines for impulsive and continuous noise monitoring, and by providing evidence-based methods for the assessment of good environmental status for underwater noise at national, regional and EU level. The European Commission signed on behalf of the European Union a Declaration for a High-Ambition Coalition for a Quiet Ocean at UNOC 3 which includes actions to address underwater noise and mitigate its impact on marine life and biodiversity. With a view of supporting the implementation of this Declaration, proposals are expected to contribute to restore a quieter ocean. Show more Topic updates 05 May 2026 The submission session is now available for: HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-06, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-08, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-05, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-03, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-11, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-05, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-09, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-10, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-06, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-07, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03 Show more Topic destination Clean environment and zero pollution (2026-27) This destination will support the EU Commission priorities ‘Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature’ and ‘A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness’. The implementation of the European Green Deal will continue to guide R&I in this destination. R&I actions under this destination will take forward the zero-pollution ambition, contributing to reach the 2030 targets for pollution reduction in air, water and soil, as stipulated in the zero-pollution action plan. The activities will help establishing a clean industry, contributing to the EU Clean Industrial Deal[1], and will aim to address, among others, pollutants of concern, including of emerging concern, also in view of the environmental objectives of the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan[2]. Destination ‘Clean environment and zero pollution’ will help substituting hazardous chemicals and bringing innovation on safe and sustainable by design chemicals to ensure protection of human health and the environment. It will also continue the work on PFAS, the “forever chemicals”, started in the same destination in WP2025. It will also support the implementation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive[3] and the Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive[4]. This destination will support the zero-pollution ambition in the industrial bio-based and bioeconomy sectors. The principles of the new EU bioeconomy strategy, underpinned by the principles of the circular economy, will allow for the replication value chains with improved resource efficiency and environmental performances, also enabled by innovative approaches designed in the Strategy for European Life Sciences, the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and the upcoming Biotech Act. Furthermore, R&I activities under this destination will underpin EU water legislation and the European Water Resilience Strategy[5] by addressing water quantity and quality issues in specific sectors as well as across broader water systems, supporting EU policies and international conventions. The destination will also support the Marine Strategy Framework Directive[6], particularly in its efforts to assess and mitigate the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems such as contamination and underwater noise. R&I actions under this destination will aim to underpin the conclusions from the Strategic Dialogue on EU Agriculture and the Vision for EU Agriculture and Food[7], and support the next reform of the CAP with scientific evidence. R&I actions under this Destination will encourage international cooperation, in line with the global approach on R&I. The Destination supports unlocking the unique assets for research and innovation of the EU outermost regions, in line with the EU strategy for outermost regions[8]. Expected impact: Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to "achieve a clean environment, ensure water resilience, and enable the transformative change necessary to reduce air, water and soil pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems, while respecting planetary boundaries". More specifically, they should contribute to one or several of the following expected impacts: Advancing scientific understanding and innovative solutions for identifying, preventing and mitigating pollution aim to effectively protect human health and safeguard the environment, preserving cleaner water and seas, healthier air and soil, and resilient forests. Innovative circular bio-based systems and biotechnologies are developed and made available to all stakeholders to progress towards the clean environment and zero-pollution ambition. Farmers and other actors in the food chain are empowered to make informed decisions and to apply novel strategies to prevent, reduce and remediate pollution from agriculture and the food system, contributing to the zero-pollution ambition. Effective solutions to remediate and decontaminate aquatic pollution are developed, made available and implemented contributing to reducing pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to the environment. [1] Clean Industrial Deal - European Commission [2] European Chemicals Industry Action Plan – European Commission [3] Directive - 2008/50 - EN - EUR-Lex [4] Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0) - European Commission [5] Water resilience strategy - European Commission [6] EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive - European Commission [7] Vision for Agriculture and Food - European Commission [8] COM(2022) Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions. Show more Topic conditions and documents General conditions 1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System. 2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. 3. Other Eligible Conditions described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. 5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. 5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes. 6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA): Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) HE MGA HE Unit MGA Call-specific instructions Additional documents: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes HE Programme Guide HE Framework Programme 2021/695 HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764 EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement Show more Budget overview Topic Budget year : 2026 Stages Opening date Deadline Contributions Indicative number of grants HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 13 000 000,00 € Single-stage 17 April 2026 17 September 2026 around 6 500 000,00 € 2 HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 10 000 000,00 € Single-stage 17 April 2026 17 September 2026 around 5 000 000,00 € 2 HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions 18 000 000,00 € Single-stage 17 April 2026 17 September 2026 around 9 000 000,00 € 2 HORIZON-CL6-20 [... συνέχεια στην επίσημη πρόσκληση]