Addressing aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss through nature positive solutions from source to sea

The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 aims to address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss through nature-positive solutions from source to sea. Targeting public authorities and various socio-economic actors, this €31 million initiative encourages projects focused on innovative solutions in connected freshwater, coastal, and marine environments. Eligible participants include public authorities, research institutions, farmers, landowners, aquaculture producers, businesses, and nonprofits. The funding mechanism is an Innovation Action that provides 70% coverage for project costs, requiring 30% co-financing.

Consortia must be formed, covering diverse stakeholder types across EU and associated countries, with a strong emphasis on local involvement. Each project must demonstrate at least four sites and should focus on one of four specific sea basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic-North Sea, or Danube-Black Sea. Financial support can also be extended to local authorities not involved in the project, up to €100,000 each.

The projects are expected to develop and implement nature-based solutions that mitigate pollution and restore ecosystems, tailoring actions to regional specifics and demonstrating effectiveness through monitoring and data sharing. Successful projects will contribute significantly to the objectives set forth in the EU's environmental directives and the overarching mission to restore oceans and waters by 2030.

The single-stage application process opens on February 4, 2026, with a deadline of September 23, 2026. Each project is anticipated to receive between €7 million and €7.75 million, with up to four projects expected to be funded. The initiative promotes collaboration across sectors and encourages utilizing additional funding sources to enhance project outcomes.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02, which falls under the mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters". It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 04 February 2026, and the deadline is 23 September 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this topic is 31,000,000 EUR, and the estimated contribution per grant ranges from 7,000,000 to 7,750,000 EUR. There are 18 partner search announcements related to this topic.

The call aims to directly engage and support public authorities and other relevant socio-economic actors, such as farmers, landowners, aquaculture producers, tourist operators, fishers, businesses, and water management authorities, in addressing aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss. The goal is to demonstrate and accelerate the transitions needed for achieving the objectives of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. Direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders in the consortium is strongly encouraged.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this topic include:

1. Providing Member States and Associated Countries with cost-effective solutions to reach the targets of the Water Framework and the Marine Strategy Framework Directives, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, and the EU strategy for sustainable chemicals. Enable them to take action to implement the targets of the EU biodiversity, climate adaptation and water resilience strategies for 2030 and the EU zero pollution action plan.

2. Ensuring that national, regional, and local authorities and other relevant stakeholders have access to and are supported in deploying cost-effective, adaptive, and nature-positive solutions to remediate and reduce pollution from nutrients, chemicals, plastics, and microplastics from source to sea, while protecting and restoring the capacity of ecosystems to provide services and adapt to climate change impacts.

3. Achieving measurable, quantifiable, verifiable, and ambitious progress towards reaching one or several interlinked objectives and targets of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, through implementing effective and well-managed place-based and people-centred actions.

4. Encouraging and mobilizing public and private investment to implement nature-positive solutions for addressing pollution in the ocean and waters.

The scope of the call focuses on addressing pollution in freshwater and marine environments, which poses risks to human and environmental health. It acknowledges that large parts of Europe’s waters have not reached good ecological or environmental status. Land and sea use changes, as well as climate change impacts, are identified as drivers of biodiversity erosion and ecosystem service decline.

Nature-positive approaches and solutions, such as Nature-based Solutions (NbS), are highlighted as promising for addressing both aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss. These include protection and restoration measures, hybrid NbS, bioremediation, regenerative practices, agro-ecological measures, management measures across biomes, technologies, and other relevant innovations.

Proposals should address the following issues:

1. Identify, assess, and make available to stakeholders the most regionally relevant and effective nature-positive solutions and combinations thereof to address pollution and biodiversity loss, considering their relevance under future climate and biodiversity scenarios. This should be based on a sound understanding of the main pollution sources and the connectivity between watersheds, coastal, and marine ecosystems.

2. Test and upscale systemic and innovative combinations of nature-positive approaches, solutions, and new technologies to reduce nutrient, chemical, and plastic pollution, considering functionally connected freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems.

3. Conduct demonstration activities in at least 4 sites from source to sea, covering the most relevant socio-ecological systems in one of the Mission basin-scale lighthouses. These activities should involve public bodies and other relevant socio-economic stakeholders to ensure their support for implementing, maintaining, and financing nature-positive solutions in their territories. The scale and range of the demonstration sites should be ecologically relevant and impactful for achieving the Mission 2030 objectives.

4. Monitor pollution levels in each demonstration site to assess the impact and contribution of the activities towards the Mission objectives and targets. This includes monitoring removal rates, retention capacities, ecosystem responses, and using modelling techniques. Monitoring strategies should extend beyond the project duration and contribute to long-term datasets. The monitoring should make use of, adapt, or exploit relevant sensing and modelling tools, EU digital infrastructures, such as the EU Digital Twin Ocean, Copernicus, and EMODnet.

5. Quantify and forecast the ecosystem services provided by implementing nature-positive solutions (e.g., pollution reduction, ecosystems services restored) and the resulting societal goods and benefits.

6. Assess the economic viability, potential for scale-up, and societal acceptance of integrated approaches for the management of connected ecosystems from source to sea. Promote the development of new business models to implement these approaches.

Each proposal should address only one of the following Mission basins/lighthouses:

1. Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin
2. Mediterranean Sea basin
3. Baltic and North Sea basin
4. Danube River basin including the Black Sea

Activities should be tailored to address regional/sea basin specificities. The basins/Mission “lighthouses” include the river basins flowing into the respective sea basins.

Projects should build on the best available actionable knowledge, methods, and innovations from previous national and EU projects.

Competent authorities and other stakeholders participating in the project are encouraged to pool and enhance synergies with other sources of funding, such as structural, cohesion funds (ERDF), or LIFE, for implementing and deploying innovative solutions.

Projects are expected to show significant replication potential by directly involving relevant authorities and stakeholders, promoting collaborations between stakeholders facing similar challenges, and identifying further stakeholders that could replicate the proposed solutions and approaches. Action plans and roadmaps needed for the replication and up-scale of the solutions should be drawn up by the end of the projects.

Projects are expected to work with and engage at least 4 ‘associated regions’ (represented by local/regional authorities/public bodies) to show the effectiveness of solutions to increase resilience and develop a replication plan for its uptake in an ‘associated region’ and build capacity at local level. Beneficiaries may therefore provide Financial Support to Third Parties. Projects should proactively reach out to the 'associated regions' to enable them to follow closely the project’s activities, continuously share their outcomes and knowledge with those ‘associated regions’ and provide them with technical assistance to build capacity and to implement in their territory the approach they developed.

Proposals should establish operational links and cooperate with the relevant Lighthouse CSAs and the Mission Implementation Platform, notably to contribute to tracking progress towards the objectives of the Mission and coordination of all relevant implementation activities in the lighthouse basin.

This action supports the follow-up to the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions assessment.

Regarding admissibility conditions, the proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Some non-EU/non-Associated Countries have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

To ensure a balanced portfolio covering the 4 different Mission basins, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to one proposal that is the highest ranked within each sea basin, provided that the applications attain all thresholds.

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants. The Financial Support to Third Parties may only be awarded to local and/or regional authorities (established as public bodies by public law and governed by public law), which are not already involved in as beneficiaries in a demonstration site of the same project and which are located in Member States/Associated Countries. The maximum amount to be granted to each Third Party is EUR 100,000, aiming at showcasing the effectiveness of solutions demonstrated by a project and develop a replication plan for their uptake in an ‘associated region’. A recipient may only benefit from this Financial Support to Third Parties once within the entire duration of the project.

Beneficiaries must make in-situ data and marine observations openly available through the European Marine Observation and Data network (EMODnet), based on the FAIR principles.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates are 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 is provided in the HE Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) are based on the HE MGA. Call-specific instructions and information on financial support to third parties are available.

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions, 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, 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

The call for proposals HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 is an EU funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting the "Restore our Ocean and Waters" mission. It seeks to support projects that address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss through nature-positive solutions. The goal is to engage various stakeholders, including public authorities and socio-economic actors, in implementing innovative approaches to improve the ecological status of European waters. Projects should focus on testing and upscaling solutions, conducting demonstration activities in specific sea basins, monitoring pollution levels, and quantifying the benefits of ecosystem restoration. The call encourages collaboration, replication, and the involvement of associated regions to ensure the long-term sustainability and impact of the implemented solutions. Ultimately, this initiative aims to contribute to achieving the objectives of the EU's environmental directives and the broader mission of restoring our oceans and waters by 2030.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include public authorities and other relevant socio-economic actors such as farmers, landowners, aquaculture producers, tourist operators, fishers, businesses, and water management authorities. The direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders in the consortium is strongly encouraged. Local and/or regional authorities (established as public bodies by public law and governed by public law), which are not already involved in as beneficiaries in a demonstration site of the same project and which are located in Member States/Associated Countries are also eligible as Third Parties.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program. The type of Model Grant Agreement is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to Third Parties can only be provided in the form of grants.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required, with strong encouragement for the direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes Member States and Associated Countries of the Horizon Europe program. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also have specific provisions for funding their participants. Financial Support to Third Parties may only be awarded to local and/or regional authorities which are located in Member States/Associated Countries.

Target Sector: The target sector is environment, specifically addressing aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss. It focuses on nature-positive solutions, water management, marine ecosystems, agriculture, and climate adaptation.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions Member States and Associated Countries of the Horizon Europe program. It also refers to four specific Mission basins: Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin, and Danube River basin including the Black Sea.

Project Stage: The project stage is demonstration and upscaling, with a focus on testing and implementing innovative solutions in demonstration sites. The projects are expected to show a significant replication potential.

Funding Amount: For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-01, HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 and HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-03 the contributions are expected to be between 7,000,000 to 7,750,000 EUR. For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-05 the contributions are expected to be between 4,000,000 to 4,850,000 EUR. For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04 the contributions are expected to be between 2,500,000 to 2,900,000 EUR. The maximum amount to be granted to each Third Party is EUR 100,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants. They may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided. For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-01, HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02 and HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-03 the indicative number of grants is 4. For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-05 the indicative number of grants is 4. For HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04 the indicative number of grants is 1.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement from the applicant, but it encourages pooling and enhancing synergies with other sources of funding (e.g., structural, cohesion funds such as ERDF, or LIFE).

Summary:

This Horizon Europe funding opportunity, under the call "Supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2026-03)", aims to address aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss through nature-positive solutions. It targets public authorities and various socio-economic actors, encouraging their direct involvement in consortia. The program provides grants to projects that can demonstrate and accelerate the transitions needed to achieve the objectives of the "Restore our Ocean and Waters" Mission.

The projects should focus on providing cost-effective solutions to Member States and Associated Countries to meet the targets of various directives and strategies related to water, chemicals, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and pollution. They should also support national, regional, and local authorities in deploying nature-positive solutions to remediate and reduce pollution from nutrients, chemicals, plastics, and microplastics.

The scope includes identifying, assessing, and making available regionally relevant and effective nature-positive solutions, testing and upscaling innovative combinations of these solutions, conducting demonstration activities in at least four sites from source to sea, monitoring pollution levels, quantifying ecosystem services, and assessing the economic viability and societal acceptance of integrated approaches.

Each proposal should address only one of the four Mission basins: Atlantic and Arctic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic and North Sea, or Danube River including the Black Sea. Projects should build on existing knowledge and innovations and are expected to show significant replication potential. They should engage at least four ‘associated regions’ and establish operational links with relevant Lighthouse CSAs and the Mission Implementation Platform.

The funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA), with indicative grant amounts varying depending on the specific topic. The application process is single-stage, and beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties, specifically local and/or regional authorities, up to EUR 100,000 each, for showcasing the effectiveness of solutions and developing replication plans. The opening date for submissions is planned for February 4, 2026, with a deadline of September 23, 2026.