Assessing the effect of airport operations on air quality and noise in nearby communities

The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL5 focuses on assessing the impact of airport operations on air quality and noise in nearby communities. This opportunity invites proposals for Research and Innovation Actions aimed at quantifying and addressing the environmental and health effects of aviation. It welcomes a wide range of eligible applicants, including universities, research institutions, SMEs, large enterprises, non-profit organizations, and public authorities from EU member states and associated countries. A consortium of multiple organizations is required for proposals to ensure a diversity of expertise. The project aims to conduct extensive real-time measurements and pilot testing at two different airports to gather data on emissions and their effects on surrounding areas. The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant, providing €3.5 million per project with a total budget of €7 million for this call, planning to support two grants. The application submission process is single-stage, with deadlines starting on December 15, 2026, and closing on April 14, 2027. Projects are expected to address various objectives, including developing better emission inventories, assessing health impacts, and providing actionable recommendations for emission reduction policies. The call emphasizes the importance of gender disaggregated data and intersectional analysis, focusing on comprehensive assessments that can inform local, regional, and international air quality and noise management plans. This initiative directly aligns with Horizon Europe's Cluster 5 objectives for the climate, energy, and mobility sectors and supports the larger goal of EU climate neutrality by 2050. Proposals must meet specific eligibility requirements and adhere to the guidelines set forth in the Horizon Europe program documentation.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call under the MOBILITY (HORIZON-CL5-2027-03) program, focusing on "Assessing the effect of airport operations on air quality and noise in nearby communities" HORIZON-CL5. It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of December 15, 2026, and a deadline of April 14, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects should contribute to:

Assessment of the impact of airport operations on air quality and water bodies (including biodiversity) through air quality measurements and monitoring at different spots in and around the airports as well as through in vitro testing and/or remote sensing for water quality in airports close to water bodies.

Contributing to the delivery of better emission factors for emissions inventories and projections (including EMEP), especially for species and fuel mixtures for which little knowledge exists today in order to support local, regional, national and international emissions reduction plans (e.g. Noise Plans, Air Quality Roadmaps, Air Quality Plans, national Air Pollution Control Programmes, as mentioned in EU acquis) by providing real-world emission information and measuring the actual impact of control measures and strategies.

Recommendations for improved measurement certification and testing to better cover real world situations.

Develop a methodology to assess the health impact (both the nature, seriousness and number of people at risk) of the measured pollutants and noise in airports or at the nearby urban environment and apply it to the test sites.

The scope of the call addresses the environmental impacts of aviation emissions, noise, and water pollution from airport operations on nearby communities and ecosystems. Research and Innovation (R&I) actions to be undertaken include:

Comprehensive real time and real-world measurements of pollutant (exhaust and non-exhaust, including resuspension of dust) and noise emissions. The sources of emissions should be differentiated, and the pollutants identified. Operations should include ground operations, landing and take-off (including emissions from tyres and brakes) and assessing exhaust emission during cruising, including impact of changes in flight altitude on engine performance parameters (stationary engine tests). The calibration of the measurement systems and the reproducibility of the results should be demonstrated.

Pilot testing in 2 different airports (possibility as well for testing on other complex transport nodes) for proof of concept with the aim of increasing scalability and replicability for other similar environments. Proposals are expected to select specific airports that are in vicinity of urban/rural communities and close to water streams/bodies, to examine and quantify the effect of airport emissions on air quality, noise and water bodies.

Investigation of the adverse health and environmental effects (including biodiversity) of particle emissions, NOx, and non-regulated emissions (e.g. black carbon, tyre and brake particles, secondary organic aerosols, etc.) generated from aircraft and airport operations. The analysis should be supported by gender disaggregated data collection and intersectional analysis.

Estimates of the impact of APUs (Auxiliary Power Unit) or GPUs (Ground Power Units) to stationary aircrafts’ emissions (GHG, air pollutants and noise) compared to conventional operation.

Proposals should consider the results from previously EU funded projects such as AVIATOR, nPETS, TUBE, ANIMA , NEEDED or any other similar projects.

General conditions for participation include:

Admissibility Conditions:Proposal page limit and layout 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 described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions exist for non-EU/non-Associated Countries, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other Eligible Conditions:Projects using satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation, and/or related timing data and services must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

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

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.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants:The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the action's end, as per Annex 5. Eligible costs will be in the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of July 7, 2021, and described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions:Not applicable.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):

Application form templates are available in the Submission System (Standard application form HE RIA, IA).

Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form HE RIA, IA).

Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.

Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.

Call-specific instructions include a detailed budget table (HE LS) and guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility

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

The budget overview lists several topics under the call, including:

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €24,000,000, contributions ranging from €5,000,000 to €7,000,000, and an indicative number of 4 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-04 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €13,500,000, contributions around €13,500,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €16,000,000, contributions around €8,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €8,000,000, contributions around €8,000,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €5,000,000, contributions around €2,500,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-14 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €6,500,000, contributions around €6,500,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-15 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions with a budget of €2,000,000, contributions around €2,000,000, and an indicative number of 1 grant.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-16 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €15,000,000, contributions around €7,500,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-17 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €14,000,000, contributions around €7,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions with a budget of €20,000,000, contributions around €10,000,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

HORIZON-CL5 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions with a budget of €7,000,000, contributions around €3,500,000, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited on the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header. General FAQs and support are available, including an online manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment, and a partner search function.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks research and innovation projects focused on assessing and mitigating the environmental impacts of airport operations, particularly concerning air quality, noise, and water pollution. Projects should involve comprehensive measurements, pilot testing, and investigation of health and environmental effects, with a focus on real-world applicability and scalability. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and proposals must adhere to specific eligibility criteria and guidelines outlined in the Horizon Europe program documents. The call encourages collaboration and provides resources for finding project partners.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, given that this is a Horizon Europe call for proposals, eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other legal entities capable of conducting research and innovation activities. Eligibility is further detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, as indicated by the Type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) being "[HORIZON-AG-LS]". There are also HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement:The text does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, given the scope and nature of Horizon Europe projects, it is highly likely that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred, if not required, to bring together the necessary expertise and resources.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The opportunity is primarily targeted at EU member states and associated countries. However, the text mentions that 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.

Target Sector:The primary target sector is mobility, specifically related to aviation and airport operations. The program targets research and innovation actions to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of airport operations, focusing on air quality, noise, water pollution, and local ecology.

Mentioned Countries:The text refers to EU member states, associated countries, and non-EU/non-associated countries.

Project Stage:The project stage varies depending on the specific action type. HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) typically target projects in the research and development stages, while HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions) focus on projects closer to demonstration and validation. HORIZON-CSA (Coordination and Support Actions) focus on networking and coordination. The call specifically mentions pilot testing in two different airports for proof of concept, indicating a need for projects at the demonstration or validation stage.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. Based on the budget overview, the funding ranges from €2,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €24,000,000 for Innovation Actions. Individual contributions range from around €2,000,000 to around €13,500,000, with some topics specifying a range (e.g., €5,000,000 to €7,000,000).

Application Type:The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to cover eligible costs.

Application Stages:The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly mentioned in the text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, Horizon Europe grants typically fund a percentage of the total eligible costs, implying that applicants may need to secure additional funding from other sources.

Summary:This Horizon Europe call, under the MOBILITY pillar, focuses on assessing and mitigating the environmental impact of airport operations. The call invites proposals for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) to address issues such as air quality, noise pollution, and water contamination related to airport activities. Projects should aim to deliver better emission factors, improved measurement techniques, and methodologies for assessing the health impacts of airport emissions. The call encourages pilot testing in airports and consideration of gender and intersectional analysis in assessing environmental effects. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying budgets depending on the action type, and is open to applicants from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding arrangements. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a deadline of April 14, 2027.