BlueActionBANOS 1st Open Call for Transition Agendas

The BlueActionBANOS 1st Open Call for Transition Agendas is a funding opportunity inviting applications from individual entities or consortia of up to three entities based in the Baltic and North Sea basin (BANOS) countries. Eligible participants include registered organizations from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, with exceptions for other EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries under specific justified cases.

The initiative aims to develop Transition Agendas that focus on addressing several Mission Ocean objectives, including the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems, pollution prevention, and fostering a carbon-neutral and circular blue economy. Various types of applicants are encouraged, such as regional and local authorities, NGOs, educational institutions, companies, and organizations engaged in marine resource management and blue economy activities.

Financial support up to €100,000 is available per Transition Agenda, with up to €60,000 allocated to each entity within a consortium. The application process consists of two mandatory stages: the submission of a Project Idea Form followed by individual consultation, and a full proposal submission that will be evaluated based on relevance, impact, and implementation. Important deadlines for submission include March 16, 2026, for the Project Idea Form and May 29, 2026, for the full proposal.

Selected projects will develop multi-year plans addressing key areas like decarbonizing coastal zones, sustainable tourism, fisheries management, marine restoration, and pollution reduction. The project's structure involves milestone-based grant payments contingent upon the successful completion of specified project stages, ensuring rigorous progress monitoring. This funding opportunity seeks to empower local stakeholders and organizations in the region, promoting community-led actions for sustainable environmental practices.

The BlueActionBANOS 1st Open Call for Transition Agendas is seeking applications from individual entities or consortia of up to three entities registered in Baltic and North Sea basin (BANOS) countries. These countries must be Member States or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe at the time of application, specifically: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Applicants from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries outside the BANOS area may be eligible in justified special cases.

The proposed Transition Agendas must focus on the BANOS lighthouse area and address one or more Mission Ocean objectives. These objectives include: protection and restoration of marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, prevention and elimination of pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, and making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular. More information on these objectives can be found on the WISE Marine site: https://water.europa.eu/marine/europe-seas/eu-mission-restore-our-oceans-and-water.

Eligible applicants include various types of entities within the listed communities: Regional and local authorities (including island and waterfront authorities), Non-governmental organizations, foundations, and professional associations engaged in local development, nature conservation, environmental protection, sustainable use of marine resources, or blue economy activities, Educational establishments, research performing organizations and similar, Locally based companies, SMEs and startups (provided this is not in conflict with the State Aid rules), Enterprises, cooperatives, and other registered organizations fostering inclusion, skills development, or sustainable blue economy activities, Financial institutions or registered cooperatives supporting sustainable investments or local development initiatives, and any other legal entities in the below-described communities.

Relevant communities for this call include: Ports (including inland ports), Islands authorities and communities, Fishing and aquaculture communities, producers, processors and manufacturers, and other representatives of blue economy, Operators of various vessels, River basin and inland water communities engaged in water management and pollution reduction, Citizen science and community innovation initiatives contributing to marine and freshwater monitoring or restoration, Indigenous and traditional knowledge communities involved in sustainable use and stewardship of marine and freshwater resources, Blue tech and digital innovation communities contributing to ocean observation, data sharing, or circular blue economy, Cultural heritage and maritime identity communities promoting ocean literacy and traditional connections to the sea, Local financial institutions, cooperatives, and impact investors supporting sustainable blue investments, Social enterprises and organisations fostering inclusion, skills, and employment in the blue economy, Local Action Groups described by the Community-Led Local Development strategies, Waterfront cities/regional authorities and communities (avoiding overlaps with Cities’ Mission), Conservation and environmental protection communities, Representatives of the tourism sector, and Maritime infrastructure operators (including offshore wind, wave/tidal energy, and similar infrastructure and their operators).

Submissions must be made through the online form available at: https://opportunities.getonepass.eu/applications/bab/start. The application process involves two steps: a compulsory submission of a Project Idea Form and individual consultation, followed by a full proposal submission. The full proposal should consist of three main sections: Relevance, Impact, and Implementation (including resources and budget). Only projects that submit the Project Idea Form and undergo the individual consultation will be invited to submit a full proposal.

Project Idea Forms must be submitted by 16 March 2026, 17:00 (Brussels time). BlueActionBANOS reserves the right to contact and consult only those applicants who submit complete and full information in the Project Idea form. While the Project Idea Form submission and consultation are mandatory, they are not subject to evaluation. Only complete full proposals submitted via official tools within the indicated deadline will be evaluated.

The evaluation process includes: Full proposal submission, Admissibility & eligibility check, Independent Evaluation by independent evaluators based on established evaluation criteria, a Consensus Meeting where the Selection Committee will prioritize proposals based on the Independent Evaluation results and the objectives of the BAB project, and a Formal Check involving legal screening of the pre-selected entities before they are invited to sign the Sub-Grant Agreement.

The project website is http://www.blueactionbanos.eu/funding/open-call-transition-agendas/, and submissions can be made at https://opportunities.getonepass.eu/applications/bab/start. For help, contact the OC helpdesk via email at BAB_helpdesk@fundingbox.com.

Through this open call, BlueActionBANOS aims to select approximately 10 Transition Agendas to develop strategic roadmaps for sustainable systemic shifts, targeting Mission Ocean objectives in the Baltic and North Sea. Projects will develop multi-year plans for areas such as decarbonizing coastal zones, circular blue economy, sustainable blue tourism, ecosystem-based fisheries management, marine restoration, climate adaptation, and plastic and nutrient pollution reduction, among other goals that support Mission Ocean objectives.

Selected Transition Agendas will receive financial support up to EUR 100 000.00 per Transition Agenda, based on the budget included in the full proposal form. The maximum amount to be granted to each entity within a Transition Agenda is EUR 60 000.00. Ongoing Action support will be provided by dedicated Project Key Accounts and tailored technical assistance, defined during onboarding workshops, for a maximum duration of 18 months.

The support program is divided into three stages: Stage 1 involves developing an Individual Integrated Project Plan (IIPP) from months 1-2, with the deliverable being a completed IIPP. Stage 2 is the Mid-Term Review, spanning months 3-12, with the deliverable being a completed Transition Agenda Roadmap. Stage 3 is the Final Review, from months 13-18, with the deliverable being a Transition Agenda Implementation Report. The grant will be paid as a lump sum, with payments dependent on the successful and timely completion of each stage of the work planned and outlined in the IIPP developed in Stage 1.

The opening date for submissions is 28 November 2025, and the deadline for submissions is 29 May 2026, 14:00 (Brussels time). The expected duration of participation is up to 18 months, and the total funding available is EUR 1 000 000.00. The project acronym is BAB, and the full name of the EU funded project is BlueActionBANOS. The grant agreement number is 101217604, and the topic is HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01 - Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters.

In summary, this open call by BlueActionBANOS seeks to fund projects that will create strategic roadmaps for achieving sustainable changes in the Baltic and North Sea regions, aligning with the EU's Mission Ocean objectives. It targets a wide range of community-based organizations and businesses, offering financial and technical support to develop and implement multi-year plans focused on environmental protection, sustainable economic activities, and climate resilience. The application process involves a two-step approach, starting with a Project Idea Form followed by a full proposal for selected applicants. The program is structured in three stages with specific deliverables and milestone reviews, ensuring a structured approach to achieving the desired outcomes.

Eligible Applicant Types: Eligible applicants include individual entities or consortia of up to three entities. Specific types of entities mentioned are regional/local authorities (including island and waterfront authorities), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, professional associations engaged in local development, nature conservation, environmental protection, sustainable use of marine resources, or blue economy activities, educational establishments, research performing organizations, locally based companies, SMEs and startups (provided this is not in conflict with the State Aid rules), enterprises, cooperatives, other registered organizations fostering inclusion, skills development, or sustainable blue economy activities, financial institutions or registered cooperatives supporting sustainable investments or local development initiatives, and any other legal entities in the below-described communities. The communities relevant to the call are: Ports (including inland ports), Islands authorities and communities, Fishing and aquaculture communities, producers, processors and manufacturers, and other representatives of blue economy, Operators of various vessels, River basin and inland water communities engaged in water management and pollution reduction, Citizen science and community innovation initiatives contributing to marine and freshwater monitoring or restoration, Indigenous and traditional knowledge communities involved in sustainable use and stewardship of marine and freshwater resources, Blue tech and digital innovation communities contributing to ocean observation, data sharing, or circular blue economy, Cultural heritage and maritime identity communities promoting ocean literacy and traditional connections to the sea, Local financial institutions, cooperatives, and impact investors supporting sustainable blue investments, Social enterprises and organisations fostering inclusion, skills, and employment in the blue economy, Local Action Groups described by the Community-Led Local Development strategies, Waterfront cities/regional authorities and communities (avoiding overlaps with Cities’ Mission), Conservation and environmental protection communities, Representatives of the tourism sector, Maritime infrastructure operators (including offshore wind, wave/tidal energy, and similar infrastructure and their operators).

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, paid as a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: Both single applicants and consortia of up to three entities are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on entities registered in Baltic and North Sea basin (BANOS) countries that are Member States or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe. These countries are Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Applicants from EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries outside the BANOS area will be eligible in special cases, where justified.

Target Sector: The target sector is focused on the blue economy, marine and freshwater ecosystem restoration, decarbonizing coastal zones, circular economy, sustainable tourism, fisheries management, climate adaptation, and pollution reduction. It falls under the broader themes of environment, climate, and sustainable development, specifically related to oceans, seas, and waters. The topic is HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01 - Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters.

Mentioned Countries: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden.

Project Stage: The projects are expected to develop strategic roadmaps for sustainable systemic shifts, implying a stage of development and planning rather than pure research or early-stage idea. The projects should develop multi-year plans, suggesting a move towards implementation. The stages are Individual Integrated Project Plan (IIPP), Transition Agenda Roadmap, and Transition Agenda Implementation Report.

Funding Amount: The financial support is up to EUR 100,000.00 per Transition Agenda. The maximum amount to be granted to each entity within a Transition Agenda is EUR 60,000.00. The total funding available is EUR 1,000,000.00.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive both financial support (grants) and non-monetary services, including ongoing action support provided by dedicated Project Key Accounts and tailored technical assistance, defined during onboarding workshops, for a maximum duration of 18 months.

Application Stages: The application process consists of two stages: 1) Compulsory submission of a Project Idea Form and individual consultation, and 2) Full proposal submission (consisting of 3 main sections: Relevance, Impact, Implementation incl. resources and budget). The evaluation process consists of full proposal submission, admissibility & eligibility check, independent evaluation, consensus meeting, and formal check. The support programme itself is divided into three stages: Stage 1 - Individual Integrated Project Plan (IIPP), Stage 2 Mid-Term Review, and Stage 3 Final Review.

Success Rates: The call will select approximately 10 Transition Agendas. Given the total funding available (EUR 1,000,000) and the maximum funding per project (EUR 100,000), this suggests a highly competitive process, implying a success rate likely below 10%.

Co-funding Requirement: The information provided does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary:

The BlueActionBANOS 1st Open Call for Transition Agendas is a funding opportunity aimed at supporting projects that develop strategic roadmaps for sustainable systemic shifts in the Baltic and North Sea region, aligning with the objectives of the EU Mission Ocean. The call is open to a wide range of entities, including regional and local authorities, NGOs, educational and research institutions, companies, and other organizations involved in the blue economy and marine/freshwater ecosystem management. Applicants can apply individually or as a consortium of up to three entities. The geographic focus is on the BANOS countries (Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden), with some exceptions for other EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

The selected Transition Agendas will receive financial support up to EUR 100,000 per project, along with ongoing action support and tailored technical assistance. The application process involves a mandatory first step of submitting a Project Idea Form and undergoing individual consultation, followed by a full proposal submission for those invited. The projects are expected to develop multi-year plans addressing issues such as decarbonizing coastal zones, promoting a circular blue economy, fostering sustainable tourism, improving fisheries management, restoring marine ecosystems, adapting to climate change, and reducing pollution. The program is structured in three stages, each with specific deliverables and milestones. The funding is provided as a lump sum, contingent on the successful completion of each stage. This open call represents a significant opportunity for organizations and communities in the Baltic and North Sea region to contribute to the restoration and sustainable development of their marine and freshwater environments.