Demonstration, deployment and upscaling of circular systemic solutions in cities and regions (Circular Cities and Regions Initiative)

The grant opportunity presented is a component of the Horizon Europe program, specifically aimed at fostering the implementation of circular economy solutions within European cities and regions, under the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI). This initiative is designed to support the European Green Deal and the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan through funding innovative projects that promote sustainability.

Eligible applicant types for this grant include regional and local authorities, research organizations, industry stakeholders, civil society representatives, public-private partnerships, SMEs, and academia involved in circular economy initiatives. The funding mechanism is primarily through grants categorized as Innovation Actions under Horizon Europe.

A consortium of stakeholders is required for proposals, which must include collaboration across at least two different sectors such as construction, bioeconomy, and transport. The geographic focus is on EU member states and associated countries. The projects are expected to primarily target themes that include a variety of sectors such as environment, climate mitigation, and sustainable urban development.

The funding amount varies, but typically ranges from €1 million to €5 million, with specific topics potentially having higher budgets. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline set for September 17, 2025.

The nature of support includes both financial grants and non-monetary assistance such as technical support and networking opportunities provided by the CCRI Coordination and Support Office. The success rates for applications are estimated between 10% to 39%, typical for Horizon Europe calls, and co-funding is generally required.

In summary, this grant is intended to enable cities and regions to implement effective circular economy solutions through collaborative projects, aimed at achieving measurable social, economic, and environmental impacts. It encourages multi-stakeholder engagement and aligns with broader EU sustainability goals. The initiative also offers access to resources and support for knowledge exchange, enhancing the potential for successful project outcomes across Europe.

This is a summary of multiple Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls for proposals related to biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, and zero pollution, all with a deadline of September 17, 2025. The calls aim to support the European Green Deal and the 2020 circular economy action plan by funding projects that develop innovative and systemic solutions for a circular economy in cities and regions.

General Conditions:

The calls are subject to the general conditions outlined in Annexes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Key aspects include:

Admissibility: Proposals must adhere to specific page limits and layouts as detailed in Annex A and E, and Part B of the Application Form.

Eligible Countries: Eligibility is defined in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other Eligibility Conditions: Some topics have additional eligibility criteria, such as requiring a minimum number of demonstration and replication cities/regions within the consortium. For example, at least 3 different demonstration and 6 replication cities/regions must be part of the consortium as beneficiaries.

Financial and Operational Capacity and Exclusion: Applicants must meet the financial and operational capacity requirements as described in Annex C.

Evaluation and Award: The award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are detailed in Annex D. The submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreements is also in Annex F.

Legal and Financial Set-up: The legal and financial aspects of the grants are described in Annex G.

Specific Conditions:

Specific conditions are outlined in the specific topic descriptions within the Work Programme.

Application and Evaluation:

Application Form: Templates are available in the Submission System, with a standard application form (HE RIA, IA) to be used.

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

Guidance:

Applicants should consult the HE Programme Guide and Model Grant Agreements (HE MGA).

Call-Specific Instructions and Additional Documents:

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. 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

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

Specific Call Details:

The calls specifically target public local and regional authorities or their groupings in EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Projects should support inclusive engagement and active participation of all relevant circular economy stakeholders, including policymakers, research bodies, academia, civil society, the private sector, and financial intermediaries.

Multi-actor Approach (MAA) and social innovation are encouraged.

Proposals should ensure synergies and complementarities with other relevant circular economy projects and initiatives, including those recognised as CCRI Projects and CCRI Associated Partners.

Joint and clustering activities with CCRI projects are expected, along with dedicated dissemination plans for promoting results on the official CCRI website and related channels.

Linkages with initiatives like Hubs for Circularity, Regional Innovation Valleys, the New European Bauhaus, and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission are encouraged.

Specific Topics and Budget Overview:

The following topics are open for submission with a deadline of September 17, 2025. Each topic specifies the type of action (HORIZON-COFUND, HORIZON-CSA, HORIZON-RIA, HORIZON-IA), the budget for 2025, and the indicative number of grants.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-01: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions, Budget: 20,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, Budget: 4,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 24,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 22,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 18,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 3

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 16,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 3

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-07: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 12,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-08: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 14,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-09: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-10: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 11,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-04: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-05: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 12,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 18,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-08: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 11,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-09: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-10: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, Budget: 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-11: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 11,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-12: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, Budget: 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-13: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-14: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 12,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions, Budget: 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 10,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions, Budget: 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, Budget: 12,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-06: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions, Budget: 12,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants: 2

Partner Search:

There are 19 partner search announcements available for collaboration on these topics.

In summary, this Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call is a significant funding opportunity for public local and regional authorities in EU Member States and Associated Countries to develop and implement circular economy solutions. The focus is on systemic approaches, stakeholder engagement, and the replication of successful models to achieve climate mitigation, resource efficiency, and enhanced competitiveness. Applicants should carefully review the specific conditions and eligibility criteria for each topic and ensure their proposals align with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative.

Eligible Applicant Types: Public local and regional authorities or their groupings, policymakers at all governance levels, research bodies and academia, the civil society, the private sector (industry, entrepreneurs, start-ups, small and medium enterprises etc.), social economy entities and financial intermediaries.

Funding Type: Grant. Specifically, Horizon Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), Horizon Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), Horizon Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) and Horizon Programme Cofund Actions (HORIZON-COFUND).

Consortium Requirement: Consortium. The additional eligibility criteria apply: at least 3 different demonstration and 6 replication cities/regions must be part of the consortium as beneficiaries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): EU Member States and Associated Countries. 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.

Target Sector: Circular Economy, Climate Mitigation, Bioeconomy, Construction and Buildings, Transport and Mobility, Land Use and Spatial Planning, Electronics and ICT, Batteries and Vehicles, Packaging, Plastics, Textiles, Food, Water and Nutrients, Environment, Innovation.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States and Associated Countries.

Project Stage: Demonstration, Deployment, Upscaling, Implementation, Replication.

Funding Amount: Variable. The individual topics have budgets ranging from EUR 2,000,000 to EUR 70,000,000. For example, HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-07 has a budget of EUR 18,000,000 and HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-01 has a budget of EUR 60,000,000.

Application Type: Open call. The calls are single-stage.

Nature of Support: Money.

Application Stages: 1.

Success Rates: Not specified, but the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic, allowing for a rough estimation based on the number of expected applications.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is required for HORIZON-COFUND actions.

Summary:

This is a Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call for proposals focused on "Demonstration, deployment and upscaling of circular systemic solutions in cities and regions" under the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI). The call aims to support the implementation of the European Green Deal and the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) by funding projects that develop innovative circular solutions and business models, foster social and technological innovation, and promote climate mitigation and resource efficiency. The call is structured into several topics covering biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, and zero pollution, each with its own budget and specific objectives. Eligible applicants include public local and regional authorities, research institutions, businesses, and other stakeholders in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Projects are expected to implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions, involve relevant stakeholders, address multiple sectors and value chains, monitor and evaluate their impacts, facilitate knowledge transfer, and define financing strategies for long-term sustainability. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline of September 17, 2025. Funding is provided through various Horizon Europe action types, including Innovation Actions (IA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), and Programme Cofund Actions (COFUND), with indicative grant amounts varying depending on the specific topic. The call encourages synergies with other relevant initiatives and provides access to support services and partner search tools.