Developing innovative phytosanitary measures for plant health - focus on systems approach for pest risk management

The HORIZON-CL6 grant opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program and focuses on developing innovative phytosanitary measures for plant health with an emphasis on pest risk management through a systems approach. The application deadline is September 16, 2025, and it operates as a single-stage submission process. Eligible applicants include a diverse range of entities such as research institutions, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, NGOs, and public-private partnerships. While the specifics are not laid out in the raw data, Horizon Europe typically encourages a consortium approach, especially for complex research projects. Thus, collaborations involving multiple stakeholders are likely favored, although single applicants may be allowed if justified. The funding type is identified as a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, implying that funding will cover 100% of eligible costs without additional co-funding requirements. The budget for similar grants typically suggests amounts in the range of €1 million to €5 million per project, but specific figures for this grant have not been detailed. The grant targets sectors related to agriculture, focusing particularly on crop production, plant health, environmental sustainability, and pest risk management. It acknowledges the critical role that effective plant health measures play in addressing challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity loss, and globalization. The call encourages international collaboration and may involve non-EU countries, although the primary focus remains on EU member states and associated nations. Proposals must address the implementation of integrated pest management solutions, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and alignment with EU agricultural policies. Successful proposals are expected to develop and evaluate innovative pest management measures, ensuring a comprehensive approach that includes all stages of the agricultural value chain and involves capacity building for various stakeholders, including farmers and advisory services. Overall, the opportunity seeks to foster research, innovation, and scalable solutions in pest management, contributing to the goals of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy while addressing the urgent need for sustainable agricultural practices.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on developing innovative phytosanitary measures for plant health, emphasizing a systems approach for pest risk management. It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically Cluster 6, Call 02, and is structured as a single-stage call (HORIZON-CL6-2025-02). The type of action is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement. The call opened for submission on May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 16, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome of successful proposals includes:

Development and testing of cost-effective measures using a systems approach across the entire agri-value chain, with thorough assessment of their combined effects and interactions to ensure efficiency and sustainability.

Strengthened capacity of farmers and actors in the agri-value chain to manage pest risks more effectively, in an environmentally friendly and fair manner, across various agricultural and trade contexts, with particular attention to the challenges posed by climate change.

Provision of scientific support, recommendations, and policy advice to enhance plant health policies, fostering international cooperation and strengthening global efforts to combat plant pests.

The scope of this opportunity addresses the critical role of plant health in agriculture, forestry, ecosystems, and biodiversity. It acknowledges the increasing challenges to maintaining healthy crops due to climate change, biodiversity loss, globalization, and international trade, which accelerate the spread of pests and diseases. Effective plant health measures are vital for protecting sustainable agriculture, enhancing global food security, safeguarding the environment, and facilitating economic and trade development.

A systems approach to plant health, defined as a comprehensive pest risk management strategy integrating different measures acting independently with cumulative effect and high efficacy, is central to this call. This approach aims to meet phytosanitary import requirements by considering measures and procedures throughout the entire value chain, from pre-planting to distribution. Proposals should target one or more plant pests, providing a clear explanation and justification for the selected pest(s) in alignment with the proposal’s objectives and expected outcomes.

Proposals should:

Develop innovative climate and environmental-friendly measures for highly efficacious pest risk management across the value chain to meet phytosanitary requirements in various socio-economic contexts.

Evaluate risk reduction, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of each proposed innovative measure.

Design and validate protocols targeting systems approaches, considering the whole value chain.

Assess the combined effect of all measures and their interactions across the value chain, including cost-effectiveness, scalability, and overall sustainability (economic, social, and environmental aspects).

Support capacity building and training of actors within the value chain, enabling the large-scale adoption of safe, innovative, cost-effective measures.

International cooperation is strongly encouraged, and results should benefit diverse farming systems/approaches, such as conventional and organic farming. Proposals must implement the ‘multi-actor approach,’ involving a range of actors from research, plant health services, farming/forestry sectors, advisory services, and other relevant parts of the value chain. The topic should involve the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines.

Financial support to third parties (FSTP) may be provided to develop, test, and demonstrate innovative measures, with a maximum of 10% of EU funding allocated for this purpose. Consortia need to define the selection process for organizations receiving financial support. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate to support the analysis of acceptance and adoption of innovative measures across the value chain. Proposals should ensure coherence and complementarities with ongoing relevant Horizon Europe projects and capitalize on existing research findings and tools. A dedicated task in the workplan and appropriate resources should be included to collaborate with projects funded under this topic.

General conditions for participation include:

Admissibility Conditions: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.

Eligible Countries:Described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other Eligible Conditions:The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate. Proposals must apply the multi-actor approach.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:Described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award: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:Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP), with a maximum amount of €60 000 per third party.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

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 information on financial support to third parties (HE).

Additional guidance includes "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include:

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

The budget overview for various topics under Cluster 6, Call 02, is as follows:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-01 - HORIZON-RIA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-02 - HORIZON-RIA:€19 500 000, Indicative number of grants: 3

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-03 - HORIZON-RIA:€10 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-04 - HORIZON-RIA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-CLIMATE-05 - HORIZON-COFUND:€24 000 000 (2025), €23 000 000 (2026), €23 000 000 (2027), Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-01 - HORIZON-RIA:€13 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-02 - HORIZON-RIA:€6 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-03 - HORIZON-IA:€6 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-COMMUNITIES-04 - HORIZON-RIA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-01 - HORIZON-COFUND:€30 000 000 (2025), €30 000 000 (2026), €30 000 000 (2027), Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-02 - HORIZON-COFUND:€40 000 000 (2025), €40 000 000 (2026), €40 000 000 (2027), Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-03 - HORIZON-IA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-04 - HORIZON-RIA:€11 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6 - HORIZON-RIA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-06 - HORIZON-RIA:€16 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-07 - HORIZON-RIA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-08 - HORIZON-RIA:€6 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-09 - HORIZON-CSA:€3 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-10 - HORIZON-IA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-11 - HORIZON-IA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-12 - HORIZON-RIA:€10 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-13 - HORIZON-CSA:€2 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-14 - HORIZON-IA:€12 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-15 - HORIZON-COFUND:€50 000 000 (2025), €45 000 000 (2026), €35 000 000 (2027), Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-16 - HORIZON-RIA:€6 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 1

HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-17 - HORIZON-RIA:€8 000 000, Indicative number of grants: 2

There are 29 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster research and innovation in plant health by promoting the development and implementation of effective, sustainable, and climate-friendly pest risk management strategies across the agricultural value chain. It encourages international cooperation and the involvement of diverse stakeholders to address the challenges posed by plant pests and diseases, contributing to the objectives of the common agricultural policy and the European Green Deal. Funding is provided as a lump sum, and consortia can provide financial support to third parties for specific activities. The call emphasizes a multi-actor approach and the integration of social sciences and humanities to ensure the broad adoption of innovative measures.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the context of Horizon Europe and the types of actions (Research and Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions, Coordination and Support Actions, and Programme Cofund Actions), eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant actors in the agricultural sector and value chain. The "multi-actor approach" requirement suggests a need for diverse participants, including farmers, plant health services, advisory services, and social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. There are also HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions, which involve co-funding.

Consortium Requirement:A consortium is required. The text mentions "Consortia need to define the selection process of organisations" and "The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding." The "multi-actor approach" also implies the need for a consortium with diverse actors.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on EU and associated countries. The text mentions "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." This suggests that while EU and associated countries are the primary target, some funding may be available for participants from other countries under specific conditions.

Target Sector:The program targets the agriculture/food sector, specifically focusing on plant health, sustainable agri-food systems, climate-neutrality, climate-resilience, and biodiversity. It also involves research and innovation, innovation actions, and coordination and support actions related to the agri-value chain.

Mentioned Countries:The text does not explicitly mention specific countries. However, it refers to "EU and non-EU/non-Associated Countries," indicating a focus on the European Union and its associated countries, with potential participation from other countries under specific provisions.

Project Stage:The project stage varies depending on the type of action. Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) suggest projects in the research, development, and validation stages. Innovation Actions (IA) suggest projects in the demonstration, commercialization, or scale-up stages. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) suggest projects focused on networking, coordination, and dissemination.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action. The budget overview provides the following ranges:

HORIZON-RIA:€6,000,000 to €19,500,000, with most around €6,000,000 to €8,000,000

HORIZON-IA:€6,000,000 to €12,000,000, with most around €6,000,000

HORIZON-CSA:€2,000,000 to €3,000,000

HORIZON-COFUND:€23,000,000 to €50,000,000

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

Nature of Support:The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant. They may also provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of grants, up to €60,000 per third party.

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

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly stated. However, the "Indicative number of grants" column in the budget overview provides some insight. For most RIA and IA topics, the indicative number of grants is 1 or 2, suggesting a competitive process. The HORIZON-COFUND actions typically have an indicative number of 1 grant.

Co-funding Requirement:Co-funding is required for HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. The specific co-funding rates are not detailed in the provided text.

Summary:This opportunity is a set of calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically within Cluster 6, focusing on food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, and environment. The calls aim to support projects that contribute to the objectives of the common agricultural policy, the European Green Deal, and the EU biodiversity strategy. The main goal is to develop and implement innovative and sustainable solutions for plant health and pest risk management across the agri-value chain. The calls are structured around different types of actions, including Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), as well as co-funded programs.

The RIA calls focus on research, development, and validation of cost-effective and environmentally friendly measures for pest risk management. The IA calls focus on demonstrating and scaling up innovative solutions. The CSA calls focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination of knowledge. The HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions are designed to support national or regional programs with similar objectives, providing additional funding to leverage existing investments.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of actors in the agricultural sector and value chain, such as universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, farmers, plant health services, and advisory services. Consortia are required to implement a "multi-actor approach," ensuring that diverse knowledge and needs are brought together. International cooperation is encouraged.

The funding amounts vary depending on the type of action, ranging from €2,000,000 for CSA calls to €50,000,000 for COFUND calls. The application process is a single-stage submission, with a deadline of September 16, 2025. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.