Europe as a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness

The grant opportunity titled "Europe as a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness" falls under the Horizon Europe program, specifically within the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society cluster and identified as HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-06. This funding call is designed to strengthen Europe's position in sustainable design while promoting innovation within cultural and creative sectors.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships focused on design and cultural industries. Applications should involve a consortium of multiple partners to foster cross-sector collaboration, particularly emphasizing sustainability in design.

The funding type available is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, with project budgets ranging from €3.5 million to €4.5 million, and a total call budget of approximately €13.5 million. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline for submissions set for September 16, 2025. The proposals are to be submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Projects should aim to enhance the understanding of the European design sector, developing innovative methodologies, tools, and design approaches that promote sustainability and competitiveness. Expected outcomes are to significantly contribute to solidifying Europe's reputation as a leader in design. The call targets areas such as environmental impact, cultural relevance, and the integration of creative sectors into wider economic and societal frameworks.

Co-funding is not required for applicants, but leveraging additional resources through partnerships may enhance proposals. The competitive success rates for Horizon Europe projects typically range between 10% to 39%.

In essence, this grant seeks to support research and innovation projects that not only innovate within the design sector but also consider broader societal and environmental implications, reinforcing Europe’s cultural heritage while promoting forward-thinking design practices.

The EU Funding and Tenders Portal presents a call for proposals titled "Europe as a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness" under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically within the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society - 2025 call (HORIZON-CL2-2025-01). The topic ID is HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-06.

The action type is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline.

The opening date for submissions was May 15, 2025, and the deadline for submissions is September 16, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects should include:

Enhanced and updated understanding of the European design sector and design professionals, including its cross-sectoral relevance for innovation and key strengths, opportunities and challenges, made available to scientists, policy makers, designers, private companies, and other key stakeholders.
Development and practical implementation of methods, techniques, and applications based on research and knowledge that enable the European design sector and design professionals to stay at the forefront of design for sustainable competitiveness.
Significant contributions to boosting Europe as a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness.

The scope of the call emphasizes that innovation and competitiveness are increasingly driven by cultural dimensions and creativity. Successful new products and services, whether digital or physical, need to be functional, appealing, attractive, and adapted to cultural traits and market needs. Design, defined as the process of creating or adapting products, services, processes, or business models to human needs and desires, is crucial for competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and cultural affirmation. The environmental impact of a product is largely determined at the design stage, which also applies to digital products and services.

Europe's design sector benefits from its cultural heritage, a well-educated workforce, craftsmanship, and strong creative traditions, making it a world leader. Many sectors of the European economy, such as luxury goods, fashion, and the automotive industry, rely on design for competitiveness. Design-intensive industries employ approximately 27 million people in the EU, accounting for around 13% of total employment and over 15% of GDP.

Despite its importance, design and its role in driving innovation and competitiveness have not been sufficiently researched. The European design sector and design professionals are structurally vulnerable and face rapid changes, such as the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and increasing expectations for reducing the environmental impact of products and services.

The challenge is to deepen the understanding of the European design sector and design professionals and to develop effective methods to strengthen the sector and make Europe a global powerhouse of design for sustainable competitiveness. These methods may include new or adapted technological solutions, conceptual frameworks, innovative business models, and policies. Proposed solutions should be effective, economically and politically feasible, and culturally acceptable across EU member states and associated countries, as well as across different economic sectors. A wide range of stakeholders should be involved, based on the chosen focus.

Proposals should focus on a specific area of design to deliver a significant impact, rather than addressing all aspects, subsectors, or applications of design. Solutions may involve platforms or networks for sharing investments, facilities, or competencies. Established platforms, networks, or clusters should be considered to avoid duplication of efforts.

Proposals should build on existing knowledge, activities, and networks, particularly those funded by the European Union. Findings and results from projects funded under the topics ‘Cultural and creative industries for a sustainable climate transition’ of the 2023 and 2024 calls of Horizon Europe Cluster 2 may be considered, and cooperation may be sought with the collaborative platform ‘EKIP’ or its successor.

In the context of this topic, ‘design’ is defined as the process of devising or adapting products, services, or organizational and business models to the needs and desires of humans. Applicants may refer to the scope of specialized design activities and professions as identified by Eurostat under the NACE classification Revision 2.1 (Regulation 2023/137).

Sustainable competitiveness builds on productivity growth, environmental sustainability, macroeconomic stability, and fairness, as outlined in COM(2023) 168 final ‘Long-term competitiveness of the EU: looking beyond 2030’.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office’s Report ‘Women in Design’ (April 2023) is a relevant resource.

Innovative business models may be based on ‘circular economy’ principles and design for circularity.

The work of the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) working group of Member States experts on “Stimulating the green transition of cultural and creative sectors” may also be relevant.

The collaborative platform ‘EKIP’ can be found at https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101112111.

The general conditions for this call include:

Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The page limit for Part B of the Research and Innovation (RIA) application using lump sum is 50 pages. A detailed budget table must be submitted using the template in the Submission System.
Eligible Countries: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may apply to non-EU/non-Associated Countries, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. Additional details are in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

Application form templates are available in the Submission System.
A standard application form (HE RIA, IA) is provided.
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
Guidance is available in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include a Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions and a detailed budget table (HE LS) (version 3.3) are provided, along with guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 5. Culture, creativity and inclusive society
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
Decision authorizing 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 for 2025 includes various topics under the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society call, with opening dates on May 15, 2025, and deadlines on September 16, 2025. Contributions and indicative numbers of grants vary by topic.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

To start the submission process, applicants should click the submission button next to the action type and model grant agreement.

A comprehensive set of support resources is available, including an Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, a Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, a Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, an IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, the European Charter for Researchers, and a Partner Search function.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to bolster the European design sector by funding research and innovation actions that enhance understanding, develop new methods, and promote sustainable competitiveness. The call encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the involvement of diverse stakeholders to position Europe as a global leader in design. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and applicants must adhere to specific guidelines and deadlines.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including scientists, policy makers, designers, private companies, and other key stakeholders. The specific types of eligible applicants are further detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) used is the HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS].

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to favor consortia, as it encourages the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders and mentions the use of platforms or networks. However, the possibility of single applicants cannot be ruled out, and the specific requirements would be detailed in the call documents.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible, as specific provisions have been made for their participation in Horizon Europe projects, detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: culture, creativity, inclusive society, design, cultural heritage, luxury goods, high-end goods, fashion, automotive industry, environmental sustainability, circular economy, artificial intelligence, and policy making.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU member states and associated countries. It also refers to non-EU and non-associated countries (third countries) that may be eligible for funding under specific provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action. Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) typically support projects from research to demonstration, excluding direct commercialization, while Innovation Actions (IA) aim for demonstration and piloting, potentially including prototyping and validation activities. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action.
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-01, -02, -06, -12: 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-03, -05, -07, -08, -09, -10, -11: 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-04: 3,000,000 to 3,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-03: 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-04: 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-05: 2,500,000 to 3,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-06: 3,500,000 to 4,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-07: 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-08: 2,500,000 to 3,500,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-HERITAGE-09: around 2,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-01, -02, -03, -05, -06, -07, -09: around 3,400,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-08: 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-10: 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 EUR
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-TRANSFO-11: around 2,000,000 EUR

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.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

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

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

This Horizon Europe call, part of the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society cluster, aims to bolster Europe's position as a global leader in design for sustainable competitiveness. The call seeks to enhance the understanding of the European design sector, its strengths, challenges, and cross-sectoral relevance. Projects should develop methods and techniques that enable the design sector to remain at the forefront, contributing to innovation, environmental sustainability, and cultural relevance. The call encourages a focus on specific aspects of design rather than attempting to cover all subsectors. It promotes the use of platforms and networks for sharing resources and building upon existing knowledge and activities, including those funded by the EU. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage open call. A wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, designers, and companies, are encouraged to participate, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across the European design landscape. The call is structured around several topics related to democracy, heritage, and transformations, each with its specific budget and expected number of grants.