Expert network on Critical raw materials (CSA)

The funding opportunity titled HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-17 aims to strengthen the European Union's expert capacity in critical raw materials. It falls under the Horizon Europe Programme as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), providing a total funding amount of €3 million, structured as a lump sum grant. The application process is single-stage with a submission window from September 22, 2026 to February 2, 2027.

Eligible applicants include legal entities from EU Member States, Associated Countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, and Andean Community nations, as well as partners in strategic agreements with the EU. However, entities from China are explicitly ineligible. The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, emphasizing a collaborative effort to create a comprehensive EU-wide expert network covering the entire raw materials value chain. Applicants must demonstrate financial and operational capacity, aligning with the call’s focus on building expertise across multiple sectors including mining, recycling, and market analysis.

The project focuses on various aspects of critical raw materials including production, substitution technologies, market demand and supply, environmental impacts, and socio-economic analysis. It is designed to assist in the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act and aims to inform EU policy-making, enhance data quality regarding raw materials, and contribute to improved statistics and analyses going forward.

The expected outcomes include establishing a knowledgeable expert community, providing data fact sheets on screened materials, conducting expert validation workshops, and fostering partnerships with other relevant projects. This initiative is part of the broader goal to enhance the EU's strategic autonomy in the raw materials sector, thereby supporting both green and digital transitions while promoting sustainable practices.

Proposals must have a thorough approach including a detailed budget, demonstrated collaboration among partners, and an understanding of the market landscape. The lump sum grant allows for flexibility in resource allocation without the need for detailed cost tracking. Overall, this funding opportunity represents a pivotal step toward consolidating expertise and fostering resilience within the EU's raw materials supply chains.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-17, aims to strengthen the EU's expert capacity in raw materials across the entire value chain. It falls under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically the INDUSTRY (HORIZON-CL4-2027-01) call, and is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement.

The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 22 September 2026, and the deadline for submission is 02 February 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcome of this funding opportunity is to achieve:

Strengthening the expert capacity in the EU in a wide range of raw materials along the whole value chain.
Better informed and more effective decision-making by the EU and National policy makers and the producers and users of raw materials regarding the supply and demand of raw materials and the associated environmental and social aspects.
Improved EU official statistics and building the EU knowledge base of primary and secondary raw materials.

The scope of the actions includes:

Strengthening an EU expert network and community covering all raw materials screened in the critical raw materials assessment of 2027, with flexibility in screening additional raw materials.
Building the EU expert community covering each screened raw material with expertise on primary and secondary resources; production, including exploration, mining, processing, recycling and refining; substitution of critical raw materials; raw materials markets; future demand and supply; supply risk management and stress tests; materials flows; raw materials standardisation; environmental footprint, socio-economic analysis, and strategic value chains and end-use sectors, including batteries, e-mobility, renewable energy, electronics, security and aerospace.
Contributing to the EU policy making related to critical raw materials, in particular to the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act, including the development of the new list of critical raw materials and their specific applications or sectors. The action is expected to coordinate with the Commission regarding the events and reflect the EU policy planning.
Improving data and knowledge on all screened raw materials and the analysis of the future supply and demand of raw materials, their environmental footprint, technology gaps and innovation potential along the raw materials value chains.
Updating the data and information fact sheets from the previous criticality exercise for all screened raw materials, and ensure their quality by relevant raw material experts. Factsheets are to be finalised by the end of 2029, and could be fine-tuned before publication expected in 2030.
Organising two expert validation workshops in 2029 to support the EU criticality assessment, and validate draft factsheets for all screened materials. In coordination with the Commission, organise in-depth workshops on several strategic metals for renewable energy, e-mobility and aero-space and security / dual use, with recognised commodity experts from industry and other organisations.
Sharing the data and information produced by the action with the Commission at free of charge basis.
Envisaging clustering activities with other relevant selected projects for cross-projects co-operation, consultations and joint activities on cross-cutting issues and share of results as well as participating in joint meetings and communication events. To this end proposals should foresee a dedicated work package and/or task, and earmark the appropriate resources accordingly.

This funding opportunity falls under the destination of Achieving technological leadership for Europe’s open strategic autonomy in raw materials, chemicals and innovative materials (2026-27). This destination brings together research and innovation for a globally competitive European industry through the twin green and digital transition, and the availability, development, use, reuse and disposal of chemicals, advanced materials and critical raw materials.

The Competitiveness Compass announces initiatives that should be served directly by industry-linked activities in Cluster 4, through new, focused R&I activities, but also through the activities supported up to now: Clean Industrial Deal adopted in February 2025; Critical Raw Materials Act; Advanced Materials Communication and future Advanced Materials Act planned for 2026; Future Circular Economy Act planned for 2026; Steel and Metals Action Plan adopted in March 2025; European Chemicals Industry Action Plan adopted in July 2025; Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector adopted in March 2025; and Strategy on research and technology infrastructures, with regard to technology infrastructures and the valorisation of knowledge.

This Work Programme part adopts a more integrated approach to better translate these policy priorities into actions, to integrate the latest inputs from the partnerships, and to achieve synergies. The headings used under the two industry-focused destinations in previous work programmes, reflecting different partnerships and industrial sectors, are replaced by new headings making strongly interconnected contributions to the corresponding expected impacts in the Strategic Plan 2025-27, on green and digital transition and on autonomy in raw and advanced materials.

The new approach takes into account R&I investments under previous work programmes and intends to introduce more synergies with other pillars (notably the European Innovation Council under Pillar III) as well as with Cluster 5. Topics in this Work Programme increasingly combine the priorities of different partnerships to enable synergies, e.g. with the Investment fund, while continuing to address the particularities of each partnership. The development of new and cross-cutting technologies will help transform existing value chains and create new ones.

In addition to this Work Programme part, Cluster 4 participates in a horizontal Clean Industrial Deal Call, aiming to increase the competitiveness and decarbonisation of industry. The initiative will allow Horizon Europe beneficiaries to feed the EU deployment pipeline with R&I solutions close to market uptake and deployment, whilst also supporting the development by 2035 of a new batch of industry-led demonstrators designed for higher market readiness.

In addition to decarbonisation, manufacturing and energy-intensive industries need to embrace the circular economy as a key pillar in the design of their value chains. This will be fundamental to their resource efficiency (in terms of materials, energy and water). Particularly important in this context is the upcycling of secondary raw materials and waste; de- and re-manufacturing; and the development of sustainable and resource-efficient industrial processes

This Work Programme continues to promote across the calls the application of Safe and Sustainable by Design approach incorporating early and parallel considerations of innovation design choices on impacts on health, environment, climate and other sustainability parameters as a way of achieving stated policy objectives and fostering quick market uptake.

Where projects are asked to contribute to the development of safe and sustainable products, projects should take into account safety concerns for consumers as well as the organisational health and safety aspects for industrial workers.

Finally, to support start-ups and scale-ups, this Work Programme includes support for technology infrastructures and valorisation of knowledge.

Regarding business cases and exploitation strategies for industrialisation, this section applies only to those topics in this Destination, for which proposals should demonstrate the expected outcomes by including a business case and exploitation strategy for industrialisation.

A business case and a credible initial exploitation strategy are essential components in the ultimate success of an industry-based project, as well as its prospects to attract further investments for deployment. They will both be decisive factors under the impact criterion, and proposers are encouraged to use the extended page limit to present a carefully considered business case and exploitation strategy, backed by the management of the companies involved.

The business case should demonstrate the expected impact of the proposal in terms of enhanced market opportunities for the participants and deployment in the EU, in the short to medium term. It should describe the targeted market(s); estimated market size in the EU and globally; user and customer needs; and demonstrate that the solutions will match the market and user needs in a cost-effective manner; and describe the expected market position and competitive advantage.

The exploitation strategy should identify obstacles, requirements and necessary actions involved in reaching higher TRLs (Technology Readiness Levels), for example: securing the required investments, including through possible synergies with other programmes; accessing the required skills; matching value chains; enhancing product robustness; securing industrial integrators; and user acceptance.

For TRLs 6 and 7, a credible strategy to achieve future full-scale deployment in the EU is expected, indicating the intentions of the industrial partners after the end of the project.

Where relevant, in the context of skills, it is recommended to develop training material to endow workers with the right skillset in order to support the uptake and deployment of new innovative products, services, and processes developed in the different projects. This material should be tested and be scalable, and can potentially be up-scaled through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). This will help the European labour force to close the skill gaps in the relevant sectors and occupational groups and improve employment and social levels across the EU and associated countries.

Where projects are asked to contribute to the development of safe and sustainable products, projects should take into account safety concerns for consumers and the organisational health and safety aspects for industrial workers.

For topics in this destination, consortia (if selected for funding) will be called upon to cooperate with the relevant parts of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), in order to inform the next stages of EU technology and innovation policies.

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

The general conditions for this funding opportunity include:

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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.

3. Other Eligible Conditions: To increase EU resilience in raw materials supply chains and thus reduce the serious risk to the Union's strategic assets, economic and societal interests, autonomy and security associated with the current EU reliance on a few third countries for critical raw materials, by increasing sustainable and responsible sourcing of primary and secondary raw materials necessary to enable the green and digital transition and in alignment with the objectives of the Critical Raw Materials Act, participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade agreements (or association/economic partnership or equivalent agreements, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) containing raw materials cooperation provisions (i.e. Energy and Raw materials chapters). The choice of these countries was made taking into consideration the development of strategic international partnerships on raw materials and avoidance of reinforcing existing over-dependencies, as well as the importance of involving partners committed to pursuing open trade in such materials. Proposals including legal entities which are not established in the countries that fall under the criteria above will be ineligible. For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible country listed above, but which are directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or a non-eligible country entity, shall not participate in the action. described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]

The application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) include: Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE CSA) Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE CSA) Guidance HE Programme Guide Model Grant Agreements (MGA) Lump Sum MGA Operating Grants MGA Framework Partnership Agreement FPA Call-specific instructions Detailed budget table (HE LS) Information on financial support to third parties (HE) Information on clinical studies (HE) Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities 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 for the year 2027 is as follows:

HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget 36,000,000 EUR, Contributions 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 6
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-03 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Budget 36,000,000 EUR, Contributions 5,000,000 to 6,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 6
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-06 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Budget 36,000,000 EUR, Contributions 5,000,000 to 6,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 7
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-08 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget 16,000,000 EUR, Contributions 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 3
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-16 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget 49,000,000 EUR, Contributions 10,000,000 to 12,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 4
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-17 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: Budget 3,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 3,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 1
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-22 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget 36,000,000 EUR, Contributions 6,000,000 to 7,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 6
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-42 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: Budget 2,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 1,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-47 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: Budget 5,000,000 EUR, Contributions 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 2
HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-49 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: Budget 5,000,000 EUR, Contributions around 2,000,000 EUR, Indicative number of grants 25

There are 3 partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants can publish partner requests for open and forthcoming topics after logging into this Portal, as well as any user having an active public Person profile.

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For general support, please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application. The Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. The Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). The Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. The European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. The CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call seeks to bolster the EU's expertise and knowledge base regarding critical raw materials. It aims to create a strong network of experts, improve data quality, and inform policy decisions related to the sourcing, production, and use of these materials. The focus is on ensuring the EU's strategic autonomy in critical raw materials, supporting the green and digital transition, and promoting a circular economy. Eligible entities from specific countries are encouraged to form consortia and submit proposals for coordination and support actions. The project is expected to deliver updated fact sheets, expert validation workshops, and contribute to the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are legal entities established in Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade agreements (or association/economic partnership or equivalent agreements, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) containing raw materials cooperation provisions (i.e. Energy and Raw materials chapters). Entities established in an eligible country, but directly or indirectly controlled by a non-eligible country or entity, are not eligible.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model grant agreement.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. The consortium should build the EU expert community covering each screened raw material.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility for applicants includes Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade agreements (or association/economic partnership or equivalent agreements, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) containing raw materials cooperation provisions (i.e. Energy and Raw materials chapters).

Target Sector: The program targets the raw materials sector, specifically focusing on critical raw materials, primary and secondary resources, production (including exploration, mining, processing, recycling, and refining), substitution of critical raw materials, raw materials markets, future demand and supply, supply risk management and stress tests, materials flows, raw materials standardisation, environmental footprint, socio-economic analysis, and strategic value chains and end-use sectors, including batteries, e-mobility, renewable energy, electronics, security and aerospace.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, and Andean Community.

Project Stage: The project stage is focused on strengthening expert capacity, improving data and knowledge, and contributing to policy making, suggesting a focus on research, development, and validation stages. Fact sheets are to be finalized by the end of 2029, and could be fine-tuned before publication expected in 2030.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is around EUR 3,000,000.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage call.

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

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly mentioned.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call (HORIZON-CL4-2027-01-MAT-PROD-17) aims to strengthen the EU's expert capacity and knowledge base in critical raw materials. It seeks to establish an EU expert network and community focused on raw materials, covering the entire value chain from primary and secondary resources to end-use sectors like batteries and aerospace. The actions should contribute to EU policy making, particularly the implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act, and improve data and knowledge on raw materials. Eligible applicants include legal entities from Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials as well as trade agreements containing raw materials cooperation provisions. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and the application process is a single-stage call. The project is expected to organize expert validation workshops and share data with the Commission, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and sustainable raw materials supply chain in the EU. The call is part of the broader "Achieving technological leadership for Europe’s open strategic autonomy in raw materials, chemicals and innovative materials (2026-27)" destination within the Horizon Europe program.