Fostering the European battery ecosystem by providing accurate and up-to-date information and stimulating excellence in the European battery R&I community (Batt4EU Partnership)

The EU funding opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically under Cluster 5, with a focus on enhancing Europe’s battery ecosystem. The call is identified as HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-06 and is categorized as a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (CSA) with a lump sum grant mechanism. The application process is single-stage and open, starting on May 6, 2025, and closing on September 2, 2025.

The main objectives of the funded projects include establishing a solid information base for research and innovation stakeholders within the European battery value chain, fostering an adaptive value chain aligned with global trends, maximizing the overall impact of the BATT4EU Partnership, fostering a coordinated battery research community in Europe, and promoting the dissemination of best practices in battery research.

Project proposals should address several tasks, including organizing the National and Regional Coordination Group, cooperating with European Technology and Innovation Platforms, and setting up a maintainable online platform for tracking battery technology states and funding opportunities. Moreover, proposals should analyze global battery strategies and suggest updates to the European research agenda while supporting monitoring efforts by key organizations like the European Commission and the European Battery Alliance.

The eligible applicants primarily include research institutions, universities, industry stakeholders, and public-private partnerships involved in battery research and innovation. Geographic eligibility encompasses EU member states and associated countries, with non-EU entities potentially eligible under specific conditions.

The funding amount for this initiative is set at €3,000,000 for the year 2025, and while no specific co-funding is required, it allows for the participation of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre within the consortium. The expected success rates for applications remain unspecified but are generally moderate based on similar actions within Horizon Europe.

Applications must adhere to specified limits and formatting rules outlined in various annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme. The operation of this funding calls into action integrates with the broader goals of the EU’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2027, emphasizing sustainability and competitiveness in clean energy. Final reporting of results to the BATT4EU Partnership is expected from successful projects to monitor their impact effectively. This initiative aligns with multiple calls under Horizon Europe for various actions, including Coordination and Support Actions, Research and Innovation Actions, and Innovation Actions.

This EU funding opportunity is part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically under Cluster 5, and focuses on fostering the European battery ecosystem. The call, HORIZON-CL5-2025-02-D2-06, is for HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] type of Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is currently open for submission as a single-stage process. The opening date was May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 2, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are:

A solid basis of information is established addressing R&I stakeholders and supporting decision making within the European battery value chain, at European, national, and regional levels, and for public and private actors alike.

An agile European battery value chain is set up that can update its priorities based on global trends.

Maximisation of the scientific, technological, economic, and societal impact of the BATT4EU Partnership and its projects and paving the way to industrial exploitation of their research results in key energy and transport application domains.

A well-coordinated, best-in-the-world, battery research community is fostered in Europe, gathering excellent scientists and innovators as well as involving other relevant stakeholders.

Excellence in battery research is spread across Europe, enhancing the wide adoption of best practices.

The scope of the project proposal should cover the following tasks:

Animate and organise the National and Regional Coordination Group (NRCG) in coordination with the Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA).

Cooperate with the European Technology and Innovation Platforms (ETIPs), Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) and similar stakeholder fora. Provide support to existing SET Plan Implementation Plans and advancement towards more interconnected activities, both in terms of contents and implementation mechanisms.

Create and maintain an online accessible platform which provides:

A rolling assessment of the current state-of-the-art of the battery technology, both globally and in the EU and Associated Countries.

An updated set of technical targets and intermediary KPIs to track the progress of the battery technology in the EU.

A rolling overview of open and recently closed calls on batteries from research and innovation programmes on European, national, and regional level. This task should build upon the links with the NRCG, ETIPs, and any ongoing IPCEIs on batteries. Direct collaboration with national funding agencies is encouraged.

Proposals should include a credible strategy for how this platform could be continued beyond the time horizon of the project.

Provide an analysis of battery roadmaps from other global regions and see how they compare to the state-of-art and targets set for the European battery technology development and propose updates to the European battery R&I strategy in a yearly report for short-, medium- and long-term research needs.

Support monitoring efforts undertaken by the European Commission, the European Battery Alliance (EBA) regarding the above-mentioned indicators of technological progress in Europe.

Provide scientific animation of the Battery R&I Community, that includes the organisation of (thematic) community events to improve the overall knowledge level of the sector; ensure that projects working on similar topics can learn from each other and that projects goals converge towards the objectives of the Partnership; inform on possible funding mechanisms (e.g., Innovation Fund and the EBA One-Stop-Shop) to take developed technologies to the next level.

Share best practices with the community and push for adoption of common data standards and reporting methodologies.

Co-organise together with BEPA and other interested stakeholders an annual conference where BATT4EU projects can share their results.

Proposals could consider the involvement of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) whose contribution could consist of providing input to or discuss technical targets or KPIs and testing the capability of the observatory to provide meaningful data for EC / JRC work. The JRC shall assure that all the other applicants receive the same information on the JRC’s possible contribution to the project (e.g., via the topic-specific FAQs under the Funding and Tenders Portal).

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). Projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.

Admissibility conditions include proposal page limits and layout as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and 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. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. The legal and financial set-up of the grants is described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

The application form templates and evaluation form templates are available in the Submission System. Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is the Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions and a detailed budget table are provided, along with guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 8. Climate, Energy and Mobility, 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 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

The budget for this topic is 3,000,000 EUR for the year 2025. The action is a HORIZON Coordination and Support Action (HORIZON-CSA). The opening date is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is September 2, 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the portal.

The call aims to bolster the European battery ecosystem by establishing a strong information base, promoting an adaptable value chain, maximizing the impact of the BATT4EU Partnership, fostering a well-coordinated research community, and spreading excellence in battery research across Europe. Project proposals should focus on organizing coordination groups, cooperating with relevant platforms and initiatives, creating and maintaining an online platform with key information, analyzing global battery roadmaps, supporting monitoring efforts, animating the battery R&I community, sharing best practices, and co-organizing an annual conference. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may be involved, and projects are expected to report results to the Batt4EU Partnership. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and applicants should consult the provided documents and online resources for detailed guidance on eligibility, evaluation, and submission processes.

There are multiple calls for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, Cluster 5, for the year 2025. These calls are for various types of actions, including Innovation Actions (IA), Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), and Programme Cofund Actions (COFUND). The opening date for all these calls is May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 2, 2025. The total budget allocated across these calls is substantial, with individual call budgets ranging from 500,000 EUR to 69,000,000 EUR. The indicative number of grants varies per call, ranging from 1 to 15.

The calls are structured around different topics, each with its specific focus and expected outcomes. The types of actions (IA, CSA, RIA, COFUND) determine the nature of the activities to be funded, with Innovation Actions focusing on developing new or improved products and services, Coordination and Support Actions focusing on networking and coordination, Research and Innovation Actions focusing on research and development, and Programme Cofund Actions focusing on co-funding research programs.

In summary, this funding opportunity is a comprehensive effort to support and advance the European battery industry through various mechanisms, including research, innovation, coordination, and support actions. The program aims to create a robust and competitive battery ecosystem in Europe, contributing to the broader goals of climate neutrality and sustainable energy. Applicants should carefully review the specific requirements and scope of each call to determine the best fit for their project proposals.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe calls, eligible applicants could include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission can participate as a member of a consortium.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant. There are also HORIZON Innovation Actions, HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions, HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions and HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to favor consortia, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. Partner search announcements are available, suggesting that collaboration is encouraged.

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

Target Sector: The program targets the battery technology sector, including the battery value chain, R&I, energy, and transport application domains.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions the EU and Associated Countries, as well as non-EU and non-associated countries ('third-countries').

Project Stage: The opportunity targets projects at various stages, including research, innovation, and industrial exploitation. The HORIZON Innovation Actions suggest a focus on projects closer to deployment and market readiness, while HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions focus on earlier stage research.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the type of action:
HORIZON Innovation Actions: Indicative contributions range from around €6 million to €10 million per grant, with total budgets ranging from €14 million to €28 million.
HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: Indicative contributions range from around €4 million to €5 million per grant, with total budgets ranging from €5 million to €12 million.
HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: Indicative contributions range from around €500k to €5 million per grant, with total budgets ranging from €500k to €7.5 million.
HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions: A total budget of €69 million is allocated, with an indicative contribution of around €69 million for one grant.

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

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

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding requirements are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text, but HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions imply a co-funding element.

Summary:
This Horizon Europe call focuses on fostering the European battery ecosystem through various funding instruments, including Innovation Actions, Research and Innovation Actions, Coordination and Support Actions, and Programme Cofund Actions. The call aims to establish a solid information base, promote an agile battery value chain, maximize the impact of the BATT4EU Partnership, foster a well-coordinated research community, and spread excellence in battery research across Europe. The geographic eligibility includes EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries with specific funding provisions. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a consortium member. The application process is a single-stage open call, with funding provided as lump sum grants. The call targets a wide range of projects, from early-stage research to innovation and industrial exploitation, with varying funding amounts depending on the type of action. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate and form consortia, and partner search tools are available. The call is part of the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically Cluster 5, and implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU).