Large-scale demonstration for mapping the distribution and condition of marine habitats to implement the Nature Restoration Regulation

The Horizon Europe Innovation Action titled HORIZON-MISS is an initiative designed to support large-scale demonstration projects for mapping and monitoring marine habitats throughout European seas in order to comply with the Nature Restoration Regulation. The funding opportunity focuses on restoring marine ecosystems as part of the broader mission to restore oceans and waters. Eligible applicants include legal entities established in EU Member States and Horizon Europe-associated countries, such as research organizations, universities, public authorities, NGOs, and private companies. Notably, entities from China are ineligible to participate. Applicants must register in the Funding & Tenders Portal and obtain a Participant Identification Code. This grant-based funding opportunity has a total indicative budget of €31 million, expecting to support approximately four projects, with funding amounts between €7 million and €7.75 million per project. Additionally, beneficiaries can offer financial support to third parties, specifically local and regional authorities, further promoting effective solutions for an amount of up to €100,000 per entity. A critical requirement for applicants is the formation of a consortium that includes a minimum of four large demonstration areas within one of the four defined Mission basin-scale lighthouses: the Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, the Mediterranean Sea basin, the Baltic and North Sea basin, or the Danube River basin. Furthermore, at least four associated regions, represented by local authorities or public bodies, must be involved beyond core demonstration sites. The call prioritizes specific marine habitat types outlined in the Nature Restoration Regulation, targeting activities related to marine ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation. Projects should deploy the best available technologies and operational approaches developed from previous EU-funded research, focusing on areas requiring enhanced monitoring and mapping capabilities. The application process is single-stage, with submission opening on February 4, 2026, and the deadline set for September 23, 2026, at 17:00 CEST. Proposals must be submitted electronically as paper submissions are not accepted. While co-funding is not a strict requirement, projects are encouraged to seek synergies with other funding sources to bolster implementation capabilities. The success rate for applications is expected to be competitive but is not explicitly defined. The structure not only ranks applications but also includes a geographic balancing mechanism to ensure at least one highest-ranked proposal from each of the four sea basin lighthouses. The overarching goal of this initiative is to build capacity for mapping, monitoring, and restoring marine habitats across EU coastal regions, facilitating compliance with various environmental directives and contributing to the broader EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. By linking technology with practical applications, the program aims to establish effective and replicable methods for marine habitat management and restoration throughout Europe.

The EU Funding Opportunity HORIZON-MISS is a Horizon Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically targeting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2026-03). The call aims to support public authorities in mapping marine habitats to implement the Nature Restoration Regulation and achieve objectives of the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters. Direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders is strongly encouraged.

The expected outcomes include:

1. Member States having the capacity and access to solutions for mapping coastal and marine habitats listed in Annex II of the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR). This is needed to fulfill obligations under Article 5 of the NRR, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), and the Birds and Habitats Directive (BHD).

2. Substantial areas of habitats being mapped and their condition assessed, with priority given to Groups 1-6 of Annex II, followed by Group 7, in line with applicable deadlines.

3. Member States being able to determine priority areas for marine habitat restoration and to prepare, update, and implement their national restoration plans under the NRR, contributing to the MSFD and BHD.

The scope of the proposals should include:

1. Leveraging and integrating operational knowledge, technologies, and tools from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects to meet EU Biodiversity strategy goals and facilitate national restoration plans. This involves addressing gaps in monitoring and mapping capabilities for marine habitats in the 22 coastal Member States.

2. Testing and demonstrating in situ the best methods and tools for large-scale, cost-effective mapping and monitoring of EUNIS marine habitats covered by the NRR, prioritizing Groups 1-6 in Annex II, followed by Group 7. The mapped areas should meet the needs and requirements of the NRR. The project should consider regional specificities and build on methods developed under the MSFD and BHD, relevant Commission guidance, and the LIFE MAPPER project.

3. Implementing demonstration activities in at least 4 large areas in one of the Mission basin-scale lighthouses, showcasing the scalability and replicability of the tools and methods. These areas should fill gaps in geographical coverage of mapping marine habitats and assessing their condition, considering regional specificities and involving relevant authorities.

4. Developing a blueprint with national authorities and organizations responsible for marine environmental protection in EU marine regions for upscaling and deploying demonstrated approaches. This blueprint should enhance the capacity of Member States and Associated countries to complete mapping and long-term observation systems, ensuring continuous evaluation and adaptation based on high-quality ecological data.

5. Contributing to data collection and sharing through the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) and supporting the Digital Twin Ocean.

Each proposal must address only one basin-scale Mission “lighthouse”:

1. Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin

2. Mediterranean Sea basin

3. Baltic and North Sea basin

4. Danube River basin including the Black Sea

Activities should be tailored to address regional/sea basin specificities. The basin-scale Mission “lighthouses” include the river basins flowing into the respective sea basins.

Projects are expected to:

Build on actionable knowledge, methods, and innovations from national and EU-funded projects.

Link with ongoing work on marine habitat assessments under regional sea conventions.

Utilize EU digital infrastructures like the EU Digital Twin Ocean, Copernicus, and EMODnet.

Demonstrate significant replication potential across the EU by involving relevant authorities and stakeholders, promoting collaborations, and identifying stakeholders for replication.

Pool and enhance synergies with other funding sources (e.g., ERDF, LIFE).

Engage at least 4 ‘associated regions’ to show the effectiveness of solutions, develop a replication plan, and build capacity at the local level.

Establish operational links and cooperate with relevant basin Lighthouse CSAs and the Mission Implementation Platform.

The action supports the follow-up to the July 2023 Communication on EU Missions assessment.

General conditions include:

1. Admissibility Conditions:Proposal page limit 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.

2. Eligible Countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding.

3. Other Eligible Conditions:If projects use satellite data, they must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

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

5a. Evaluation and award:Award criteria, scoring and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Grants will be awarded to ensure a balanced portfolio across the four Mission basins, provided applications meet all thresholds.

€5B. Evaluation and award:Submission and evaluation processes as 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 as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants:Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, up to €100,000 per third party. This support is for local/regional authorities in Member States/Associated Countries, not already involved in the project, to showcase solutions and develop replication plans. Beneficiaries must make in-situ data and marine observations openly available through EMODnet, based on FAIR principles.

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 adaptations (Standard evaluation form HE RIA, IA).

Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.

Model Grant Agreements (MGA) use the HE MGA.

Call-specific instructions and information on financial support to third parties are available.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 12. Missions

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

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 2026 includes:

HORIZON-MISS:€31,000,000 (Innovation Actions), contributions of €7,000,000 to €7,750,000, 4 grants

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02:€31,000,000 (Innovation Actions), contributions of €7,000,000 to €7,750,000, 4 grants

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-03:€31,000,000 (Innovation Actions), contributions of €7,000,000 to €7,750,000, 4 grants

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04:€2,900,000 (Coordination and Support Actions), contributions of €2,500,000 to €2,900,000, 1 grant

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-05:€19,400,000 (Innovation Actions), contributions of €4,000,000 to €4,850,000, 4 grants

The opening date is planned for 04 February 2026, and the deadline is 23 September 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

There are 15 partner search announcements.

Support is available through the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, ETSI Research Helpdesk, and the European Charter for Researchers.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to enhance the mapping and restoration of marine habitats across EU sea basins. It encourages collaboration between public authorities, stakeholders, and associated regions to implement effective and scalable solutions, contributing to the EU's biodiversity strategy and the objectives of the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters. The projects should leverage existing knowledge and technologies, demonstrate their applicability in diverse regional contexts, and ensure data sharing and long-term monitoring. The financial support to third parties allows for the replication of successful approaches in additional regions, further amplifying the impact of the funded projects.

Eligible Applicant Types:The opportunity targets relevant public authorities, stakeholders, national authorities, and organizations responsible for marine environmental protection. The direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders in the consortium is strongly encouraged. Local and/or regional authorities (established as public bodies by public law and governed by public law) are eligible as third parties receiving financial support.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. The primary action type is HORIZON-IA (HORIZON Innovation Actions) and HORIZON-CSA (HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions).

Consortium Requirement:A consortium is required, with strong encouragement for the direct involvement of relevant authorities and stakeholders. The project expects collaboration between relevant authorities and other stakeholders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. Financial Support to Third Parties may only be awarded to local and/or regional authorities located in Member States/Associated Countries. The project should address one of the four Mission basins: Atlantic and Arctic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic and North Sea, or Danube River basin including the Black Sea.

Target Sector:The target sector is environment, specifically marine habitat mapping and restoration. It aligns with the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The project also involves the use of ICT, specifically EU digital infrastructures like the EU Digital Twin Ocean, Copernicus, and EMODnet.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are mentioned, but the opportunity targets EU Member States and Associated Countries within the four Mission basins: Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, Baltic and North Sea basin, and Danube River basin including the Black Sea.

Project Stage:The project stage is demonstration, with an emphasis on testing and demonstrating in situ the best methods and tools for large-scale cost-effective and comprehensive mapping and monitoring of EUNIS marine habitats. It also involves developing a blueprint for upscaling and deployment of demonstrated approaches, suggesting a move towards implementation and wider adoption.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary by topic:

HORIZON-MISS:€7,000,000 to €7,750,000

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02:€7,000,000 to €7,750,000

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-03:€7,000,000 to €7,750,000

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04:€2,500,000 to €2,900,000

HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-05:€4,000,000 to €4,850,000

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 grants. Financial support to third parties is also available, with a maximum of €100,000 per third party.

Application Stages:The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants is provided for each topic, allowing for an estimation based on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement:Co-funding is not explicitly required, but competent authorities and other stakeholders are encouraged to pool and enhance synergies with other sources of national, regional, and European funding (e.g., ERDF, LIFE).

Summary:

This Horizon Europe call (HORIZON-MISS-2026-03) focuses on supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission. The primary goal is to engage and support public authorities in mapping marine habitats to comply with the Nature Restoration Regulation and achieve the Mission's objectives. The call is structured around several topics, each with a specific budget and scope, ranging from innovation actions (HORIZON-IA) to coordination and support actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Eligible applicants include public authorities, stakeholders, and organizations responsible for marine environmental protection within EU Member States and Associated Countries. The call encourages consortia with direct involvement from relevant authorities and stakeholders. Projects must address one of the four designated Mission basins: the Atlantic and Arctic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic and North Sea, or the Danube River basin including the Black Sea.

The projects should leverage existing knowledge, technologies, and tools to map and monitor marine habitats, particularly those listed in Annex II of the Nature Restoration Regulation. Demonstration activities are expected in at least four large areas within the chosen Mission basin, showcasing the scalability and replicability of the methods. Projects should also develop a blueprint for upscaling and deploying the demonstrated approaches, contributing to data collection and sharing through EMODnet and supporting the Digital Twin Ocean initiative.

Financial support is provided through grants, with specific budget allocations for each topic. Furthermore, beneficiaries can provide financial support to third parties, specifically local and regional authorities, up to €100,000 per entity, to promote the replication of project outcomes in associated regions. The application process is single-stage, with a planned opening date of February 4, 2026, and a deadline of September 23, 2026. The call aims to enhance the capacity of Member States to map, monitor, and restore marine habitats, contributing to the broader goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and related environmental directives and regulations.