Living Labs for the eradication and/or management of invasive alien species

The HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-BIODIV-04 funding opportunity, part of the Horizon Europe initiative, aims to establish living labs focused on the management and eradication of invasive alien species. The total budget for this call is €24 million, with three expected grants of €8 million each. This is a single-stage application process, opening on April 20, 2027, and closing on September 22, 2027.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, non-profits, NGOs, public organizations, and SMEs, emphasizing a collaborative consortium approach that requires involvement from at least three different EU Member States or Associated Countries. Each proposal must establish at least three living labs with 10 to 20 experimental sites, fostering transdisciplinary research that combines detection, monitoring, management strategies, and socio-economic assessments.

The project focuses on addressing invasive alien species as a significant threat to biodiversity, aligning with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Successful projects should engage local communities and utilize citizen science, advanced monitoring technologies, and collaborative governance methods to develop effective management solutions.

Financial support to third parties is permitted, allowing up to 30% of EU funding for small actors involved in the projects, with a maximum of €60,000 allocated to each entity. The call emphasizes the importance of FAIR data practices, integration with EU research infrastructures, and compliance with relevant environmental regulations.

Overall, this funding opportunity presents a significant avenue for research and innovation actions aimed at improving biodiversity resilience through enhanced stakeholder collaboration and innovative management practices.

This is a Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call, specifically Call 01 single stage (2027) (HORIZON-CL6-2027-01). The topic is titled "Living Labs for the eradication and/or management of invasive alien species" and falls under the HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) funding scheme with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement. The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 20 April 2027, and the deadline for submission is 22 September 2027 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects are to enhance the capacities and integrated governance of stakeholders to prevent, eradicate, or manage invasive alien species (IAS), and to better protect native ecosystems, leading to improved resilience and continuous provision of ecosystem services.

The scope of the call addresses the issue of invasive alien species as a major driver of biodiversity loss, inflicting damage to nature, the economy, and human and wildlife health. The call aims to support the prevention, eradication, and management of IAS by stakeholders, using adaptive management approaches. It is related to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Proposals should support the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, the EU regulation on IAS, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, while also addressing knowledge gaps identified by the IPBES assessment on IAS. All ecosystem types (terrestrial, fresh, and marine waters) are within the scope.

Successful proposals should establish at least three living labs, each with 10 to 20 experimental sites, adhering to the principles of co-creation with stakeholders, real-life settings, and end-user involvement. Transboundary living labs located in at least three different EU Member States and/or Associated Countries are encouraged. A detailed work plan is required, ensuring transdisciplinary co-design, co-development, and co-implementation of locally adapted innovative solutions.

The research and innovation activities within the living labs should focus on:

1. Building on or developing new methods for detecting and monitoring IAS, such as citizen science, eDNA, remote sensing, and machine learning algorithms, tested at scale.
2. Designing and testing innovative eradication and management strategies, including physical removal, biological control, chemical control, and bio-engineering.
3. Monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of innovative strategies, methods, and tools, including measures to prevent re-invasion.
4. Disseminating newly developed solutions to practitioners.
5. Providing data and experience for decision-makers to assess socio-economic impacts, side-effects of management, costs of inaction, and benefits of eradication or effective management, with contributions from social sciences and humanities.
6. Addressing challenges related to scaling up and transferability of solutions, integrating a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach.

The call emphasizes the importance of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines to enhance the societal impact of research activities. Data produced should be FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable), with consideration given to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). A citizen science approach is encouraged for data collection and analysis.

Financial support to third parties (FSTP) is allowed, with a maximum of 30% of the EU funding allocated for the active involvement of small actors (e.g., land managers, SMEs, or civil society) through calls. The maximum amount granted to each third party is EUR 60,000.

Proposals should cooperate with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and use the resources of the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN). Cooperation with initiatives of the European partnership Biodiversa+ and the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) is also required.

Applicants are encouraged to consider data, expertise, and services offered by European research infrastructures and related projects in the environment domain. International cooperation is also encouraged.

The general conditions for this call include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries, and other eligibility criteria. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are also specified. Evaluation and award processes, submission guidelines, and indicative timelines for evaluation and grant agreements are detailed in the annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme and the Online Manual. Legal and financial aspects of the grants are also outlined, including the possibility of financial support to third parties.

Application forms, evaluation templates, model grant agreements, and guidance documents are available in the Submission System and through links provided in the call documentation. Additional documents include the Horizon Europe Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Horizon Europe Framework Programme, the EU Financial Regulation, and rules for legal entity validation and financial capacity assessment.

The budget overview for the call in 2027 includes several topics related to biodiversity (BIODIV), circular bioeconomy (CIRCBIO), and zero pollution (ZEROPOLLUTION). Each topic specifies the type of action (RIA, IA, or CSA), the budget in EUR, the stage (single-stage), the opening and deadline dates, the contribution amount, and the indicative number of grants.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants on the Funding & Tenders Portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated in the topic header.

Applicants are advised to carefully read all provisions before preparing their application and to consult the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, and the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ for guidance. Support is available through the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, the IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call focuses on funding research and innovation actions related to the prevention, eradication, and management of invasive alien species through the establishment of living labs. It encourages collaboration among researchers, decision-makers, practitioners, and local communities to develop and implement innovative solutions for protecting native ecosystems and promoting biodiversity. The call emphasizes the importance of transdisciplinary approaches, citizen science, FAIR data practices, and international cooperation. The total budget for the call is substantial, with numerous topics and funding opportunities available for eligible organizations and consortia.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the description, the opportunity is open to a range of stakeholders including researchers, decision-makers, practitioners, local communities, land managers, SMEs, and civil society organizations. The involvement of these diverse actors suggests a broad eligibility.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program. Beneficiaries may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants. Successful proposals should set up at least three living labs, and these living labs are expected to be located in at least three different EU Member States and/or Associated Countries.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. 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.

Target Sector: The program targets the environment and biodiversity sectors, with a focus on the prevention, eradication, and management of invasive alien species. It also involves elements of green transition, social sciences and humanities (SSH), and citizen science.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries as locations for the living labs. It also refers to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may have specific provisions for funding.

Project Stage: The project stage targets research, innovation, and implementation, specifically focusing on setting up living labs to test and scale innovative solutions. This suggests a focus on development, validation, and demonstration stages, with potential for scale-up.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 24,000,000. The indicative number of grants for each topic also varies. For example, HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-BIODIV-04 has a budget of EUR 24,000,000 and an indicative number of 3 grants, suggesting an average grant size of around EUR 8,000,000.

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. Additionally, the opportunity facilitates non-monetary services through access to European research infrastructures, networks like EASIN, and partnerships like Biodiversa+.

Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For instance, a topic with a budget of EUR 10,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggests a more competitive environment than a topic with EUR 7,000,000 and an indicative number of 1 grant.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on establishing living labs to address the critical issue of invasive alien species and their impact on biodiversity. The call, titled "Living Labs for the eradication and/or management of invasive alien species," aims to enhance the capacities of various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, local communities, and SMEs, to collaborate effectively in preventing, eradicating, or managing these species. The projects should contribute to protecting native ecosystems and improving their resilience, thereby ensuring the continuous provision of ecosystem services.

The scope of the call is broad, encouraging proposals that support the implementation of EU regulations and address knowledge gaps identified by the IPBES assessment. Successful proposals are expected to set up at least three living labs, each comprising 10 to 20 experimental sites across at least three different EU Member States and/or Associated Countries. These living labs should follow the principles of co-creation, real-life settings, and end-user involvement.

The call encourages transdisciplinary research and innovation, focusing on building upon existing methods or developing new ones for detecting and monitoring invasive alien species. This includes the use of citizen science, eDNA, remote sensing, and machine learning algorithms. Projects should also design and test innovative eradication and management strategies, considering climate change impacts and utilizing tools such as bio-engineering.

Furthermore, the call emphasizes the importance of data dissemination, providing usable data for decision-makers, and addressing the socio-economic impacts of invasive alien species. It also highlights the need for a gender-sensitive and inclusive approach, considering how these species affect individuals’ livelihoods differently.

Financial support to third parties is permitted, with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per third party, and up to 30% of the EU funding can be allocated for this purpose. Cooperation with the Joint Research Centre, the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN), and other relevant initiatives is strongly encouraged.

In essence, this call seeks to fund collaborative, transdisciplinary projects that establish and utilize living labs to develop, test, and implement innovative solutions for preventing, eradicating, and managing invasive alien species, thereby contributing to the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services across Europe.