Open topic: Using the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative to strengthen urban manufacturing in support of the Clean Industrial Deal

The Horizon Europe call titled HORIZON-CL6 is aimed at strengthening urban manufacturing through the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) to support the EU's Clean Industrial Deal. This funding opportunity is set to launch on February 12, 2026, with deadlines for submissions on April 16, 2026, and September 23, 2026. It specifically seeks to fund projects that can implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions that assist urban manufacturers in overcoming barriers related to clean and circular transitions.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as economic operators, local authorities, civil society organizations, research institutions, universities, and NGOs. The initiative encourages multi-stakeholder consortiums, requiring collaboration among public, private, and non-profit sectors.

The primary funding mechanism is a grant under the Horizon Innovation Actions (IA), specifically structured as a Budget-Based Action Grant. The expected funding amounts to €6 million per grant, with a total call budget of €18 million, aimed at supporting three grant recipients. The projects must be at a fit-for-deployment maturity level, focusing on practical applications ready for scaling.

The application process consists of two stages:an initial outline proposal followed by a full proposal for those who succeed in the first stage. Evaluation will focus on excellence and impact, with an expected low success rate of approximately 5-10% based on previous similar calls. Co-funding from participants (about 30%) is common, although it is not explicitly mandated for this call.

The targeted sectors include circular economy, urban manufacturing, clean industry, and resource efficiency. Successful projects are expected to significantly increase resource efficiency among urban manufacturers and contribute to EU goals regarding climate, pollution reduction, and biodiversity.

The initiative aligns with broader EU strategies for enhancing competitiveness and sustainability in urban environments by fostering a circular economy and clean production practices. Beneficiaries will also receive substantial technical support, including expert guidance and access to CCRI networks, further facilitating the effective implementation of their proposed solutions.

This is a Horizon Europe call focusing on strengthening urban manufacturing through the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) in support of the Clean Industrial Deal (CID). The call aims to implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions that help urban manufacturers overcome barriers in their clean and circular transition. It also focuses on adapting to new requirements for mitigating environmental degradation, climate change, and biodiversity loss.

The expected outcomes of the projects are:

Urban manufacturers significantly increase their resource efficiency through increased circular material use or reduced overall material use per output.

Urban manufacturers contribute significantly to EU climate, zero pollution, circularity, and biodiversity goals by engaging in clean, sustainable, and circular business practices.

Improved knowledge sharing and proliferation of digital tools and methods that facilitate the adoption of circular business practices and enable large-scale diffusion.

The scope of the call is aligned with the Clean Industrial Deal, which aims to create lead markets in clean tech and energy-intensive industries, enabling decarbonization and industrial competitiveness in Europe. The call complements the CID flagship call by supporting the clean transition in areas outside the flagship call's focus, leveraging the CCRI network's capacity and expertise.

Urban manufacturing is defined as the production of goods in urban areas, designed considering local culture and characteristics, and intended for distribution to local communities, utilizing local resources.

The call emphasizes the reindustrialization of Europe, particularly in urban centers, to address pollution, social inequality, and non-diversified economic activity. It requires the integration of urban manufacturing within the existing urban environment, involving economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organizations.

A key requirement is the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts to enhance the societal impact of the activities.

Proposals should cooperate with the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and explore linkages with relevant initiatives such as the Regional Innovation Valleys, the New European Bauhaus, and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.

The call aims to contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and sustainable prosperity by supporting a more resilient circular economy, aligning with the EU Competitiveness Compass, the EU Clean Industrial Deal, and the EU Circular Economy Act. It is an open topic, allowing applicants to propose solutions that maximize competitiveness and sustainability through increased circularity, and that are fit for deployment in terms of technological and economic feasibility.

General conditions for participation include:

Admissibility conditions related to 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 as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Other eligible conditions as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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

Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Submission and evaluation processes as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

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 as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

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

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including standard application forms for HE RIA and IA, and HE RIA IA Stage 1.

Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including standard evaluation forms for HE RIA, IA, and CSA Stage 1.

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, and HE Unit MGA.

Additional documents include:

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

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes

EIC Work Programme 2026

ERC Work Programme 2026

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 provides details for several topics under the call, including:

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01-two-stage:HORIZON-RIA, with a budget of €14,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 2 grants around €7,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage:HORIZON-RIA, with a budget of €12,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 4 grants around €3,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage:HORIZON-IA, with a budget of €10,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 2 grants around €5,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04-two-stage:HORIZON-RIA, with a budget of €18,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 3 grants around €6,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage:HORIZON-IA, with a budget of €10,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 2 grants around €5,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6:HORIZON-IA, with a budget of €18,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 3 grants around €6,000,000 each.

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-two-stage:HORIZON-RIA, with a budget of €23,000,000, opening on 2026-02-12, deadlines on 2026-04-16 and 2026-09-23, and an indicative number of 3 grants between €7,000,000 and €8,000,000 each.

Partner search announcements are available for collaboration on this topic. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

This Horizon Europe call is essentially a funding opportunity aimed at revitalizing urban manufacturing in Europe by making it more sustainable and circular. It encourages projects that can demonstrate innovative solutions for clean production, resource efficiency, and circular economy practices within urban environments. The call is structured to align with broader EU goals like the Clean Industrial Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, and it seeks to foster collaboration among various stakeholders, including businesses, local authorities, and research institutions. By supporting these projects, the EU aims to enhance its industrial competitiveness, reduce pollution, and promote a more resilient and sustainable economy in its cities and regions.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types include economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organisations. The call is open to a range of entities that can contribute to the goals of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative and the Clean Industrial Deal. This encompasses businesses of all sizes (startups, SMEs, large enterprises), research institutions, universities, non-profit organizations, and governmental bodies. The explicit mention of economic operators suggests that private sector entities, including startups and SMEs, are particularly encouraged to apply. The inclusion of local authorities indicates that municipalities and regional governments are also eligible. The reference to civil society organizations broadens the scope to include NGOs, community groups, and other non-governmental actors.

Funding Type:The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG]. The calls are HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA).

Consortium Requirement:The opportunity appears to require a consortium of multiple applicants. The text explicitly states that projects should involve economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organizations, implying that a single applicant would not be sufficient to meet the project's requirements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility primarily focuses on the EU. The call aims to contribute to Europe's competitiveness and sustainable prosperity. However, the mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries suggests that some entities from outside the EU may be eligible for funding, provided they meet specific provisions outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Therefore, the geographic eligibility includes EU, and potentially some non-EU/non-Associated Countries.

Target Sector:The program targets several interconnected sectors, including urban manufacturing, circular economy, clean tech, energy-intensive industries (chemicals, cement, steel, and metals), climate action, zero pollution, and biodiversity. The primary focus is on strengthening urban manufacturing through the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) in support of the Clean Industrial Deal. This involves implementing circular systemic solutions, promoting resource efficiency, and adopting clean, sustainable business practices.

Mentioned Countries:No specific countries are explicitly mentioned. However, the focus is on the European Union, and there is a reference to non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may be eligible under specific provisions. Therefore, the relevant region is the EU, with potential eligibility for some non-EU associated countries.

Project Stage:The expected maturity of the project is fit-for-deployment. The call aims to support projects that can implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions, suggesting that the projects should be beyond the initial research phase and ready for practical application. The emphasis on innovation actions (IA) further indicates a focus on projects that are closer to market deployment and have a clear potential for scaling up.

Funding Amount:The funding range varies depending on the specific topic within the call. The budget overview provides the following indicative amounts:

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01-two-stage:around €7,000,000

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage:around €3,000,000

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03-two-stage:around €5,000,000

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04-two-stage:around €6,000,000

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01-two-stage:around €5,000,000

HORIZON-CL6:around €6,000,000

HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-two-stage:€7,000,000 to €8,000,000

Application Type:The application type is an open call with a two-stage submission process. This means that applicants must first submit a short proposal, and if successful, they will be invited to submit a full proposal in the second stage.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant. The grant is intended to support the implementation and demonstration of circular systemic solutions in urban manufacturing.

Application Stages:The application process consists of two stages. Applicants must first submit a short proposal for initial evaluation. If the short proposal is successful, applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal for a more detailed assessment.

Success Rates:The success rates are not explicitly mentioned. However, the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate. For example, the HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01-two-stage topic indicates that around 2 grants will be awarded, while HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02-two-stage indicates around 4 grants. Given the competitive nature of Horizon Europe calls, the success rates are likely to be in the 10 to 39% range, or possibly lower.

Co-funding Requirement:The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. As a standard practice for Horizon Europe grants, co-funding is usually not mandatory but is often viewed favorably during the evaluation process, as it demonstrates the applicant's commitment to the project.

Summary:This Horizon Europe call focuses on strengthening urban manufacturing through the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) in support of the Clean Industrial Deal. The call aims to fund projects that implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions in urban areas, promoting resource efficiency, clean business practices, and the adoption of digital tools. The call is structured as a two-stage open call, with a planned opening date of 12 February 2026 and deadlines on 16 April 2026 and 23 September 2026. The funding is provided through HORIZON Innovation Actions (IA) and HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), with grant amounts ranging from approximately €3 million to €8 million, depending on the specific topic. Eligible applicants include economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organizations from the EU and potentially some associated countries. The call targets sectors such as urban manufacturing, circular economy, clean tech, and energy-intensive industries, with a focus on achieving climate, zero pollution, and biodiversity goals. The projects should be at a fit-for-deployment stage, ready for practical application and scaling up.