Pushing the frontier of knowledge and conservation action for deep sea ecosystems

The Horizon-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03 grant opportunity, titled "Pushing the frontier of knowledge and conservation action for deep sea ecosystems," is set to open on April 17, 2026, with a deadline of September 17, 2026. This initiative belongs to the Horizon Europe program, aiming to provide €18 million in total funding, divided into two grants of €9 million each. It is focused on research and innovation actions related to deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and the integration of international guidelines like the Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Eligible applicants include research organizations, universities, research institutes, and public-private partnerships meeting Horizon Europe's criteria. Applications from international organizations are also invited. The project must involve a consortium of multiple organizations, and international cooperation is strongly encouraged. The geographic eligibility extends to EU member states, EEA countries, and associated countries, with provisions for eligible non-EU and non-associated countries.

Projects are intended to fill significant gaps in knowledge regarding deep-sea biodiversity, focusing on habitat mapping, monitoring, and ecosystem functioning through advanced technologies. The expected project maturity ranges from research and development to demonstration of actionable solutions to inform policy and management practices.

The application process will utilize a single-stage submission method, with comprehensive proposals due by the stated deadline. While co-funding is not explicitly required, leveraging additional resources from national bodies or industry partners is encouraged to enhance project impact. The funding decisions will be based on a comprehensive evaluation against multiple criteria, and although success rates are not specified, the competitive nature of such high-value initiatives suggests a low probability of funding for applications.

Overall, this call represents a significant commitment to advancing deep-sea research and conservation, aligning with broader EU biodiversity strategies and fostering international scientific collaboration aimed at ocean health and sustainability.

This is a summary of multiple Horizon Europe calls for proposals under the CL6 cluster, specifically targeting Biodiversity, Circular Bioeconomy, and Zero Pollution. These are single-stage calls with a planned opening date of April 17, 2026, and a deadline of September 17, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The calls are for HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions), and HORIZON-CSA (Coordination and Support Actions).

The HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03 call, titled "Pushing the frontier of knowledge and conservation action for deep sea ecosystems," aims to contribute to the implementation of area-based management tools for deep-sea regions, aligning with the Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). It also seeks to prioritize deep-sea areas for inclusion in protection targets and enhance maritime spatial planning. The scope includes addressing the lack of biodiversity knowledge and monitoring in deep-sea ecosystems, particularly below 1000m, by filling gaps in habitat mapping, species inventory, and ecological functioning. Proposals should develop and deploy imaging, acoustic, multi-omics, genomics, and taxonomic technologies for species identification and monitoring. They should also contribute to the Global Taxonomy Initiative and establish baselines for assessing the impacts of climate change and other stressors.

General conditions for all calls include admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, eligible countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, and other eligible conditions such as the eligibility of all international organizations for funding. Projects using satellite-based earth observation data must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are detailed in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes. Evaluation and award criteria, submission and evaluation processes, and the indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreements are described in Annexes D, F, and F respectively. The legal and financial setup of the grants is described in Annex G.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme. Application forms, evaluation forms, and model grant agreements are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and various guidelines and rules related to legal entity validation, financial capacity assessment, and grant agreements.

The budget overview lists several topics under the HORIZON-CL6-2026-01 call, including BIODIV, CIRCBIO, and ZEROPOLLUTION, with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants. For example, HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03 has a budget of 18,000,000 EUR and an indicative number of 2 grants. The opening date for all listed topics is April 17, 2026, and the deadline is September 17, 2026.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

Support resources include the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), the Enterprise Europe Network, the IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, and the CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks.

In summary, this opportunity is a set of calls under Horizon Europe's CL6 cluster, focusing on advancing research and innovation in biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, and zero pollution. The calls aim to address critical environmental challenges and support the implementation of EU policies and international agreements. Applicants are encouraged to form international collaborations and leverage available resources for proposal preparation and submission. The deep sea biodiversity call specifically targets improved understanding and conservation of deep-sea ecosystems, utilizing advanced technologies and methodologies.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types for this opportunity include, but are not limited to, Member States, Associated Countries, international organizations, public authorities, research organizations, SMEs and other stakeholders. The mention of "all international organisations are exceptionally eligible for funding" suggests a broad range of potential applicants. The Enterprise Europe Network is mentioned, indicating SMEs are also a target applicant.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is a grant, specifically through HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe program.

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the encouragement of international cooperation and the nature of Research and Innovation Actions suggest that consortia are likely to be favored, if not required. The partner search announcements further imply that the opportunity is designed for consortia.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States and Associated Countries. The text also mentions that non-EU/non-Associated Countries may have specific provisions for funding their participants, referencing the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for more details.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: biodiversity, marine/maritime, climate, environment, research, innovation, functional ecology, observation, mapping, monitoring, modelling, life sciences, and policy. Specifically, it focuses on deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and the reduction of anthropogenic stressors.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity explicitly mentions EU Member States and Associated Countries. It also refers to non-EU and non-associated countries, indicating a broader international scope.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project for this opportunity ranges from research to innovation actions. The HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions) suggests projects in the research, development, and validation stages, while HORIZON-IA (Innovation Actions) indicates projects in the demonstration, and potentially commercialization or scale-up stages.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic. The budget overview provides the following ranges:
HORIZON-RIA:
Under €50k: None specified
€50k–€200k: None specified
€200k–€1M: None specified
€1M–€5M: €3M, €4M, €5M, €6M, €6.5M, €9M, €10M
Over €5M: €13M, €18M
HORIZON-IA:
€5M–€6M: €5M to €6M, €5M to €6M
HORIZON-CSA:
Under €50k: None specified
€50k–€200k: None specified
€200k–€1M: €3M

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 to support their research and innovation activities.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For example, topics with a budget of €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggest a higher success rate than topics with the same budget but only 1 grant.

Co-funding Requirement: The information provided does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required. As a standard practice for Horizon Europe grants, co-funding might be expected, but this would be detailed in the specific call documents and the Model Grant Agreement.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program, specifically targeting research and innovation actions related to deep-sea ecosystems, biodiversity, and the reduction of anthropogenic stressors. The call aims to fill critical knowledge gaps, promote the implementation of protection and restoration measures, and support the EU's biodiversity strategy for 2030. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations from EU Member States, Associated Countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries, with international cooperation strongly encouraged. The funding is provided through grants, with varying amounts depending on the specific topic and type of action (Research and Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions, or Coordination and Support Actions). The application process is a single-stage submission, and while co-funding requirements are not explicitly stated, applicants should consult the specific call documents for more details. The projects should contribute to the implementation of area-based management tools, prioritize deep sea areas for inclusion in protection targets, and enhance maritime spatial planning. The call encourages the use of advanced technologies and methodologies for species identification, habitat mapping, and ecosystem monitoring, as well as the establishment of baselines and the assessment of cumulative impacts from climate change and other stressors.