Restoring Ocean and Waters on Islands

The EU funding opportunity HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-06 is part of the Horizon Europe program aimed at restoring ocean and water ecosystems on islands through innovative projects. The eligible applicants include public authorities, research organizations, non-governmental organizations, small and medium-sized enterprises, and consortia that involve relevant stakeholders. The focus is on collaboration, especially with island managing authorities as full partners.

The funding type is a grant under the Horizon Innovation Action framework, providing financial support up to 70% of project costs. Proposals are encouraged to involve consortia that include partners from EU or associated countries, particularly targeting geographic areas defined as islands within the EU.

The project targets sectors such as environment, marine ecology, climate resilience, and the blue economy, aligning with the mission to restore oceans and waters by 2030. Although specific countries are not mentioned, the funding eligibility spans EU member states and associated countries, emphasizing islands in regions like the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Baltic, and North Sea.

The expected project stage focuses on development to demonstration, with a budget ranging between €1 million and €5 million per project. The overall budget for this topic is €13.5 million, with an indicative number of grants being one, potentially covering the full amount. The application process is a single-stage open call, which opened on May 7, 2025, and closes on September 24, 2025, requiring co-funding of 30% from applicants.

The projects should aim to demonstrate effective solutions for marine and freshwater ecosystem restoration, pollution prevention, and promoting sustainable practices while ensuring community involvement and addressing climate vulnerabilities. Collaboration with other funding sources is encouraged to enhance synergies and long-term sustainability beyond the project duration.

In summary, this Horizon Europe grant aims to support innovative projects for restoring ecosystems, encouraging collaborations, and enhancing resilience in island communities, with a significant budget and emphasis on effective and demonstrative actions.

The EU Funding Opportunity is HORIZON-MISS-2025-03-OCEAN-06, part of the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) call supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission (HORIZON-MISS-2025-03). It is a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) with a HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

The call is currently open for submission with a single-stage deadline model. The opening date was 07 May 2025, and the deadline for submission is 24 September 2025 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The budget for this specific topic is 13,500,000 EUR for the year 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 13,500,000 EUR per grant.

The goal of this topic is to work with public authorities to accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions to achieve Mission objectives and targets on islands, including small ones.

The project should test and demonstrate effective solutions to achieve the Mission’s specific objectives and targets on islands. The project should thus test and demonstrate solutions contribute to: protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and Nature Restoration Regulation, and/or preventing and eliminating pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil and/or making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the European Climate Law and the holistic vision enshrined in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy.

Demonstration activities are expected to take place on at least [6] islands with at least [2] in each of the following basin lighthouses: 1. Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, 2. Mediterranean Sea basin, 3. Baltic and North Sea basin, with strong and meaningful involvement of relevant public authorities.

Projects under this topic would be place-based and people-centred, with their activities implementing a systemic transition across all Mission objectives and enablers, in all lighthouses. Special emphasis should be placed on nature-based solutions, land-sea interactions, and transboundary actions. The projects should support the blue economy by integrating sustainable and environmentally friendly methods that are both ecologically and economically beneficial. They will also address resilience of island communities to climate related extreme events and sea-level rise.

The project should support islands (and are encouraged to work with islands that have small but growing populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on external resources, and fragile environments, so that the projects help addressing their vulnerability to environmental changes, economic size, and isolation challenges. Furthermore, small islands and their communities offer the opportunity to function as models and living labs for piloting the needed transitions in a reasonably small-scale context. Following and expanding the example of the EU green energy pilot islands[4] , the project should help small islands to implement the ecological, socio-economic and circular transitions needed to ensure their ecosystems restoration, energy- and water-security, a sustainable and circular blue economy, and climate resilience, along the Mission objectives.

The project should: Assess the economic, social and ecological impacts as well as the societal acceptance of the proposed measures to achieve the Mission objectives and targets on islands; Identify, test and adapt innovative solutions to restore islands by addressing one or several of the specific Mission objectives and targets; Develop new innovative funding approaches to implement innovative solutions for the restoration of the ocean and waters on islands, which are all operating in different jurisdictions and governance contexts; Encourage citizen and stakeholders involvement and uptake through active participation in the restoration initiatives of islands (e.g. through living labs), and through the follow-up of the restoration process with citizen science initiatives; Monitor the effectiveness of the proposed solutions in relation to the Mission objectives and targets; Facilitate synergies with other R&I-relevant EU, national or regional programmes and leverage of funds through interactions with regional/local authorities and the private sector where relevant.

Under the Mission approach, collaborations to demonstrate, test and deploy innovative solutions between islands facing similar challenges are highly encouraged and considered as a means to secure greater impact. To facilitate replication of the solutions, proposals should already identify other suitable islands, where the solutions and approaches could be replicated. Projects should also systematically assess the potential barriers to their implementation and how these can be overcome. This would help enhancing the transferability of the knowledge and experiences to other islands and beyond.

For the successful implementation of the solutions and to ensure their sustainability beyond the duration of the project, the testing and demonstration of the proposed solutions should support the River Basin Management Plans under the Water Framework Directive, the Programme of Measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, future national Nature Restoration Plans under the Nature Restoration Regulation, as well as, wherever already in place, existing mechanisms such as coastal restoration contracts[5], river contracts[6] or Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), etc. Proposed solutions should be based on good knowledge about coastal and riparian ecosystems to be restored. If necessary, projects may include mapping and assessment of condition of related habitats and species.

Island authorities participating to the project are encouraged to pool and enhance synergies[7] with other sources of funding (e.g. structural, cohesion funds such as ERDF, or LIFE) for implementing and deploying innovative solutions through e.g., the conclusion of a Cooperation Working Arrangement[8]. This will support a common approach towards island restoration, sustain the implementation of solutions, transfer of knowledge and innovative solutions, and identify opportunities to scale up the solutions demonstrated and to foster their broad deployment across Europe.

The project should build (when relevant) on previously developed or existing solutions by other projects, addressing island restoration and funded by EU and national programmes, in particular the European Union Framework programmes for Research and Innovation (such as Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe under their different pillars and clusters), as well as EMFAF, INTERREG and LIFE programmes. Proposals should also establish links with “HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-01: Community-led actions to restore our ocean, seas and waters” and “HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-02-02: Support for the Coalition of waterfront cities, regions and islands for Mission Ocean and Waters”, and are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by European research infrastructures[9].

To foster synergies between R&I funding instruments (European, national and regional), align R&I investments, ensure access to excellence and translate research results for the benefit of the society and the economy, applicants should consider and actively seek complementarities with, and where appropriate possibilities for further funding from other R&I-relevant EU, national or regional programmes for a sustainable blue economy, notably EMFF/EMFAF, LIFE, ERDF, ESF+, JTF, CEF Inland Waterways or Maritime and InvestEU, as well as private funds or financial instruments.

Proposals should include a mechanism and the resources to establish operational links and collaboration with the Lighthouse CSAs and the Mission Implementation Platform, notably to contribute to tracking progress towards the objectives of the Mission.

Cooperation with the EU Outermost Regions[10] is encouraged, given these regions’ natural assets.

In the context of this topic, islands are defined as territories within the European Union and Associated Countries surrounded by water. Regional or local authorities managing islands. See section 1.2. of the Mission Ocean and Waters Implementation Plan: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-09/ocean_and_waters_implementation_plan_for_publication.pdf. The Journey Begins 30 Renewable Islands for 2030 - Ready, Set, 30! | Clean energy for EU islands (europa.eu). Cf HE2020 RESTCOAST project. Cf example http://environnement.wallonie.be/contrat%5Friviere/. C(2022) 4747 final. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/eu-mission-ocean-and-waters-signs-first-cooperation-working-arrangement-eu-region-2024-12-17_en. The catalogue of European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) research infrastructures portfolio can be browsed from ESFRI website https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/policy/themes/outermost-regions_en

The expected outcomes of this funding opportunity are: Measurable, quantifiable, verifiable and ambitious progress towards reaching one or several interlinked objectives and targets of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, as set out in the Mission Implementation Plan through implementation of effective and well-managed place-based and people-centred actions. Involvement and increased readiness of islands in testing, deploying and upscaling systemic innovative solutions for restoring islands, including by strengthening synergies with their own programmes and resources. Increased number of islands taking concrete measures to protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, prevent and eliminate pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, and make the blue economy carbon-neutral and circular. Increased resilience of island communities to extreme climate events and sea-level rise. Public and private investment is encouraged and leveraged on islands to protect, conserve and restore degraded ecosystems.

The 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 available in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Other eligible conditions are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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. 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.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information is available, with application form templates specific to this call available in the Submission System. Standard application forms are available for HE RIA, IA, HE RIA IA Stage 1, HE CSA, HE CSA Stage 1, HE RI, HE PCP, HE PPI, and HE COFUND. Evaluation form templates will be used with the necessary adaptations, including standard evaluation forms for HE RIA, IA, HE CSA, HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1, HE PCP PPI, and HE COFUND. Additional resources include the HE Programme Guide, HE MGA, HE Unit MGA, Lump Sum MGA, Operating Grants MGA, Framework Partnership Agreement FPA, call-specific instructions, detailed budget table (HE LS), information on financial support to third parties (HE), information on clinical studies (HE), and guidance on "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents include: HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 1. General Introduction, HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 12. Missions, HE Main Work Programme 2023–2025 – 13. 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.

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To access the Electronic Submission Service, click on the submission button next to the type of action and the type of model grant agreement that corresponds to your proposal. Confirm your choice, as it cannot be changed in the submission system. Upon confirmation, you will be linked to the correct entry point. To access existing draft proposals for this topic, log in to the Funding & Tenders Portal and select the My Proposals page of the My Area section.

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In summary, this Horizon Europe funding opportunity aims to support islands and their managing authorities in implementing innovative solutions to restore oceans and waters. The projects should demonstrate effective solutions for protecting and restoring ecosystems, preventing pollution, and promoting a sustainable blue economy. The call encourages collaboration, citizen involvement, and synergies with other funding programs. The total budget for this specific topic is 13,500,000 EUR, with an indicative grant of around 13,500,000 EUR. The submission deadline is September 24, 2025. It is designed to foster sustainable development and resilience in island communities by addressing environmental challenges and promoting a circular, carbon-neutral blue economy.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include islands and their managing public authorities. The participation of relevant island managing authorities as full partners of the consortium is strongly encouraged. The call is targeted towards public authorities, research organizations, enterprises, and other stakeholders capable of implementing innovative solutions for ocean and water restoration on islands. The definition of islands includes territories within the European Union and Associated Countries surrounded by water.

Funding Type: The funding types include HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA), HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA), and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA). These funding mechanisms are part of the Horizon Europe program. The specific type of MGA (Model Grant Agreement) is HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based [HORIZON-AG] for Innovation Actions.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity strongly encourages a consortium approach, especially with the participation of island managing authorities as full partners. Collaboration between islands facing similar challenges is highly encouraged.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes islands defined as territories within the European Union and Associated Countries surrounded by water. Cooperation with the EU Outermost Regions is also encouraged. 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 following sectors: environment, climate, energy, blue economy, marine and freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity, pollution prevention, circular economy, and resilience to climate change. It focuses on the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is focused on islands within the European Union and Associated Countries. The Atlantic and Arctic Sea basin, Mediterranean Sea basin, and Baltic and North Sea basin are mentioned as specific geographic areas for demonstration activities. EU Outermost Regions are also mentioned.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is demonstration. The projects should test and demonstrate effective solutions to achieve the Mission’s specific objectives and targets on islands. The projects should also build on previously developed or existing solutions.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the type of action:
HORIZON-RIA: EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000
HORIZON-IA: EUR 4,500,000 to EUR 5,825,000 (with some actions around EUR 6,000,000, EUR 13,500,000, or EUR 15,000,000)
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 3,000,000 to EUR 3,550,000

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call. The submission session is now available as of 16 May 2025.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of grants to support their projects.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation of the competition level.

Co-funding Requirement: The opportunity encourages synergies with other sources of funding (e.g., structural, cohesion funds such as ERDF, or LIFE), suggesting that co-funding or leveraging of additional funds is beneficial but not explicitly required.

This Horizon Europe call, supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission, focuses on engaging and supporting islands and their managing public authorities in demonstrating and accelerating transitions towards achieving the Mission's objectives. The call aims to fund projects that test and demonstrate effective solutions for protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems, preventing pollution, promoting a sustainable blue economy, and increasing resilience to climate change on islands within the EU and Associated Countries. The projects should be place-based and people-centered, implementing systemic transitions across all Mission objectives. The call encourages collaboration between islands, involvement of citizens and stakeholders, and synergies with other funding programs. The funding mechanisms include Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), with varying budget ranges and expected outcomes. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of 24 September 2025. The call seeks to leverage public and private investment on islands to protect, conserve, and restore degraded ecosystems, fostering a common approach towards island restoration and the broad deployment of innovative solutions across Europe.