SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care

This CBE JU 2026 IA-Flagship call HORIZON-JU offers an indicative €20 million to demonstrate industrial-scale Safe and Sustainable by Design bio-based solutions for home and personal care products. The single-stage call opens 23 April 2026 and closes 22 September 2026 at 17:00 CET with submissions through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must demonstrate production at TRL 8 and application at TRL 7 or above, apply the EU SSbD framework, validate safety and biodegradability where relevant, and test avoidance of pollutant release including microplastics. Eligible consortia must follow Horizon Europe rules, typically include transnational partners across industry and research, and provide the mandatory business plan annex for IA-Flagship proposals.

What it funds

Scope and required outcomes

Innovation Action (IA Flagship) to demonstrate at industrial scale (TRL 8) safe and sustainable by design bio-based chemicals/ingredients and biotechnologies for home and personal care products (including cosmetics). Projects should also demonstrate application in market-relevant formulations (TRL >=7), assess technical performance and safety, validate biodegradability where relevant, avoid release/accumulation of harmful substances (including microplastics), apply the EU SSbD framework and engage end-users/brand owners early on.

Eligible applicants:Consortia of industry (including brand owners and SMEs), research organisations, technology providers and other stakeholders from countries eligible under Horizon Europe (EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries; participation rules apply) ¹.

1. 1Type of action: HORIZON-JU-IA (Innovation Action — Flagship).
2. 2TRL requirements: production at TRL 8; formulation/application at TRL >=7; optional industrial use case validation at TRL 6.
3. 3Mandatory elements: SSbD assessment, safety/regulatory gap analysis, multi-actor engagement, linkage to past/ongoing R&I.

Budget, timing and application

Indicative topic contribution:around €20,000,000. Overall CBE JU 2026 call budget: €170,760,699 across multiple topics. Single-stage submission. Deadline: 22 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Opening date: 23 April 2026.

Apply via the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page:Topic page. Read the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026 for topic-specific conditions and Annexes referenced in the call ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Eligible countries, detailed conditions, evaluation rules and model grant agreements are described in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026 available at CBE JU reference documents.

Call identity, deadlines and administrative summary

Call title:HORIZON-JU-CBE-2026. Topic identifier: HORIZON-JU. Type of action: HORIZON JU Innovation Actions (IA), Flagship. Type of grant agreement: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based (HORIZON-AG). Opening date: 23 April 2026. Deadline: 22 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage submission). Submission route: EU Funding & Tenders Portal – electronic submission via the Submission System.

Indicative budget and funding scale:CBE JU total 2026 call budget for the package of topics: €170,760,699. The specific flagship topic SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care is indicated with an approximate contribution of around €20,000,000 (flagship IA indicative contribution). Individual project contributions for IAs in the 2026 call generally range from ~€7 million to ~€20 million depending on the topic; the flagship topics are at the upper end of that range.

Objective, expected outcomes and scope

Objective:Demonstrate at industrial scale safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) bio-based chemical solution(s) for the home and personal care sector (including FMCG and cosmetics) and validate their application in market-relevant end-products, ensuring regulatory compliance, technical performance and market acceptance.

Expected outcomes:1) Full industrial-scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) producing SSbD bio-based solutions for home/personal care with significantly improved sustainability; 2) Wider availability of bio-based home/personal care products meeting regulatory and technical performance requirements; 3) Increased consumer/end-user acceptance facilitating market uptake; 4) Contribution to EU strategic autonomy and reduced dependence on fossil feedstocks and imports of biomass; 5) Avoidance of pollutant release and accumulation (including microplastics) and validated biodegradability where applicable.

Scope highlights:Projects must demonstrate production at TRL 8 of SSbD bio-based solutions (chemicals/biotechnology-derived ingredients and materials entering product formulations such as granulates, powders, microbeads, micro/nano cellulose). They must demonstrate application at TRL 7 or above in market-relevant end-products (including testing technical performance, stability, shelf life and efficacy). Industrial process use-cases outside consumer products may be validated at TRL 6. Packaging, wipes and nonwovens are out of scope. Proposals must test avoidance of release/accumulation of pollutants, and where biodegradability is targeted, validate against EU/international standards appropriate to the substance and application.

Requirements that applicants must address in proposals

1. 1Demonstrate production at TRL 8 of SSbD bio-based solution(s) as alternatives to conventional chemicals/ingredients used in home and/or personal care formulations.
2. 2Demonstrate integration and application at TRL 7+ into market-relevant end-products and assess technical performance and final properties against market requirements.
3. 3Demonstrate avoidance of pollutant release and accumulation (explicit testing for microplastics and other harmful substances).
4. 4Validate biodegradability according to applicable EU/international standards when biodegradable solutions are targeted.
5. 5Apply the SSbD framework developed by the European Commission for the assessment of the targeted chemicals/solutions and derived bio-based products; include an explicit task in the proposal to apply SSbD criteria.
6. 6Adopt a multi-actor approach (MAA): involve end-users (brand owners) and consumers from early stages to assess market acceptance and incorporate insights into development.
7. 7Assess safety of targeted bio-based solutions and end-products using standards and protocols in line with EU regulatory requirements for the selected application sector(s).
8. 8Include a task to identify possible regulatory gaps and provide recommendations to overcome potential bottlenecks.
9. 9Ensure complementarities with past and ongoing R&I projects (Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe, BBI JU/CBE JU) and explain synergies/avoid duplication.

Eligible applicants and partner composition

Eligible applicant types:The call follows Horizon Europe rules; eligible participants include SMEs, startups, large enterprises, universities, research organisations and institutes, public research bodies, non-profit organisations, NGOs, and public entities. Industry actors (brand owners, FMCG and cosmetics manufacturers), technology providers (biotech and chemical companies), and organisations capable of industrial-scale deployment (biorefineries/operators) are particularly relevant for this topic. Participation by consumer organisations and testing laboratories is relevant for performance and acceptance evaluation.

Consortium requirement:Consortium. Innovation Actions under Horizon Europe normally require transnational consortia that demonstrate the capacity to deliver industrial-scale demonstrations and commercialization pathways. For IAs the general Horizon rule is that proposals should involve multiple independent legal entities established in different eligible countries; for Innovation Actions (and particularly IA-Flagship) sizeable multi-partner consortia are expected covering feedstock sourcing, conversion/biorefinery, formulation/manufacturing, regulatory/safety assessment, market/brand partners and end-user testing. Exact minimum consortium composition and eligible country lists are described in Annex B and the Work Programme General Annexes.

Geographic eligibility (beneficiary scope):Applicants must come from countries eligible under Horizon Europe (EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries). Some non-associated third countries may have specific arrangements; check Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for country eligibility rules.

Technical and thematic focus (target sectors and technologies)

Target sectors:Home and personal care (including cosmetics and FMCG), bio-based chemicals and materials, industrial biorefineries, biotechnology, green chemistry, and related value chains. Cross-cutting sectors: environmental monitoring (water quality, microplastics), regulatory science, life cycle assessment, and consumer science/marketing for uptake.

Technologies and product types in scope (examples explicitly mentioned in topic):solvents, surfactants, preservatives, antimicrobial and antifungal agents, disinfectants, film-forming agents, emulsifiers, emollients, exfoliants and abrasives, stabilisers, polymers and thickeners, conditioning agents, active ingredients, granulates, powders, microbeads, micro/nano cellulose and other functional compounds derived from bio-based routes.

Project maturity and TRL expectations

Expected project stage:Demonstration/industrial scale. Proposals must demonstrate production at TRL 8 of the SSbD bio-based solution(s) and application at TRL 7+ in final formulations. If the solution is also intended for industrial production processes, an industrial use-case can be validated at TRL 6.

Funding modality, co-funding and nature of support

Funding type:Grant (Horizon Europe grant awarded under the CBE JU call). Nature of support: monetary support covering eligible project costs in line with Horizon Europe rules and the Model Grant Agreement (HE MGA).

Co-funding requirement:Co-funding is required in the sense that Horizon grants do not normally cover 100% of all costs for Innovation Actions. Funding rates for Innovation Actions are set in the Horizon Europe rules and General Annexes; applicants must consult Annexes and the Work Programme for exact funding rates and eligible cost categories (typical funding rate for Innovation Actions is up to 70% of eligible costs for most beneficiaries, with specific rules for non-profit legal entities and other exceptional categories). Applicants must describe their own financial contributions, in-kind contributions and any private co-investment where relevant, particularly for large-scale industrial deployment in flagship projects.

Application process, templates and evaluation

Application type and stages:Single-stage open call. Applicants submit a full proposal through the Funding & Tenders Portal Submission System using the application form available in the Submission System. The submission is single-stage (one proposal submission). Evaluation follows the standard Horizon Europe online evaluation procedures described in the General Annexes and the Online Manual. After a positive evaluation, grant preparation and signature of the Model Grant Agreement follow.

Application templates and structure:Use the application form provided in the Submission System. Proposals must respect page limits and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and in Part B of the Application Form. For IA-Flagship proposals a business plan annex is required (Application form: business plan annex). Evaluation form templates (standard evaluation form for HE RIA/IA) will be used with necessary adaptations. Applicants should follow the HE Programme Guide and the Call-specific instructions in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026.

1. 1Application Part A: administrative data, participants, budget summary (auto-generated by the Portal).
2. 2Application Part B: technical description (excellence, impact, implementation) with page-limited sections; includes work packages, deliverables, milestones, Gantt, risk management.
3. 3Business plan annex (mandatory for IA-Flagship): financial plan, capital investments, market deployment plan, revenue/financing model and long-term sustainability beyond grant period.
4. 4Appendices/annexes: letters of commitment, ethics self-assessment, CVs of key personnel, financial statements where required.

Evaluation criteria and process:Evaluation criteria (excellence, impact, quality and efficiency of implementation) and scoring thresholds are set out in Annex D and the General Annexes. The evaluation and award procedure follows the Submission and Evaluation processes in Annex F. Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is provided in Annex F.

Selection and award details — indicators and expectations

Award criteria and thresholds:Standard Horizon Europe criteria apply (excellence, impact and quality and efficiency of implementation) with thresholds and weighting defined in the General Annexes and the Standard Evaluation Form. Projects are expected to deliver measurable impact on market uptake, regulatory alignment, reduction of fossil feedstock dependence and proof of industrial viability at scale.

Success rates:The call documentation does not specify exact success rates per topic. Success rates depend on number of proposals submitted, quality and available budget. Applicants should not assume guaranteed funding; competition for flagship IA topics is typically high and applicants should plan robust project design and strong consortia to improve chances.

Administrative, legal and supporting documents

Key reference documents and guidance that applicants must consult:CBE JU Annual Work Programme and Budget 2026 (call-specific instructions and specific conditions in section 2.2.3), HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction and General Annexes), HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 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 and Portal Terms and Conditions. The SSbD framework, methodological guidance, and JRC/PARC tools are core technical guidance to apply the SSbD approach.

Practical advice for applicants (what to prepare and highlight)

1. 1Assemble a multi-disciplinary, multi-sector consortium that covers feedstock sourcing, conversion/biorefinery, formulation/downstream product development, regulatory and safety assessment, market/brand partners and end-user testing.
2. 2Provide a clear TRL roadmap demonstrating TRL 8 production and TRL 7+ formulation application, including validation tests, pilot/industrial facility descriptions, equipment and scale-up plans.
3. 3Include a detailed business plan annex (required for IA-Flagship) with capital investment needs, financing strategy, market deployment plan and commercialization timeline.
4. 4Demonstrate application of the SSbD framework throughout the project (include deliverables/tasks explicitly applying SSbD criteria and JRC guidance).
5. 5Provide biodegradability testing plans aligned with EU/international standards where applicable and test methods for pollutant/microplastic release avoidance.
6. 6Include consumer/brand owner engagement activities from early stages (multi-actor approach) and documented user acceptance testing and market research.
7. 7Map and reference relevant past/ongoing projects (H2020/HE, BBI JU/CBE JU) and describe complementarities and synergies to avoid duplication.
8. 8Plan for regulatory gap analysis and include concrete recommendations and pathways to regulatory conformity and market uptake.

Timeline and budget snapshot

Missing or variable information applicants must confirm

The topic text and the portal indicate substantial details but do not list exact consortium minima for this specific topic on the portal page. Applicants must confirm country eligibility, exact funding rates per participant type, and any specific minimum consortium size or composition by consulting the Work Programme General Annexes (Annex B), the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026 (section 2.2.3.1) and the Submission System documentation. Financial and operational capacity checks and exclusion rules apply as described in Annex C and in the Funding & Tenders Portal guidance.

Where to get support and further information:Use National Contact Points (NCPs), the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, the CBE JU helpdesk (info[at]cbe.europa.eu), Enterprise Europe Network for SME support, the Research Enquiry Service for programme-level questions, and the IT Helpdesk for submission issues. Partner search announcements are available on the portal and draft proposals in My Proposals can be accessed by logged-in users.

Note:Applicants are required to use the application form in the Submission System and to respect page limits and layout rules described in the HE General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Evaluation form templates and the Model Grant Agreement (HE MGA) should be consulted in advance to align deliverables, reporting and budget planning.

Summary — what this opportunity is about and how to explain it

This CBE JU flagship Innovation Action invites consortia to demonstrate, at industrial scale, Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based chemical solutions for the home and personal care market (including cosmetics and FMCG). The goal is to replace conventional fossil-based ingredients with bio-based alternatives that meet regulatory safety, technical performance and market acceptance requirements while preventing pollutant release (including microplastics) and validating biodegradability where relevant. Projects must deliver TRL 8 production of the bio-based solution(s) and TRL 7+ application in market-relevant final formulations, supported by a business plan for market uptake and industrial deployment. Proposals must apply the EU SSbD framework, involve end-users and consumers from early stages (multi-actor approach), perform safety and regulatory gap analyses with recommendations, and demonstrate complementarity with existing R&I. The funding is provided as a Horizon Europe grant administered via the CBE JU call; the flagship topic carries an indicative contribution of around €20 million and is open for single-stage submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal with a deadline of 22 September 2026. Applicants should consult the Work Programme General Annexes, the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026 and the SSbD methodological guidance to prepare complete, compliant and high-quality proposals ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1CBE JU reference documents and the Call-specific material are available at cbe.europa.eu and the Funding & Tenders Portal topic page (primary URL: ec.europa.eu).

Opportunity Overview

This is a flagship Innovation Action (IA-Flagship) call under the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) 2026 programme. The opportunity targets the development and industrial-scale demonstration of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based alternatives to conventional chemicals and ingredients used in home and personal care products, including cosmetics and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). The call aligns with EU strategic priorities including the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the Horizon Europe Mission on Ocean and Waters restoration.

Key Funding Details

Call Identifier:HORIZON-JU

Budget Allocation:Approximately €20,000,000 from the total CBE JU 2026 call budget of €170.7 million ¹

Opening Date:23 April 2026

Submission Deadline:22 September 2026 at 17:00 CET (single-stage submission)

Type of Action:HORIZON JU Innovation Actions (Flagship category) with HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based model

Indicative Number of Grants:Approximately 1 grant expected, though this may vary based on proposal quality and budget utilisation

Scope and Technical Requirements

Proposals must demonstrate SSbD bio-based solutions as alternatives to conventional chemicals currently used in home and personal care formulations. Target chemical categories include solvents, surfactants, preservatives, antimicrobial and antifungal agents, disinfectants, film-forming agents, emulsifiers, emollients, exfoliants, abrasives, stabilisers, polymers, thickeners, conditioning agents, and active ingredients. Both bio-based chemicals and biotechnology solutions are in scope, as are materials entering end-product formulations such as granulates, powders, microbeads, and micro/nano cellulose. Packaging, nonwovens, and other wipes are explicitly out of scope.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Requirements

1. 1TRL 8: Demonstration of production of SSbD bio-based solution(s) at industrial scale as alternatives to conventional chemicals and ingredient combinations
2. 2TRL 7 and above: Demonstration of application of bio-based solution(s) into formulation of market-relevant end-products with assessment of technical performance meeting market application requirements
3. 3TRL 6: Validation of industrial use cases when solutions are applicable to industrial production processes beyond home and personal care

Mandatory Technical Assessments

• Technical performance validation ensuring final product properties meet market application requirements; adding new functionalities for specific applications is permitted
• Testing to prevent release and accumulation of pollutants and harmful substances in water, including microplastics
• Biodegradability validation according to applicable EU/international standards when biodegradable solutions are targeted, depending on substance group and final application
• Safety assessment of targeted bio-based solutions and end-products adopting standards and protocols aligned with EU regulatory requirements for selected application sectors

Specific Proposal Requirements

Beyond standard Horizon Europe requirements, proposals must incorporate the following elements:

• Multi-actor approach (MAA) involving end-users, brand owners, and consumers from early project stages to assess market acceptance and incorporate insights into product development
• Comprehensive application of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework developed by the European Commission for assessment of targeted chemicals/solutions and derived bio-based products ²
• Task to identify potential regulatory gaps and provide recommendations to overcome bottlenecks in regulatory frameworks
• Demonstration of complementarities with past and ongoing research and innovation projects addressing similar challenges, including Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe projects (particularly Cluster 6) and BBI JU/CBE JU projects
• Business plan annex (required for IA-Flagship proposals)

Expected Outcomes and Impact

Successful projects are expected to deliver the following outcomes:

• Full industrial-scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) producing SSbD bio-based solutions for home and personal care with significantly improved sustainability
• Wider availability of bio-based products in home and personal care sectors meeting both regulatory standards and technical performance requirements
• Increased consumer and end-user acceptance of bio-based solutions, facilitating market uptake
• Contribution to EU strategic autonomy, resilience, and competitiveness through reduced fossil feedstock dependence for chemicals production and minimised biomass import dependencies
• Alignment with Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, Chemical Industry Action Plan, Clean Industrial Deal, and Horizon Europe Mission objectives on ocean and water restoration

Eligibility and Consortium Requirements

Standard Horizon Europe eligibility conditions apply. For collaborative projects, consortiums must comprise at least three legal entities independent from each other, each established in a different country. Eligible participants include universities, research organisations, companies, NGOs, government organisations, and international organisations from EU Member States and Associated Countries. Non-EU/non-Associated Country participants may be eligible under specific provisions detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. ³

Funding Rates

For universities, Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs), Innovation Actions (IAs), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs) are funded at 100%. A minimal amount of in-kind contribution to operational activities (IKOP) from Bio-based Industries Consortium members is expected. ⁴

Application Process and Support

Proposals must be submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal electronic submission system. The application form and all required documentation are available in the submission system. Applicants should note that the submission choice (type of action and grant agreement model) cannot be changed once confirmed in the system.

Pre-Application Support

• CBE JU Online Info Day held on 12 March 2026 (prior to call opening)
• Networking Event in Brussels held on 21 April 2026
• Pre-check proposal service available through NCP_WIDERA.NET project for eligible country applicants
• National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance, practical information, and assistance on Horizon Europe participation
• Enterprise Europe Network offers support with special focus on SMEs
• Horizon Europe Programme Guide and Online Manual provide detailed procedural guidance
• CBE JU helpdesk available at info[at]cbe.europa.eu

Evaluation and Award Process

Evaluation follows standard Horizon Europe procedures with single-stage submission. Award criteria, scoring thresholds, and evaluation processes are described in Annex D and Annex F of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement conclusion is also provided in Annex F. Detailed evaluation forms and model grant agreements are available in the submission system.

Strategic Context and Policy Alignment

This opportunity is positioned within the CBE JU's Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for 2022-2030 and the European Commission's Strategic Framework for a Competitive and Sustainable EU Bioeconomy. The CBE JU is a €2 billion public-private partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) operating under Horizon Europe. The 2026 call represents the second major funding round, with six calls foreseen during the partnership's lifetime for a total indicative operational budget of €976.5 million. ⁵

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Framework

The SSbD framework, revised by the European Commission in March 2026, provides a voluntary decision-making approach to guide innovation towards chemicals and materials that are safer and more sustainable across their entire life cycles. The framework aims to enhance competitiveness by steering innovation towards safer and more sustainable alternatives, minimising health, climate, and environmental impacts during sourcing, production, use, and end-of-life stages. The revised framework does not create new legal obligations but serves as guidance for anticipatory actions within innovation processes. Updated Methodological Guidance and a toolbox developed by the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) are available to support practical application. ²

Key Considerations for Applicants

• Proposals must demonstrate clear industrial-scale production capability and market viability; demonstration at TRL 8 is mandatory
• Strong emphasis on multi-actor engagement from project inception ensures market acceptance and regulatory alignment
• Comprehensive safety and environmental assessment is non-negotiable; proposals must address water pollution prevention, microplastics, and biodegradability
• Regulatory gap identification and recommendations are expected deliverables; projects should anticipate and address potential bottlenecks in EU regulatory frameworks
• Complementarity with existing projects must be clearly articulated to avoid duplication and leverage synergies
• The flagship designation indicates high strategic importance; proposals should demonstrate transformative potential for the home and personal care sector
• Business plan annex is mandatory for IA-Flagship proposals and should demonstrate clear commercialisation pathway
• Consortium composition should balance innovation capacity with market implementation expertise and end-user engagement

Related CBE JU 2026 Opportunities

The CBE JU 2026 call includes 13 topics across three action types. Related opportunities include SSbD bio-based alternatives for fertilising and crop protection products (€20 million, IA-Flagship), SSbD bio-based polymers from alternative sources (€6.5 million, RIA), and breakthrough sustainable bio-based textile fibres (€6.5 million, RIA). A Coordination and Support Action on supporting industry transition to sustainable and circular bio-based products (€1.2 million, CSA) provides complementary support. ⁶

Footnotes

1. 1The total CBE JU 2026 call budget of €170.7 million is distributed across 13 topics. The home and personal care topic receives approximately €20 million as an IA-Flagship action, representing one of the largest individual allocations in the call.
2. 2The revised SSbD framework (March 2026) is available at Safe and Sustainable by Design. Updated Methodological Guidance version 2 is expected in April 2026. The framework addresses safety and sustainability considerations systematically across chemical and material life cycles.
3. 3Detailed eligibility information is provided in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Non-EU/non-Associated Country participants may access funding through specific provisions made by their countries. Applicants should verify their country's participation status before proposal submission.
4. 4Universities receive 100% funding for all action types under CBE JU. Other eligible entities follow standard Horizon Europe funding rates. In-kind contributions to operational activities (IKOP) from Bio-based Industries Consortium members are expected as part of the public-private partnership model.
5. 5The CBE JU is a €2 billion partnership between the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Consortium operating under Horizon Europe. Six calls are foreseen during the partnership's lifetime with a total indicative operational budget of €976.5 million. The 2026 call represents the second major funding round following the 2025 call.
6. 6The complete list of 13 CBE JU 2026 topics includes four IA-Flagship actions (€20 million each), five IA actions (€14 million and €7 million), three RIA actions (€6.5 million and €3.25 million), and one CSA action (€1.2 million). Full topic descriptions and requirements are available in the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026.