UPSTREAM Open Call 2: Prevention & Zero‑Waste

UPSTREAM Open Call 2 (Horizon Europe) funds regional and local public authorities to design and trial prevention and zero-waste measures to stop plastics and microplastics leaking into rivers and connected waters. Lump-sum grants of up to €70,000 are available, total OC2 budget €140,000 with up to two projects expected and an implementation period of eight months; application deadline 17 August 2026 at 17:00 CET. Eligible applicants are regional or local public authorities from Horizon Europe associated regions excluding UPSTREAM beneficiary countries and previously funded regions, and proposed activities must align with UPSTREAM objectives (monitoring, prevention, removal, recycling/valorisation, nature-based solutions, citizen science and open data). Submit the OC2 Application Form (Annex A), Declaration of Honour (Annex D) and legal status proof in PDF by email to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu following the call guidelines.

What it funds

Scope

Competitive lump-sum grants to design, trial and replicate prevention, zero-waste and removal solutions that stop plastic and microplastic leakage into rivers and connected waters. Activities include monitoring and digitalisation, prevention and substitution pilots, removal/collection and recovery, recycling/valorisation pilots, nature-based restoration, citizen science and open data sharing.

Funding:Total OC2 budget €140,000; grants up to €70,000 per award; project duration 8 months; payments in tranches (typical 40% signature, 40% mid-term, 20% final) ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: regional or local public authorities or bodies directly representing them in eligible Horizon-associated regions (EU MS/AC) outside UPSTREAM consortium and specified previously funded or INSPIRE FSTP regions.
2. 2Eligible activities: substitution and procurement pilots, zero-waste supply-chain measures, behaviour-change and producer-responsibility pilots, enabling policies, monitoring and impact assessment.
3. 3Not eligible: basic research, routine municipal operations, activities started before grant, double-funded items, purchases unrelated to project tasks, measures with significant negative environmental impacts.

Mandatory deliverables:D1 kick-off package (workplan, risk & ethics checklist, data and comms plans); D2 mid-term update with evidence; D3 final pack (technical report, datasets, media, replication/exploitation plan). Projects must publish non-sensitive results to UPSTREAM platforms and follow visibility rules.

Application and deadlines:Apply in English by submitting the OC2 Application Form, Declaration of Honour and legal status proof as PDF to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu. Applications open 16 June 2026; deadline 17 August 2026 17:00 CET. One application per authority.

Evaluation:Remote review by three consortium experts, internal consensus ranking; scoring across four criteria (Concept, Team, Work plan, Impact) with 100-point scale and minimum thresholds. All eligible applicants receive an Evaluation Summary Report; appeals possible for procedural errors.

Contact:Questions and submissions: OpenCall@upstream-project.eu. Call information and application templates available on the Open Call page UPSTREAM OC2 ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Guidelines, templates and full call text are available on the UPSTREAM Open Call 2 page: upstream-project.eu.

Call objectives and scope

What the call supports

This competitive Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) open call funds regionally led pilots that prevent and eliminate litter, plastics and microplastics leaking into rivers and connected waters. Projects must directly support UPSTREAM objectives in one or more of the following areas: monitoring and digitalisation of plastics/microplastics in rivers and tributaries; prevention and zero-waste measures including substitution with bio-based or biodegradable alternatives and upstream interventions; removal, collection and recovery of litter, plastics and microplastics from freshwater systems; recycling and valorisation pilots for captured plastics (including pre-treatments that enable recycling); nature-based solutions and restoration in riparian and urban water systems; citizen science and co-creation activities (living labs, behaviour-change campaigns) that underpin the above; and open data and knowledge sharing via UPSTREAM platforms.

Key exclusions:Not eligible are basic research projects, routine municipal operations, activities that started before the grant start date, activities already double-funded, purchases unrelated to project tasks, and measures that would produce significant negative environmental impacts.

Administrative, financial and procedural facts

Call opening date:16 June 2026 (12:00 CET). Call deadline: 17 August 2026 (17:00 CET). Project duration: 8 months (design, deployment, assessment). Total OC2 budget: €140,000. Expected number of awards: up to 2 regions; maximum grant per award €70,000 (lump-sum). Payments are milestone-linked: indicative tranches 40% at grant signature, 40% after mid-term deliverables, 20% at final acceptance. The call is implemented under Grant Agreement no 101112877 and contributes to Horizon Europe Mission Ocean objectives.

Who may apply:Eligible applicants are regional or local public authorities or bodies directly representing them, established in eligible associated regions (EU Member States or countries associated to Horizon Europe) that are not covered by the UPSTREAM consortium and are not listed as UPSTREAM beneficiary countries, INSPIRE FSTP funded regions, or regions funded under UPSTREAM FSTP Open Call 1. One application per authority. Applicants must demonstrate the legal status of the public authority and confirm absence of EU restrictive measures against them.

Structured answers to categorisation questions

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Regional or local public authorities and bodies directly representing them. The call explicitly restricts applicants to public regional/local authorities; universities, SMEs or NGOs are not eligible as direct beneficiaries under this FSTP call (they could appear as subcontractors or partners if justified).
2. 2Funding Type: Lump-sum grant (Financial Support to Third Parties). The grant is paid against milestones/deliverables; no detailed cost statements are required. The grant is fixed and defined per award (legal cap €70,000).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Single applicant. The recipient is a single regional/local public authority or directly representing body. The call anticipates one beneficiary per award region; consortiums of multiple beneficiaries are not required and the application form is prepared for one authority. Subcontracting is allowed where justified (recommended ≤30% of budget; higher shares must be justified).
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Eligible associated regions in EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe, excluding regions already covered by UPSTREAM consortium partners and specific regions listed as ineligible (UPSTREAM beneficiary countries: Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy, UK; INSPIRE FSTP funded regions; regions funded in UPSTREAM OC1). Primary geographic priority is indicated for regions with high leakage to rivers/sea (Balkans, Mediterranean and North African basins are mentioned as indicative priorities). For country association rules see the Horizon list of participating countries List of participating countries. ¹
5. 5Target Sector: Environment and circular economy with cross-cutting links to water management, waste management, waste valorisation/recycling, citizen engagement and digital monitoring (thematic sectors include environment, climate adaptation, circular economy, water management, recycling/valorisation, nature-based solutions, citizen science and monitoring/ICT for environmental data).
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Explicitly mentioned countries to be excluded as UPSTREAM beneficiary countries: Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy, United Kingdom. INSPIRE FSTP funded regions explicitly listed: Ireland (Cork City Council), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo; Opština Jezero), Türkiye (İstanbul Boğazı Belediyeler Birliği and other named Turkish regions funded in OC1), Ukraine (Khotyn City Council). Regions funded in UPSTREAM Open Call 1: Turkey (West Marmara, Tekirdağ Sub-region), Turkey (Mediterranean Region, Antalya Sub-region), Cyprus (Nicosia District). The call text also refers to priority basins such as selected Balkans, Mediterranean and North African basins. The UPSTREAM consortium covers Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy and UK. See footnote for the list of Horizon associated countries. ¹
7. 7Project Stage: Demonstration and short-term deployment/pilot stage. The design expects rapid design, deployment and assessment over 8 months, suitable for applied pilots, pilot trials, demonstration of substitution/procurement pilots, behaviour-change pilots, monitoring deployment, removal/collection and valorisation pilots, and nascent scale-up planning/replication planning.
8. 8Funding Amount: Up to €70,000 per award (lump-sum). OC2 total budget €140,000. Two awards expected (the call text also at times states [2–3] projects expected but programme design sets a ceiling of €70,000 per recipient and total envelope €140,000).
9. 9Application Type: Competitive open call. Applicants must submit a completed Application Form (OC2 Annex A), Declaration of Honour (OC2 Annex D) and proof of legal status via e-mail to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu in PDF format, in English, with the call name in the subject line. One application per authority. The call is publicly published and open for at least two months.
10. 10Nature of Support: Monetary support (lump-sum grant payments linked to deliverable milestones) and non-monetary support in the form of mentoring and technical assistance from assigned UPSTREAM partners (monitoring, prevention, valorisation, nature-based solutions, citizen engagement, business planning).
11. 11Application Stages: Single-stage with internal multi-step evaluation workflow. The process comprises: 1) Admissibility and eligibility screening; 2) Remote evaluation by three internal consortium experts per proposal; 3) Internal consensus meeting for final ranking and cut-off; 4) Ethics and risk checks; 5) Awards and grant preparation. Applicants receive an Evaluation Summary Report. Appeals possible within 7 calendar days.
12. 12Success Rates: Indicative success rate is low because the total envelope funds up to 2 regions from all eligible applicants. With €140,000 total and two awards, the success rate depends on the number of eligible applications; historically for small FSTP calls selection rates can range from single-digit to low tens of percent. The call does not publish a guaranteed acceptance rate; competition is expected.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: No co-funding requirement is stated. The instrument is a lump-sum grant and applicants do not have to declare co-financing as part of eligible costs; however the application must justify budget realism and may document additional in-kind contributions or co-financing if relevant. Applicants must confirm no double funding of the same activities.

Evaluation, deliverables and KPIs

Evaluation methodology:After admissibility and eligibility checks, each eligible application is scored remotely by three UPSTREAM internal evaluators. Scores from the remote evaluation feed an internal consensus meeting (including the UPSTREAM Coordinator and Scientific Coordinator) that finalises the ranking and determines awards. Awards are subject to ethics and risk checks prior to grant preparation. Applicants will receive an Evaluation Summary Report with strengths, weaknesses and scores. There is a 7-calendar-day appeal window on procedural grounds; appeal responses are issued within 14 days of receipt.

Mandatory deliverables and reporting:D1 Kick-off package at month 1 including the work plan, risk and ethics checklist, data plan and communications plan; D2 Mid-term update at the project midpoint with evidence of activities and preliminary results; D3 Final pack at project close including technical report, datasets, photos/videos, replication and exploitation plan and communication assets. Deliverables are verified as milestones for lump-sum payments. Beneficiaries must publish non-sensitive results to UPSTREAM platforms and use required visibility elements (MISSION OCEAN/EU/UPSTREAM logos and funding statements).

Application mechanics and templates

How to apply:Prepare and submit the following documents in PDF by e-mail to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu with the subject line containing the call name: 1) OC2 Application Form (Annex A); 2) OC2 Declaration of Honour (Annex D); 3) Proof of legal status for the regional/local public authority. Language: English. One application per authority. Applications must be complete and submitted before the deadline.

Application form structure and templates:Guidelines and templates are provided on the UPSTREAM open call web page. Applicants should complete Annex A (Application Form) using the prescribed structure: administrative identification of the authority; executive summary; problem statement and baseline leakage evidence; proposed activities mapped to the eligible activities list; work plan with milestones and deliverables (including D1, D2, D3); measurable KPIs and verification methods; team description and governance; permits and site access statement; budget justification and subcontracting plan (if applicable); replication and exploitation plan; data management plan and visibility plan. Annex D (Declaration of Honour) requires confirmation of eligibility, no double funding, and compliance with restrictive measures. Applicants must attach legal status proof (official document proving the authority's legal existence and mandate). Use the call-specific Guidelines for filling the Application Form available at the UPSTREAM site.

Risks, compliance and contractual points

Beneficiaries must comply with EU rules on conflict of interest, confidentiality, security, ethics, visibility and record-keeping and are subject to audits and reviews by EU bodies. Entities subject to EU restrictive measures are ineligible. Data processing must comply with GDPR. Subcontracting is permitted when justified; recommended threshold is up to 30% of the project budget unless clearly justified otherwise. Lump-sum grants do not require cost statements but beneficiaries must retain evidence of task completion and outputs (deliverables, logs, datasets, photos, beneficiary reports) for audit.

Appeals and post-award information

Applicants may appeal within 7 calendar days of notification if they believe a procedural error occurred. Appeals are reviewed by an internal panel independent of the original decision-makers. Appeals cannot normally be used to re-evaluate scientific merit unless a manifest procedural error is demonstrated. Applicants receive an appeal response within 14 days of receipt. All eligible applicants receive an Evaluation Summary Report describing strengths, weaknesses and scores.

Full summary and practical guidance

This UPSTREAM Open Call 2 funds short, results-oriented pilots led by regional or local public authorities to prevent plastics and microplastics entering rivers and connected waters. It provides lump-sum grants up to €70,000 for 8-month projects that demonstrate monitoring, prevention, removal, valorisation or nature-based restoration, and that commit to publish non-sensitive data and follow UPSTREAM visibility rules. Applications are single-stage, evaluated by UPSTREAM consortium experts against clear 4-criterion scoring with minimum thresholds, and selected winners will receive mentoring from UPSTREAM partners. The call excludes UPSTREAM consortium countries and specific previously funded regions and aims to increase replication of effective zero-waste and prevention solutions across eligible associated regions. Prepare an application using Annex A and Annex D, attach legal status proof, present a realistic milestone-linked workplan with D1, D2 and D3 deliverables, specify KPIs for monitoring and impact, justify subcontracting if used, and ensure all activities have the required permits and do not start before the grant begins.

Footnotes

1. 1For details on which countries are associated to Horizon Europe and the official list of participating countries, consult the Horizon Europe participating countries guidance: ec.europa.eu

Funding Opportunity Summary

This EU Horizon Europe cascade funding call supports regional and local public authorities in associated regions to design and trial circular/zero‑waste measures that prevent plastic leakage to rivers and seas, replicating UPSTREAM prevention solutions ¹.

Funding Amount:Lump‑sum grants up to €70,000 per selected authority; total call budget is €140,000, with up to 2 projects expected to be funded ².

Project Duration:8 months implementation period, covering design, deployment, and assessment phases ³.

Deadline:Applications must be submitted by 17 August 2026 at 17:00 CET ⁴.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants are regional or local public authorities (or bodies directly representing them) from associated regions in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, excluding UPSTREAM beneficiary countries and previously funded regions ⁵.

• Excluded UPSTREAM beneficiary countries: Spain, Belgium, Slovenia, Portugal, Serbia, Greece, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy, UK
• Excluded INSPIRE FSTP funded regions: Cork City Council (Ireland), Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), İstanbul Boğazı Belediyeler Birliği (Türkiye), Khotyn City Council (Ukraine), Opština Jezero (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Excluded UPSTREAM Open Call 1 funded regions: Turkey (West Marmara, Tekirdağ), Turkey (Mediterranean, Antalya), Cyprus (Nicosia District)
• Priority geographies: Regions with high leakage to rivers/sea, especially in Balkans, Mediterranean, and North African basins

Eligible Activities & Focus Areas

Projects must demonstrably support UPSTREAM objectives through activities focused on prevention and zero‑waste on rivers, including monitoring, substitution, removal, recycling, nature‑based solutions, citizen science, and open data sharing ⁶.

Activities Sought & Not Eligible

Sought activities include substitution & procurement pilots, zero‑waste supply chain measures, behaviour‑change and producer responsibility pilots, enabling policies, and monitoring impacts ⁷.

• Not eligible: Basic research
• Not eligible: Routine municipal operations
• Not eligible: Activities completed before grant start
• Not eligible: Double‑funded activities
• Not eligible: Purchases unrelated to project tasks
• Not eligible: Measures with significant negative environmental impacts

How to Apply

Submit the OC2 Application Form (Annex A), Declaration of Honour (Annex D), and legal status proof in PDF format via email to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu with the subject line: name of the call ⁸.

1. 1Language: English
2. 2One application per authority
3. 3Guidelines and templates available at: upstream-project.eu
4. 4Applications open: 16 June 2026 at 12:00 CET

Evaluation Criteria & Scoring

Evaluation is conducted by three internal consortium experts with a total of 100 points across four criteria; minimum threshold is 60/100 overall and ≥12/25 per criterion ⁹.

Ties are broken by higher Impact score, then Concept score, then geographic balance; all eligible applicants receive an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR) ¹⁰.

Deliverables, KPIs & Reporting

Mandatory deliverables include:D1 Kick‑off package (M1), D2 Mid‑term update (mid‑point), and D3 Final pack (final month) with technical report, datasets, photos/videos, and replication/exploitation plan ¹¹.

• Illustrative KPIs: capture efficiency, tonnes/items collected, MP concentration trends, citizens engaged, policy changes enacted, % bio‑based substitutions, valorisation outputs, open datasets published
• Visibility: Use MISSION OCEAN/EU/UPSTREAM logos and funding statement on all outputs
• Open data: Publish non‑sensitive results to UPSTREAM platforms/Portal

Payment Terms & Subcontracting

Lump‑sum grant paid in tranches:40% at Grant Agreement signature, 40% after mid‑term deliverables, 20% at final acceptance; no cost statements required, beneficiaries keep evidence of task completion ¹².

Subcontracting is allowed for specialised tasks, recommended ≤30% of project budget; higher shares must be clearly justified in the application ¹³.

Appeals & Contact

Applicants may lodge an appeal within 7 calendar days of notification for procedural errors; appeals are reviewed by an internal panel and response provided within 14 days ¹⁴.

For clarifications, contact OpenCall@upstream-project.eu; FAQs available in Annex G ¹⁵.

Footnotes

1. 1UPSTREAM Project Aim: Provide targeted financial support and technical assistance to associated regions to replicate, scale and localise UPSTREAM solutions UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
2. 2Funding Details: Lump‑sum grants up to €70,000 per application; 8 months implementation; 2 projects expected (OC2 total budget €140,000) UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
3. 3Duration per project: 8 months, consisting of design, deployment and assessment phases EU Funding Portal.
4. 4Deadline Date: 17 August 2026 at 17:00 CET EU Funding Portal.
5. 5Who can apply: Regional/local public authorities from associated regions excluding UPSTREAM beneficiary countries, INSPIRE FSTP regions, and OC1 funded regions UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
6. 6Eligible activities: Exhaustive list including monitoring, prevention, removal, recycling, nature‑based solutions, citizen science, and open data UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Description.
7. 7Activities sought: Substitution & procurement pilots; zero‑waste supply chain measures; behaviour‑change and producer responsibility pilots; enabling policies; monitoring impacts UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Description.
8. 8How to apply: Submit Application Form + Declaration of Honour + Legal status proof via email to OpenCall@upstream-project.eu UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
9. 9Evaluation Criteria: Concept & innovation (25 pts), Team capacity (25 pts), Alignment & work plan (25 pts), Impact & European dimension (25 pts); min 60/100 overall UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
10. 10Outputs to applicants: ESR with strengths/weaknesses & scores; ineligible applicants receive reasoned notice and appeal route UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
11. 11Mandatory deliverables: D1 Kick‑off package (M1), D2 Mid‑term update (mid‑point), D3 Final pack (final month) UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Description.
12. 12Payment tranches: 40% at Grant Agreement signature, 40% after mid‑term deliverables, 20% at final acceptance; no cost statements required UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
13. 13Subcontracting: Allowed where justified; recommended ≤30% of project budget; higher shares must be duly justified UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
14. 14Appeals: Lodge within 7 calendar days; reviewed by internal panel; response within 14 days UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.
15. 15Contact: OpenCall@upstream-project.eu; FAQs in Annex G UPSTREAM Open Call 2 Page.