Funding provided under previews programmes.

FutureLakes aims to demonstrate innovative solutions needed to transform lake restoration across Europe. These solutions aim to significantly improve ecological and chemical status of European lakes, reduce nutrient pollution, restore biodiversity, recover valuable resources, enhance the services that lakes provide and make society more resilient to climate change.

The FutureLakes Open Call aims to fund three Associated Regions to engage and work alongside the FutureLakes consortium. The aim of this is to showcase the feasibility and replicability of restoration solutions developed within the FutureLakes project in other areas of the EU, or eligible associated countries.

The total financial support per Associated Region is up to max: €54.000

The total amount requested must represent 100% of the total AR eligible costs and cover direct costs as personnel costs and purchase costs (for travel and subsistence) as well as indirect costs (up to 25%) for attending internal FutureLakes meetings and interactions with the consortium.

The financial support will be provided in the form of a lump sum with maximum ceiling. After the evaluation of the call for FSTP, a lump sum share is fixed for each call and each beneficiary.

Projects are expected to start by 30th September 2025 and last until 30th September 2027.

• Environment and Climate Change
• Public Administration
• Research, Technological Development and Innovation
• Shipping - Marine Transports

• Educational Institutions
• International Organisations
• Legal Entities
• Local Authorities
• NGOs
• Non Profit Organisations
• Other Beneficiaries
• Private Bodies
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
• State-owned Enterprises

FutureLakes invites applicants who are local and/or regional authorities from an “Associated Region” (AR). Associated regions are understood as regions with another natural lake located in EU Member States and/or Associated countries. Any other type of third parties according to the Horizon Europe conditions, like private for-profit organisations, higher education organisations or NGOs are not eligible, but can participate as sub-contractors to the AR.

Single legal entities established in any of the following countries are eligible to participate in the FutureLakes Open Call:

• The Member States of the European Union (EU), including their outermost regions.
• Horizon Europe associated countries (those that have signed an agreement with the EU as identified in the HE Programme Guide) according to the updated list published by the EC.
• The country must not be represented in the FutureLakes consortium by an existing partner from that country. Countries that are already part of the FutureLakes consortium and, therefore, excluded from the FutureLakes Open Call, are: Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and United Kingdom
• Local and regional authorities established in outermost regions of the EU are eligible to receive funding, provided that they are located in Member States other than those that are part of the project consortium. Outermost regions of Portugal (Azores and Madeira) and Spain (Canary Islands) are, therefore, eligible to apply.

These local and regional authorities can apply as a single applicant or as a consortium. In the latter case, one of the consortium participants will act as the project beneficiary and be the Lead Applicant.

Applicants can only take part in one application to the Open Call and can only apply to one Open Call within the same Horizon Europe Topic (HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-04). Taking part in multiple applications or submitting applications to several Open Calls under the same topic, will lead to rejection of all applications as ineligible.

Questions may be submitted by email to futurelakes@niva.no up to 7 days before the submission deadline.

• Funding&Tenders
• Website
• Guide for Applicants