Demonstrators for clusters of social circular enterprises (IA)

Closed

Code: 37659 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-TWIN-TRANSITION-21-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Social Circular Enterprises (SCEs) have been pioneers in the circular economy since decades. They are active in all stages of the circular economy and deal with various waste stream. SCEs are also known to offer new and innovative circular business models and brining new circular services and products to the market. In the last decade SCE also entered the market of secondary raw materials by collecting and dissembling various products and goods. The majority of SCEs are SMEs and offer local employment opportunities to vulnerable groups (99%). On average, a circular social enterprise creates 70 jobs per 1,000 tons collected with a view of being re-used.

Enhanced logistics and operations of construction sites (IA)

Closed

Code: 37656 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-TWIN-TRANSITION-11-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Construction works on the building site, whether for civil infrastructure or for buildings, often involve a variety of complex operations apart from the actual assembly of elements. These can include transport and movement of construction products to and around the site; storage of products, materials and other items on site, and their eventual removal; dealing with packaging of products and other consumables related to the construction works; temporary accommodation for workers; temporary utility connections and associated works; planning of works; coordination of trades and operations, including machines as well as human workers. Mistakes and delays in construction works can lead to negative consequences such as risk of accidents, waste, pollution, inefficiency and financial consequences.

Construction works need to be carried out more quickly and efficiently, with less room for error and waste. This could be improved through technology-driven innovations linked to on-site operations and logistical aspects.

Development of safe and sustainable by design alternatives to Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) (IA)

Closed

Code: 37653 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-51-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

PFAS are a large class of substances used in a wide range of applications (for instance, as adhesives, coatings, lubricants, sealants, surfactants), for their technical and/or safety functions (e.g., water and oil repellence, antiadhesion, thermal & chemical stability). Nevertheless, PFAS have been detected in groundwater, surface water and soil, the remediation of which is extremely problematic. Their accumulation in the environment has been linked to negative effects for the wildlife and the human health, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic and toxic effects for the endocrine system. In January 2023, five national authorities submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a PFAS restriction dossier to ban the manufacture, placing on the market and use of PFAS as a chemical class in all uses, with few exemptions.

The Commission initiative for SSbD sets a framework which should be a reference in the proposal. The new alternatives to be developed should meet the technical functions required in the specific applications and align with such framework.

Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for robust, fast curing sealants and coatings for manufacturing and final assembly (IA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership)

Closed

Code: 37644 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-43-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

One of the main factors limiting the lifespan of products (and their components) is their prolonged exposure to environmental elements. The combination of different stressors and changing conditions (operational, daily, seasonal) results in accelerated aging and premature or unanticipated failures. To prevent the resulting adverse effects, protective coatings and sealings are key to provide additional protection without requiring the reassessment of the physical design of the product/component, nor the inherent properties of the parts to be coated/sealed.

Moreover, performance evaluation of coated samples to select coating solutions which meet the demands of industrial end users constitute another bottleneck in the fast development of IAM-based coatings. In addition, recyclability is often hampered by the sealants and coatings used. The new IAMs-based coatings, functionalised surfaces and sealings should allow to decompose products and structures into recyclable or reusable parts.

Innovative Advanced Materials (IAMs) for product monitoring, smart maintenance and repair strategies in the construction sector (RIA) (Innovative Advanced Materials for Europe partnership)

Closed

Code: 37640 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-05-MATERIALS-42-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 23/09/2025

Extend the lifetime of materials used in the construction sector (e.g. cement, concrete, composites, technical textiles, plaster board, pipes) for which durability is often limited by poor stability and low flexibility and/or by increasingly aggressive and changing environments. Extending a products’ life (use phase) is an important pillar of a solid sustainable and circular strategy because it reduces materials demands. In addition, new materials fit for the circular economy should be easily dismantlable into reusable or recyclable components. The actual condition and functional performance of products, components and materials should be monitored and assessed and smart maintenance and repair functions implemented, ideally at the level of individual products or components. Autonomous repair systems often use sensors to detect changes in the material’s condition through physical principles or mechanical deformation. The smart (AI) exploitation of collected data enables real-time monitoring of the material’s condition. The surfaces created in the building process are ideal for smart solutions incorporating ubiquitous electronic systems.

EU-Japan cooperation on the exploitation of Quantum Space Gravimetry data

Closed

Code: 37637 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-81 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

The development of quantum sensing technology brings several promises and expectations, in terms of sensor performances and stability. However, in order to best exploit quantum sensors, it is critical to prepare the scientific community to use the data generated by such sensors, develop new or tailor existing processing algorithms, and initiate and develop new applications based on this enhanced data.

Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – Advanced Packages and Memories

Closed

Code: 37635 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-74 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – Connectors

Closed

Code: 37632 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-73 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Space Critical Equipment and Related Technologies for EU non-dependence – Chip Scale Atomic Clocks and Solar Cells

Closed

Code: 37626 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-72 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space equipment and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of equipment, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements and alternative products, sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control with extra territorial applicability, that limit the access, re-export or raise challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space equipment with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU, establish a long-term sustainable supply chain and support EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Space Critical EEE Components for EU non-dependence – RISC-V Microprocessor on 7nm

Closed

Code: 37623 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-71 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Unrestricted access to state-of-art space EEE components and related technologies is a pre-requisite for the EU space industry responding to EU space missions. However, especially for some families of components, the available solutions in EU do not meet the current high-performance space requirements. Currently, alternative products sourced from outside EU, are either affected by non-EU export control, that limits its use, or present challenges in terms of trustable supply chains for the implementation of EU space missions with a security dimension.

Within the frame of this topic, it is expected to finance and implement development projects aiming at maturing critical space EEE components with the final goal of lowering the dependency from outside EU. This will be done by establishing a long-term sustainable supply chain for supporting EU strategic autonomy in the space sector. The selection of the supply chains shall reflect this objective. Therefore, the supply chain shall preferably be built fully based in EU and when this can only be achieved partially (i.e. because of lack of current EU capabilities for unrestricted advanced semiconductor processes or advanced materials that cannot be developed within the project), services procured from outside EU shall nevertheless ensure that the overall supply chain will remain trustable and not affected by non-EU export control. The latest scenario is subject to the approval of the granting authority.

Innovative Earth observation services in support of maritime litter detection and ship source pollution policies

Closed

Code: 37621 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-46 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

The project aims to develop and demonstrate space-based sensors to monitor marine pollution, focusing on several use cases. These include estimating oil spill volume, thickness, and type; detecting oil in sea ice; identifying chemical, sewage, garbage, and exhaust residue pollution on the sea surface in line with MARPOL Annexes II–VI. It should also enable identification of polluting vessels using their spectral signatures. The use of AI is encouraged to enhance detection accuracy, automation, and reliability, particularly in identifying spills, sewage, and garbage while minimizing false alerts.

Supporting the AI/ML digital transition of Copernicus Services

Closed

Code: 37618 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-45 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

This R&I agenda focuses on integrating Artificial Intelligence and advanced data techniques to enhance Earth observation capabilities, especially within the Copernicus programme. Key priorities include developing AI-based retrieval algorithms for satellite sensing, improving cloud and shadow detection, and enabling multi-source segmentation. There’s emphasis on data fusion, mining, and compression methods to manage large datasets efficiently, as well as on hybrid and ensemble data assimilation to improve forecasts and analyses. The agenda also supports observation-driven forecasting and Earth system deep learning models for better prediction accuracy. Additionally, it explores the use of large pre-trained models, super-resolution applications, adaptive workflows, enhanced user interfaces, and AI-powered chatbots for improved user interaction with Copernicus services.

Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) evolution: new and innovative ocean data assimilation techniques

Closed

Code: 37615 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-44 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

The research and innovation activities aim to advance data assimilation techniques for improved ocean monitoring and forecasting. Key areas include coupled data assimilation across ocean components (like ocean-biogeochemistry or ocean-sea-ice), and the development of multi-scale methods capable of handling high-resolution and high-frequency observations. There is a focus on improving the estimation of uncertainties in analyses and forecasts, as well as incorporating Artificial Intelligence for tasks like model error correction and ensemble generation. The integration of new types of satellite and in-situ observations, and tools to assess the impact of these observations, are also essential. Furthermore, software infrastructure must evolve to support diverse assimilation methods and AI, while validation protocols and intercomparison methods will help evaluate the effectiveness of new approaches.

Copernicus Anthropogenic CO₂ Emissions Monitoring & Verification Support (CO2MVS) capacity: new and innovative methods to estimate the impact of fires on vegetation and related carbon fluxes

Closed

Code: 37613 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-43 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

Research and innovation will focus on better understanding the impact of wildfires on the carbon cycle and emissions linked to land use change. A key priority is improving fire modelling, especially in relation to drought and vegetation interactions, which remains a challenge at regional and global scales. Initiatives like FireMIP have evaluated fire models, but the required model complexity is still uncertain. There is a need to integrate observation-based data into global systems like CO₂MVS to enhance monitoring. Additionally, understanding fire effects on vegetation will help refine estimates of emissions and improve air quality forecasting in systems like CAMS and fire risk predictions in CEMS.

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) evolution: improved soil-vegetation-atmosphere modelling and data assimilation of atmospheric constituents

Closed

Code: 37610 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-42 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

To achieve the expected outcomes, research and innovation will focus on improving models and techniques related to soil-vegetation-atmosphere interactions, evapotranspiration, and trace gas and aerosol dynamics. This includes enhancing numerical models, parameterizations, and data assimilation methods, particularly for CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) systems. Additional priorities include refining methodologies for estimating deposition fluxes, developing accurate pollen source models for more allergenic species, exploring global pollen modelling, and increasing the use of satellite data to improve dry deposition and emission calculations.

Improving the quality of life of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families

Closed

Code: 37608 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-STAYHLTH-01-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

The scope of this topic is set by the definitions provided by ‘The international classification of diseases’ – World Health Organization (WHO) ICD11 under ‘6A00: Disorders of intellectual development’ and under ‘20: Developmental anomalies’  including disorders of intellectual development, such as ‘LD40: Complete trisomies of the autosomes’ and ‘LD90: Conditions with disorders of intellectual development as a relevant clinical feature’.

Moreover, the three types of autism with disorders of intellectual development (6A02.1, 6A02.3 and 6A02.5) under ‘6A02: Autism spectrum disorder’ are also within the scope of this topic.

The focus of this topic is human-centred on the persons with long-term intellectual disabilities and their formal and informal carers, including families.

The life expectancy of persons with intellectual disabilities has increased in the last 20 years, which makes it even more important to analyse the role of their families acting as informal carers (e.g. ageing parents).

Facilitating the conduct of multinational clinical studies of orphan devices and/or of highly innovative (“breakthrough”) devices

Closed

Code: 37605 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-IND-03-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

The focus of this topic is on multinational clinical studies of orphan devices and/or of highly innovative (“breakthrough”) devices, including digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based tools and techniques.

The emphasis within rare disease research and innovation has predominantly centred on pharmaceuticals, leaving a noticeable gap in the support for developing orphan devices.

Orphan devices are specifically intended for use in rare diseases or conditions or in specific indications for rare cohorts of patients with an otherwise non-rare disease or condition.

Advancing knowledge on the impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health

Closed

Code: 37602 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-02-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

Plastics are an important material in our economy that are everywhere in our daily lives but can present negative environmental and health impacts.

A significant amount of plastic ends up in the environment, degrading into micro- or nano-sized plastic particles that are defined as micro- or nanoplastics (MNPs).

MNPs can be detected in both marine and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide in food, water, air and consumer products.

These MNPs have been documented to accumulate in the human body into cells and tissues (e.g. liver, kidney, gastrointestinal track, placenta, testicles) and cause associated adverse biological effects (e.g. inflammatory response, geno-, cyto-, neuro- and nephron-, respiratory and reproductive toxicity).

The impact of pollution on the development and progression of brain diseases and disorders

Closed

Code: 37599 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2025-03-ENVHLTH-01-two-stage | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Health (Cluster 1) (2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 16/09/2025

Life-long exposure to pollutants in the living and occupational environment is an important risk factor for non-communicable diseases, leading to a variety of serious physical and mental health impacts and causing preventable disease burden with associated elevated economic costs.

Pollution disproportionately impacts certain vulnerable groups (e.g. children and older adults) or groups who are more sensitive or more exposed (workers, populations living in polluted areas) to this type of environmental stressor.

At present, over 10% of annual premature deaths in the 27 EU Member States are related to environmental pollution.

Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) evolution: new and innovative processing and methods for future Sentinels and other satellites for reanalyses

Closed

Code: 37594 | Identifier Code: HORIZON-CL4-2025-02-SPACE-41 | Programme name: 2939 | Sub-program: Digital, Industry & Space (Cluster 4)(2021-2027) | Start submission calls: 22/05/2025 | End submission calls: 25/09/2025

The research and innovation (R&I) priorities focus on enhancing the ability of Copernicus and related models to better integrate diverse satellite observations, especially those sensitive to surface parameters and fluxes. This includes leveraging early satellite data for global and regional reanalyses. Key actions involve using advanced techniques, such as AI and machine learning, for rescuing and correcting historical in situ and remote sensing data, improving data quality and consistency. Additionally, improving the use of Sentinel and other datasets across Copernicus services requires better error characterization and observation models. Lastly, innovative approaches are needed to speed up reanalysis production, better quantify uncertainties, and reduce the computational energy and carbon footprint.