Additional activities for the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP)

Overview

Funding to extend and expand the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), supporting additional activities and partners to advance a climate-neutral, sustainable, and productive blue economy. Targets the existing consortium that established the partnership under prior Horizon Europe calls.

Who Can Apply

Only the coordinator of the consortium previously funded under HORIZON-CL6-2022-GOVERNANCE-01-02 and HORIZON-CL6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-1 may submit a proposal. Additional partners may be included.

Funding Details

• Total budget: EUR 38 million (EUR 22 million in 2026, EUR 16 million in 2027)
• Funding rate: 30% of eligible costs
• Financial support to third parties (FSTP): Permitted as grants, with a maximum of EUR 10 million per third party
• Total partnership budget (2023–2027): EUR 150 million

What Is Funded

• Continuation and expansion of the SBEP’s strategic research and innovation agenda, aligning with EU policies (e.g., European Green Deal, EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters)
• Activities supporting ocean health, sustainable blue economy, digital twins, and citizen well-being
• Coordination of cross-border ocean and coastal observations, FAIR data initiatives, and AI-driven innovations
• Joint calls and multi-actor collaborations involving researchers, policymakers, industry (including SMEs), civil society, and citizens
• Synergies with other EU Missions and Partnerships

Technology / Maturity Requirements

• TRL range: 4–6

Key Dates

• Open date: 2026-01-13
• Deadline: 2026-04-14

Application Process (High-Level)

• Single-stage submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal
• Proposal must include a separate document detailing additional activities and partners for grant agreement amendment

Post-Award Obligations

• Grant agreement amendment to incorporate additional activities
• Implementation of Open Science practices and inclusive governance
• Reporting on scientific contributions, policy impacts, and sustainable blue economy outcomes

Geographic Scope & Language

• Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland
• Application language: English

Notes

• Proposal must justify any retroactive starting date for grant activities.
• FSTP is a core activity; the EUR 60,000 threshold for third-party funding does not apply.
• Evaluation will consider the existing partnership context and prior grant agreement obligations.