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Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:drivers behind the rapid decline of specific species are better understood;policymakers, land, water and sea managers, national agencies and other stakeholders are provided with fast, practical and effective measures to prevent further decline and promote the recovery of affected species populations, thus contributing to the EU objectives of nature protection and climate mitigation and adaptation. Scope:As a result of unsustainable human activities, the global population of wild species is estimated to have fallen by more than 70% over the last 50 years[1]. This is notably documented for bird populations, with long-term trends demonstrating that Europe has experienced a major decline in biodiversity[2]. Some species that were considered common in the past have recently been assessed as...

Expected Outcome:Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:better understanding and communication of environmental, social and economic impacts of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) [1] is available for stakeholders across sectors, building on and enhancing existing knowledge systems, databases, and impact assessment frameworks;policymakers at different levels are able to more systemically integrate NbS across policy domains - such as energy, built environment, water management and transport - enabling systemic approaches to conserve, protect, restore and sustainably use ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience and maximise cost-effectiveness;scientifically credible, robust and policy-aligned evidence and projections (including from EO and modelling) are provided for practitioners and decision-makers on the long-term effectiveness of implemented NbS acr...

Expected Outcome:Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:competent authorities and the water sector have access to effective solutions – particularly based on life sciences and biotechnology – to bioremediate and decontaminate aquatic (marine and freshwater, including groundwater) pollution and improve the resilience of aquatic ecosystems to climate change and biodiversity decline;local authorities have improved monitoring and management tools for the protection of marine, surface and groundwater ecosystems, against contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), especially PFAS, antimicrobial substances and microplastics;the impact of CEC, especially PFAS, antimicrobial substances and microplastics on marine, freshwater and groundwater ecosystems are better understood including the interlinkages of these systems. Scope:Chemical pollution of aquatic e...

Expected Outcome:The general objective of the call is to further develop the social enterprise finance market by supporting the social finance intermediaries to provide the needed capital to social enterprises and mission-driven enterprises.In this direction, the call builds upon previous similar calls and aims above all to support social finance intermediaries who undertake long-term risk capital investments in social enterprises and mission-driven enterprises. Therefore, the key objective of the present call of proposals is to catalyse risk capital investments below EUR 1 000 000 that otherwise would not happen in the area of social enterprise finance. The call aims to support the transaction costs for these low value investment tickets and thus to help to overcome the identified market failure / mismatch in the social investment market.The present call also encourages the European (tr...

Expected Outcome:Successful proposals will support the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Preparedness Strategy and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:Navigable inland waterways, their surroundings and related infrastructure are managed in a more integrated and sustainable manner across Europe and become more climate-resilientClimate and environmental risks to water infrastructure (e.g. droughts, flooding, slow onset events, ecological degradation and cascading and compound events) are more effectively addressed in a systemic way. Safe, efficient and reliable navigability conditions are improved.Cost-efficient and environmentally friendly measures -- especially nature-based solutions -- are identified w...

Expected Outcome:The successful proposal will support the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Projects are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:The methodology for identifying, selecting and consolidating global and regional reference climate data sets and scenarios is advanced and their consistent use across the EU in relation to climate adaptation is supported.Standardisation and quality of climate services across the EU are improved, and their uptake is enhanced.Climate services and best practices are used effectively to inform climate adaptation policies and decisions Scope: Rationale As climate risks intensify, the demand for tailored and effective climate services is growing. However, despite their increasing adoption, the lack of sufficient regulation can compromise quality assurance...

Expected Outcome:The successful proposal will contribute to the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:The wide range of solutions tested and deployed in the context of the Adaptation Mission and the good practices emerged in its Community of Practice are harvested, assessed, structured and systematised to support the implementation of the Mission.Regional and local authorities can access, in the local language, the latest and most actionable solutions for climate adaptation relevant to their (climatic) conditions. Adaptation solutions stemming from research and innovation are ready for replication and scale-up, contributing to the delivery of the Adaptation Mission and acceleration of adaptation efforts across Europe. Legacy of the knowledge...

Expected Outcome:The successful proposal will contribute to the implementation of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, the Preparedness Union Strategy and the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan, by facilitating the interaction between the actors of the Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management at European, national and regional scales.Proposals are expected to contribute to all of the following outcomes:The Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management communities at European level are brought together to develop inter- and transdisciplinary methodological approaches, constructing and disseminating joint knowledge.The knowledge and understanding of the common aspects for Disaster Risk Management preparedness and climate change adaptation are enhanced, including the question of responsibility and accountability.The terminology and understanding of the risks and t...

Expected Outcome:In line with the EU Adaptation Strategy and the objectives of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, successful proposals will support the preservation of cultural heritage (moveable, immoveable and natural with cultural significance) under a changing climate. Project results are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:Innovative solutions for protecting and preserving cultural heritage from the impacts of climate change have been demonstrated and are made widely available for upscaling and deployment across the European Union and beyond. This includes nature-based solutions. Regional and local authorities hosting cultural heritage are better prepared to preserve it under a changing climate.Relevant stakeholders - including heritage scientists and managers, climate scientists, regional and local policymakers, civil society and representatives from t...

Expected Outcome:In support of the implementation of the Mission on Adaptation to climate change and of the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan , the successful project is expected to contribute to multi-level governance for climate adaptation by addressing all of the following outcomes:The relevant national governance for innovation and climate adaptation is further engaged and mobilised to contribute to the objectives of the Adaptation Mission and benefit from it. In turn, the Mission fosters multi-level governance, supporting Member States, regions and local authorities in their efforts to implement the European Climate Law’s requirements on climate adaptation, and to further develop and update their adaptation plans. Mission solutions are disseminated beyond the regions and local authorities actively involved in the Mission and peer learning opportunities (within and outside) t...

Expected Outcome:Expected results:Strengthened mutual understanding and friendship among citizens at local level;Better opportunities for citizens to experience and appreciate the added value of the EU through a grassroots, community-based approach;An increased sense of belonging to the EU;Long-lasting bond between municipalities and between citizens;Increased cross-border cooperation on similar practical issues of democratic participation between municipalities and between citizens, going beyond cultural exchanges;Increased effectiveness of prevention policies at local level aimed at preventing against domestic violence and violence against children; • Increased inclusion of marginalised communities, disadvantaged groups and groups at risk of discrimination;Improved accessibility for persons with disabilities and better inclusion in the community;Increased citizen participation in inclu...

Expected Outcome:In support to the implementation of the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate change, and in particular having regard to the upcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan, project results should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Local climate adaptation actors, the financing sector, the public grant sector, and climate adaptation financing experience are brought to work together on making local adaptation actions financeable by combining public grant funding and private financing via bank loans and on overcoming the practical barriers on combining these and finding solutions, and specifically through demonstrating this with intermediated EIB adaptation lending.Local innovative adaptation actions (including nature-based solutions) have been implemented thanks to their financing by the combination of private financing via bank loans...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Provide policymakers with a more detailed understanding of the contribution of basic skills on the economy in the short and medium term, with a focus on their contribution to productivity and innovation, to sustain EU competitiveness and growth.Develop actionable advice about how, in a lifelong perspective, education and training systems can help foster basic skills.Promote productivity, innovation, competitiveness and growth, including by reducing gender, disability and socioeconomic gaps in basic skills. Scope:In the context of the Union of Skills, the 2025 European Commission’s Action Plan on Basic Skills identifies five basic skills: literacy, mathematics (including also financial literacy), science, digital and citizenship. Strong basic skill levels among young people and adults are key to sustaini...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:An in-depth analysis of the socio-economic dimensions and impacts of generative AI on the cultural and creative sectors and related societal implications. Particular attention should be paid to rights and remuneration of creators, diversity of cultural expression, audience perception, consumption patterns, market dynamics, value chains, royalty allocation and the effectiveness of copyright infrastructure.Scenarios, value chains, standards and robust, agile solutions to ensure transparency and trust in the generative AI supply chain are developed, aiming for a fair and transparent market for cultural and creative content. This includes: systems for content provenance detection of AI-generated and manipulated creative content; tools and infrastructure that reinforce rights management, creators’ consent, c...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Increased evidence collection and intelligence gathering, effective cross-border and cross-domain cooperation and uptake by the Law Enforcement Authorities (LEA) and experts of the consolidated tools and platforms within their operational systems and methodologies in accordance with the different user’s requirements.Capacity building and consolidated training ecosystem, developed with concrete, validated, actionable, interactive training materials tailored to the specific needs of different user groups across EU Member States and beyond. European Union law enforcement, judiciary and other competent authorities and practitioners gain a better understanding and enhanced capabilities in addressing crimes related to cultural heritage thanks to the consolidations of existing solutions, standardized and tailo...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Reinforced digital transformation of the news media industry by facilitating the development of new business models, contributing to a more resilient and inclusive democracies.Citizens, particularly those facing systemic disadvantages, are empowered and better equipped to make informed decisions, and news media’s role as contributor to a healthy, reinvigorated and fair democracy is enhanced. Stronger engagement with emerging media creators (such as influencers and other online content producers) to promote transparency and accountability in their role in sharing information, and to foster reliance on trustworthy media sources. Scope:Democracies are at risk when reliable and independent journalism is at risk. Yet, in order to be truly independent, media need sustainable financing models. At present, jour...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence on the factors that may influence students, researchers, and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to move to and remain in the EU.Provide policymakers and higher education/research institutions with guidance on which policies and programmes could be effective in attracting talented students, researchers and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to the EU.Develop actionable advice to policymakers and higher education/research institutions about how to retain talented students, researchers and high-skilled workers from non-EU countries to ensure a long-term positive impact on the EU economy’s innovation and competitiveness.Provide evidence-based policy insights/options to improve the coherence of migration pathways for skilled talent across the EU. Su...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Policymakers, educators, and other relevant actors have tools and recommendations to put in place more opportunities for lifelong civic and citizenship[1] learning, in support of democracy and democratic participation, including by relying on the opportunities offered by digital means, notably civic tech.Policymakers at local, regional, national and EU level have tools and recommendations for ensuring the participation of citizens in democratic life, whatever their background, especially those who face barriers to participation in democratic processes. Scope:A healthy democracy relies on citizens being able to make informed democratic choices, in free and fair elections. Meaningful and inclusive citizens’ participation and engagement can further complement and reinforce representative democracies and fo...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Provide policymakers, education and training institutions, and social partners with a solid understanding of which competences young people and workers need to support the EU economy towards the green transition to reach carbon neutrality and protect natural ecosystems.Develop actionable advice to policymakers and education and training institutions about which education and training programmes and policy measures can promote the acquisition of those competences by young people and workers in a lifelong perspective, including the gender and disability dimensions.Provide policymakers with guidance on how to address the interconnection between fostering the competences for the green transition and those for the digital transition. Scope:Environmental challenges have been one of the key drivers of labour d...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: EU institutions and national decision-makers, have a better understanding of how to foster democratic resilience through media and digital literacy, equipping societies to adapt and thrive in the face of evolving technological, political, and societal challenges.Citizens are empowered to navigate the digital landscape with discernment and critical thinking, actively engaging with media and other source of information, ensuring informed democratic participation. Scope:As recalled by the “Safer together” report[1], “over the past years, the Commission has already taken steps to counter hybrid threats (including foreign information manipulation and interference/FIMI) and enhance democratic resilience across the EU. It adopted, among other initiatives, the European Democracy Action Plan[2] to build more re...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Policymakers are made aware and are equipped with the knowledge and tools to integrate inclusive and intersectional perspectives into their policymaking, which strengthens their capacity to promote and protect democracy, fundamental rights, and EU values.Researchers gain insights on how to translate their findings on intersectional inequalities and democracy into actionable, evidence-based recommendations, enabling them to effectively inform policy and practice at local, regional, national, and EU levels.Innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe and other EU-funding programmes empower equally all citizens, to participate in democratic processes and decision-making. Scope:This call topic aims to establish a Research and Innovation Network for a Union of Equality. The proposed network should bri...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Evaluate the effectiveness and resilience of existing long term-care (LTC) policies at national and regional levels.Provide policy makers with scientific knowledge and data for evidence-informed policies to address the rising demand for affordable, accessible and high-quality long-term care, with the focus on efficient use of resources, including human, financial and technological.Propose new policy solutions to address rising long-term care needs and to ensure smooth (in)formal care transitions, including from the perspective of active and healthy ageing policies and the development of integrated care service provision at local level. Scope:In the EU, the number of people with long-term care needs is projected to increase in the future. In 2070, this number is expected to be 21% higher than in 2020.Thi...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Policymakers gain insights into the cost of child poverty and the returns from securing access of disadvantaged children to quality Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in the EU.Policymakers receive operational advice on ways to reduce this cost and support participation of disadvantaged children in quality ECEC to close the gap with other children in the EU. Scope:Past studies researched the cost of child poverty, and the returns yielded by and ways to secure disadvantaged children’s participation to ECEC, yet their relevance to the current EU context is limited (i.e. most of them were conducted outside of the EU or they are now outdated). Producing EU-specific insights on these issues is the aim of this topic, which should help close the ECEC participation gap and improve social outcomes, in lin...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:EU and national policymakers and relevant stakeholders get an enhanced understanding of the drivers of violence against women and LGBTIQ people who are politically active or political aspirants.Enhanced prevention and early intervention through better understanding of the drivers and impacts of violence (short- and long-term) on women and LGBTIQ people engaged, or aspiring to engage, in online and offline political activities and how their participation evolves after experiencing violence and harassment.Uptake of evidence-based policy recommendations by policymakers and relevant stakeholders on tackling gender-based violence alongside violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people, promoting equal political participation and addressing harmful narratives.Broader adherence to media guideline...

Expected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:EU institutions and national decision-makers are equipped with science-based tools, toolkits, training models, monitoring frameworks, and recommendations to proactively promote inequality reduction, human rights and democracy, in order to lead to more resilient and inclusive democratic societies in low-income and low-middle income countries[1]EU institutions and national decision-makers are better able to proactively promote democratic values, principles and practices in low- and low-middle income countries grounded in a better understanding of the actors at local level including their capacity and needs when engaging in democratic practices.EU institutions, national decision-makers, and civil society organisations can access and use (evidence-based) good practices for working in fragile contexts[2]EU i...