Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking - Call 2025

Research, Internationalization

Funding organisation:

Europese Commissie

What?

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) is a public (EU)-private (Bio-based Industries Consortium) partnership within the Horizon Europe programme. The CBE JU is funding projects that deliver bio-based solutions, materials and products made from waste and biomass, in an innovative, sustainable and circular way.

The CBE JU key objectives are:
- accelerating the innovation process and development of bio-based innovative solutions
- accelerating market deployment of the existing mature bio-based innovative solutions
- ensuring a high Level of environmental performance of bio-based industrial systems

Project applications should fit with a call topic, but also within the overarching Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). The focus lies on scaling-up, tech-transfer and higher-TRL (6-8) Innovation Action (IA) research, but also lower TRL (3-5) Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) can be funded. The 2025 call topics are:

IA Flagships
- Urban-industrial symbiosis for bio-waste valorisation
- Bio-based drop-ins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective, sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass
- Circular-by-design fibre-based packaging with improved properties
- Retrofitting of (bio)refineries industrial plants towards higher-value bio-based products

Innovation Actions
- Sustainable macroalgae systems for innovative, added-value applications: cultivation and optimised production systems
- Safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) bio-based solutions to replace hazardous conventional chemicals for textiles production
- Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources
- Cost-effective and robust continuous biotech bio-based processes
- SSbD bio-based polymers/copolymers unlocking new market applications

Research and Innovation Actions
- Valorisation of untapped forest biomass
- Bio-based and biodegradable delivery systems for fertilising products to reduce microplastics pollution & promote soil health
- Alternative biomanufacturing routes for natural and synthetic rubber

Coordination and Support Actions
- Develop and deploy new curricula and knowledge exchange practices relevant to bio-based systems

Who?

The standard Horizon Europe eligibility conditions apply and thus, consortium for collaborative projects should be composed of at least three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country:
- At least one independent legal entity established in a Member State (MS), and
- At least two other independent legal entities each established either in a different MS or an Associated Country

Those eligible for funding are:
- EU Member States including their outermost regions
- Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the MS
- Countries associated to Horizon Europe (AC)
- Low and middle income countries
- Other countries when announced in the call or exceptionally if their participation is essential
- Affiliated entities established in countries eligible for funding
- EU bodies
- International organisations

Funding
For universities, RIA, IA and CSA are all funded for 100%. A minimal amount of in-kind contribution to operational activities (IKOP) from Bio-based Industries Consortium members is expected:
- RIA: 5%
- IA: 15%
- IA Flagships: 20%

More information?

Work Programme 2025
Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda
Call 2025 Info day
Call management rules and conditions

Deadline intern

02.09.2025, 18.09.2025

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail ward.ceunen@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211268945