Call for proposals 2023

The CBE JU Programme Office has concluded the evaluation of this call for project proposals. 30 proposals have been selected to receive a total of nearly €215.5 million CBE JU funding. Grant agreements with the successful candidates are expected to be signed by the end of May 2024.

The CBE JU received 162 project proposals by the deadline for the 2023 call. Applicants have requested over €982 million in CBE JU funding, against the indicative call budget of €215.5 million. 

Innovation actions – flagship (IA-flagship)

• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IAFlag-01 Optimised and integrated wood-based value chains - €17 million: 1 proposal submitted requesting €17 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IAFlag-02 Expansion and/or retro-fitting of biorefineries towards higher-value bio-based chemicals and intermediates - €17 million: 6 proposals submitted requesting €100 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IAFlag-03 Bio-based packaging materials with improved properties: barrier, food contact, forming, printability, safety, recyclability/circularity-by-design - €17 million: 3 proposals submitted requesting €47 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IAFlag-04 Valorisation of aquatic biomass waste and residues - €10 million: 5 proposals submitted requesting €38 million in funding.

Innovation actions (IA)

• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-01 Small-scale biorefining in rural areas - €15 million: 9 proposals submitted requesting €64 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-02 Production of safe, sustainable, and efficient bio-based fertilisers to improve soil health and quality - €15 million: 14 proposals submitted requesting €75 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-03 Improve fermentation processes (including downstream purification) to final bio-based products - €15 million: 4 proposals submitted requesting €27 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-04 Recycling bio-based plastics increasing sorting and recycled content (upcycling) - €15 million: 10 proposals submitted requesting €72 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-05 Development of scalable, safe bio-based surfactants with an improved sustainability profile - €15 million: 2 proposals submitted requesting €15 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-06 Selective, sustainable production routes towards bio-based alternatives to fossil-based chemical building blocks - €15 million: 4 proposals submitted requesting €28 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-IA-07 High performance, circular-by design, bio-based composites - €15 million: 10 proposals submitted requesting €72 million in funding.

Research and innovation actions (RIA)

• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-01 Phyto-management; curing soil with industrial crops, utilising contaminated and saline land for industrial crop production - €10 million: 13 proposals submitted requesting €58 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-02 Optimised forest-based value chains for high-value applications and improved forest management - €10 million: 5 proposals submitted requesting €23 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-03 Robust and optimised industrial biotech and chemical/industrial biotech processes - €10 million: 29 proposals submitted requesting €144 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-04 Development of novel, high-performance bio-based polymers and co-polymers - €10 million: 35 proposals submitted requesting €166 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-05 Pre-normative research to develop standards for biodegradability of bio-based products in controlled and open environments - €5 million: 3 proposals submitted requesting €15 million in funding.

Coordination and support actions (CSA)

• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-S-01 EU-wide network of pilot plants and testing facilities, improving SMEs and start-ups' access to scale-up - €1.5 million: 3 proposals submitted requesting €4.5 million in funding.
• HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-S-02 Supporting the capacity of regions in environmental sustainability assessment for the bio-based sectors - €3 million: 6 proposals submitted requesting €18 million in funding.

These are the main steps to select the projects funded by this call for proposals:

• Call identifier: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023
• Call launch: 26 April 2023
• Call deadline: 20 September 2023, 17:00 CET
• Call budget: €215.5 million

CBE JU calls follow the rules and procedures of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme. Find more information about Horizon Europe’s funding opportunities.

CBE JU funds three types of actions:

• Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) establish new knowledge or explore the feasibility of a new or improved technology, product, process, service or solution. These may include basic and applied research, technology development and integration, testing, demonstration, and validation on a small-scale prototype, in a laboratory or simulated environment.
• Innovation Actions (IAs) scale up activities from prototype to product validation and market replication. Flagships, an important and specific type of IAs, in particular deploy a first-of-its-kind innovation on the European market.
• Coordination and Support Actions (CSAs), among other, structure stakeholder communities, support technological visions and outreach, as well as disseminate and exploit research results.

Expand CBE JU types of action infographic

Read the updated FAQ for applicants for the CBE JU Call for proposals 2023.

Are you an expert in the circular bio-based industries fields but are not planning to submit a proposal? Consider applying as an evaluator to help CBE JU select the best proposals in future calls:

• Create or update your expert profile via the European Commission’s Funding & tenders portal  
• E-mail experts [at] cbe.europa.eu by end-May 2023, mentioning your expert profile number (format EX20XX1234567).