Call for proposals 2026

Innovation actions – flagship (IA-flagship)

• Boosting biorefinery competitiveness through biotech – €20 million 

• Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based alternatives for fertilising and/or crop protection products – €20 million 

• SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care – €20 million 

• Diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources for increased EU resilience and strategic autonomy – €20 million 

Innovation actions (IA)

• Biotech routes for valorisation of residual biomass – €14 million 

• Bio-based additives as alternatives to unlock and increase recyclability and/or biodegradability – €14 million 

• Bio-based chemicals and/or materials from woody residues – €14 million 

• High-performance, circular-by-design, bio-based thermosets – €14 million 

• Films and coatings for circular packaging – €14 million 

Research and innovation actions (RIA)

• Addressing separation and purification challenges in biorefineries – €6.5 million 

• SSbD bio-based polymers from alternative sources – €6.5 million 

• Breakthrough and sustainable bio-based textile fibres – €6.5 million 

Coordination and support actions (CSA)

• Supporting industry in the switch to sustainable and circular bio-based products and processes – €1.2 million 

Check the Annual Work Programme 2026 for the complete topic text, conditions and requirements. Please send your questions to info[at] cbe.europa.eu. 

The topics for submission will be published on the EU’s Funding & tender opportunities portal.

The Horizon Online Manual provides more information about the different application steps. Please also check the How to apply section on the CBE JU website.

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

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 2026 call for proposals.