Publication date:
272 project proposals were submitted to the 2026 CBE JU call by the 22 September deadline, requesting a total of €1.65 billion in CBE JU funding. With €170.7 million available across 13 topics, the call supports research, innovation and industrial-scale deployment in areas ranging from biomanufacturing to circular materials, resource efficiency and resilient bio-based value chains. Applicants are expected to receive the evaluation results in January 2027.
Launched on 23 April 2026, the call covers a broad range of challenges and opportunities for Europe’s bio-based sector, including biorefinery competitiveness, alternative feedstocks, circular packaging, bio-based chemicals and materials, sustainable textiles, and innovative solutions for food ingredients, agriculture and consumer applications.
The submitted proposals are distributed across the topics as follows:
Innovation actions – flagship (IA-flagship)
Boosting biorefinery competitiveness through biotech – topic budget €20 million, 1 proposal submitted requesting €19.6 million in funding
Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) bio-based alternatives for fertilising and/or crop protection products – topic budget €20 million, 7 proposals submitted requesting €124.5 million in funding
SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care – topic budget €20 million, 4 proposals submitted requesting €76.9 million in funding
Diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources for increased EU resilience and strategic autonomy – topic budget €20 million, 21 proposals submitted requesting €384.5 million in funding
Innovation actions (IA)
Biotech routes for valorisation of residual biomass – topic budget €14 million, 34 proposals submitted requesting €214.6 million in funding
Bio-based additives as alternatives to unlock and increase recyclability and/or biodegradability – topic budget €14 million, 9 proposals submitted requesting €56.2 million in funding
Bio-based chemicals and/or materials from woody residues – topic budget €14 million, 21 proposals submitted requesting €132.5 million in funding
High-performance, circular-by-design, bio-based thermosets – topic budget €14 million, 14 proposals submitted requesting €89.6 million in funding
Films and coatings for circular packaging – topic budget €14 million, 25 proposals submitted requesting €149 million in funding
Research and innovation actions (RIA)
Addressing separation and purification challenges in biorefineries – topic budget €6.5 million, 32 proposals submitted requesting €100.5 million in funding
SSbD bio-based polymers from alternative sources – topic budget €6.5 million, 54 proposals submitted requesting €173.2 million in funding
Breakthrough and sustainable bio-based textile fibres – topic budget €6.5 million, 35 proposals submitted requesting €111.5 million in funding
Coordination and support actions (CSA)
Supporting industry in the switch to sustainable and circular bio-based products and processes – topic budget €1.2 million, 15 proposals submitted requesting €17.3 million in funding
The CBE JU programme office will now check the admissibility and eligibility of the submitted proposals. The proposals will then be evaluated with the support of independent external experts in October-November 2026.
Applicants are expected to receive information about the outcome of the evaluations in January 2027. Following the completion of grant agreement preparation for the proposals retained for funding, CBE JU expects to sign the grant agreements in May 2027.