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Open calls for proposals

The CBE JU call for project proposals 2023 is now open.

Call for proposals 2023

  • 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.

Call topics

Innovation actions – flagship (IA-flagship)

Innovation actions (IA)

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

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
  • HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-02 Optimised forest-based value chains for high-value applications and improved forest management - €10 million
  • HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-03 Robust and optimised industrial biotech and chemical/industrial biotech processes - €10 million
  • HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-R-04 Development of novel, high-performance bio-based polymers and co-polymers - €10 million
  • 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

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
  • HORIZON-JU-CBE-2023-S-02 Supporting the capacity of regions in environmental sustainability assessment for the bio-based sectors - €3 million

Check the Annual Work Programme 2023 for the complete topic text, conditions and requirements, and the FAQ for the frequently asked questions.

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.

Timeline

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

  1. 20 April 2023

    CBE JU Info Day

    The info day takes place in Brussels and online, part of it is dedicated to networking meetings.

  2. 26 April 2023

    Call publication & opening

    Applicants can submit their proposal in the EU’s Funding & tender opportunities portal.

  3. 20 September 2023

    Call closing

    The deadline for submitting your proposal is at 17:00 CET.

  4. Mid-February 2024

    Evaluation results

    Applicants receive the evaluation results.

  5. End-May 2024

    Grant agreements signature

    After a few months of preparation, CBE JU signs grant agreements with the successful applicants.

Types of action funded by CBE JU

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.

CBE JU types of action

Expand CBE JU types of action infographic

The mission of CBE JU is to advance a competitive bioeconomy for a sustainable Europe. To achieve this goal, the public-private partnership is funding projects developing innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions, with a focus on these strategic priorities: feedstock, processing, products, as well as cross-cutting aspects of communication and environmental sustainability. These priorities are set in the CBE JU’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the 2022-2030 period.

FAQ for applicants

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

Apply as an expert

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).