HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08: Sustainable aircraft circular design and additive manufacturing,… — expected outcomes, evaluation and traps

Topic	HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-08
Status	Forthcoming
Call	HORIZON-CL5-2027-03 — MOBILITY
Destination	Achieving sustainable, inclusive, and competitive transport modes (2026-27)
Type of action	Research and Innovation Actions · lump sum
Opening	15 December 2026
Deadline	14 April 2027
Budget	around EUR 2.5 million per project · 2 projects expected · EUR 5 million in total
Part B page limit	45 pages (standard application form; check your call)
Template	Work Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant. The topic says: “Project results are expected to contribute to both of the following expected outcomes:”

EO1 Additive manufacturing including high performance polymers, composites and metals, offering significantly improved performance compared to state-of-the-art. Entire process including design / manufacturing / characterization and testing / certification.
EO2 Sustainable aircraft circular design and manufacturing processes of individual high-value components towards further developing the innovation pipeline from system demonstration to deployment stage in the EU and Associated Countries.

Expected impacts named in the destination

The wider, long-term effects the destination seeks. Your outcomes feed them; they are not project deliverables.

EI1 Accelerated uptake of a zero-tailpipe emission ecosystem, with interoperable technological solutions developed at system level (vehicles, infrastructure, user and energy grid) that support the global competitiveness of the EU transport and mobility system.
EI2 Zero-tailpipe emission mobility solutions developed that are affordable, efficient, user-friendly, inclusive, safe and circular with concepts and technologies that are easy to deploy, considering needs, behaviours and socio-economic conditions of all end-users.
EI3 Clean mobility solutions for a climate neutral and environmentally friendly and zero pollution mobility with a higher level of circularity.
EI4 Increased responsiveness of zero tailpipe emission vehicles and systems to diverse societal interests and concerns.
EI5 Enable breakthrough technologies and innovations that will contribute to the design (addressing also eco-design and circularity principles), manufacturing, maintenance and operations of new generation aircrafts, also powered by renewable energy and sustainable aviation fuels, for a competitive and clean EU aviation ecosystem (including airports).
EI6 Derisk and accelerate the introduction of new digital technologies (with emphasis on AI) at all levels in the industrial aviation ecosystem, while addressing all safety-related issues in collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
EI7 Higher autonomy range in electric and hybrid vessels.
EI8 Uptake of renewable and low carbon fuels and improved knowledge on the suitability of innovative renewable and low carbon fuels and other energy carriers for waterborne transport.
EI9 Support the objectives of the European Port Strategy and Waterborne Industrial Strategy, contributing the role of ports as energy hubs, improving efficiency and safety through digitalization, improving the resilience and security of the transport network, as well as increasing the competitiveness of the industrial and technology EU capabilities.
EI10 Significant reduction of emissions from large vessels due to the merging of energy efficiency and renewable and low carbon fuels.
EI11 Sustainability of waterborne transport by design, considering air and water pollution, circularity and life-cycle assessments in shipbuilding.
EI12 Improved safety of seafarers, port workers and the environment.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

The topic does not say whether all outcomes must be addressed; treat them all as relevant.
For each outcome (EO1 to EO2), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

“Additive design and manufacturing of aircraft and engine structural components have already transformed the industry and are expected to be the key to the EU competitiveness.”
“Building on previous research efforts (i.e. H2020-SUSTAINair) and EREA’s Future Sky initiatives on circular aviation, proposals should focus to real, challenging and competitive industrial use cases for circular design of individual components, joining technologies, improved maintenance and repair technologies to extend aircraft lifetime and improved recovery of high-quality recycling materials.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

Part B, sections 1–3: 45 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
Lump sum: the budget is fixed per work package and paid when each work package is completed. Every work package needs activities and deliverables an evaluator can verify, and the effort must match the money.

Impact pathway and traps

The scope expects pilots or demonstration. Name the sites, the partners who run them and what is measured there.
Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.

The scope, as published

This topic focuses on: Additive design and manufacturing of aircraft and engine structural components have already transformed the industry and are expected to be the key to the EU competitiveness. Geopolitical aspects for raw materials reinforce the importance of additive manufacturing, while the European RTOs and industry recognised that there is a substantial untapped potential towards even higher energy efficiency, savings in critical raw materials and higher quality parts. The main objective of this topic is to resolve existing challenges in the AD/AM of metal, high performance/value polymer and composite parts, related to residual stresses, non-equilibrium phase transformations, joining, defects and reproducibility among others. Building on previous research efforts (i.e. H2020-SUSTAINair) and EREA’s Future Sky initiatives on circular aviation, proposals should focus to real, challenging and competitive industrial use cases for circular design of individual components, joining technologies, improved maintenance and repair technologies to extend aircraft lifetime and improved recovery of high-quality recycling materials. Especially as regards engines and safety critical systems, real-time condition monitoring and inspection methods have the potential to improve repairability by determining an optimized degradation status, allowing smart repairs on-wing and on-site that reduce or postpone the need for material- and energy-intense overhauls or replacements.

Source and attribution

Topic text from the official topic page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, retrieved 19 October 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU (CC BY 4.0). Changes: the expected outcomes and impacts are split into numbered statements, long passages are shortened, and the evaluator checklist is GrantWise's own commentary. Your call and the Work Programme always win; check them before you submit. GrantWise is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the European Commission.

Sustainable aircraft circular design and additive manufacturing, towards a climate neutral aviation

Expected outcomes

Expected impacts named in the destination

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

What the scope asks for

Conditions that shape the proposal

Impact pathway and traps

Other topics in HORIZON-CL5-2027-03

Source and attribution