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HORIZON EUROPE TOPIC · Cluster 6 · Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Open topic: Using the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative to strengthen urban manufacturing in support of the Clean Industrial Deal

HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage — the expected outcomes as checkable statements, what evaluators look for in this topic, and the conditions that shape the proposal.

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ForthcomingIADeadline 8 April 2027around EUR 6 million per project

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TopicHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage
StatusForthcoming
CallHORIZON-CL6-2027-01-two-stage — Call 01 - two stage (2027)
DestinationCircular economy and biobased sectors (2026-27)
Type of actionInnovation Actions · two-stage
Opening4 February 2027
Deadlines8 April 2027 (stage 1) · 16 September 2027 (stage 2)
Budgetaround EUR 6 million per project · 3 projects expected · EUR 18 million in total
TRL at the endTRL 6–8
Part B page limit40 pages (standard application form; check your call)
TemplateWork Programme 2026–2027 application form

Expected outcomes

Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes. The topic says: “Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:”

  1. EO1 urban manufacturers significantly increase their resource efficiency through increased circular material use or reduced overall material use per output.
  2. EO2 urban manufacturers contribute significantly to EU climate, zero pollution, circularity and biodiversity goals by engaging in clean, sustainable and circular business practices.
  3. EO3 improved knowledge sharing and proliferation of digital tools and methods that facilitate the adoption of circular business practices and enable large-scale diffusion.

Expected impacts named in the destination

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

  1. EI1 Improved climate change adaptation and mitigation through the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy and bioeconomy, underpinned by biotechnologies and sustainable industrial solutions, such as carbon capture and utilisation and recovery of materials, water and energy.
  2. EI2 Industrial competitiveness, sustainability and strategic autonomy are improved through the development of safe, sustainable, circular and/or bio-based value chains. This is done by promoting the efficient and circular use of secondary materials and water, fostering the multi-functionality of forests, and ensuring the sustainable supply of critical resources from land and sea.
  3. EI3 Living conditions for individuals and communities are improved through innovative, affordable and sustainable safe and sustainable by design products and services based on circular and/or bio-based solutions while demonstrating a reduction of environmental and climate pressures.
  4. EI4 Advanced societal transformation based on a systemic approach, as well as people’s involvement and integration of social sciences and humanities for fair, safe, sustainable and circular value chains, sustainable consumption patterns, environmental justice, gender equality and social inclusion.

What evaluators will look for in this topic

Expected outcomes

  • Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
  • For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), 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.

  • “As urban centres absorb a large percentage of the world’s population and resources, they are also increasingly exposed to pollution problems, social inequality and non-diversified economic activity and will need to become more resilient, self-sufficient and resourceful.”
  • “Projects should therefore involve economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organisations.”
  • “The topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and involvement of SSH experts in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related activities.”
  • “Proposals should seek to contribute to the goals and cooperate with the services of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and in particular with the CCRI Coordination and Support Office.”
  • “Linkages with relevant initiatives such as the Regional Innovation Valleys, the New European Bauhaus and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission should be explored whenever relevant.”
  • “Proposals are expected to contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and sustainable prosperity by supporting the development of a more resilient circular economy in line with the EU Competitiveness Compass, the EU Clean Industrial Deal and the EU Circular Economy Act.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

  • Part B, sections 1–3: 40 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
  • Two-stage submission: the first stage uses a shorter proposal and is assessed on Excellence and Impact only. Check the page limit and sections in the stage-one form of your call.
  • TRL: the topic expects TRL 6–8 by the end of the project. State where you start and the evidence for it.
  • Innovation action: evaluators expect a plausible path to commercialisation and named first users or customers.
  • Other Eligible Conditions: “In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to…”

Impact pathway and traps

  • The topic asks for social sciences and humanities (SSH) expertise. Evaluators look for SSH partners with a real role in the methodology, not a token task.
  • 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

The Clean Industrial Deal confirms Europe’s dedication to its decarbonisation goals by offering clear business incentives. It will help create lead markets to boost supply and demand in clean tech and energy-intensive industries (such as chemicals, cement, steel and metals), enabling the decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness of Europe at the same time. An integral focus is to support the acceleration of the roll-out of clean energy and manufacturing, to develop sectoral transition pathways and to reinforce a circular economy. The Clean Industrial Deal Communication states that “Research and Innovation (R&I) is a key enabler for promoting the next generation of clean tech, clean energy and decarbonised manufacturing in the EU. A flagship Horizon Europe call of ca. EUR 600 million under the 2026-2027 work programme supports fit-for-deployment projects. This will aim at fostering synergies between the Framework Programme for R&I and the Innovation Fund, creating a pipeline of projects from R&I to deployment.” The topics of this flagship call focus exclusively on clean tech and energy-intensive industries as described above. Therefore, this topic complements the CID flagship call and aims to support the clean transition in a specific area outside the CID flagship call where the existing CCRI network can provide capacity and expertise. Proposals should: Implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions that help urban manufacturers overcome key barriers and challenges in their clean and circular transition and in adapting to new requirements aiming to mitigate environmental degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss. Urban manufacturing is the production of goods in urban areas, designed considering local culture and characteristics and intended to be distributed to the same local communities. Urban manufacturing is characterised by the use of local resources. In view of the multiple crises since the financial crisis of 2008, it has become obvious that the reindustrialisation of Europe is necessary. As urban centres absorb a large percentage of the world’s population and resources, they are also increasingly exposed to pollution problems, social inequality and non-diversified economic activity and will need to become more resilient, self-sufficient and resourceful. That makes the return of local production, together with its jobs and innovation, not only desirable but essential. The integration of urban manufacturing within a city necessitates the consideration of the relationship to the existing urban environment. Projects should therefore involve economic operators, local authorities, and civil society organisations. The topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and involvement of SSH experts in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related activities. Proposals should seek to contribute to the goals and cooperate with the services of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and in particular with the CCRI Coordination and Support Office. Joint activities with other CCRI projects are strongly encouraged. Linkages with relevant initiatives such as the Regional Innovation Valleys, the New European Bauhaus and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission should be explored whenever relevant. Proposals are expected to contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and sustainable prosperity by supporting the development of a more resilient circular economy in line with the EU Competitiveness Compass, the EU Clean Industrial Deal and the EU Circular Economy Act. In line with the CID flagship call, this is an open topic, allowing applicants to propose solutions that maximise competitiveness and sustainability through increased circularity, and that are fit for deployment in terms of technological and economic feasibility.

Technology readiness, as published

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL. https://citiesofmaking.com/project/what-is-urban-manufacturing/

Other topics in HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-two-stage

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.