International dimension of the circular bio-based economy: seeking win-win opportunities

Expected outcomes

• Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
• 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.

• “Proposals should:. analyse bottlenecks and opportunities (in terms of measurable socio-economic and environmental impacts) of the international cooperation in sustainable and fair/just bio-based circular innovation, identifying key interested players active in this area, including the European circular bio-based industry, international organisations (e.g. OECD, FAO, Global Bioeconomy Summit) and like-minded international partners, civil society…”
• “The focus should be on actions in selected key areas (including, but not limited to biorefining, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, environmental applications, international biomass trade analysis, circularity of bio-based economy, intellectual property (IP) aspects, global infrastructure mapping, etc).”
• “This should take into account the diversity of approaches, perspectives and initiatives in non-EU contexts (e.g. G20 work on bioeconomy), in view of effective international cooperation and dialogue on circular and fair bio-economy/bio-based economy;. develop an inclusive and transparent networking approach to support stakeholder engagement and international dialogue (via existing structures, platforms, bioeconomy databases and dashboards, and…”
• “Proposals are encouraged to work together with relevant initiatives including those of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy, Bioeconomy Monitoring System, etc.).”
• “Synergies with activities under the Circular Bio-based Europe (CBE) Joint Undertaking and International Bioeconomy Forum as well as Global Bioeconomy Summit are encouraged.”
• “This topic should involve the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines.”
• “In case bioenergy is considered, it should be covered in the frame of the cascading use of biomass and ensuring synergy with Horizon Europe Cluster 5.”

Conditions that shape the proposal

• Part B, sections 1–3: 28 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.
• Coordination and support action: no research is funded. Evaluators look for coordination, networking, dissemination or policy support with a clear audience.
• Other Eligible Conditions: “If eligible for funding, legal entities established in non-associated third countries may exceptionally participate in this Coordination and support action as a beneficiary or affiliated entity.”

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.
• Users or citizens are part of the scope. Show how they take part in the design and testing, not only that they are informed.
• International cooperation is part of the scope. Explain what the non-EU partners add and how the cooperation is organised.
• The Joint Research Centre may take part. Decide whether its involvement helps, and say so if you include it.
• The topic expects cooperation with other projects or initiatives. Reserve effort and budget for it in the work plan.
• Open science or data practices are named. Make the data management plan concrete: which data, which repository, when.
• Policy or regulation is in scope. Name the policy owners you will reach and what you will give them.
• 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.