Horizon Europe European Union
Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies
This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: • Fully programmable industry-ready quan…
Horizon Europe · European Union
Improvement of Adaptability, Flexibility and Efficiency of Existing Recycling Processes (BATT4EU Partnership)
Opens 3 Dec 2026
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €9.4 million each, from a total budget of €18.8 million. Applications close on 31 Mar 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.
- Deadline
- 31 Mar 2027 (in 136 days)
- Opens
- 3 Dec 2026
- Grant amount
- €9.4 million per project
- Total budget
- €18.8 million
- Funding rate
- 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €18.8 million
- Expected awards
- 2
- Type of action
- HORIZON Innovation Actions · HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based
- Likely applicant types
- Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
- Funder
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Reference
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-02-D2-05
- Call
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-02
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
Proposals are expected to contribute to all following points:
• Improving cost and recovery efficiency of existing scaled recycling technologies
• Demonstrated technological solutions capable of efficiently recycling diverse feedstocks, including production scrap, and mixed lithium-ion battery chemistries
• Improved European competitiveness by reducing EU dependence on imported raw materials through improved recycling processes
• Demonstrable compliance with the targets and requirements set by the EU Batteries Regulation, including recycling efficiency and material recovery rates.
Scope
Proposals under this topic are expected to specifically address innovation actions that enhance the adaptability, flexibility, and operational efficiency of existing battery recycling processes.
Projects are expected to explicitly target improvements for processing mixed input streams, particularly production scrap and various lithium-ion battery chemistries
Proposals are expected to clearly demonstrate technical innovations in black mass processing, resulting in the efficient recovery of high-purity battery-grade materials suitable for reintroduction into the European battery manufacturing value chain.
Proposals are expected to address all of the following points:
• Development and demonstration of recycling technologies capable of handling variable composition feedstocks, potentially within the same batch.
• Optimization of hydrometallurgical and/or pyrometallurgical processes for enhanced recovery rates of critical raw metals, aiming to at least achieve recovery efficiencies requirements set by the EU Batteries Regulation
Read the full text
• Detailed techno-economic assessments (TEA) and comprehensive life-cycle assessments (LCA), demonstrating significant improvements in energy efficiency, CO2 and ecological footprint reduction, and economic viability.
Where required, proposals should include robust and digitalised sorting technologies and other advanced pre-treatment technologies.
The Commission initiative for Safe and Sustainable by Design [1] (SSbD) sets a framework for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials which should be considered as a reference for project proposals.
Whenever the expected exploitation of project results entails developing, creating, manufacturing and marketing a product or process, or in creating and providing a service, the plan for the exploitation and dissemination of results must include a strategy for such exploitation. The exploitation plans are expected to include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).
Proposals could consider the involvement of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) [2] whose contribution could consist of providing added value regarding various aspects of battery circularity and sustainability. For further information on the JRC’s possible contribution to the projects, please, search for additional publicly available information on the JRC’s website [3] (EU Science Hub) on the NCP portal, or request specific information from the JRC (JRC-NCP-Network@ec.europa.eu)
JRC will assure that all the other applicants receive the same information on the JRC’s possible contribution to the project (e.g., via the topic-specific FAQs under the Funding and Tenders Portal).
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on Batteries (Batt4EU). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to…
Who can apply
Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule).
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
Timing
Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-03-31. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).
How to apply
- Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
- Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
- Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (Horizon Europe standard rule; Türkiye is associated). Confirm in the topic conditions.
- Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
- Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.
From the call text
- Who can apply
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Company stage
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Single applicant or consortium
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where applicants must be based
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where to apply
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where these facts come from
| Fact | Value | How we know | Taken from the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 31 March 2027 “Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-03-31. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).” | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Amount per applicant | Unknown — not stated in the source we hold | unknown | — |
| Total budget | €18.8 million | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Funding rate | 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Who can apply | Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule). | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Where to apply | Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route. | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
Official sources
Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.
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