← All opportunities

Horizon Europe · European Union

Circularity of seafood supply chain

Opens 9 Feb 2027

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 4 awards of €7.2 million – €7.73 million each, from a total budget of €30.9 million. Applications close on 21 Sep 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.

Expected outcome

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Measurable improvements in the competitiveness and increased environmental sustainability of the EU’s fisheries and/or aquaculture sectors by integrating circular economy principles;

• Minimized and better managed waste products derived from fisheries and/or aquaculture sectors as well as improved reutilization and reduction of by-products;

• Reduced existing barriers preventing the implementation and development of circular principles in seafood chains, such as the cost of advanced processing technologies, regulatory hurdles, lack of collaboration across the different seafood supply chain actors or limited market demand and acceptance;

• Measurable socio-economic benefits for local stakeholders and communities involved in the seafood processing chain.

Scope

Proposals under this topic are expected to show how activities and results will contribute to achieve Mission objective 2 - prevent and eliminate pollution of marine and freshwaters and Mission objective 3 – Sustainable, carbon-neutral and circular blue economy.

The goal is to improve the competitiveness of the European seafood industry along the value chain while ensuring optimal resource use and minimising environmental impacts by applying circular economy principles to the aquaculture and/or fisheries sectors.

In this topic, seafood covers marine or freshwater edible organisms, including seaweeds and algae.

Projects under this topic are relevant to the Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the EU Algae Initiative, the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution, the European Ocean Pact and the Mission objective of making the blue economy sustainable.

The circular approach in seafood supply chain can be applied by the reduction and better management of waste products and/or by improving the valorisation of fisheries and aquaculture by-products which can be used as input for other industries. The aquaculture sector can also explore more sustainable and circular practices as following the example of the Integral Multi-tropic Aquaculture (IMTA) or the diversification to lower trophic species. Another example is the use of innovative organic feed from fisheries bycatch, agriculture products or low-trophic species, as alternatives to traditional fish meal and fish oil, which will reduce dependency on wild fish stocks.

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.

Topics

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Bioproducts (products that are manufactured using biological material as feedstock) biomaterials, bioplastics, biofuels, bioderived bulk and fine chemicals, bio-derived novel materials Industrial sectoral change Seafood chain aquaculture fisheries seafood seafood processing seafood waste

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-09-21. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

How to apply

1. Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
2. Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
3. 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.
4. 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).
5. 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.

Read the EU application guide

Where these facts come from

Official sources

Official call page

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.

More from Horizon Europe