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Horizon Europe · European Union

Advancing circular logistics solutions in cities

Opens 9 Feb 2027

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 3 awards of €7.5 million each, from a total budget of €22.5 million. Applications close on 7 Oct 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

Projects are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes:

• Accelerated transition towards circular economy in the freight transport sector and throughout the urban logistics value chain, contributing to the objectives of the Climate-neutral and Smart Cities Mission and the EU Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI);

• Increased adoption by logistics operators of new and tested circular systemic logistics solutions, including modular loading units and reusable transport packaging systems tailored for urban delivery settings;

• Improved integration of reverse logistics into urban logistics models to enable higher reuse and recycling rates;

• Optimised resource utilisation in urban logistics through innovative circular economy approaches, leading to significant reductions in material consumption and carbon footprint;

• Enhanced cooperation among urban stakeholders, including local authorities, logistics providers, retailers, and consumers, fostering circular business models and enhancing consumer acceptance.

Scope

The rapid growth of e-commerce and urban logistics has led to an increase in packaging waste, inefficiencies in freight transport, and rising environmental impacts. Current urban logistics systems often rely on disposable packaging and fragmented transport operations, resulting in significant material waste, resource inefficiency and carbon emissions. Addressing these challenges requires innovative circular economy approaches, promoting systemic, innovative, circular and scalable solutions for reducing waste generation, in line with the revised EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) [1] , and improving resource efficiency in business-to-business and business-to-consumer logistics.

Building on previously funded projects’ outcomes and leveraging potential complementarities with existing regional circularity hubs and other initiatives (e.g. the CCRI [2] and its related projects [3] , as well as the Driving Urban Transition Partnership (DUT) [4] ), proposals should address all the following actions:

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

Circular economy E-Commerce Urban and regional economics Urban transport Urban waste Urbanization and urban planning, cities Waste management Climate change mitigation circular logistics strategies decarbonisation e-commerce urban logistics urban mobility urban planning waste reduction

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-10-07. 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

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the official source and were last checked 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

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