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Horizon Europe · European Union

Developing effective air quality planning strategies through innovative multi-scale modelling

Opens 20 Apr 2027

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €4.9 million each, from a total budget of €9.8 million. Applications close on 22 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 outcomes:

• public authorities obtain access to enhanced and innovative modelling capabilities to support air quality planning at various policy levels in a coherent way;

• society benefits from improved governance processes and effective air quality planning strategies, aiming at mitigating air pollution and reducing population exposure, as well as from far more targeted air pollution alerts;

• public authorities, including EU policy-makers and the EEA, receive faster, more comprehensive scientific evidence and tools, enabling more effective EU air quality policy implementation and providing citizens with reliable, detailed information and peak pollution warnings to reduce health impacts.

Scope

The air we breathe is often polluted, which can lead to serious health problems and even premature death. To address this public health issue, it is essential to understand how pollutants move and interact in the air at different scales, from regional to street level and at different time periods during the day or in different seasons. However, current models used to predict air quality have limitations, particularly in terms of their grid resolution levels and their limited ability to accurately capture the complex interactions between different scales. This can lead to uncertainties and inaccuracies in assessing and predicting air quality, making it challenging to develop and take effective measures to improve air quality.

This topic aims to improve these capabilities by developing a chain of innovative integrated models, relatively easy to use and interpret, that can simulate the air quality situation in different scales and types of areas, including at ‘micro-scale’, and by integrating a temporal-scale dimension, also taking into account emissions into the ambient atmosphere from indoor environments. This should support the development of effective air quality planning strategies at various levels, ultimately helping to reduce air pollution and protect public health. Moreover, it should support the requirements in the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive as regards the development of Air Quality Roadmaps and Air Quality Plans, and for the design and planning of the network of monitoring stations.

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

Air and water pollution control Air quality Atmospheric chemistry Atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric composition, air pollution Atmospheric pollution Atmospheric science Computational modelling Earth Observation / Services and applications Earth and related environmental sciences Earth observations from space/remote sensing Environment Environment, Pollution & Climate Health inequalities Health outcomes Operating Environment Knowledge & Modelling Technology Pollutants and chemical propoagation in atmosphere Public and environmental health Public health and epidemiology AQUILA Air

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-09-22. 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 official source and were last checked 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

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