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Horizon Europe · European Union

Biotechnology application for CCU

Opens 20 Apr 2027

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €6 million each, from a total budget of €12 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

Successful proposals under this topic should contribute to the objectives of the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Certification (CRCF) Regulation and the Clean Industrial Deal, allowing industrial operators to use a sustainable carbon source as feedstock. They should facilitate innovators to scale up promising solutions in scope of the Strategy for European Life Sciences and the Biotech Act, also supporting the implementation of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy as well as the EU strategy on research and technology infrastructure.

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

• innovative and improved purification and conversion of gaseous carbon is developed and scaled up to provide feedstock for industrial processes promoting circularity and climate neutrality;

• advanced industries – applying life sciences technologies and biotechnology - contribute to the climate-neutrality objective.

Scope

Increasing industrial productivity and competitiveness should not entail unsustainable exploitation of resources. This makes the sustainable sourcing of non-virgin-fossil carbon (i.e., carbon from sustainable sourced biomass, gaseous carbon, waste) essential for European industries, especially considering the production of chemicals and materials.

Proposals should address the following activities:

• review the up-to-date progress of R&I in the use of life sciences-based technologies for Carbon Capture and Use (CCU) phases taking into account the capture of gaseous carbon - from any industrial emission and the atmosphere – and its purification and conversion into products. Provide an assessment of their technological readiness, strengths and weaknesses and their potential of carbon storage in products;

• develop and test innovative and effective life sciences-based technologies, either synthetic biology and/or living microorganisms, to concentrate, purify and convert gaseous carbon efficiently into suitable feedstock to produce products. Products in scope exclude food/feed and biofuels/syngas;

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

Emerging industries IPR management Industrial biotechnology Materials engineering Biotechnology CBE JU CCU CFCR Carbon Capture and Use Carbon Farming Certification Carbon Removals Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking Clean Industrial Deal Cluster 5 IP Life Sciences Strategy Start-ups and Scale-ups biotechnology carbon feedstock carbon storage

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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