Mission Lighthouses coordination and support activities

The main goal of this opportunity is to advance the restoration and protection of oceans and waters by 2030. It focuses on strengthening cooperation and governance at the basin level, supporting national and regional hubs, and aligning relevant policies. The initiative promotes technical services and sustainable socio-economic models while encouraging innovative solutions and broad stakeholder engagement. Key areas include restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, eliminating pollution, and creating a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy. This grant covers projects in the Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube River-Black Sea basins, including cooperation with essential associated regions.

• Projects must address at least one of the mission’s core focus areas: ecosystem restoration, pollution prevention, or sustainable blue economy.
• They should involve cooperation at the basin scale, including relevant countries and regions.
• Proposals must follow the specified page limits and layout provided in the application form.
• Applicants must be from eligible countries as defined in the Horizon Europe guidelines.
• Projects must adhere to the lump sum funding model and submission requirements.

Examples:

• A project uniting organizations from Mediterranean countries to restore coastal wetlands.
• A cross-border initiative to monitor and reduce plastic pollution in the Baltic Sea basin.
• A partnership developing circular economy business models for fisheries in the Atlantic-Arctic region.

• Personnel costs for project management and research staff
• Costs for equipment and materials directly used in project activities
• Travel and accommodation for project-related events and fieldwork
• Subcontracting of specialized services essential for the project
• Costs for stakeholder engagement and dissemination activities
• Expenses for organizing workshops, meetings, and training sessions
• Development and maintenance of digital platforms or tools
• Monitoring and evaluation activities
• Communication and outreach materials
• Administrative and overhead costs related to project execution

Restrictions: All expenses must fit within the lump sum model and be directly linked to project objectives. Further details are specified in the Horizon Europe simplified costs guidelines.

• Budget for this Call: 14,200,000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 4
• Maximum value per project: 3,500,000€
• Minimum value per project: 3,000,000€

• Applicants must be from eligible countries as specified by Horizon Europe.
• Consortia may include partners from associated regions essential to the mission’s objectives.
• Non-EU and non-Associated Countries may participate if they have made specific arrangements for funding.
• Proposals must follow the application format, including page limits and layout.
• Applicants must comply with the lump sum funding requirements.
• Projects must target one or more of the four major basins or associated regions.
• Partnerships or networks may be necessary to address basin-scale cooperation.