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EU Missions under Horizon Europe

Horizon Ocean Mission: Aquatic Pollution and Biodiversity

Funds 4 grants up to €7.75M for consortiums that clean up polluted waterways and rebuild wildlife habitat, demonstrated live in one EU sea or river basin.

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Rivers, lakes, coastal and marine waters across Europe are still carrying too much pollution — nutrients, chemicals, plastics and microplastics — and large parts of them fail the EU's own water-quality targets. That pollution, combined with land and sea-use change and climate pressure, is also driving biodiversity loss right across the chain from watershed to open sea. This topic funds fixing both

Physically demonstrating nature-positive solutions — Nature-based Solutions, hybrid NbS, bioremediation, regenerative aquaculture and agro-ecological measures, or other relevant technologies — that cut nutrient, chemical, plastic and microplastic pollution and restore biodiversity across connected freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. Each proposal addresses one of four EU Mission basins and runs demonstration activities at a minimum of 4 sites from source to sea within it, monitoring pollution levels and ecosystem response at every site, and assessing the economic case and business models for scaling the solutions up.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Annual
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.23 Sept 2026
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.22 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.30%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.€31M

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02Source: ec.europa.eu