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Antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic biosynthesis in soils: developing key understanding and counteractive strategies using a One-Health approach

European Commission

Activities under this topic will help progress towards the objectives and targets of the Mission Soil and of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the European One Health Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance as well as the Sustainable Development Goals[1].

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

policymakers, land managers and other relevant stakeholders have an enhanced understanding of antimicrobial resistance development in soils, the key drivers and pathways of soil’s contribution to human and animal exposure to antimicrobial resistant genes and organisms, as well as antibiotic biosynthesis in soils;
policymakers and land managers have increased access and capacity to implement evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance development in soils and minimising the exposure of humans and animals to antimicrobial resistant genes and organisms;
policymakers and other relevant stakeholders benefit from improved access to enriched databases of antibiotics-related genes and antibiotic alternatives from soil microorganisms;
citizens are more aware of the importance of soil and soil biodiversity for human, animal and environmental health as well as on their potential as a source of molecules of interest for pharmaceutical purposes.

Scope:

Soil biodiversity plays a major role in human, animal and ecosystem health. Soil microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) have been crucial in the discovery of antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine. However, soils can also be a hotspot for antimicrobial resistance development and can play a key role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes between organisms and environmental compartments. Antibiotic use is expected to increase globally due to the rising demand for food-producing animals, which may further exacerbate the development of antimicrobial resistance in soils. According to the World Health Organization, antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to public health[2]. The driving forces for antimicrobial resistance development in soils are however understudied, as well as the role of soils in the exposure of humans and animals to antimicrobial resistance determinants. Moreover, our knowledge of antibiotics-related genes is currently limited, making it challenging to identify new compounds of interest. To better understand and combat antimicrobial resistance development in soils, a One-Health approach is needed.

Proposals should:

explore the source and dynamics of antimicrobial resistance development and the mechanisms for antibiotic biosynthesis in soils across all relevant land use types. The role of land use, land management practices and other environmental and anthropogenic driving factors should be identified and taken into account;
analyse the role of soils in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes among organisms and environmental compartments and in the exposure of humans and animals to antimicrobial resistance genes and organisms;
expand databases of antibiotics-related genes and antibiotic alternatives from soil microorganisms;
develop concrete guidelines for policymakers and land managers to: i) better address the exposure of humans and animals to antimicrobial resistant genes and organisms; and, ii) facilitate the discovery of new molecules of pharmaceutical interest;
carry out communication and awareness raising activities targeted to citizens on the importance of soil and soil biodiversity for human, animal and environmental health as well as on their potential as a source of molecules of interest for pharmaceutical purposes.

In carrying out the activities, consortia should work in an interdisciplinary way bringing together life sciences, environmental sciences, health sciences and veterinary sciences.

Proposals are expected to collaborate with the projects funded under HORIZON-HLTH-2024-DISEASE-09-01: European Partnership: One Health Anti-Microbial Resistance. Proposals should also demonstrate a route towards open access, longevity, sustainability and interoperability of knowledge and outputs through close collaboration with the EU Soil Observatory and the SoilWise project. Proposals should therefore include dedicated tasks and appropriate resources for collaboration with relevant projects and initiatives and engage in relevant Mission Soil clustering activities.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

All Horizon Europe proposals are scored on three decisive pillars:

✔️ Excellence

Clear, innovative idea beyond state-of-the-art
Strong methodology and scientific credibility
Well-defined, measurable objectives

✔️ Impact (most decisive in practice)

Demonstrated societal, economic, or environmental impact
Strong dissemination & exploitation plan
Alignment with EU priorities (Green Deal, digital, SDGs)

✔️ Quality & Efficiency of Implementation

Realistic work plan, timeline, and deliverables
Clear governance and task distribution
Feasible and justified budget

👉 Proposals must meet minimum thresholds (≈10/15 total) and ≥3 per criterion to be fundable

🧠 2. Consortium Strength (Top Empirical Predictor)

From large-scale studies of EU Framework grants:

Key factors:

Prior EU funding experience (very strong predictor)
High scientific reputation / excellence of partners
Strong existing collaborations (network familiarity)
High “network visibility” in EU research ecosystem

Structural advantages:

Balanced consortium (academia + industry + SMEs)
Inclusion of well-established Western EU institutions
Application-oriented collaborations perform better

👉 This is one of the most consistently proven predictors across studies

🌍 3. Strategic Consortium Composition

Successful proposals often show:

Multidisciplinary & cross-sector teams
Inclusion of:
- Universities
- Industry/SMEs
- Public or non-profit organizations
Alignment of partner roles with project objectives

👉 “Triangular collaboration” (academia + industry + research orgs) is common in funded projects

📊 4. Strong Alignment with Call Topic

Precise match with call scope and expected outcomes
Explicit referencing of:
- Work Programme priorities
- EU missions / policy goals
Avoid “generic” proposals

👉 Misalignment is a major reason for rejection (even for strong science)

📑 5. Proposal Quality & Compliance

Critical but often underestimated predictors:

Full compliance with:
- Formatting rules
- Page limits
- Mandatory annexes
Clear, readable, structured writing
Inclusion of ethics, gender, and data management plans

👉 Administrative errors can lead to automatic rejection

💰 6. Budget Credibility

Budget must be:
- Realistic
- Justified per work package
- Linked to outputs

👉 Weak or inflated budgets reduce evaluation scores

⏳ 7. Preparation Time & Proposal Development

Successful consortia typically:
- Start 6–8 months in advance
- Iterate drafts and internal reviews
Proposal preparation often requires 2–3 person-months effort

📈 8. Experience with Evaluation Process

Understanding scoring system and evaluator mindset is crucial
Key predictors:
- Prior submissions (even unsuccessful ones)
- Use of experienced coordinators or consultants

👉 Studies show success depends on both:

Excellent idea
Understanding evaluation system

📉 9. Success Rate Context (Competitiveness)

Average success rate ≈ 16% in Horizon Europe

👉 Meaning: even strong proposals fail → optimization of all predictors is essential

🧩 Summary: Most Important Predictors (Ranked)

Highest impact factors:

Strong consortium (experience + reputation)
Clear impact (policy + societal relevance)
Excellence of idea

Moderate but critical:
4. Implementation quality
5. Call alignment
6. Budget credibility

Supporting factors:
7. Proposal writing quality & compliance
8. Early preparation
9. Familiarity with EU evaluation process

💡 Practical Insight

The biggest shift from Horizon 2020 → Horizon Europe is:

👉 Impact is now as important (or more) than scientific excellence

Specialties

Others

Public Health

Eligibility Requirements

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: European Commission

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Berlaymont Building, Rue de la Loi 200, 1040 Brussels

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