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Substances of concern and emerging pollutants from bio-based industries and products: mapping and replacement

European Commission

Expected Outcome:

In line with the chemical strategy for sustainability and the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive, successful proposals will support the deployment of safe and sustainable by design bio-based industries and products, contributing to the de-fossilization and to the climate neutrality of EU industrial systems in a sustainable way.

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

stakeholders of bio-based value chains, including in public procurement, researcher centres, industries, public administrations, final consumers, etc., gain awareness on the releases of hazardous substances, emerging pollutants and substances which are persistent and liable to bio-accumulate in ecosystems from bio-based industrial processes and from bio-based products;
bio-based industries operators and customers improve their knowledge and use of safe and sustainable bio-based alternatives replacing hazardous substances, to achieve healthier air, water and soil.

Scope:

Preventing hazardous emissions at source is key to reach the 2030 pollution reduction targets, including substances of concern, very high concern and emerging pollutants (e.g., PFAS and endocrine disrupting chemicals) as defined in relevant pieces of legislation (e.g., REACH, ESPR, Batteries regulation). Bio-based innovative solutions, also in line with the recent initiative on biotechnology and biomanufacturing and the industrial carbon management strategy, should be designed to provide the solutions to replace hazardous substances in industrial assets and in final products and materials. Bio-based materials and products within the scope of this topic do not include food/feed, biofuels and bioenergy.

The proposals should:

track presence of substances of very high concern and of concern, emerging pollutants and substances which are persistent and liable to bio-accumulate in ecosystems emitted from a selection of bio-based materials and products. This includes substances released in all the life phases of bio-based materials and products, during their use and their end-of-life. Evaluate the exposure of targeted end users to the substances, including integrating the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) and vulnerable groups;
include a task for the project to perform a full risk assessment of the substances emitted from the selected bio-based materials and products, also assessing the impacts on affected ecosystems and the risk for biodiversity loss;
track presence of substances of very high concern and of concern, emerging pollutants and substances which are persistent and liable to bio-accumulate in ecosystems, emitted from a selection of industrial bio-based systems;
include a task for the project to identify and improve a set of bio-based safe and sustainable by design (Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/25) and circular solutions, to replace hazardous substances and to increase the resources efficiency, both at the level of industrial processes and in final materials and products selected under the first and the third bullet points of this scope. The number of bio-based solutions provided is not pre-defined. The task should include the assessment of the reduction of substances of concern and emerging pollutants, derived from the substitution;
describe the collection of recommendations and best practices to replace substances of concern with safe and sustainable by design bio-based alternatives.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1️⃣ Strong, Mission-Aligned Impact (Most Important Across EC Calls)

The EC is impact-driven: proposals must show how the project will:

Solve a major European or global societal challenge

Deliver measurable, lasting benefits for EU citizens

Produce outputs that can be used by policymakers, industry, or society

Align with Horizon Europe missions, priorities, and strategic agendas

Predictor: Clear, quantifiable, EU-level impact → strongest scoring factor.

2️⃣ Clear, Ambitious, but Achievable Objectives

Successful proposals show:

2–4 well-defined objectives linked to the Work Programme call text

Clearly articulated research questions or innovation goals

Logical, realistic expected outcomes and deliverables

Feasible scientific and technical approaches

Predictor: Balanced ambition + feasibility.

3️⃣ Excellent, Cutting-Edge Science or Innovation

For RIA/IA/CSA or ERC-level grants, reviewers expect:

High novelty and innovation

Strong grounding in current state-of-the-art

Clear advancement beyond existing approaches

Solid theoretical or experimental foundations

Robust methodological design

Predictor: Scientific excellence is essential for competitive scoring.

4️⃣ Strong Consortium with Complementary Expertise

EC proposals are consortium-driven (except ERC/EIC Accelerator).

High-scoring consortia:

Cover all needed competencies (science, industry, policy, ethics, dissemination)

Include SMEs, industry partners, NGOs, and public bodies when relevant

Are geographically diverse across EU Member States and Associated Countries

Demonstrate strong leadership and communication structures

Predictor: Well-constructed consortium with clear roles.

5️⃣ Clear Pathway From Outputs → Outcomes → Impact

Evaluators look for a credible trajectory showing:

How research leads to specific outputs (data, tools, prototypes)

How outputs lead to uptake or use

How use produces societal, economic, scientific, or policy impact

Strong Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and impact metrics

Predictor: Clearly mapped impact pathway.

6️⃣ Strong Implementation Plan (Work Packages, Deliverables, Gantt Chart)

Winning proposals have:

Well-designed Work Packages (WPs) with clear scope and responsibilities

Interdependencies identified and risk-mitigation strategies

Detailed milestones and deliverables

Feasible budget aligned with tasks

Strong project management plan

Predictor: High implementation quality boosts the “Excellence” and “Implementation” scores.

7️⃣ Policy Relevance and Contribution to EU Strategies

Especially critical for health, climate, digital, and social calls.

Proposals score higher when they link to:

EU Cancer Mission

EU Green Deal

Digital Europe strategy

EU Biodiversity Strategy

EU Health Union & One Health

Open Science & FAIR data mandates

Predictor: Clear alignment with EU policies.

8️⃣ Strong Stakeholder & Citizen Engagement (Especially in Social & Health Missions)

EC values inclusivity:

Patient groups

Civil society organizations

Public sector bodies

Regulatory agencies

Citizen science components

Stakeholder letters of intent or commitment strengthen credibility.

Predictor: Engagement adds impact and relevance.

9️⃣ Robust Data Management, Open Science, and Ethics

Mandatory components include:

FAIR Data Management Plan

Open access publications

Ethics self-assessment

GDPR compliance

Data security, governance, and ethical approvals

Animal-use reduction and justification (if applicable)

Predictor: Clear compliance with ethical and data obligations.

10️⃣ Well-Justified Budget and Resource Allocation

Budget must be:

Proportional to tasks

Transparent and reasonable

Efficiently distributed among partners

Free from padding or unjustified costs

Predictor: Realistic budgets improve Implementation scores.

🚫 COMMON PITFALLS THAT LEAD TO EC GRANT REJECTION

Pitfall	Why It Fails
Weak connection to Work Programme text	Immediate score reduction
Vague or generic impact statements	Poor Impact score
Overly ambitious, unrealistic scope	Feasibility concerns
Poorly structured consortium	Low Implementation score
No policy relevance	Weak strategic alignment
Lack of concrete KPIs or outcomes	Impact unclear
Weak data or ethics plan	Eligibility/score penalties
No exploitation or dissemination plan	Insufficient impact credibility
Budget misalignment	Reviewer distrust

Specialties

Environmental Health

Eligibility Requirements

General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

Applicants submitting a proposal under the blind evaluation pilot (see General Annex F) must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application (see General Annex E).

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

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: European Commission

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Rue de la Loi 200 / Wetstraat 200, 1049 Brussels

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