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Minimising climate impact on aquaculture: mitigation and adaptation solutions for future climate regimes | Deadline: 22 February 2024

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Deadline: 22 February 2024  | 17 September (multiple cut-offs)
Budget: €9.000.000
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: funding and tender opportunities portal by the European Commission 

Scope

  • Proposals are expected to enhance knowledge of the impacts of climate change on aquaculture production at environmental, social and economic levels. They should identify, forecast and assess the main effects of climate change on different aquaculture production systems and on their ecological carrying capacity.
  • They should consider impacts of climate change such as water availability (e.g., rise in evaporation, decrease in rainfall, extreme weather events like droughts or floods), water quality (e.g., acidification, eutrophication, pollution, contamination), temperature rise, sea level rise, spread of diseases (e.g. recrudescence of endemic and emerging diseases in traditional and recirculating aquaculture systems), reduced fish welfare, invasive species, and other climate related risks.
  • They should also investigate adaptation and mitigation solutions and opportunities such as technological, social, economic, and biological/ecological aspects, selection of suitable sites, culture methods (including the contribution of organic production and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture), species plasticity and adaptability to changing environments as well as breeding and selection techniques for a more sustainable, productive and resilient production.
  • Furthermore, they should address aspects of circularity in terms of more efficient use of resources and less negative impacts on marine environment, including reduction, valorisation, and reuse of waste. Indicative aspects could include Life Cycle Assessment approaches such as of feeding systems and valorisation of non-food biomass for feeds and fertilisers.
  • Proposals should build on the work of Horizon 2020 and EMFF projects, such as ClimeFish and CERES, and provide applicable approaches and tools to the aquaculture sector.
  • Selected proposals should collaborate with each other.
  • This topic should involve the effective contribution of SSH disciplines.
  • Proposals are encouraged to cooperate with actors such as the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The possible participation of the JRC in the project would consist in providing and analysing aquaculture data.

Minimising climate impact on fisheries: mitigation and adaptation solutions for future climate regimes | Deadline: 22 February 2024

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Deadline: 22 February 2024  | 17 September (multiple cut-offs)
Budget: €9.000.000
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: funding and tender opportunities portal by the European Commission 

Scope

  • Proposals are expected to investigate the impacts of climate change on biological and ecological processes such as shifts in stocks distribution, abundance and density, fish health, stock productivity, habitats, regime shifts in ecosystems and altered growth, reproduction rates, seafood safety and overall changes in the ecosystem potential production. They should also explore and test innovative measures to mitigate climate change (such as new designs of fishing gears or new fishing strategies that do not resuspend carbon from the seabed or new fishing strategies which improve energy use efficiency or strengthen circularity aspects) and adaptive solutions (such as valorisation of new catches or building resilience actions).
  • Proposals should include studies representing the whole spectrum of European fisheries, including small-scale fisheries, and the related biotic, abiotic, social and economic conditions. They should follow an interdisciplinary approach and cover both scientific and socioeconomic aspects.
  • They should build on the work of Horizon 2020 projects ClimeFish and CERES and others and provide applicable approaches and tools to the fishing sector. They should also build on the work of initiatives such as the EMFF-funded studies on “Climate change and the Common Fisheries Policy: adaptation and building resilience to the effects of climate change on fisheries and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from fishing”, and “Adapting postharvest activities in the value chain of fisheries and aquaculture to the effects of climate change and mitigating their climate footprint through the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions”.
  • Also importantly, proposals should build synergies with the projects funded under the topics HORIZON-CL6-2023-BIODIV-01-5: Understanding and reducing bycatch of protected species in Destination “Biodiversity and ecosystem services” and ‘HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-02: Understanding the oceanic carbon cycle’ as well as with work done under other organisations such as the OECD Committee for Fisheries. Selected proposals should collaborate with each other.
  • Proposals are encouraged to cooperate with actors such as the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The possible participation of the JRC in the project would consist in providing and analysing fisheries.
  • This topic should involve the effective contribution of SSH disciplines.

Systemic circular solutions for a sustainable tourism | Deadline 22 February 2024

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Deadline: 22 February 2024
Budget: ‘€10.000.000 (allocation per project: 5.000.000)
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: dedicated funding page from the European Commission

Scope

Proposals are expected to implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions at the level of cities and regions, and include several sectors providing services for visitors and residents such as hospitality, transportation, culture, attractions, nature-based activities.

Tourism can consume large quantities of energy, water, and plastics, which degrade the environmental quality of destinations and ecosystems, affecting the lives of residents. Circular tourism should consider waste and water management, batteries and vehicles, electronics and ICT, packaging, plastics, construction and buildings, GHG emissions of local and long-distance mobility, accommodation and food services.

Proposals should address at least one of these above mentioned sectors.

The complexity of tourism ecosystem lies in the fact that industry is deeply interlinked with and dependent on multiple key resource and commodity chains. Travel and tourism actors can both act as enablers of circularity in a wider economic context, and at the same time benefit from circularity models in other industrial ecosystems. Proposals should develop and demonstrate new and circular business models and technological solutions to change the way tourism operates, enabling businesses and destinations to be sustainable. This includes developing systemic approaches that steer the behaviour of consumers, whether residents or citizens, towards circularity and makes them participate in circular practices.

The implemented circular systemic solutions should address economic, social and environmental dimensions of the transition towards circular tourism and include science, technology, behavioural and governance components. Proposals are expected to involve the relevant actors, which include public administrations, destination management organisations, private sector services and industries, citizens (residents and visitors), non-governmental organisations and new types of actors rising from collaborative economy platforms.

The development of systemic solutions needs to consider the costs of transition from the existing models into the new ones, analysing trade-offs and challenges related to their implementation and demonstration. As the tourism ecosystem is mostly composed of small actors, micro and SMEs, systemic solutions at the level of cities and regions should develop and test innovative and collaborative ways to create common objectives, targets and processes. The implementation of technologies such as AI, robotics, IoT and blockchain could also be considered in a context-sensitive manner. Proposals should however also investigate simple, low-cost and low-tech solutions. Projects should analyse the encountered obstacles and drivers and provide clear and precise policy recommendations for local authorities on how to improve circular tourism. Each circular systemic solution should address social, economic and environmental externalities and contribute to the well-being of the local communities while improving the circularity behaviour of the visitors.

The circular systemic solutions implemented and their business models should demonstrate a high replicability and scalability potential in order to contribute to the overall transition of tourism towards more sustainable and resilient practices. During their implementation and by the end of their lifecycle, the selected proposals are expected to prepare and share clear and comprehensive guidelines on the circular systemic solutions adopted, including their strengths and weaknesses experienced, mainly for the use of economic operators in the sector.

With regard to the territorial aspects of all proposed solutions, proposals should seek to contribute to the goals and cooperate with the services of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI). Joint activities with CCRI projects are encouraged.

Demonstration of sustainable wave energy farms | Deadline: 16 January 2024

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Deadline: 16 January 2024
Budget: €38.000.000
Countries: Algeria, France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information:   funding and tender opportunities portal by the European Commission 

Scope

Demonstration of sustainable wave energy pilot farms (minimum 2.0 MW installed capacity and at least 4 devices) in full operational conditions for long periods of time is essential to advance this sector. It is the way to bridge the gap from technology development to market development while reducing costs, reducing risks and attracting investors for future commercial projects. The farms should be composed of several devices of the same type.

The wave energy farms have to be connected to the electricity grid. To focus on the technologies with the greatest chances of success, the single wave energy device to be used in the array deployment is expected to be satisfactorily demonstrated at full scale before, with limited changes to incorporate the learnings. Any change on the wave energy device may be incremental but should not involve fundamental changes to the device design or composition. The innovation component should mainly lie on the pilot farm systems and supporting industrial manufacturing activities that enable a cost-effective and high-performance pilot farm. Where established, stage-gate processes can help ensure that this approach is followed.

The project is expected to deploy a wave energy farm with a minimum capacity of 2 MW and operate the farm at least 2 years in the lifetime of the project. After the project it is expected that the farm will continue to be operated for at least 8 years. The project should develop and execute an effective operation and maintenance programme.

Proposals are expected to address also all the following for both the supporting infrastructure for the farm and for the individual devices themselves:

  • Industrial design and manufacturing processes including set up of an industrial supply chain, circularity of (critical) raw materials, sustainability, scalability, installation methods, transport, operation & maintenance, supply chains and the related digital infrastructures.
  • Projects are requested to demonstrate the technologies at sea while respecting existing environmental regulatory framework. Necessary mitigation measures should be integrated to protect habitats and species. Present an environmental monitoring plan to be implemented during the demonstration action. Environmental monitoring data should be open source and be shared with EMODNET and the IEA OES environmental task.

The project has to include a clear go/no go moment ahead of entering the deployment phase. Before this go/no-go moment, the project has to deliver the detailed engineering plans, a techno-economic assessment, including key performance indicators based on international recognized metrics, a complete implementation plan and all needed permits for the deployment of the project., The project proposal is expected to present a clear and convincing pathway to obtaining necessary permits for the demonstration actions and allow for appropriate timelines to achieve these. The project is expected also to demonstrate how it will get a financial close for the whole action. For this the use of other EU/national/regional support mechanisms can be considered. Independent experts will assess all deliverables and will advise for the go/no-go decision.

The exploitation plans should include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan, financial model) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).

Data from the pilot structures should be collected to understand the performance and behaviour of the structure and the surrounding environmental condition to optimise the concept and understand the environmental impact of wave energy harvesting.

The selected projects are expected to contribute to the BRIDGE initiative[1], actively participate to its activities and allocate up to 2% of their budgets to that end. Additional contributions to the ‘Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation’ (AIOTI) and other relevant activities (e.g. clusters of digital projects and coordinating actions) might be considered, when relevant.

System approach for grid planning and upgrade in support of a dominant electric mobility (vehicles and vessels) using AI tools | Deadline: 10 October 2023

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Deadline: 10 October 2023
Budget: €11.000.000
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: funding and tender opportunities portal by the European Commission 

Expected outcomes

  • AI-based prediction of most convenient locations that optimize grid resources and upgrades around recharging pools for EVs and electric HDVs.
  •  Developing of spatial mapping models and software tool for location decision-making with a comprehensive focus, including major highways, industrial zones (depot charging), urban nodes (e.g., for overnight charging) and less-densely populated areas.
  • Simulation, analysis, design, test and demonstration of smart and bidirectional charging schemes and their integration into flexibility markets that allow to minimise the impact on grid planning and connection of high-power recharging pools for recharging EVs, and especially HDVs on more cost-intensive locations, and that ensure benefits to consumers based on smart charging energy service models.
  • Exploration of the impact of different charging methods, including cable-charging, wireless charging and electric road systems covering either catenary as inductive coils embedded in the road.
  • Analysis, design, testing and developing of a cyber security model that can simulate and accurately represent attack propagation from recharging infrastructure entry vectors, informing the development of efficient strategies and lines of defence to mitigate these vulnerabilities for the different relevant stakeholders.

Capabilities for border surveillance and situational awareness | Deadline: 23 November 2023

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Deadline: 23 November 2023
Budget: €7.000.000
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: funding and tender opportunities portal by the European Commission

Scope

External borders of the European Union and of the Schengen area, ranging from those closer to the Mediterranean to the Nordic Countries external land borders, present different border surveillance challenges. These differences may lead to difficulties in efficiently monitoring them, deterring illegal activities across the external borders, as well as trafficking of human beings and exploitation of irregular migration that avoid border crossing points.

Outcomes

  • Increased border surveillance capabilities, better performing and more cost-efficient, with data and fundamental rights protection by design;
  • Better surveillance of border areas, supporting fight against illegal activities across external borders, as well as safety of people and operators in the border areas, including favouring border crossings through border crossing points;
  • More efficient and more flexible solutions (including for relocation, reconfiguration and rapid deployment capabilities) than physical barriers to deter and monitor irregular border crossings outside border crossing points

Robotics: autonomous or semi-autonomous UGV systems to supplement skills for use in hazardous environments | Deadline: 13 November 2024

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Deadline: 13 November 2023
Budget: €8.000.000
Countries: Algeria,France, Italy, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia
More information: Euro-access.eu website

Scope

The scope of this topic is not only to develop new robotic solutions for specific tasks but addresses also more holistically the surrounding environment and factors that impact civil protection on a larger scale.

Outcomes

  • Broad acceptance of autonomous systems by first responders and affected people in civil protection;
  • Higher safety and security standards for operational forces working in hazardous environments;
  • Get ahead of future shortcomings of trained first responder personnel by increasing first responder efficiency (less personnel do more work in shorter time);
  • Increased ability to conduct on-scene operations remotely without endangering first responders;
  • European robotics industry is strengthened through engagement in the civil protection research as well as an economic and political advantage through building up know-how for innovative technologies;
  • Reduction of false positive readouts from various sensors carried by robots.

Supporting the clean energy transition of European businesses | Deadline 16 November 2023

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Deadline: 16 November, 2023
Countries: France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain

 

Scope:

As highlighted in the Green Deal Industrial Plan, the achievement of climate-neutrality by 2050 will require a full mobilisation and deeper cooperation among all players operating across the different value chains of Europe’s net-zero industry. Exposure to energy prices, increased global competition as well as potential transition risks linked to changing regulation, market demand and buyers/suppliers procurement criteria are increasing pressure on EU companies. New business models and financial schemes are needed to be able to adapt in the current energy crisis and take the decision to invest in an energy efficiency or renewable energy project.

The overall objective of this topic is to support the clean energy transition and decarbonisation of businesses by strengthening national and regional ecosystems for energy management systems and energy audits and by fostering collaborative approaches between companies. Synergies with relevant EU projects[4] and initiatives such as the Covenant of Companies for Climate and Energy (CCCE) and/or the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) are encouraged.

Proposals are expected to focus on one of the two scopes below. The scope addressed should be specified in the proposal’s introduction. In case a proposal addresses elements of more than one scope, this should be justified.

Scope A: Strengthening a favourable ecosystem for energy audits and energy management systems
Scope B: Fostering energy cooperation among companies

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.

More information on the dedicated funding page from the European Commission

Horizon Europe: EUR 64.6 million available for projects in sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply | Deadline 10 October

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Deadline: 10 October, 2023
Budget: €64.400.000
Countries: France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain

Scope:

Following the adoption of the Horizon Europe 2023-2024 work programme, the European Commission has launched a new call for project proposals to support research and innovation under efficient, sustainable and inclusive energy use. This Destination includes activities targeting a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply. This includes activities in the areas of renewable energy; energy system, grids and storage; as well as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)

The total indicative budget available is EUR 64.6 million. The deadline for submissions is 10 October 2023 17:00 CET Time.

The call covers 8 topics:

You can find all the information required, including the call text and application forms on the Funding and Tenders Portal using the call reference: HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-03

More information on the dedicated funding page from the European Commission

MedBAN Open Call for Blue Economy SMEs (Internationalisation) | Deadline: 31 May 2023

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Deadline: 31 May, 2023
Budget: €300.000
Countries: Spain, Portugal, France Italy, Greece

Scope:

The open call for Internationalisation aims at providing financial support to SMEs working in the blue economy. The SMEs should focus on adapting processes and technologies for a greener, more digital and resilient blue economy. Specifically, this call aims to contribute to tackling the multiple challenges identified by MedBAN in the Mediterranean Sea Basin.

Independently of its position in the value-chain (e.g., producer, technology and equipment and infrastructure provider, end-user, support service provider), applicant SMEs need to be active in at least one of the following sectors:

  • Sustainable aquaculture;
  • Sustainable fisheries;
  • Sustainable tourism; 
  • Harbours; 
  • Marine renewable energies.

For more information download the documents in the MedBAN public folder and visit the MedBAN website