Replacing hazardous substances in biocidal products
Develop bio-based safe and sustainable alternatives to hazardous substances in biocidal products, focusing on wood preservatives and mosquito insecticides.
This call seeks projects to create safer, bio-based substances to replace harmful chemicals in biocidal products. It targets wood preservatives and mosquito control insecticides. Projects should test safety and effectiveness, aiming to reduce risks to human health and biodiversity.
Likely relevant for
- Chemical engineers
- Environmental biotechnologists
- Bioproduct developers
- Researchers in sustainable chemistry
- SMEs in bio-based product innovation
Project signals
What it funds
- Development of innovative bio-based substances to replace hazardous active substances in biocidal products
- Focus on wood preservatives and insecticides for mosquito control
- Review of hazardous substances at international level
- Testing safety for human health and biodiversity including pollinators
- Validation of biodiversity enhancement contributions
- Demonstration of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of replacements
- Inclusion of social sciences and humanities for safety testing and vulnerable groups analysis
- Encouragement of international cooperation and SME participation
Expected outcomes
- Safer bio-based alternatives to hazardous biocidal substances reducing risks to human health and biodiversity
- Development and testing of safe, sustainable, and effective solutions for controlling harmful organisms
- Support for innovation aligned with EU strategies on biotechnology, bioeconomy, and life sciences
Who can apply / participate
- Research organisations
- Universities
- SMEs
- Industry partners
- Public authorities
- Participation of SMEs is encouraged
- International cooperation is encouraged
- Eligible countries as per Horizon Europe Annex B
- Non-EU/non-Associated countries may have specific funding provisions
- Projects should target biocidal products under Biocidal Products Regulation (EC) No 528/2012
- Focus on wood preservatives and mosquito insecticides
- Specific consortium size or composition requirements
- Exact eligibility of third countries
Must check before shortlisting
- Eligibility regarding specific biocidal product focus
- Consortium composition and SME participation requirements
- TRL levels targeted (TRL 4-5 by project end)
Money
Total indicative budget around EUR 12 million for 2027, with individual grants approximately EUR 4 million each.
- Total budget for 2027 — 12000000EURIndicative total budget for this call in 2027
- Minimum grant per project — 4000000EURMinimum funding per awarded project
- Maximum grant per project — 4000000EURMaximum funding per awarded project
Application notes
- Single-stage submission model.
- Proposal page limits and layout as per Horizon Europe General Annexes A and E
- Eligible countries as per Horizon Europe General Annex B
- Financial and operational capacity requirements as per Annex C
- Evaluation criteria and process as per Annex D and F
- Eligible costs under lump sum funding rules
- Support to third parties limited to grants up to EUR 60,000
- Prepare proposal following the specific application form in the Submission System
- Ensure compliance with admissibility and eligibility conditions
- Submit proposal by the deadline 22 September 2027
- Check specific topic conditions in the Work Programme
- Ensure inclusion of social sciences and humanities aspects as required
- Verify consortium composition and SME participation encouragement
Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 22 Jun 2026, 15:57 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.
Related calls
These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.
Official source text
Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.
Topic description
Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute driving the innovation of public authorities and industrial operators confronted with the Biocidal products regulation (EC) No 528/2012, within the 'safe and sustainable by design' framework. The outcomes should support the goals of the Commission communication on: Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU, of the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, of the Strategy for European Life Sciences and of the new EU bioeconomy strategy. Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: innovation in bio-based and natural substances brings safer alternatives to hazardous substances contained in biocidal products, with decreased risk on human health and biodiversity, including pollinators; safe, sustainable and effective solutions are developed and tested for the control of harmful organisms affecting human or animal health or the environment. Scope: Despite being needed for the control of pests or harmful organisms, some of the biocidal active substances currently approved are problematic for human or animal health or the environment. More innovation to bring safer alternatives into the market is therefore essential, allowing for further restriction or ban to the use of the most hazardous biocidal active substances. Proposals should: develop innovative and Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD [1] ) bio-based substances to effectively replace hazardous active substances used in biocidal products covered by Biocidal products regulation [2] and, specifically, at least in one of the following applications as listed below: hazardous active substances used in wood preservatives biocidal products. Developed solutions/substances should aim to limit the development of resistance or cross-resistance to harmful organisms, such as Aspergillus species , and in particular Aspergillus fumigatus ; hazardous active substances used in insecticides biocidal products to control mosquitos. Developed solutions/substances should be sufficiently effective to control larvae or adults of mosquitoes responsible for diseases transmitted to humans or animals; the developed substances can include active substances derived from plants, microbes and other natural sources, and bio-based substances; include a review at international level of the hazardous active substances in the scope (wood preservatives and insecticides to control mosquitos); test the solutions/substances developed and assess their safety for human health, terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, including pollinators; validate their contribution to biodiversity enhancement, when applicable; demonstrate their effectiveness in replacing the hazardous substances through scientific validated indicators, including their integration into final products, also in terms of cost-effectiveness. Projects should include social sciences and humanities (SSH) in testing the safety of the developed substances on humans, especially including the analysis of groups in vulnerable situations, and the diversity in terms of sex, disability, age, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender, etc. International cooperation is encouraged, for the review of substances in scope. Participation of SMEs in the consortium is encouraged. null Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022H2510 . The SSbD framework is to be used to guide the innovation process towards safer and more sustainable chemicals and advanced materials. The application of the SSbD framework should be evidenced/visible through the decisions and changes made throughout the innovation process, demonstrating how safety and sustainability considerations influenced choices from design to final outcomes. [2] EUR-Lex - 02012R0528-20240611 - EN - EUR-Lex
Destination
This destination will support the EU Commission priorities ‘Sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature’ and ‘A new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness’. The implementation of the European Green Deal will continue to guide R&I in this destination. R&I actions under this destination will take forward the zero-pollution ambition, contributing to reach the 2030 targets for pollution reduction in air, water and soil, as stipulated in the zero-pollution action plan. The activities will help establishing a clean industry, contributing to the EU Clean Industrial Deal [1] , and will aim to address, among others, pollutants of concern, including of emerging concern, also in view of the environmental objectives of the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan [2] . Destination ‘Clean environment and zero pollution’ will help substituting hazardous chemicals and bringing innovation on safe and sustainable by design chemicals to ensure protection of human health and the environment. It will also continue the work on PFAS, the “forever chemicals”, started in the same destination in WP2025. It will also support the implementation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Directive [3] and the Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive [4] . This destination will support the zero-pollution ambition in the industrial bio-based and bioeconomy sectors. The principles of the new EU bioeconomy strategy, underpinned by the principles of the circular economy, will allow for the replication value chains with improved resource efficiency and environmental performances, also enabled by innovative approaches designed in the Strategy for European Life Sciences, the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy and the upcoming Biotech Act. Furthermore, R&I activities under this destination will underpin EU water legislation and the European Water Resilience Strategy [5] by addressing water quantity and quality issues in specific sectors as well as across broader water systems, supporting EU policies and international conventions. The destination will also support the Marine Strategy Framework Directive [6] , particularly in its efforts to assess and mitigate the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems such as contamination and underwater noise. R&I actions under this destination will aim to underpin the conclusions from the Strategic Dialogue on EU Agriculture and the Vision for EU Agriculture and Food [7] , and support the next reform of the CAP with scientific evidence. R&I actions under this Destination will encourage international cooperation, in line with the global approach on R&I. The Destination supports unlocking the unique assets for research and innovation of the EU outermost regions, in line with the EU strategy for outermost regions [8] . Expected impact : Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to "achieve a clean environment, ensure water resilience, and enable the transformative change necessary to reduce air, water and soil pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to health and natural ecosystems, while respecting planetary boundaries" . More specifically, they should contribute to one or several of the following expected impacts : Advancing scientific understanding and innovative solutions for identifying, preventing and mitigating pollution aim to effectively protect human health and safeguard the environment, preserving cleaner water and seas, healthier air and soil, and resilient forests. Innovative circular bio-based systems and biotechnologies are developed and made available to all stakeholders to progress towards the clean environment and zero-pollution ambition. Farmers and other actors in the food chain are empowered to make informed decisions and to apply novel strategies to prevent, reduce and remediate pollution from agriculture and the food system, contributing to the zero-pollution ambition. Effective solutions to remediate and decontaminate aquatic pollution are developed, made available and implemented contributing to reducing pollution to levels no longer considered harmful to the environment. [1] Clean Industrial Deal - European Commission [2] European Chemicals Industry Action Plan – European Commission [3] Directive - 2008/50 - EN - EUR-Lex [4] Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0) - European Commission [5] Water resilience strategy - European Commission [6] EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive - European Commission [7] Vision for Agriculture and Food - European Commission [8] COM(2022) Putting people first, securing sustainable and inclusive growth, unlocking the potential of the EU’s outermost regions.
Conditions and documents
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
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.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000.
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
Call-specific instructions
Information on financial support to third parties (HE)
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Support information
Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.
Raw budget overview
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