European Green Deal call - now open!

As the European Green Deal begins to take shape, focus is turning to the importance of R&I as a catalyst for the necessary changes demanded by such an ambitious agenda aimed at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and preparing the economy for a sustainable future.

A step change is required to deliver on the green transitions. There is also a need to rethink policies for clean energy supply across the economy, industry, production and consumption, large-scale infrastructure, transport, food and agriculture, construction, taxation and social benefits.

In its Communication (COM(2019) 640 final), the Commission highlights the greater value that needs to be given to protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, improving human health, and promoting and investing in digital transformation as enablers and drivers of the changes needed.

 

Advancing Europe together!

The Green Deal call seeks to mobilise R&I to foster a “just and sustainable societal transition”. Consortia are invited to submit proposals corresponding to the 11 priority areas (eight thematic and three horizontal) that broadly reflect the main streams of the Green Deal. Emphasis is on showing how R&I can provide concrete solutions matching the Green Deal’s main priorities.

Pilot applications, demonstration projects, tangible products and innovative projects should be able to boost governance of the green and digital transition. Experimentation and social innovation to find new ways of engaging civil society and empowering citizens is also encouraged.

The call addresses new challenges emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, seeking R&I contributions to increasing societal resilience in agriculture, biodiversity and modernisation efforts working towards greener, more circular industry. (See our side story to this feature for the Green Deal call themes and timeline.)

Green Deal call themes

The European Commission has issued a dedicated ‘Green Deal-related’ call for projects under Horizon 2020, the EU’s current research and innovation funding programme. The call themes reflect the general priorities of the European Green Deal, as shown with links to the relevant fact sheets below:

Call area 1: Increasing climate ambition: cross-sectoral challenges

Call area 2: Clean, affordable and secure energy

Call area 3: Industry for a clean and circular economy

Call area 4: Energy and resource-efficient buildings

Call area 5: Sustainable and smart mobility

Call area 6: Farm to fork

Call area 7: Restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services

Call area 8: Zero-pollution, toxic-free environment

Call area 9: Strengthening our knowledge in support of the European Green Deal

Call area 10: Empowering citizens for transition towards a climate neutral, sustainable Europe

Call area 11: Accelerating the clean energy transition and access in partnership with Africa

No time to waste!

Announced at the beginning of the summer, stakeholders were first invited to consult on the approach the call should take before the official launch was scheduled to take place. The milestones were presented as follows:

3 June 2020: Deadline for sending online feedback about the call

Mid-September 2020: Formal adoption of Green Deal call, amending the Horizon 2020 work programme (2018-20)

Mid-September 2020: Publication and opening of the call

22-24 September 2020: Opportunity to find partners at EU R&I Days

End-January 2021: Deadline for submitting project proposals

 

International participation in the Green Deal call

As with Horizon 2020, the Green Deal call is open to participants from the rest of the world.

Organisations from any sector and country can apply to the calls as long as they join a consortium with European partners.

Although international cooperation is encouraged in all themes and areas of the Green Deal call, two of them are addressed participants from international institutions:

Africa green transition and energy access

Prevention and fighting of extreme wildfires (United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Brazil, South America, Indonesia, Japan and South Africa)

Organisations from any sector and country, including ASEAN countries can participate in the Green Deal call.

In the ASEAN region, only organsations from Brunei and Singapore are NOT eligible for direct automatic funding by the European Commission.