The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership has pre-announced its fourth Joint Transnational Call, opening a new funding opportunity for research and innovation projects supporting Europe’s transition towards a sustainable, resilient and inclusive blue economy.
Co-branded by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the call will mobilise approximately €37 million from 35 funding organisations across 28 countries, combined with support from the European Union. It aims to fund impact-driven transnational projects that generate knowledge, develop innovative solutions and strengthen cooperation across Europe’s marine and coastal regions.
The call will support projects addressing four priority areas:
- Transitioning blue economy sectors for sustainability and strategic autonomy
- Managing sea uses through digital and ecosystem-based approaches
- Promoting sustainable blue bioresources through innovation in marine production and harvesting
- Building resilience in coastal communities through infrastructure and businesses
Projects are expected to contribute to the transformation towards a climate-neutral, regenerative and sustainable blue economy, while supporting the goals of the Ocean Decade by promoting actionable knowledge, capacity development and inclusive innovation.
Applicants are encouraged to develop projects with a transnational and multi-sectoral approach, including stakeholders such as SMEs, industries, public authorities, associations and civil society organisations. Proposals should ideally address at least two European sea basins and demonstrate potential for wider impact and replication.
The provisional timeline for the call is:
- 14 September 2026: Call launch
- 16 November 2026: Pre-proposal deadline
- 14 June 2027: Full proposal deadline
Researchers, organisations and stakeholders looking to build consortia can already use the SBEP Partner Search Tool to identify potential collaborators and prepare their proposals ahead of the official launch.
The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership is a European Partnership under Horizon Europe, bringing together countries and organisations to align research and innovation priorities and accelerate the development of a sustainable blue economy.
More information: here.