Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call - Circular Economy and Bioeconomy Sectors

Funding opportunity - Circular Economy & Bioeconomy

Across Europe, rural enterprises, SMEs, research organizations, and local innovation actors are often working on solutions that already contribute to the circular economy and bioeconomy transition — but too often these efforts remain fragmented, underfunded, or disconnected from EU-level opportunities. Today we focus on the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call on Circular Economy and Bioeconomy sectors, with a submission deadline of 17 September 2026. This call is part of the EU’s broader strategy to accelerate sustainable resource use, strengthen bio-based innovation, and support systemic transitions toward climate-neutral and circular production systems.

The call focuses on projects that advance:

• Circular economy systems and resource efficiency

• Bio-based innovation and materials

• Sustainable value chains (food, agriculture, forestry, marine)

• Waste reduction and resource recovery

• Industrial symbiosis and circular production models

• Policy and system-level innovation for sustainability transitions

It is designed not only for technological innovation, but also for real-world implementation, scaling, and cross-sector collaboration across Europe.

Why this matters for Ruralities

While Horizon Europe is often seen as research-focused, Cluster 6 increasingly includes strong relevance for ruralalities actors that serve as living labs, pilot territories, stakeholder and implementation partners, and demonstration sites. These include:

• rural enterprises and cooperatives

• agrifood and agritourism ecosystems

• regional innovation partnerships

• circular rural economy pilots

• bio-based SMEs and local production systems

• territorial demonstration projects

The call is a gateway into European innovation ecosystems, making collaboration and early positioning essential - it is a systemic opportunity, not just a grant

What makes this call important is not only the funding volume, but the opportunity to:

• build cross-border partnerships

• integrate rural territories into EU innovation networks

• demonstrate scalable circular and bio-based solutions

• connect local innovation with European policy priorities

Europe’s transition toward a circular and bio-based economy will not be driven by institutions alone. It will depend on whether rural territories, SMEs, and local ecosystems are able to connect their existing innovation capacity to the right funding structures and partnerships.

The challenge is no longer only about ideas — it is about access, translation, and collaboration at scale. If you are working in rural development, circular economy innovation, or bio-based systems, now is the time to start mapping your role in this ecosystem — and identifying where collaboration can turn local initiatives into European-scale impact.

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