Apply for Circular Bio-based Europe
The CBE-JU public-private partnership belongs to the Horizon Europe framework programme. It supports Europe's transition to a circular bio-based economy aligned with the European Green Deal, aiming for climate neutrality and enhancing biodiversity. All funded projects by this program must adhere to principles of sustainability, circularity, and reducing reliance on non-renewable sources.
Eligible Activities
The CBE-JU program aims to accelerate innovation in bio-based industries, support market deployment of existing mature and innovative biobased solutions and achieve high environmental performance of bio-based industrial systems.
Funded projects should be in the field of bio-based chemicals, materials, and products, excluding biofuels, bioenergy, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. CBE JU calls aim to ensure sustainable feedstocks, advance processing technologies in the bio-based industry, develop innovative bio-based products and applications, and address cross-cutting issues in bio-based systems such as communication, finance, and framework.
The 2025 budget allocates €172 million across 13 themes
Innovation Actions - flagship: €20 mio.
- "Urban-industrial
symbiosis for bio-waste valorisation" - "Bio-based dropins/smart drop-in platform chemicals, via cost-effective,
sustainable and resource-efficient conversion of biomass" - "Circular-by-design
fibre-based packaging with improved properties" - "Retrofitting of
(bio)refineries industrial plants towards higher-value biobased products"
- "Sustainable macroalgae systems for innovative, added-value applications: cultivation and optimised production systems"
- "SSbD bio-based solutions to replace hazardous conventional chemicals for textiles production"
- "Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources"
- "Cost-effective and robust continuous biotech bio-based processes"
- "SSbD bio-based polymers/copolymers unlocking new market applications"
- "Valorisation of untapped forest biomass"
- "Bio-based and biodegradable delivery
systems for fertilising products to reduce microplastics pollution & promote
soil health" - "Alternative biomanufacturing routes for
natural and synthetic rubber"
Coordination and support actions - €1 million
- "Develop and deploy new curricula and
knowledge exchange practices relevant to bio-based systems"
More Details about Circular Bio-based Europe
Who Can Apply
CBE-JU projects require a consortium of at least three independent entities from three different eligible countries, each offering a unique and complementary skill set to achieve project goals. Applications are open to entities from EU Member States, Horizon Europe-associated countries, and third countries if specified as eligible under Horizon Europe rules.
Application Deadline
The deadline 18 September at 17:00. The calls typically open in April. It is time-consuming to develop a competitive proposal, so reach out to us well in advance before the deadline. As experts in European project funding, we can guide you through the preparation process and ensure that your project is well-positioned for success in the upcoming calls.
Get the Overview
The 1-pager of the Circular Bio-based Europe programme gives you a clear and precise overview of the purpose, possible application areas, project types and funding and not least who can apply.
You can also see an overview of the application process.