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Developing novel recycling technologies for complex plastic materials applying biotech solutions

Issued by European Commission · via EU Funding & Tenders Portal

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Published
14 Nov 2026
Closes
22 Sept 2027
Reference
HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-03
Location
European Union
Sector
Water & Environment

At a glance

European Commission in European Union has published a funding call in water & environment: “Developing novel recycling technologies for complex plastic materials applying biotech solutions”. Submissions close on 22 September 2027, 312 days from today. Quote reference HORIZON-CL6-2027-01-CIRCBIO-03 in any correspondence with the buyer. FreeTender has recorded 423 notices from this buyer since 2026, 407 of them currently open. There are 44 open water & environment notices in European Union on FreeTender. Bids are submitted to the buyer through EU Funding & Tenders Portal, not through FreeTender.

Key requirements

Taken from the notice by FreeTender. The tender document on the official portal is binding — check it, and any corrigendum, before you bid.

To bid on EU public procurement

Most EU buyers ask for the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD) as a self-declaration with the bid. Submission is on the e-procurement platform named in the notice.

Details

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

  • environment and society at large benefit from recyclable plastic products which can be recycled back into high value applications;
  • industrial value chains introduce circular plastic products on the market through enhanced design for recycling and solutions for effective sorting and recycling on a large scale;
  • industrial value chains are equipped with improved characterisation of waste from complex plastic materials to enable its recycling.

Scope:

The topic supports the European Green Deal, the Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste, the Waste Shipment Regulation, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and its working plan, the upcoming Circular Economy Act and contributes to Europe’s efforts to develop a single market for sustainable products. It also contributes to the new EU bioeconomy strategy, the Life Sciences Strategy and the EU Biotech Act and is relevant to the European Commission’s communication: ‘Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU’.

Proposals should:

  • advance novel biotech solutions for recycling of complex plastic materials and products (multi-material/multi-layer/composites), namely in the sectors of packaging, construction, renewable energy infrastructure and transport;
  • propose recommendations towards fit-for-purpose regulatory risk assessments for novel materials and recycling technologies (i.e. hazard identification, methodological updates) and take into account the Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design framework;
  • consider the latest solutions in material innovation while developing novel recycling solutions e.g. by application of microbes and enzymes for enhanced degradation of plastics;
  • demonstrate the solutions on a pilot scale involving the whole value chain.

Successful proposals are expected to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and impact of the demonstrated solutions using robust evaluation methods (including lifecycle assessments such as product environmental footprint, where relevant) and present data and evidence about the economic, environmental and social costs and benefits of the developed solutions. Industrial value chains are expected to take part in the proposed consortia to enable a demonstration of the proposed solution and involve all relevant stakeholders. Clustering with other relevant Horizon Europe projects is encouraged. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 4-5 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

Submissions open on 20 April 2027.

Part of call HORIZON-CL6-2027-01

Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: AI, DigitalAgenda

"> General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

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 F

Context for bidders

We hold 423 notices from European Commission, going back to August 2026 — 407 of them still open. They buy mostly in IT & Telecom, Water & Environment and Healthcare & Pharma. There are 44 open Water & Environment tenders in European Union. This one closes in 312 days.

Before you bid on this tender

A quick checklist to help you decide whether to bid and prepare a compliant submission for this water & environment opportunity. Always verify the details on the official source.

  • Confirm the exact closing date and time (and time zone) on the official portal — deadlines are strict and can be revised by a corrigendum.
  • Read the full notice and every attached document, including the scope, specifications and any bill of quantities or terms of reference.
  • Check the eligibility criteria — prior similar experience, annual turnover, certifications and registrations — and make sure you qualify before investing effort.
  • Prepare any earnest-money deposit (EMD) or bid security and the required formats early; missing or wrongly-formatted documents are a common cause of rejection.
  • Note how bids must be submitted (online or physical), in what format, and whether a digital signature or portal registration is required.
  • Watch for corrigenda and clarifications right up to the deadline — requirements and dates can change.
Common bidding mistakes to avoid →Writing a winning proposal

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