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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal must bridge AI-driven condition assessment with physical automation (robotics, modular end-effectors) to demonstrate closed-loop industrial de- and re-manufacturing up to TRL 6. It should deliver quantifiable business cases across high-added-value sectors (e.g., wind, aeronautics, maritime, automotive) while actively aligning with the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Circular Economy Act through Digital Product Passports and digital twins.
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Technologies to efficiently analyse part condition and support predictive maintenance, including for re-manufactured parts or components of lower value, e.g. by combining multimodal sensor data, AI and human inputs; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2AI and robotic-assisted technologies, e.g. innovative end-effectors, to de-manufacture products and components, including handling, sorting and extended logistics; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Model-based systems, to allow de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing operators to use CAD data and digital twins related to the original parts (and contribute to the development of a digital ecosystem); | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Solutions allowing local (on-site) repair or re-manufacturing of high-added value components (applied to e.g. wind turbines, aircraft and vessels); and | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Solutions to plan the sequence of operations based on the characteristics of the incoming products to be re-manufactured. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1A viable industrial ecosystem for circularity in manufacturing industries emerges, enhancing both circularity and resilience; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2De-manufacturing technologies and practices become available, making decisive contributions to a European remanufacturing industry and market; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Functions of products are retained, reused, upgraded or adapted through de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing; and | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO4Skills, standards and safety measures relevant to remanufacturing are developed. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Cooperation with the Joint Research Centre (JRC)Selected consortia will be called upon to cooperate with relevant parts of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), including INCITE and the Energy and Industry Geography Lab (EIGL), to inform EU technology and innovation policies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Co-programmed European Partnership Made in Europe implementationThis topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership Made in Europe, requiring alignment with its strategic research and innovation priorities. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Synergies with the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)Where relevant to skills, training materials developed to endow workers with relevant skillsets should be tested, scalable, and potentially up-scaled through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Synergies with Pillar III EIC and Cluster 5Destination activities intend to introduce synergies across Horizon Europe pillars, notably with the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Pillar III and with Cluster 5. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approachProjects are encouraged to apply a Safe and Sustainable by Design approach, incorporating early considerations of innovation design choices on health, environment, climate, consumer safety, and occupational health and safety. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ6Business case and exploitation strategy for industrialisationProposals must include a dedicated business case and initial exploitation strategy demonstrating EU deployment, market size, user needs, and intentions of industrial partners to reach higher TRLs. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1Clean Industrial Deal adopted in February 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI2Critical Raw Materials Act; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI3Advanced Materials Communication and future Advanced Materials Act planned for 2026; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI4Future Circular Economy Act planned for 2026; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI5Steel and Metals Action Plan adopted in March 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI6European Chemicals Industry Action Plan adopted in July 2025; | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI7Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector adopted in March 2025; and | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI8Strategy on research and technology infrastructures, with regard to technology infrastructures and the valorisation of knowledge. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI9INnovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) ( https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/ ). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EI10The Energy and Industry Geography Lab: EIGL ( https://energy-industry-geolab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ ). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1clean industrial dealThe Clean Industrial Deal focuses on decarbonizing energy-intensive European industries while safeguarding economic competitiveness and securing green supply chains. It promotes investments in clean technologies, circular business models, and high-value resource efficiency. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2critical raw materials actThe Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) establishes a comprehensive framework to secure the EU's sustainable and resilient supply of critical and strategic raw materials. It sets benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing, and recycling capacities while enhancing circularity and resource efficiency across industrial value chains. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL3circular economy actThe Circular Economy Act represents the upcoming EU regulatory framework designed to create a single market for secondary raw materials and stimulate demand for circular solutions across supply chains. It aims to accelerate circular investments and set binding requirements for sustainable resources. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
China established entities excluded
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
5 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
A proposal that includes any legal entity established in China will be rejected at the eligibility check. Consortium builders must strictly vet all partners and affiliated entities to ensure no Chinese participation is embedded in the consortium structure.
Source: Eligibility rules
The standard page limit is exceptionally extended by 3 pages specifically to accommodate a detailed business case and exploitation strategy. Evaluators are explicitly instructed to scrutinize this section, meaning these extra pages must deliver quantifiable business models across high-added-value sectors rather than generic exploitation padding.
Source: Evaluation_pre_award
Proposals must explicitly address at least three of the five listed de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing technology areas. A proposal architecture that fails to clearly map its work packages to a minimum of three of these specific domains—such as AI condition analysis, robotic end-effectors, or on-site repair—will fail the scope requirements.
Source: Scope
Evaluators will prioritize proposals that demonstrate clear integration across both hardware and software. A winning approach must tightly couple physical automation, such as robotic disassembly, with digital intelligence like multimodal sensing and AI, rather than treating them as isolated work packages.
Source: Evaluation_pre_award
Because this is a lump-sum grant, evaluators will rigorously inspect the feasibility of the work package breakdowns. The payment milestone structure must directly align with the validation of technologies in realistic industrial environments between TRL 4 and TRL 6.
Source: Evaluation_pre_award
Specific requirements
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
China established entities excluded
Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination.
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In order to include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination, the page limit is exceptionally extended by 3 pages.
Admissibility conditions are 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.
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.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
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 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Framework Partnership Agreement FPA
Call-specific instructions
Information on financial support to third parties (HE)
Information on clinical studies (HE)
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 7. Digital, Industry and Space
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 14. Horizontal Activities
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will prioritize proposals that demonstrate clear integration across both hardware and software: combining multimodal sensing/AI for non-destructive part inspection with robotic dis/assembly automation. Crucially, evaluators will inspect the extended 3-page business case and exploitation plan, the feasibility of lump-sum work package breakdowns, validation in realistic industrial environments (TRL 4 to 6), and concrete contributions to workforce upskilling and European standardization.
TRL 4 → 6
Technologies to efficiently analyse part condition and support predictive maintenance, including for re-manufactured parts or components of lower value, e.g. by combining multimodal sensor data, AI and human inputs;
AI and robotic-assisted technologies, e.g. innovative end-effectors, to de-manufacture products and components, including handling, sorting and extended logistics;
Model-based systems, to allow de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing operators to use CAD data and digital twins related to the original parts (and contribute to the development of a digital ecosystem);
Solutions allowing local (on-site) repair or re-manufacturing of high-added value components (applied to e.g. wind turbines, aircraft and vessels); and
Solutions to plan the sequence of operations based on the characteristics of the incoming products to be re-manufactured.
A viable industrial ecosystem for circularity in manufacturing industries emerges, enhancing both circularity and resilience;
De-manufacturing technologies and practices become available, making decisive contributions to a European remanufacturing industry and market;
Functions of products are retained, reused, upgraded or adapted through de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing; and
Skills, standards and safety measures relevant to remanufacturing are developed.
Clean Industrial Deal adopted in February 2025;
Critical Raw Materials Act;
Advanced Materials Communication and future Advanced Materials Act planned for 2026;
Future Circular Economy Act planned for 2026;
Steel and Metals Action Plan adopted in March 2025;
European Chemicals Industry Action Plan adopted in July 2025;
Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector adopted in March 2025; and
Strategy on research and technology infrastructures, with regard to technology infrastructures and the valorisation of knowledge.
INnovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) ( https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/ ).
The Energy and Industry Geography Lab: EIGL ( https://energy-industry-geolab.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ ).
Clean Industrial Deal
highThe Clean Industrial Deal focuses on decarbonizing energy-intensive European industries while safeguarding economic competitiveness and securing green supply chains. It promotes investments in clean technologies, circular business models, and high-value resource efficiency.
Evaluators expect clear evidence of how proposed bio-based recycling or upcycling pathways reduce carbon intensity and provide circular, cost-competitive alternatives to fossil feedstocks in industrial manufacturing.
Critical Raw Materials Act
highThe Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) establishes a comprehensive framework to secure the EU's sustainable and resilient supply of critical and strategic raw materials. It sets benchmarks for domestic extraction, processing, and recycling capacities while enhancing circularity and resource efficiency across industrial value chains.
Evaluators expect proposals to detail how automated de- and re-manufacturing technologies recover critical raw materials from end-of-life products, directly contributing to the EU's recycling benchmarks and reducing supply chain vulnerabilities.
Circular Economy Act
highThe Circular Economy Act represents the upcoming EU regulatory framework designed to create a single market for secondary raw materials and stimulate demand for circular solutions across supply chains. It aims to accelerate circular investments and set binding requirements for sustainable resources.
Evaluators look for foresight on how collective community investment mechanisms can capitalize on secondary raw material markets and comply with emerging circular market rules.
Advanced Materials Communication
mediumThe "Advanced Materials Communication" refers to the European Commission's communication on advanced materials, which typically outlines a strategic vision and actions to foster the development, production, and uptake of advanced materials in the EU. It emphasizes their importance for the green and digital transitions, industrial competitiveness, and strategic autonomy, often highlighting the need for a supportive regulatory framework, investment, and innovation ecosystems.
Proposals should demonstrate a clear understanding of the strategic importance of advanced materials as outlined in the Communication. They should show how their project contributes to the EU's leadership in advanced materials, supports key industrial value chains, and aligns with the objectives of the green and digital transitions, potentially by addressing challenges in scaling up, market access, or sustainability.
Steel and Metals Action Plan
mediumThe European Action Plan for Steel and Metals focuses on maintaining a competitive, sustainable, and decarbonized metals manufacturing base across the EU. It supports industrial modernization, clean energy transition investments, and measures against global overcapacity.
Evaluators expect proposals addressing deep tech spin-offs in heavy industry to illustrate pathways for transferring academic breakthrough discoveries into scalable metallurgical and decarbonization ventures.
Industrial action plan for the European automotive sector
mediumThe Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector aims to manage the sector's shift toward zero-emission and software-defined mobility while preserving competitiveness and employment. It coordinates actions across supply chain resilience, battery ecosystems, charging infrastructure, and research-driven innovation.
Evaluators expect networks supporting academic spin-offs to show awareness of how deep tech ventures can plug into automotive supply chains and facilitate rapid tech transfer in mobility solutions.
European Chemicals Industry Action Plan
lowThe European Chemicals Industry Action Plan supports the chemical sector's dual transition toward climate neutrality and safe, circular production. It addresses the phase-out of hazardous chemicals, the deployment of renewable feedstocks, and the advancement of chemical recycling technologies.
Evaluators expect to see how upcycling or chemical recycling of bio-based polymers/materials produces drop-in or novel high-performance building blocks without toxic substances.
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