A new European call for proposals was launched in Brussels in early April, making available no less than 172 million euros for groundbreaking projects within the circular bioeconomy. It is the largest annual call of the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), a public-private partnership that aims to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, bio-based Europe.
The call comes at a crucial time. As the European Union grapples with raw material security, climate change and waste flows, the European Commission wants to use this investment to significantly boost innovation in the bioeconomy. According to CBE JU Director Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, the goal is clear: “We do not only want to support promising technologies, but also to bring them to the market. Think of applications that replace fossil resources, use waste flows and restore ecosystems.”
The call for proposals is broadly based, but at its core it is all about impact. From the large-scale reuse of urban biowaste to the use of seaweed as a sustainable raw material for textiles or food — the call focuses on innovation that is both industrially scalable and socially relevant. For example, it also involves designing new biodegradable packaging, or improving fertilizers to combat microplastic pollution in agriculture.
What is striking is that there is not only room for technological innovation, but also for the human side of the transition. One of the themes within the call focuses specifically on education and knowledge sharing. Explicit attention is given to developing new education and training programs for an emerging generation of bioeconomy professionals. According to CBE JU, this is essential to ensure a sustainable transition in the European industry in the long term.
The call for proposals is open until 18 September 2025. Companies, research institutes, governments and even farmers' organisations can submit project proposals, as long as they collaborate with at least two other partners from other European countries. Projects will be selected based on scientific quality, impact and feasibility. Those selected can start working from May 2026.
More information
For additional details on the call for proposals, including the full list of topics and specific requirements, please visit the official CBE JU website: cbe.Europe.eu
