The European Commission adopted the main Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2026–2027, setting out the upcoming funding opportunities available under the programme. With a total budget of €14 billion, the work programme will dedicate at least 35% of its funding to climate goals. This will support both EU climate as well as competitiveness policy objectives, including the Clean Industrial Deal and the Net-Zero Industry Act, ultimately contributing to Europe’s pathway to the clean transition and a decarbonised, competitive and climate-resilient by 2050.
The 2026–2027 work programme introduces a new horizontal €540 million call in support of the Clean Industrial Deal, focusing on two key areas: clean technologies for climate action, and the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries. The call, which is included in the Horizontal Activities Work Programme 2026-2027 Annex, aims to support “fit-for-deployment” projects with a focus on industrial competitiveness.
Opening on 18 December 2025 for the 2026 topics, this call targets projects that can demonstrate industrial leadership and deliver a sound business plan and market-readiness strategy.
Climate Action in Pillar II Clusters
The 2026–2027 work programme dedicates an estimated €4.9 billion to climate action. The strongest contribution to climate action comes from the programme’s Pillar II “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”, which, among other activities, covers the following climate-relevant research and innovation (R&I):
- Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry & Space) dedicates €437 million to climate-relevant initiatives that cover low-carbon, clean and circular industry as well as advanced and innovative materials.
- Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy & Mobility) has the highest estimated climate expenditure at €1.644 billion. Activities under this cluster span a broad range of areas, from advancing climate science to solutions for energy storage (including batteries), developing renewable energy generation, and modernising, flexible and integrated energy grids, networks and systems. R&I actions under this cluster also focus on carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) solutions, as well rendering energy use in buildings and industries more efficient, affordable, and sustainable. In the area of transport, Cluster 5 promotes more sustainable mobility across road, rail, aviation and waterborne modes by advancing zero- and low-emission vehicles, electrification and sustainable fuels.
- Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment) allocates €778 million to climate-relevant activities, including supporting climate mitigation and adaptation projects across land- and water-based sectors. It promotes sustainable agriculture and food system transformation, and fosters a circular, low-emission economy that protects ecosystems and strengthens resilience. This is the most relevant area for the CETAF community, as it includes most of the biodiversity-focused topics.
Missions Work Programmes
Under Pillar II, the Commission has also adopted the Missions Work Programme for 2026 and 2027. These Missions are crosscutting initiatives linked to key climate challenges that are relevant to a broad range of stakeholders and citizens.
The EU Mission on Adaptation with a budget of €226 million (including two joint Mission calls) will focus on accelerating climate adaptation action, strengthening multi-level cooperation, and supporting the deployment of concrete adaptation solutions on the ground. Aiming to demonstrate how the combination of public funding and private financing can enable local adaptation actions, it includes the protection and preservation of cultural heritage, and solutions to enhance food security by building soil resilience to extreme weather events.
The EU Cities Mission with a budget of €220 million in 2026-2027 (including two joint calls) supports cleaner urban energy and mobility systems and promotes more circular, efficient infrastructure. Finally, the EU Soil Mission with a budget of €246 million in 2026-2027 (including one joint call) aims to strengthen soil health through improved monitoring, sustainable land management (including carbon farming and monitoring) and living labs that restore ecosystems and enhance long-term resilience.
Next Steps
Interested applicants are encouraged to consult the EU Funding & Tenders portal to learn more about the calls and the application process. They are also advised to attend the dedicated Info Days for the Cluster they are interested in.
Background
Horizon Europe is the EU’s €93.5 billion funding programme for research and innovation, running from 2021 to 2027. Most of the programme’s funding is allocated based on competitive calls for proposals, set out in work programmes which outline the objectives and specific topic areas. The work programme also includes the applicable rules such as the standard admissibility conditions and eligibility, selection and award criteria.
The Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027 is based on Horizon Europe’s strategic plan 2025-2027, adopted in March 2024, which was co-created by Commission services and co-designed with Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe, the European Parliament and more than 2000 stakeholders and citizens. This is the last work programme in the programming period 2021-2027.
Links to the different work programmes can be accessed here.
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027
Source: European Commission