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  1. An institution, body, office or agency established by or based on the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Communities.

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  1. Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation 

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Call key data

EU global footprint on soils

Funding Program

Horizon Europe: Missions

Call number

HORIZON-MISS-2025-05-SOIL-05

deadlines

Opening
06.05.2025

Deadline
30.09.2025 17:00

Deadline - 2nd stage

Opening
27.05.2025

Funding rate

100%

Call budget

€ 6,000,000.00

Estimated EU contribution per project

€ 6,000,000.00

Link to the call

ec.europa.eu

Link to the submission

ec.europa.eu

Call content

short description

Activities under this topic will help to progress towards the objectives of the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, in particular towards its specific objective 7 ‘Reduce the EU global footprint on soils’.

Call objectives

The use of bio-based products (e.g. food, feed, fibre, wood and biomass) by businesses and consumers in the EU has an impact on soil health globally. However, this impact has been poorly studied and understood. The European Commission has developed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-based framework to monitor the evolution of the overall environmental footprint of EU production and consumption and to compare it against planetary boundaries, the “EU Consumption Footprint Platform”. However, this framework does not sufficiently consider the specific impact on soil health and there is a need to enrich the existing indicators in terms of physical, chemical and biological soil properties.

An EU Global Soil Footprint framework would allow measuring the impact that a given activity has on soil health globally, measured in terms of soil degradation. Such a framework should also address the impact of the EU demand for bio-based products on global trade and the links to GDP and the Human Development Index. A crucial step will be to trace back relevant imported products (for final consumption or as inputs to EU production) to the country where they were originally produced. To this end, work can build upon previous work of the JRC on quantifying the land footprint of EU consumption[1]. Moreover, there is also a need to investigate further the carbon emissions produced from EU demand (carbon footprint), the impact of EU imports on ecotoxicity and eutrophication (contamination footprint) and soil biodiversity elsewhere, and the environmental impact and social inequalities due to land use change (in particular the effects on deforestation).

Proposed activities should:

  • Develop and test a robust framework or tool (an EU Global Soil Footprint framework) to track, assess and establish a baseline for the global soil footprint of the EU demand for and import of bio-based products (e.g. food, feed, fibre, wood and biomass).
  • Explore the positive and negative social, economic and environmental impacts of improved production systems elsewhere, including soil conservation and restoration actions, in their attempt to reduce the EU global footprint on soils.
  • Bring forward policy recommendations aiming at minimising the EU’s global soil footprint. Identify obstacles and propose incentives for the uptake and scale-up of measures that can help reduce the EU’s global footprint.
  • Carry out activities for communication and awareness raising on the EU’s global soil footprint and for the demonstration and dissemination of measures that can reduce the EU’s global soil footprint, in cooperation with international organisations such as UNCCD bodies, FAO or UNEP.

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Expected effects and impacts

Cooperation with international partners is highly encouraged to engage a global network of experts in life-cycle analysis. In particular, the involvement of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) partners is encouraged, as this region encompasses more than 50% of the world biodiversity and is an important trading partner for the EU regarding bio-based products. In this sense, activities to be developed should be in line with the roadmap and action plan of the EU-CELAC Action Plan on Science, Technology and Innovation. Involvement of African partners is also encouraged.

When assessing the impact on soils, proposals should take into account the soil health indicators presented in the Mission Soil Implementation Plan and the soil descriptors in the proposed Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience.

Proposals should include dedicated tasks and appropriate resources for coordination measures and joint activities with other relevant projects and initiatives funded under the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, including engagement with the relevant cluster activities. Proposals are expected to build on the results of the SOLO project and its roadmap on knowledge gaps and opportunities[2]. Moreover, proposals should envision to collaborate with international organisations such as UNEP, UNCCD bodies, FAO and FARA[3]. Finally, proposals should consider synergies with SCAR-ARCH and Agricultural Research for Development.

Proposals should demonstrate a route towards open access, longevity, sustainability and interoperability of knowledge and outputs through close collaboration with the European Union Soil Observatory (EUSO) and Life Cycle Assessment group and the SoilWise project.

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Expected results

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

  • Policy makers and relevant stakeholder have improved access to knowledge and data on the impact of the EU demand for bio-based products (e.g., food, feed, fibre, woods and biomass) on non-EU soils.
  • Enhanced recognition and comprehension by businesses, stakeholders and citizens of the impact of EU producers’, traders’ and consumers’ behaviour and decisions on the soil health and related social issues globally.
  • Accelerated uptake of integrated innovative and reproducible approaches and management practices to reduce the global impact on soils due to the EU demand for bio-based products.

Eligibility Criteria

Regions / countries for funding

EU Member States, Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT)
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), Morocco (المغرب), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom

eligible entities

EU Body, Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)

Mandatory partnership

Yes

Project Partnership

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:

  • the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
  • the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
  • countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries

Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:

  • at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
  • at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.

Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.

A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.

other eligibility criteria

Specific cases:

  • Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
  • Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
  • Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
  • Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
  • International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
  • Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
  • Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
  • EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
  • Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
    With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity.
  • Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.

Additional information

Topics

Administration & Governance, Institutional Capacity & Cooperation, 
Agriculture & Forestry, Fishery, Food, Soil quality

Relevance for EU Macro-Region

EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region

UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)

Additional Information

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.

Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.

Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.

The application form will have two parts:

  • Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
  • Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.

Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).

The limit for a full application (Part B) is 45 pages.

Call documents

Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 - MissionsHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 - Missions(1773kB)

Contact

EU Missions in Horizon Europe
RTD-HORIZON-EUROPE-MISSIONS@ec.europa.eu
Website

National Contact Points for Horizon Europe
Website

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