Deadline: 11-Feb-2026
The Second Co-funded Call for Transnational Research Projects provides €39 million to support innovative, impact-driven research that accelerates Europe’s transition to sustainable food systems. The call targets food consumption, processing, supply chains, governance, and trust, requiring interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder, solution-oriented proposals. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, NGOs, SMEs, large enterprises, and public bodies across participating countries.
Overview
The Second Co-funded Call for Transnational Research Projects seeks proposals that directly support Europe’s shift toward sustainable, resilient, and healthy food systems. Backed by approximately €39 million, the call invites research and innovation projects that address systemic food-related challenges across environmental, social, economic, nutritional, and governance dimensions.
Core Focus Areas
The call is structured around four major transformation pathways essential for sustainable food systems:
1. Change the way we eat – Improving domestic food practices, promoting healthy diets, and reducing environmental footprints.
2. Change the way we process and supply food – Advancing sustainable, circular, and diversified food processing systems.
3. Change the way we connect – Strengthening trust, transparency, stakeholder collaboration, and societal engagement.
4. Change the way we govern food systems – Enhancing policies, governance mechanisms, and institutional cooperation for food system resilience.
Priority Topics
• Sustainable and healthy diets at household level
• Circular and diverse food processing innovations
• Trust, transparency, and responsibility in food systems
• Systemic approaches to food governance
• Solutions adaptable to Europe’s diverse cultural, demographic, and geographic contexts
Who Is Eligible?
Eligibility depends on both general call criteria and national/regional rules. The following types of organisations may participate:
• Universities and universities of applied sciences
• Public and private research institutes
• Non-profit legal entities (NGOs, associations, societies, cooperatives, federations)
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Large enterprises
• Public bodies (municipalities, regional authorities, national administrations)
• Other eligible organisations defined by national rules
All partners must meet their individual funding agency’s requirements.
Why This Call Matters
This transnational initiative strengthens Europe’s capacity to:
• Transition to sustainable, low-impact, climate-resilient food systems
• Bridge scientific disciplines and societal needs
• Integrate life sciences, social sciences, and humanities
• Support policy development with evidence-based, actionable insights
• Enhance food system transparency, trust, and public engagement
• Deliver practical, scalable solutions through cross-country collaboration
Key Requirements for Proposals
Projects must follow strict quality, impact, and collaboration standards:
• Include an Impact Plan detailing problem analysis, context analysis, expected outcomes, and pathways to food system transformation
• Demonstrate inter- and transdisciplinarity, combining natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and humanities
• Integrate stakeholders from the quadruple helix: science, policy, industry, and society
• Address sustainability across environmental, economic, social, nutritional, and health dimensions
• Provide practical, high-impact, scalable solutions
• Reflect diversity across Europe’s varied food systems and cultural contexts
• Comply fully with national/regional funding regulations
How to Apply
-
Review the official call text and national/regional eligibility criteria.
-
Form a transnational consortium that meets the required number of partners and country participation rules.
-
Develop a project concept aligned with one or more transformation pathways (eat, process/supply, connect, govern).
-
Prepare an Impact Plan including problem definition, context analysis, justification, stakeholder involvement, expected outcomes, and transformation potential.
-
Demonstrate interdisciplinarity by integrating natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
-
Ensure meaningful multi-stakeholder engagement throughout the entire project lifecycle.
-
Build a budget that aligns with each partner’s funding agency regulations.
-
Submit the proposal through the official electronic submission portal before the deadline.
-
Address any ethics or data governance requirements specified by the call or national agencies.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Weak or generic Impact Plans lacking context-specific analysis
• Consortia without adequate disciplinary balance
• Missing required stakeholder groups (e.g., policy actors or industry partners)
• Proposals that describe research but not real-world implementation pathways
• Failure to align budgets with national funding rules
• Ignoring Europe’s regional, cultural, or demographic diversity
• Overly narrow projects that do not address systemic food system change
FAQ
1. What is the total available funding?
Approximately €39 million has been provisionally allocated by participating funding organisations and the European Union.
2. Can private companies participate?
Yes. SMEs and large enterprises may join consortia, provided they meet national eligibility rules.
3. Are NGOs eligible?
Yes. Non-profit entities such as NGOs, associations, and cooperatives can apply.
4. What disciplines should be included?
Consortia must demonstrate interdisciplinarity, combining life sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
5. What kind of projects are prioritized?
Those that deliver solution-oriented, impact-driven outcomes and contribute to sustainable food system transformation.
6. Do projects need to involve stakeholders?
Yes. Engagement across the quadruple helix—science, policy, industry, and society—is mandatory.
7. Can national rules override general call criteria?
Yes. Applicants must comply with both general and national/regional funding regulations.
Conclusion
The Second Co-funded Call for Transnational Research Projects is a major opportunity for organisations across Europe to collaborate on transformative, interdisciplinary, and high-impact solutions for sustainable food systems. By integrating scientific rigor, stakeholder engagement, and systemic thinking, applicants can contribute to reshaping how Europe eats, processes, supplies, and governs food in the decades ahead.
For more information, visit FutureFoodS.
