Deadline: 17-Sep-2026
The European Commission is inviting research and innovation proposals to develop and deploy advanced bioremediation and ecosystem restoration solutions in areas of Ukraine affected by armed conflict. The initiative supports the assessment, monitoring, and remediation of soil, water, and air contamination using biotechnology, nature-based solutions, artificial intelligence, Earth observation technologies, and ecosystem restoration approaches.
With a total funding budget of €11 million and expected grants of €5–6 million per project, the programme aims to support Ukraine’s environmental recovery, biodiversity restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable reconstruction in alignment with key European Union environmental strategies.
Programme Overview
The European Commission has launched a Horizon Europe funding opportunity to support innovative research and demonstration projects focused on restoring ecosystems damaged by conflict-related contamination in Ukraine.
The programme seeks to address environmental degradation caused by armed conflict, including pollution of soil, water resources, and air quality. Through advanced biotechnologies, nature-based solutions, and digital monitoring tools, funded projects will contribute to environmental recovery while supporting Ukraine’s long-term economic and social reconstruction.
The initiative aligns with European environmental priorities, including biodiversity protection, ecosystem restoration, pollution reduction, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
Funding Information
Key funding details include:
- Funding Organisation: European Commission
- Programme Framework: Horizon Europe
- Total Call Budget: €11,000,000
- Indicative Funding per Project: €5,000,000–€6,000,000
- Project Type: Research and Innovation Actions
- Geographic Focus: Ukraine
- Participation: International consortia eligible under Horizon Europe rules
The funding supports large-scale collaborative projects capable of delivering measurable environmental restoration outcomes in conflict-affected regions.
Programme Objectives
The primary objective is to restore ecosystems damaged by armed conflict while supporting Ukraine’s environmental and economic recovery.
Key objectives include:
- Restoring polluted ecosystems in conflict-affected regions
- Assessing contamination of soil, air, and water resources
- Deploying innovative biotechnology solutions
- Advancing nature-based remediation approaches
- Supporting biodiversity conservation
- Strengthening ecosystem resilience
- Contributing to zero-pollution goals
- Supporting climate adaptation and resilience
- Promoting sustainable land management
- Enhancing environmental monitoring systems
- Supporting circular economy principles
- Providing evidence for policy and recovery planning
Projects should generate practical solutions that can be scaled across multiple contaminated sites.
Why This Programme Matters
Armed conflicts can leave long-lasting environmental damage that affects ecosystems, agriculture, water resources, public health, and economic recovery.
In Ukraine, environmental contamination has emerged as a major challenge requiring coordinated scientific, technological, and policy responses.
This programme is important because it:
- Supports environmental recovery after conflict
- Protects biodiversity and ecosystem services
- Improves public health outcomes
- Strengthens climate resilience
- Supports sustainable reconstruction efforts
- Promotes innovation in environmental remediation
- Generates evidence for long-term environmental management
- Contributes to European and international environmental goals
The initiative recognizes that environmental restoration is essential for both ecological recovery and community wellbeing.
Key Focus Areas
Projects should address one or more of the following priority areas:
- Bioremediation technologies
- Ecosystem restoration
- Soil remediation
- Water quality restoration
- Air pollution assessment
- Nature-based solutions
- Biodiversity conservation
- Environmental monitoring
- Climate resilience
- Ecological recovery
- Environmental risk assessment
- Sustainable reconstruction
- Circular bioeconomy approaches
- Environmental governance
Proposals should integrate scientific innovation with practical implementation.
Understanding Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of living organisms or natural biological processes to remove, neutralize, or reduce environmental contamination.
Common bioremediation approaches include:
- Phytoremediation using plants
- Microbial remediation
- Bioaugmentation techniques
- Biodegradation processes
- Ecosystem-based restoration methods
These approaches are often more sustainable and cost-effective than conventional remediation methods.
Nature-Based Solutions for Ecosystem Recovery
Nature-based solutions use natural processes and ecosystems to address environmental challenges.
Examples include:
- Wetland restoration
- Reforestation
- Native vegetation recovery
- Soil regeneration
- River ecosystem restoration
- Habitat rehabilitation
- Green infrastructure development
Such approaches can simultaneously improve biodiversity, climate resilience, and environmental quality.
Expected Project Activities
Funded projects are expected to undertake a range of research, testing, and demonstration activities.
Potential activities include:
- Mapping contaminated areas
- Assessing pollution levels
- Developing innovative monitoring systems
- Testing remediation technologies
- Demonstrating bioremediation methods
- Restoring degraded habitats
- Monitoring ecosystem recovery
- Evaluating environmental impacts
- Engaging local communities
- Developing policy recommendations
Projects should combine scientific excellence with practical implementation.
Advanced Technologies Supported
The programme encourages the use of advanced digital and scientific technologies to improve restoration effectiveness.
Relevant technologies include:
- Earth Observation systems
- Satellite monitoring
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Machine Learning
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Environmental modelling
- Remote sensing
- Autonomous monitoring systems
- Advanced analytical laboratories
- Environmental data platforms
These technologies can improve contamination detection, prioritization, monitoring, and decision-making.
Contamination Assessment Requirements
A core component of funded projects is the identification and assessment of environmental contamination.
Projects should evaluate:
- Soil contamination
- Groundwater pollution
- Surface water quality
- Air pollution levels
- Ecosystem degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Human health risks
- Climate-related vulnerabilities
Assessment methodologies should support evidence-based remediation planning.
Demonstration and Pilot Activities
A strong emphasis is placed on real-world implementation.
Projects should:
- Conduct field demonstrations in Ukraine
- Validate technologies under real conditions
- Test scalability of solutions
- Evaluate long-term effectiveness
- Generate practical lessons for wider deployment
Demonstration activities should provide evidence that solutions can be replicated in other affected regions.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Community participation is a critical element of the programme.
Projects should actively engage:
- Local communities
- Landowners
- Farmers
- Local governments
- Environmental agencies
- Civil society organizations
- Ukrainian research institutions
- International partners
Stakeholder engagement helps ensure that restoration efforts address local priorities and generate sustainable outcomes.
Policy and Governance Impact
Projects are expected to generate recommendations that support environmental policymaking and reconstruction planning.
Expected outputs may include:
- Environmental restoration guidelines
- Policy recommendations
- Best practice frameworks
- Monitoring methodologies
- Decision-support tools
- Recovery planning models
These outputs should support Ukrainian authorities, EU institutions, and international recovery partners.
Alignment with European Strategies
The programme supports several key European policy frameworks.
These include:
- EU Nature Restoration Regulation
- EU Bioeconomy Strategy
- EU Biotech Act
- Strategy for European Life Sciences
- European Green Deal
- Zero Pollution Action Plan
- EU Biodiversity Strategy
Projects should demonstrate alignment with these strategic priorities.
Consortium Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to form multidisciplinary and multi-actor consortia.
Potential consortium members include:
- Universities
- Research institutions
- Environmental organizations
- Local authorities
- Land managers
- SMEs
- Technology providers
- Civil society groups
- Ukrainian public institutions
- International organizations
SME participation is strongly encouraged to support innovation and implementation.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligibility is open to a broad range of applicants under Horizon Europe rules.
Eligible entities include:
- Universities
- Research organisations
- Public bodies
- Private companies
- SMEs
- Non-governmental organisations
- International organisations
- Legal entities from eligible countries
- Legal entities from non-associated third countries where permitted
Applicants must meet all Horizon Europe eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be recognized legal entities
- Comply with Horizon Europe participation rules
- Register in the Participant Register
- Obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC)
- Meet proposal submission requirements
- Demonstrate technical and operational capacity
Failure to complete registration requirements may affect participation.
How to Apply
Step 1: Review the Call Documentation
Carefully study the programme objectives, eligibility conditions, and expected outcomes.
Step 2: Build a Strong Consortium
Assemble a multidisciplinary partnership that includes scientific, technical, environmental, and implementation expertise.
Step 3: Identify Priority Restoration Areas
Select relevant conflict-affected sites and define restoration challenges to be addressed.
Step 4: Develop an Innovation Strategy
Design remediation and restoration approaches that integrate biotechnology, nature-based solutions, and monitoring technologies.
Step 5: Prepare Impact Assessments
Include environmental, social, economic, and policy impact evaluations.
Step 6: Complete Registration Requirements
Register participating organisations and obtain Participant Identification Codes (PICs).
Step 7: Submit the Proposal
Prepare and submit a complete Horizon Europe application before the deadline.
Tips for a Strong Proposal
- Demonstrate clear environmental impact
- Include strong field demonstration plans
- Integrate advanced monitoring technologies
- Show scalability and replication potential
- Include Ukrainian stakeholders from the outset
- Provide robust biodiversity protection measures
- Address community needs and vulnerabilities
- Develop strong policy relevance
Projects that combine innovation with practical implementation are likely to be more competitive.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Weak stakeholder engagement plans
- Limited field validation activities
- Insufficient contamination assessment methodologies
- Poor integration of local partners
- Lack of long-term monitoring strategies
- Unclear policy relevance
- Weak scalability considerations
- Inadequate risk management planning
Avoiding these issues can strengthen proposal quality and impact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the total budget available under this call?
The European Commission has allocated €11 million for this funding opportunity.
How much funding can individual projects receive?
Projects are expected to receive between €5 million and €6 million each.
What types of contamination are covered?
The programme focuses on soil, water, and air contamination resulting from armed conflict.
What are nature-based solutions?
Nature-based solutions use natural ecosystems and ecological processes to address environmental challenges while delivering biodiversity and climate benefits.
Is field testing in Ukraine required?
Yes. The programme places strong emphasis on demonstration activities and real-world testing in selected areas of Ukraine.
Are SMEs eligible to participate?
Yes. SME participation is strongly encouraged to strengthen innovation and implementation capacity.
Can international organisations apply?
Yes. International organisations and eligible legal entities from participating countries may apply under Horizon Europe rules.
Conclusion
The European Commission’s €11 million funding call represents a major investment in Ukraine’s environmental recovery and long-term resilience. By supporting innovative bioremediation technologies, nature-based restoration approaches, advanced monitoring systems, and stakeholder-driven implementation, the programme aims to restore damaged ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity protection, and contribute to sustainable reconstruction. Projects that combine scientific excellence, practical field demonstrations, community engagement, and policy relevance will play a vital role in rebuilding Ukraine’s environmental future.
For more information, visit EC.
