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Films and Coatings for Circular Packaging

Description

This Innovation Action supports the development and demonstration of bio-based films and coatings for circular packaging that improve packaging performance while enabling circularity and reducing environmental impacts. The objective is to replace conventional fossil-based packaging materials with sustainable bio-based alternatives that comply with emerging EU packaging legislation, improve recyclability and/or compostability where appropriate, and support the transition towards a circular packaging economy. Projects should demonstrate scalable production technologies and validate packaging solutions in relevant industrial applications.

Funding Amount

  • Expected EU contribution per project: €7 million
  • Total topic budget: €14 million
  • Expected number of funded projects: 2 projects
  • Funding rate
    • 60% of eligible costs for for-profit entities.
    • 100% of eligible costs for non-profit legal entities.

Submission Deadlines

  • Call opening: 23 April 2026
  • Submission deadline: 22 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (CET)
  • Submission model: Single-stage.

Submission Conditions

  • Horizon Europe Innovation Action (IA).
  • Single-stage application.
  • Projects should achieve an end TRL of 6–8.
  • Mandatory Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) involving packaging value-chain stakeholders and, where appropriate, consumers.
  • Mandatory application of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework.
  • Proposal must assess compatibility with PPWR and the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP).
  • Proposal must include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA) and sustainability assessment.
  • Proposal must satisfy the CBE JU IKOP threshold of at least 15% of total eligible project costs.
  • Proposal Part B is limited to 70 pages.
  • Development of new testing or certification infrastructures is out of scope; measurement and testing activities are eligible only when necessary for the product development.
  • Standard Horizon Europe and CBE JU eligibility and evaluation rules apply.

Eligible Businesses

Eligible applicants under Horizon Europe include:

  • SMEs
  • Large enterprises
  • Start-ups and scale-ups
  • Universities
  • Research organisations
  • Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)
  • Packaging manufacturers
  • Packaging converters
  • Film and coating manufacturers
  • Bio-based material and polymer developers
  • Chemical and biotechnology companies
  • Biorefinery operators
  • Brand owners
  • Retailers
  • Recycling companies
  • Consumer organisations
  • Non-profit organisations
  • Other relevant packaging value-chain partners participating in project consortia.

Eligible Countries

Eligible participants are legal entities established in:

  • EU Member States
  • Horizon Europe Associated Countries
  • Other countries eligible under the Horizon Europe Rules for Participation, where applicable.

Standard Horizon Europe eligibility rules apply.

Target TRL

  • Project end TRL: TRL 6–8.

Expected Outcome

Projects are expected to deliver:

  • Innovative bio-based films and coatings suitable for circular packaging applications.
  • Packaging solutions with improved technical performance while supporting circularity.
  • Increased replacement of fossil-based packaging materials with sustainable bio-based alternatives.
  • Improved compliance with evolving EU packaging and plastics legislation.
  • Greater recyclability and/or compostability of packaging systems where appropriate.
  • Increased market uptake of circular bio-based packaging solutions.
  • Contributions to:
    • Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
    • Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP)
    • Circular Economy Action Plan
    • Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
    • Clean Industrial Deal
    • EU Bioeconomy Strategy.

Scope

Projects should:

  • Develop and demonstrate innovative technologies (TRL 6–8) for producing bio-based films and/or coatings that improve the performance of packaging products.
  • Develop films and/or coatings that are fully bio-based. While substrates may be bio-based or non-bio-based, the developed films themselves are expected to be fully bio-based.
  • Improve one or more packaging properties, including:
    • Barrier performance (e.g. oxygen, moisture, grease)
    • Mechanical strength
    • Shelf-life preservation
    • Functional performance
  • Demonstrate compatibility with existing packaging manufacturing and converting processes.
  • Validate packaging performance in relevant industrial applications.
  • Demonstrate improved circularity through one or more of:
    • Recyclability
    • Compostability (where appropriate)
    • Reduced environmental impact throughout the life cycle.
  • Apply a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA) involving packaging manufacturers, converters, brand owners, retailers, end users and, where relevant, consumers from the early stages of development.
  • Assess compatibility with the EU regulatory framework, particularly:
    • Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
    • Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUP)
    • Identify regulatory opportunities and bottlenecks and provide recommendations.
  • Apply the European Commission's Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework.
  • Include comprehensive:
    • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
    • Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA)
    • Sustainability assessment.
  • Ensure complementarity with previous Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, BBI JU and CBE JU projects.
  • Landfilling and incineration are explicitly out of scope.

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