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The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP) is a European co-funded partnership under Horizon Europe, bringing together 79 partner organisations from 32 countries and the European Commission with the objective of coordinating research and innovation investments to support a fair and inclusive transition towards a sustainable, resilient, and climate-neutral blue economy.
The Partnership is coordinated by Italy through the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), with the Research Council of Norway (RCN) acting as co-coordinator.
The Partnership operates throughout the duration of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (2022-2029) and contributes to achieving European objectives related to ocean protection, the sustainable use of marine resources, climate neutrality, and the development of coastal communities.
Through its co-funding model, the European Commission contributes €150 million, complemented by more than €350 million from national and regional sources, for a total estimated investment of approximately €450 million over seven years.
The Italian Partnership configuration includes MUR as coordinator, the Italian Hydrographic Institute and the Emilia-Romagna Region as beneficiaries, as well as several research organisations supervised by MUR participating as affiliated entities.
2026 Intervention Areas
The Partnership's activities are guided by the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and by the priorities jointly defined by the participating countries.
For 2026, the identified intervention areas are:
- Transitioning blue economy sectors towards sustainability, competitiveness and strategic autonomy;
- Managing sea uses through digital and ecosystem-based approaches;
- Promoting the sustainable development of blue bioresources through innovation in marine production and harvesting;
- Strengthening the resilience of coastal communities, infrastructures and local economic activities.
Joint Transnational Calls
The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership foresees the launch of six co-funded calls throughout its lifetime to support transnational research and innovation projects.
To date, four calls have been published:
- Joint Transnational Call 2023;
- Joint Transnational Call 2024;
- Joint Transnational Call 2025;
- Joint Transnational Call 2026.
For documentation, results, and updates related to previous and ongoing calls, please visit the dedicated section of the Partnership website: https://www.bluepartnership.eu/.
Funding Opportunities
https://www.bluepartnership.eu/funding-opportunities
SBEP 2026 Call
The fourth Joint Transnational Call of the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, entitled"Building a Sustainable and Innovative Blue Economy: Mastering Digital Opportunities and Fostering Resilience", was launched on 14 September 2026. The call is funded by the Partnership's participating funding organisations with support from the European Commission under Horizon Europe.
Its objective is to support 36-month transnational research and innovation projects capable of contributing to the sustainable transformation of Europe's blue economy.
Priority Areas
Project proposals must address one of the following priority areas:
- Transitioning the Blue Economy Sectors for Sustainability and Strategic Autonomy;
- Managing Sea-Uses by Advancing Digital and Ecosystem-Based Approaches;
- Promoting Sustainable Blue Bioresources through Innovation in Marine Production and Harvesting;
- Building Resilience in Coastal Communities with Infrastructure and Businesses.
Submission Procedure
The call follows a two-stage application process:
- Pre-proposal deadline: 16 November 2026, 15:00 CET;
- Full proposal deadline: 14 June 2027, 15:00 CET, for consortia invited to the second stage following the evaluation of pre-proposals.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible consortia must include partners from at least three countries, of which at least two must be EU Member States or countries associated with Horizon Europe, in accordance with the official call documentation.
MUR Funding
The Ministry of University and Research (MUR), as a partner of the SBEP, has allocated €3 million to the 2026 Call in the form of non-repayable grants.
All eligibility criteria applicable to Italian applicants are described in the National Eligibility Annex and in the document"SBEP 4th JTC - Annex B: NCP and Regulations", included in the international call documentation.
International Call and Supporting Documents
Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership's Fourth Joint Transnational Call
https://www.bluepartnership.eu/funding-opportunity/sustainable-blue-economy-partnerships-fourth-joint-transnational-call
MUR Contacts
Dr Sonia Angiolin
[email protected]
Dr Margherita Zorgno
[email protected]
Dr Irene Guglielmo
[email protected]
For further information regarding the international call, applicants may contact the SBEP Call Secretariat:
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