European Commission Opens Three Calls for Evidence on Water, Ocean and Horizon Europe Partnership Initiatives

Deadlines: 14 July 2026 and 2 August 2026

The European Commission has launched three Calls for Evidence on two strategies in the fields of water and oceans, as well as on Joint Undertakings within future Horizon Europe partnerships. The aim is to gather evidence, experiences, and views from stakeholders regarding these initiatives through the Have Your Say portal, in any official language of the European Union. Stakeholders are invited to submit their feedback and contribute to shaping future policies.

Horizon Europe - European Partnerships to be Implemented as Joint Undertakings

This initiative concerns the future structure and implementation of European Partnerships carried out through Joint Undertakings under the future Horizon Europe programme. The objective is to establish Joint Undertakings that will strengthen the EU’s sustainable competitiveness and resilience in strategically important areas, thereby helping to reduce the innovation gap. The initiative seeks to increase the impact of European Partnerships by simplifying their implementation model, creating a limited number of interconnected partnerships aligned with the objectives of the European Competitiveness Fund, and supporting the entire innovation pathway from fundamental research to market deployment.

The Call for Evidence is open from 16 June to 14 July 2026.

European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy

The objective of this strategy is to improve the coordination of ocean-related research and innovation by reducing the fragmentation of existing initiatives and promoting an integrated approach to addressing pollution and resource management challenges. Achieving this objective requires stronger coordination and alignment among various programmes and initiatives to ensure the efficient use of limited resources and to enhance the EU’s capacity to understand, monitor, and predict changes in the oceans. Given the interconnected nature of water systems, a source-to-sea approach is needed to mitigate the impacts of pollution and climate change and to ensure long-term resilience.

The Call for Evidence is open from 15 June to 2 August 2026.

A Water Resilience Research and Innovation (R&I) Strategy

The purpose of this strategy is to address knowledge and innovation gaps necessary for achieving the objectives of the European Water Resilience Strategy. The strategy will help guide investments in water-related research and innovation and promote the wider uptake of existing solutions. It will also contribute to strengthening competitiveness and sustainability by supporting technological development in key sectors, encouraging integrated water management and pollution prevention across the entire water system, and improving connectivity within the European water research and innovation landscape.

The Call for Evidence is open from 15 June to 2 August 2026.

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