HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-02: Danube River basin lighthouse – Protection and restoration of migratory fish habitats

Migratory fish species represent an economic and natural heritage of the Danube River Basin and are indicators of the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems, especially of the functionality of ecological corridors. The need for their conservation is recognised by the scientific community as well as at a high political and management level. This topic will support the European Green Deal, the European Biodiversity Strategy, the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats Directive, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) and contribute to the Mission’s objectives. 

Objectives: 

The proposed activities should cover all following objectives: 

• Build on and enhance the outcomes of the Interreg projects MEASURES and the WE PASS initiatives set up by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), which provide guidance for the design of effective measures at a river basin scale.  
• Contribute to river and habitat continuity, as well as the effect on water quality.  
• Build on research and innovation developed in the current and previous EU framework programmes and national and regional programmes in the Danube River basin and its delta. 
• Show how their activities and results will achieve the Mission Objective 1 (Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity), focusing on the demonstration of sustainable and effective solutions for the enhancement of a protected network of critical habitats, involving relevant actors at a transnational/national scale and across relevant sectors.  
• Show a significant replication potential by identifying locations where the proposed solutions could be replicable. An action plan and roadmap are expected to be drawn up by the end of the project. 
• Include monitoring the impact of activities related to fish habitats in the Danube basin, including its delta, in cooperation with the information system created through MEASURES and with European research infrastructures. In addition, the project will assess the effectiveness of demonstration activities at the local scale. It will also establish connections with Digital Twin Ocean project and support the exchange of data and knowledge through the Ocean and Water Knowledge System. 
• Provide guidance to align protection of migratory fish with regard to new policy measures and infrastructure projects and to strengthen cooperation across relevant sectors. 

The project funded under this topic should build links with:  

• Other Mission activities and relevant activities within the area of the lighthouse to maximise synergies as well as with other Mission lighthouses and their activities.  
• The Mission implementation monitoring system that will be part of the Mission Implementation Platform and with the Danube River basin lighthouse support facility and platform, as well as with the Blue Parks technical support platform. 
• The activities of the ICPDR as well as with the national and regional authorities with competence in the area of fish habitat conservation and protection. 

Eligible applicants: 

Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulations have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call/topic. 

The consortium must include, as beneficiaries, legal entities established in at least three Member States and/or Associated Countries of the Danube River basin (including its delta) in which demonstration activities will be taking place.  

Further information on the application process and on eligibility can be found in the General Annexes of the Horizon Europe 2023-2025 Work Programme.   

Projects are encouraged to work with and engage at least 5 Associated regions, understood as areas with ecosystems that can benefit from the demonstration activities and/or less developed regions.  

Budget: 

EUR 15,60 million 

Two indicative grants are expected under this topic, with an expected contribution of around EUR 7,80 million each.  

Duration: 

N/A 

HORIZON-MISS-2024-OCEAN-01-02 call for proposals page 

Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2025: Missions and Cross Cutting Activities 

Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2025: General Introduction 

General Annexes of the Horizon Europe 2023-2025 Work Programme 

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