[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

September 23, 2025 (single-stage)

Total indicative partnership budget: €300 million | EU contribution: up to €90 million (max. 30% of eligible costs)

Supports projects to secure, diversify, and sustainably manage critical raw materials for the EU's green and digital transitions.

Maximum grant per third party: €8 million | Funding rate: 30% of eligible costs | Sea mining excluded

--- ## Description This EU co-funded partnership aims to strengthen the security, sustainability, and diversification of supply for primary and secondary raw materials—particularly those critical for EU industrial value chains and strategic sectors. The initiative is directly aligned with the EU Critical Raw Materials Act and supports the green and digital transitions by fostering research and innovation (R&I) coordination across the entire raw materials value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing and recycling (excluding sea mining). The partnership seeks to: - Align national and regional R&I priorities with EU raw materials policy. - Enhance cooperation with countries holding strategic partnerships with the EU. - Improve the industrial viability, safety, and environmental impact of raw material operations. - Promote responsible sourcing and the adoption of international standards (UNFC, UNRMS). - Support knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, and the dissemination of results relevant to industry and policy. The program builds on the ERA-MIN network experience and will implement joint annual calls for proposals, clustering and synthesizing project results, and facilitating commercialization and uptake of innovations. --- ## Due Dates - Opening date: May 22, 2025 - Submission deadline: September 23, 2025, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage) --- ## Funding Amount - Total partnership budget: €300 million (indicative) - Maximum EU contribution: €90 million (30% of eligible costs) - Maximum grant to an individual third party: €8 million - Funding rate: 30% of eligible costs --- ## Eligibility - Open to legal entities established in: - EU Member States - Associated countries to Horizon Europe - OECD countries - African Union Member States - MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community countries - Countries with EU strategic partnerships on raw materials - Countries with trade or association agreements with the EU containing raw materials cooperation - The coordinator must be a public institution that is an R&I programme owner or funder. - Proposals including ineligible entities will be rejected. - Beneficiaries should preferably be national, regional, or local institutions responsible for R&I programming in raw materials; relevant ministries and public institutions are also eligible. - Projects using satellite-based data must utilize Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. --- ## Application Process - Single-stage submission via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL4-INDUSTRY-2025-01-MATERIALS-64?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=6&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate). - Applicants must use the standard application form for HE COFUND actions. - Proposals should include a business case and exploitation strategy for industrialization where relevant. - Detailed guidance, templates, and evaluation criteria are available in the [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf) and [General Annexes](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2025/wp-14-general-annexes_horizon-2025_en.pdf). - The submission system opens on May 22, 2025. --- ## Additional Information - The partnership is expected to organize joint annual calls for R&I activities throughout 2026–2032. - The action is open and inclusive, with governance designed to engage a broad range of stakeholders. - Sea mining is explicitly excluded from the scope. - The partnership should foster synergies with other EU and international initiatives, including EIT Raw Materials and projects funded under Cluster 4 Digital, Industry, and Space. - Financial support to third parties is a primary activity; the €60,000 threshold does not apply. - Retroactive project start dates may be justified in applications. --- ## External Links - [Call Topic & Submission Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL4-INDUSTRY-2025-01-MATERIALS-64?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=6&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf) - [HE Main Work Programme 2025 – Digital, Industry and Space](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2025/wp-7-digital-industry-and-space_horizon-2025_en.pdf) - [Standard Application Form (HE COFUND)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/temp-form/af/af_he-cofund_en.pdf) - [FAQ and Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) - [National Contact Points](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) --- ## Contact Information | Contact Type | Details | |----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | General EC Contact | [European Commission Contact](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Research Enquiry Service | [Research Enquiry Service](https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/contact-us/research-enquiry-service_en) | | National Contact Points | [Find NCPs](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) | | IT Helpdesk | [IT Helpdesk Form](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-form) | ---

EU Co-funded Partnership on raw materials for the green and digital transition (Co-funded partnership Raw Materials for the Green and Digital Transition)

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