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

Opening: October 30, 2025 | Deadline: February 11, 2026 (17:00 Brussels time)

~€600,000 total; typical project duration: 30 months; ~3 grants expected

Supports research to unlock climate finance for sustainable rail development and decarbonization in line with the EU Green Deal.

Single-stage application; lump sum funding; consortium with academia, industry, SMEs/startups recommended.

--- ## Description This funding opportunity from the European Commission under Horizon Europe targets research and innovation actions to develop new knowledge and recommendations for unlocking climate finance for sustainable railway development. The aim is to support the EU Green Deal’s 2050 net-zero emissions goal by identifying and piloting innovative financing mechanisms—such as green bonds, sustainability-linked financing, and carbon credits—specifically for the rail sector. The call also seeks research into standardized methodologies for measuring and verifying greenhouse gas reductions, guidance for compliance with Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directives (CSRD), analysis of current climate financing criteria, and policy recommendations to bridge gaps and encourage investment in low-carbon rail transport. Proposals should deliver actionable, data-driven insights that facilitate access to climate finance and support the uptake of innovative, sustainable rail technologies across Europe. --- ## Due Dates - Opening date: October 30, 2025 - Application deadline: February 11, 2026 (17:00 Brussels time) - Q&A deadline: January 28, 2026 (for pre-submission queries) --- ## Funding Amount - Total indicative budget for this topic: **€600,000** - Lump sum grant per project: **~€600,000** - Expected number of grants: **3** - Indicative project duration: **30 months** (proposals with different durations are allowed) --- ## Eligibility - **Who can apply:** Consortia are strongly encouraged, leveraging expertise from academia, the rail supply industry, SMEs, startups, and end users. - **Eligible countries:** EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and certain non-EU/non-associated countries (see [Annex B](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2025/wp-14-general-annexes_horizon-2025_en.pdf) and [Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf)). - **Special requirements:** Proposals should demonstrate aggregated expertise aligned with the objectives. Private Members of EU-Rail in consortia must provide in-kind contributions at least 1.26352 times the funding request. - **Gender dimension:** Integration of sex and gender analysis in research is not mandatory for this topic. --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** Single-stage process via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-JU-ER-2025-EXPLR-02?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate). - **Proposal format:** Maximum 70 pages for full RIA application; use the [official templates](https://eur06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frail-research.europa.eu%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F10%2FTpl_Application-Form-Part-B-HORIZON-EURAIL-RIA.pdf). - **Evaluation:** Based on excellence, impact, and implementation (see [Annex D](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2025/wp-14-general-annexes_horizon-2025_en.pdf)). - **Grant agreement:** Lump sum funding model; costs eligible from the project start date if justified. --- ## Additional Information - **Project scope:** Proposals should address: - Strategies for green bonds and sustainability-linked financing for railways - Approaches for increased use of carbon credits by rail companies - Standardized methodologies for greenhouse gas emissions measurement and verification - Guidelines for CSRD compliance - Policy recommendations to bridge financing gaps for low-carbon rail projects - **Reference documents:** - [Work Programme 2025–2026](https://rail-research.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/GB-Decision_02-25_WP2025-2026_amendment1_Clean-1.pdf) - [EU-Rail Master Plan](https://rail-research.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/EURAIL_Master-Plan.pdf) - [Multi-Annual Work Programme](https://rail-research.europa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/GB-Decision_03-25_Revised_MAWP_EU-Rail_MAWP_v4_Clean.pdf) - **Partner search:** The portal provides a [partner search tool](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/how-to-participate/partner-search) for collaboration. --- ## External Links - [Funding & Tenders Portal: Call Details](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-JU-ER-2025-EXPLR-02?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [EU-Rail JU Call Proposals 2025-02](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-proposals?callIdentifier=HORIZON-JU-ER-2025-02) - [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf) - [Application Form Template (RIA)](https://eur06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frail-research.europa.eu%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F10%2FTpl_Application-Form-Part-B-HORIZON-EURAIL-RIA.pdf) - [Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) - [FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/faq) - [National Contact Points](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) --- ## Contact Information | Contact Type | Details | |---------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | General Funder Contact | [European Commission Contact Page](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | EU-RAIL JU Call Helpdesk | info-call@rail-research.europa.eu (queries accepted until January 28, 2026, 17:00 Brussels) | | Phone | +32 2 299 11 11 | | IT Helpdesk | [Portal IT Helpdesk Contact Form](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-form) | ---

STUDIES ON INNOVATION IN CLIMATE FINANCE FOR RAIL

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