Developing methods to assess the presence, functions and sensitivity of groundwater ecosystems in HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02

3rd November 2025 at 9:32 am

Groundwater sustains two-thirds of Europe’s drinking water supply, yet its ecosystems remain largely unexplored. The European Environment Agency reports that while 77% of groundwater bodies in the EU are in good chemical status, knowledge gaps persist about their biological communities and resilience to pollution. The Horizon Europe call topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02 aims to close this knowledge gap through robust, innovative and standardised assessment methods that can underpin future EU water legislation. With a deadline on 17 September 2026 and an indicative budget of €10.00 million, this Research and Innovation Action (RIA) topic represents a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe’s scientific foundations for groundwater ecosystem protection and reliable hazard assessment.

1. Innovation for reliable hazard assessment

A key driver behind this call is the lack of reliable methods to evaluate the effects of emerging contaminants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), microplastics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in groundwater systems. Traditional ecotoxicology frameworks, designed for surface water, often fail to capture the unique conditions of subterranean ecosystems where oxygen levels, nutrient cycles and microbial communities differ dramatically.

Tips for applicants:

• Develop novel sensors or biosensors to detect and monitor contaminants at trace levels.
• Combine biological, chemical and physical indicators to strengthen hazard assessment frameworks.
• Align methods with EC’s recent proposal to revise groundwater pollutant lists under the Water Framework Directive.
• Include predictive modelling to assess how multiple stressors interact over time.

2. Developing harmonised, validated and standardised methods

The Commission expects proposals to move beyond individual studies and deliver harmonised, validated and ultimately standardised methodologies. These should generate reliable experimental data on acute and chronic pollutant effects and identify biological quality elements for a possible future classification of groundwater ecological status.

Tips for applicants:

• Demonstrate how your approach contributes to method validation across different sites or climatic zones.
• Use inter-laboratory comparison studies to verify reproducibility and robustness.
• Build on Water4All Partnership outcomes and other relevant EU projects to avoid duplication and promote synergies.
• Prepare to interface with standardisation bodies (CEN/ISO) for future adoption of your methods.

3. Leveraging sensor and data technologies

The call highlights the use of advanced sensors, including biosensors and remote sensing, to improve spatial and temporal coverage of groundwater monitoring. Integrating these with data-driven workflows will help generate “FAIR-by-design” (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) datasets from the outset.

Tips for applicants:

• Combine sensor networks with AI-assisted data analytics for real-time interpretation.
• Explore data collection systems connection to the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and other relevant European research infrastructures
• Use interoperable data formats aligned with EU data governance frameworks.
• Involve data scientists/managers early in the project to ensure scalable and open workflows.

4. Integrating interdisciplinary and multi-level expertise

Understanding groundwater biodiversity requires collaboration across hydrology, ecology, microbiology, toxicology and environmental modelling. The EC also encourages integration of perspectives from different governance levels, ensuring that research outcomes are policy-relevant and applicable across regions.

Tips for applicants:

• Build an interdisciplinary consortium combining technical, ecological and regulatory expertise.
• Engage public authorities and environmental agencies to ensure uptake of methods into monitoring frameworks.
• Promote international cooperation to strengthen the call’s regional relevance.
• Include experts from social sciences and humanities to interpret socio-environmental implications of groundwater degradation.

5. Linking scientific innovation to policy and practice

The ultimate goal is to provide scientific evidence that supports EU water policies, helping authorities establish effective measures for the protection of groundwater biodiversity and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. The EC also highlights collaboration with the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and Joint Research Centre (JRC), whose hydrological modelling capacities can test and upscale project results.

Tips for applicants:

• Plan cooperation with KCBD to ensure results feed directly into EU biodiversity and water policy assessments.
• Explore opportunities for JRC validation of developed methods at the continental scale.
• Clearly show how your project addresses the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and Zero Pollution Action Plan.
• Describe how your innovations contribute to long-term resilience, food and water security and human health protection.

6. Demonstrating societal and environmental impact

Beyond scientific excellence, the evaluators will look for projects that translate innovation into tangible benefits for society, ecosystems and policymaking. Strong proposals will show how they improve knowledge of groundwater biodiversity and its ecological functions, enhance public awareness of pollution and overexploitation risks and provide actionable tools that help authorities manage and protect groundwater-dependent ecosystems more effectively.

Tips for applicants:

• Quantify expected benefits (e.g. increased detection accuracy, reduced monitoring costs).
• Outline dissemination and communication activities targeting both policymakers and the general public.
• Define clear pathways for data use beyond the project’s lifetime, ensuring long-term value and accessibility.

Do you need support with writing your proposal for scientific innovation in groundwater ecosystem protection?

At accelopment, we continuously expand our portfolio of Horizon Europe projects, supporting environmental sustainability, resource management and health–environment research. Newly incorporated projects such as REALISE, EXPOSIM and ViroiDoc demonstrate our growing expertise in interdisciplinary environmental innovation with a focus on sustainability, exposure science, chemical risk management and plant health. With our experience in proposal writing, consortium coordination and impact communication, we help research teams design competitive and policy-relevant projects under Horizon Europe’s Cluster 6 and beyond.

Dr. Johannes Ripperger
Research & Innovation Manager

Andreia Cruz
Research & Innovation Project Manager