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Decoding Horizon Europe’s Clean Industrial Deal calls for 2026


18th March 2026 at 10:08 am



Europe’s transition to climate neutrality increasingly depends on the transformation of its industrial base. Heavy industries such as steel, cement and chemicals face rising pressure to decarbonise while remaining globally competitive. To address this challenge, the European Commission has introduced dedicated Horizon Europe funding under the Clean Industrial Deal (CID) calls. These calls, launched under the Horizontal Activities work programme, support large-scale innovation projects that accelerate industrial decarbonisation and the deployment of clean technologies. With a total indicative budget of €275 million in 2026 and up to €25 million funding per project they offer significantly larger funding than standard Innovation Actions, only outperformed by the largest projects of the Innovation Fund.

At the same time, they represent one of the most policy-driven funding opportunities in Horizon Europe and it is therefore essential for potential applicants to understand the logic behind these calls. Below, we explain how the Clean Industrial Deal calls fit into the Horizon Europe architecture and what successful proposals are expected to demonstrate.

A new work programme chapter: Horizon Europe “Horizontal Activities”

One of the notable changes in the 2026–2027 Horizon Europe Work Programme is the introduction of Part 14: Horizontal Activities. Unlike traditional clusters such as Health, Climate or Digital, this section brings together cross-cutting initiatives that address strategic EU priorities across sectors.

The Horizontal Activities chapter currently includes several calls, among them:

The CID calls are therefore not tied to a single cluster. Instead, they connect industrial decarbonisation, energy systems, manufacturing technologies and climate policy under one strategic framework. Why this matters for applicants: Projects funded under this chapter are expected to demonstrate strong alignment with EU industrial policy and deployment objectives, not just scientific excellence.

Why the Clean Industrial Deal needs Horizon Europe R&I funding

The Clean Industrial Deal aims to strengthen Europe as a competitive scene for clean manufacturing while achieving ambitious climate targets. The focus is on accelerating the development and deployment of technologies that reduce emissions in energy-intensive sectors and strengthen European industrial value chains. The calls, therefore, pursue several interconnected objectives:

Unlike many research-oriented Horizon Europe calls, these topics emphasise deployment-ready technologies and industrial demonstrators.

Pro Tip: Frame your proposal as a contribution to Europe’s industrial transformation. Evaluators will look for credible pathways from innovation to deployment.

The 2026 Clean Industrial Deal call topics

The 2026 call HORIZON-CID-2026-01 includes two Innovation Action topics supporting large-scale demonstration projects.

HORIZON-CID-2026-01-01 – Decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries

This topic supports innovative technologies and processes that enable deep decarbonisation of sectors such as steel, cement, chemicals and other energy-intensive industries.

Projects should contribute to:

HORIZON-CID-2026-01-02 – Clean technologies for climate action

This topic focuses on the development and demonstration of clean technologies that support industrial decarbonisation and climate mitigation across value chains.

Both topics start from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 and are expected to reach TRL 8 by the end of the project, emphasising near-market innovation.

What the European Commission expects from proposals

The CID calls focus strongly on industrial deployment and market readiness. Successful proposals are expected to go beyond technological research.

Demonstration and industrial deployment

Projects should deliver:

This means consortia should include industrial partners capable of implementing the technologies in real industrial environments.

A credible business plan and market strategy

One distinctive requirement in these calls is the emphasis on business planning and market-readiness strategies. Applicants must provide:

These elements will be assessed under the impact criterion and are essential to demonstrate that project outcomes can reach the market.

Regulatory readiness and permitting

Industrial projects often face regulatory barriers. The work programme, therefore, expects proposals to address these early. Applicants should demonstrate:

Practical tips for preparing a competitive proposal

Based on the call requirements, several strategic choices can strengthen your proposal.

1. Build a truly industrial consortium by including partners that represent the entire value chain:

2. Focus on real demonstrators and clearly explain:

3. Develop a strong business case, i.e. your proposal should address:

4. Address industrial scalability and explain how the solution can scale across:

Pro Tip: Evaluators will look for projects that combine technological innovation with a credible industrialisation strategy.

Conclusion

The CID calls introduce a new element in the funding landscape. With substantial funding and a strong policy mandate, they offer a significant opportunity for consortia working on industrial decarbonisation, clean manufacturing and climate technologies. At the same time, they require proposals that combine technological excellence with business planning, regulatory awareness and credible deployment strategies. Consortia that understand this policy logic will be best positioned to succeed.

Our track record

Since our foundation, accelopment has collaborated with more than 1,000 organisations across Europe and beyond to develop competitive Horizon Europe proposals. Our team supports projects in energy systems, industrial innovation and climate technologies across several clusters and partnerships. We have extensive experience supporting Innovation Actions and large-scale demonstration projects, including initiatives aligned with European industrial and energy transition priorities, such as the PEPPERONI or SOLARX projects. Our expertise spans proposal development, project management and targeted communication, dissemination and exploitation activities.

Dr Johannes Ripperger

Dr. Johannes Ripperger
Research & Innovation Manager

Andreia Cruz
Research & Innovation Project Manager