1st Transition Agendas Open Call
This call supports the foundational planning necessary for achieving long-term sustainability within the Baltic and North Sea basin.
In the 1st Transition Agendas Open Call, BlueActionBANOS will select approximately 10 Transition Agendas to develop strategic roadmaps for sustainable systemic shifts, targeting Mission Ocean objectives in the Baltic and North Sea.
Projects will develop multi-year plans for areas like decarbonising coastal zones, circular blue economy, sustainable blue tourism, ecosystem-based fisheries management, marine restoration, and climate adaptation, plastic and nutrient pollution reduction and other goals that support Mission Ocean objectives.
Eligible applicants are individual entities or consortia of up to 3.
The 1st Transition
Agendas Open Call is
now open!
What BlueActionBANOS offers
Selected Transition Agendas will receive:
Financial support up to €100,000 per Transition Agenda, based on the budget included in the full proposal. The maximum amount granted to any single entity within a Transition Agenda Consortium is €60,000
Ongoing operational support provided by dedicated Project Key Accounts, along with tailored technical assistance, defined during onboarding workshops, for a maximum duration of 18 months.
Call Details
We invite individual entities or consortia of up to 3 entities registered in Baltic and North Sea basin (BANOS) countries to apply. Eligible applicants must be based in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries at the time of application. Eligible countries include:
- Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden.
- Applicants from other EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries outside the BANOS area may be eligible in special cases, where justified.
Proposed Transition Agendas must focus on a region located in the BANOS lighthouse area.
Proposals may concern actions within one BANOS country, or span multiple countries, and must address at least one of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters objectives:
- protection and restoration of marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity
- prevention and elimination of pollution of our ocean, seas and waters
- making the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular
WHO CAN APPLY:
Types of entities in the communities listed below that can apply for the support:
- Regional and local authorities (including island and waterfront authorities)
- Non-governmental organisations, foundations, and professional associations engaged in local development, nature conservation, environmental protection, sustainable use of marine resources, or blue economy activities;
- Educational establishments, research performing organisations and similar;
- Locally based companies, SMEs and startups (provided this is not in conflict with the State Aid rules);
- Enterprises, cooperatives, and other registered organisations fostering inclusion, skills development, or sustainable blue economy activities;
- Financial institutions or registered cooperatives supporting sustainable investments or local development initiatives;
- any other legal entities in the below-described communities.
Types of communities relevant to the 1st Transition Agendas Open Call:
- Ports (including inland ports);
- Islands authorities and communities;
- Fishing and aquaculture communities, producers, processors and manufacturers, and other representatives of blue economy;
- Operators of various vessels;
- River basin and inland water communities engaged in water management and pollution reduction;
- Citizen science and community innovation initiatives contributing to marine and freshwater monitoring or restoration;
- Indigenous and traditional knowledge communities involved in sustainable use and stewardship of marine and freshwater resources;
- Blue tech and digital innovation communities contributing to ocean observation, data sharing, or circular blue economy;
- Cultural heritage and maritime identity communities promoting ocean literacy and traditional connections to the sea;
- Local financial institutions, cooperatives, and impact investors supporting sustainable blue investments;
- Social enterprises and organisations fostering inclusion, skills, and employment in the blue economy;
- Local Action Groups described by the Community-Led Local Development strategies;
- Waterfront cities/regional authorities and communities (avoiding overlaps with Cities’ Mission);
- Conservation and environmental protection communities;
- Representatives of the tourism sector;
- Maritime infrastructure operators (including offshore wind, wave/tidal energy, and similar infrastructure and their operators).
- Any other community within the BANOS area that could benefit from the impact of funded Transition Agenda(s).
Call Timeline
Application Process
The application process consists of 2 steps:
Compulsory submission of the Project Idea Form and individual consultations
Submission
of the full proposal
How to Apply
Only projects that submit the Project Idea Form and go through the individual consultation will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Project Idea Forms must be submitted by 16 March 2026 17:00 CET. We reserve the right to contact and consult only those applicants who submit complete and full information in the Project Idea form. While submitting the Project Idea Form and undergoing the consultation are mandatory steps, these are not subject to evaluation. We will evaluate only complete full proposals that were submitted via official tools within the indicated deadline.
Selection Process
The selection process consists of the following 6 steps:
