UPSTREAM Open Call 2: Prevention & Zero-Waste

Applications are now open for UPSTREAM Open Call 2: Prevention & Zero-Waste, a cascade funding opportunity under the UPSTREAM Horizon Europe project that supports regional and local public authorities in designing, piloting and scaling innovative solutions to prevent plastic pollution in rivers and connected waterways.

With €140,000 available under this call, UPSTREAM aims to help regions implement circular economy and zero-waste measures that reduce plastic leakage at source while contributing to the objectives of the EU Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters.

Selected projects will receive both financial support and technical mentoring from the UPSTREAM consortium to replicate and localise proven prevention solutions.

Funding at a Glance

• Programme: Horizon Europe – Cascade Funding (Financial Support to Third Parties)
• Project: UPSTREAM – Circular and Bio-Based Solutions for the Ultimate Prevention of Plastics in Rivers Integrated with Elimination and Monitoring Technologies
• Call: Open Call 2 – Prevention & Zero-Waste
• Total Call Budget: €140,000
• Maximum Grant per Project: Up to €70,000
• Funding Type: Lump-sum grant
• Expected Projects Funded: 2
• Project Duration: 8 months

Purpose of the Call

The call seeks to support local and regional authorities in implementing innovative actions that prevent plastics and microplastics from entering rivers before they reach lakes, coastal environments and oceans.

Projects should demonstrate practical, scalable solutions that strengthen:

• Circular economy practices
• Zero-waste systems
• Plastic pollution prevention
• River restoration
• Sustainable procurement
• Community participation
• Evidence-based environmental policy

Priority Activities

Projects should focus on one or more of the following areas.

Prevention & Zero-Waste

Examples include:

• Plastic substitution initiatives
• Bio-based or biodegradable alternatives
• Sustainable procurement pilots
• Zero-waste supply chain initiatives
• Producer responsibility programmes

Monitoring & Digital Innovation

Projects may include:

• River plastic monitoring
• Microplastic detection
• Digital monitoring systems
• Data collection and analysis
• Environmental reporting tools

Collection & Recovery

Activities may involve:

• River litter collection
• Plastic recovery systems
• Microplastic removal initiatives
• Innovative recycling approaches

Recycling & Valorisation

Projects can support:

• Recycling pilots
• Resource recovery
• Plastic valorisation
• Circular material use
• Innovative pre-treatment technologies

Nature-Based Solutions

Examples include:

• River restoration
• Wetland restoration
• Green infrastructure
• Ecosystem protection
• Riparian habitat improvement

Community Engagement

Applicants are encouraged to include:

• Citizen science initiatives
• Living laboratories
• Public awareness campaigns
• Behaviour change programmes
• Community co-creation

Open Data & Knowledge Sharing

Projects should contribute towards:

• Open environmental datasets
• Knowledge exchange
• Replication of successful approaches
• Sharing best practices across Europe

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity is specifically designed for public sector organisations.

Eligible applicants include:

• Regional governments
• Local municipalities
• City councils
• Metropolitan authorities
• Public bodies directly representing local or regional authorities

Only one application per authority may be submitted.

Eligibility

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following requirements.

Applicant Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be a regional or local public authority (or an organisation directly representing one).
• Be legally established within an eligible EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
• Submit one application only.
• Apply in English.
• Submit all required documentation before the deadline.
• Demonstrate that proposed activities have not started before grant award.
• Confirm there is no double funding for the proposed activities.
• Comply with EU ethics, transparency and conflict-of-interest requirements.

Project Requirements

Projects must:

• Focus on plastic pollution prevention and zero-waste solutions.
• Support the objectives of the UPSTREAM project.
• Deliver practical implementation rather than basic research.
• Demonstrate clear environmental impact.
• Be completed within 8 months.
• Include measurable outputs and performance indicators.

Activities That Are Not Eligible

The following will not be funded:

• Basic or fundamental research
• Routine municipal operations
• Projects already completed
• Activities funded through another EU programme
• Purchases unrelated to project objectives
• Projects causing significant environmental harm

Geographical Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be located in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, excluding certain regions that have already received funding.

Not Eligible

Applications are not eligible from:

• Countries represented within the UPSTREAM consortium:
  • Spain
  • Belgium
  • Slovenia
  • Portugal
  • Serbia
  • Greece
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • France
  • Italy
  • United Kingdom
• Regions previously funded through:
  • UPSTREAM Open Call 1
  • INSPIRE Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP)

A region may only receive funding once under the UPSTREAM programme.

Eligible Countries

Examples of eligible countries (subject to regional eligibility rules) include:

• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Sweden

Associated Countries may include:

• Albania
• Armenia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina*
• Iceland
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Switzerland
• Türkiye
• Ukraine

*Subject to exclusions relating to previously funded regions.

Applicants should verify their regional eligibility before preparing a proposal.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be assessed out of 100 points across four equally weighted criteria.

1. Concept & Innovation (25%)

Evaluators will consider:

• Innovation
• Technical credibility
• Practicality
• Novelty
• Interoperability

2. Team Capacity & Excellence (25%)

Assessment includes:

• Skills and expertise
• Governance structure
• Roles and responsibilities
• Ability to deliver
• Access to implementation sites

3. Alignment & Work Plan (25%)

Evaluators will review:

• Project methodology
• Milestones
• Deliverables
• Budget realism
• Project management

4. Impact & European Dimension (25%)

Projects should demonstrate:

• Contribution to Mission Ocean objectives
• Scalability
• Replication potential
• Cross-border relevance
• Measurable impact

Minimum Score Required

Projects must achieve:

• At least 60/100 overall
• Minimum 12/25 in each evaluation criterion

Deliverables

Successful projects will submit:

Month 1

• Project work plan
• Risk assessment
• Ethics checklist
• Data management plan
• Communication plan

Mid-Project

• Progress report
• Evidence of implementation
• Preliminary results

Final Stage

• Technical report
• Datasets
• Photos and videos
• Replication strategy
• Communication materials

Important Dates

• Applications Open: 16 June 2026
• Application Deadline: 17 August 2026 (17:00 Brussels Time)
• Project Duration: 8 months
• Implementation: Following grant agreement signature

Why This Opportunity Matters

Plastic pollution remains one of the most significant threats to freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity and coastal environments. Rather than focusing solely on cleaning rivers, the UPSTREAM Open Call emphasises preventing plastic waste before it enters waterways, supporting systemic solutions that can be replicated across Europe.

By combining circular economy principles, sustainable procurement, citizen engagement and nature-based solutions, this funding opportunity enables public authorities to pilot practical interventions that strengthen local environmental governance while contributing to broader European sustainability goals.

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