Strong interest in the 2026 CBE JU call highlights Europe’s growing bioeconomy ambitions

The 2026 Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) call attracted 272 project proposals, requesting a total of €1.65 billion in funding. With €170.7 million available across 13 topics, the figures reflect the strong interest in advancing innovative and industrial-scale bio-based solutions across Europe.

Launched on 23 April 2026 and closed on 22 September, the call addresses a broad range of challenges for the European bioeconomy, including biorefinery competitiveness, alternative feedstocks, circular packaging, bio-based chemicals and materials, sustainable textiles, and innovative solutions for food ingredients, agriculture and consumer applications.

Particularly strong interest was recorded in topics addressing the development of safe and sustainable bio-based polymers from alternative sources, with 54 proposals submitted, and the valorisation of residual biomass through biotechnology, which attracted 34 proposals. The call also places significant emphasis on bringing innovation closer to industrial deployment. Four flagship topics alone provide €80 million to support large-scale solutions in areas including competitive biorefineries, bio-based fertilising and crop protection products, home and personal care applications, and food ingredients.

The strong response to the latest CBE JU call demonstrates the growing innovation capacity around these challenges. At the same time, the significant difference between the funding requested and the budget available highlights the high level of competition and the scale of interest in developing Europe’s bio-based industries.

The submitted proposals will now undergo evaluation by independent external experts during October and November 2026. Applicants are expected to receive the evaluation results in January 2027, with grant agreements for the selected projects expected to be signed by May 2027.

Several of the priorities reflected in the 2026 call closely connect with the challenges addressed by PACE. The project demonstrates how existing industrial infrastructure can be retrofitted to create new circular bio-based value chains, transforming potato-processing sidestreams into valuable medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and other useful products.