Supporting the implementation of the Restore our Ocean and Waters Mission (Horizon Europe)

The Mission ‘Restore our ocean and waters by 2030’ provides a systemic approach to restore, protect and preserve the health of our ocean, seas and waters. The Mission is designed to deliver on the European Union’s 2030 quantified and measurable targets for protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity, for achieving zero pollution, and for decarbonising and reducing net greenhouse gas emissions from the blue economy towards climate-neutrality, within the EU’s seas and waters.

The actions to be financed under this Work Programme support the implementation of the European Ocean Pact and the European Water Resilience Strategy, as well as the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU marine action plan, contributing to the restoration of ocean and waters ecosystems for people, the climate and the planet.

The actions to be financed under this Work Programme will address the three specific objectives of the Mission and their related 2030 targets outlined in the implementation plan of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and waters by 2030":

• Protecting 30% including 10% strictly protected of the EU’s sea area and restoring degraded marine ecosystems and biodiversity and 25.000 km of free-flowing rivers (in line with EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the Nature Restoration Regulation);
• Preventing and eliminating pollution at sea by reducing plastic litter by 50%, the release of microplastics into the environment by 30%, nutrient losses and use of chemical pesticides by 50% (in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil); and
• Making the blue economy climate-neutral and circular with net-zero maritime and aquaculture emissions (in line with the European Climate Law and the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy).

They will also contribute to both cross-cutting enablers that support these objectives, by enhancing the digital ocean and water knowledge system, through the development of the Digital Twin Ocean (DTO)as well as broad public mobilisation and engagement in the co-design and co-delivery of the solutions.

Topics with submission deadline on 23 September 2026:

• HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-01: Large-scale demonstration for mapping the distribution and condition of marine habitats to implement the Nature Restoration Regulation
• HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-02: Addressing aquatic pollution and biodiversity loss through nature positive solutions from source to sea
• HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-03: By fishers, for fishers: co-management of marine and freshwaters ecosystems and resources
• HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-04: Towards a European network of ocean technology testing sites
• HORIZON-MISS-2026-03-OCEAN-05: Regional (sea-basins) components of the EU Digital Twin Ocean

Find the full work programme “Missions " for 2026-2027 here.