Bioeconomy/Circularity: CBE JU's 2026 call draws 272 project proposals, far outstripping available budget

The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) has closed its 2026 call for proposals with strong participation. A total of 272 project proposals were submitted by the 22 September deadline, requesting a combined €1.65 billion in funding, according to a CBE JU announcement on 23 September 2026.

That demand vastly exceeds the €170.7 million actually available for the call, which was spread across 13 topics. The call, launched on 23 April 2026, targeted a wide range of the EU's bio-based economy, spanning biorefinery competitiveness, alternative feedstocks, circular packaging, bio-based chemicals and materials, sustainable textiles, and applications in food ingredients, agriculture and consumer.

Proposals were spread across the four types of action that CBE JU funds, with oversubscription levels varying significantly by category and topic, and the smaller research grants proving especially competitive relative to their budgets.

CBE JU's programme office will now check the admissibility and eligibility of submissions, before independent external experts evaluate them between…