EU Innovation Fund Net‑Zero Call: 358 applications, €17.5bn requested (6× budget)
- Call closed 23 April 2026 with 358 applications from 27 EEA countries requesting €17.5 billion vs €2.9 billion budget (6× oversubscription); projects could avoid 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 over their first 10 years.
- By topic: large-scale 104, medium-scale 74, pilots 79, small-scale 51, clean-tech manufacturing 50.
- Sector breakdown highlights: energy-intensive industries 158 proposals, renewables 70, energy storage 52, industrial carbon management 28, mobility/buildings 50, refineries 39, maritime 29, chemicals 28.
- Next steps: eligibility checks and external expert evaluation, results expected October 2026, STEP Seal for projects meeting criteria, and EIB Project Development Assistance available for promising non-funded projects.
Call overview
The Innovation Fund 2025 Net‑Zero Technologies call closed on 23 April 2026 with 358 applications from 27 EEA countries requesting €17.5bn versus a €2.9bn budget (6× oversubscription); proposed projects could avoid about 1.1bn tonnes CO2 over their first 10 years.
Topics and sector coverage
Submissions by topic: large‑scale 104, medium‑scale 74, pilots 79, small‑scale 51, cleantech manufacturing 50. Sector breakdown: energy‑intensive industries 158, renewables 70, energy storage 52, industrial carbon management 28, mobility/buildings 50; refineries 39, maritime 29, chemicals 28; participation rose in several smaller EEA states.
Policy and targeted funding
The call supports EU priorities including the Clean Industrial Deal, Net‑Zero Industry Act, Industrial Carbon Management Strategy, REPowerEU and Critical Raw Materials Act; ResourceEU Action Plan dedicates €1bn to clean‑tech manufacturing and funds derive from EU ETS revenues.
Next steps
Evaluation starts with eligibility and admissibility checks followed by external expert assessment against innovation, GHG avoidance, maturity, replicability and cost efficiency; results expected October 2026. Projects meeting evaluation criteria will receive the Commission’s STEP Seal; Member States are encouraged to use Grants‑as‑a‑Service and the EIB will offer Project Development Assistance to promising non‑funded projects.
Source: European Commission
