EU Missions: €1–1.5 million for town halls leading pilot projects, deadline 13 January

On 6 October 2026 the European Commission opened topic HORIZON-MISS-2026-07-CROSS-04 under Horizon Europe. The call funds consortia led by local authorities that create experimentation spaces in their territory, that is, places where the solutions of the EU Missions move from pilot projects to large-scale application. The budget is €3.62 million for three projects, with €1–1.5 million per project. Proposals must be submitted by 13 January 2027.

In brief

• Programme: Horizon Europe, EU Missions, call HORIZON-MISS-2026-07 "Cross-cutting activities", topic CROSS-04
• Authority: European Commission, via the Funding & Tenders portal
• Beneficiaries: consortia led by local authorities from EU Member States and associated countries; partners may be universities, institutes, companies or NGOs
• Total budget: €3,620,000 (2026 budget)
• Value per project: between €1,000,000 and €1,500,000, with approximately 3 projects funded
• Type of action: innovation action (HORIZON-IA), funded on the basis of the project budget (not as a lump sum)
• Submission period: 6 October 2026 – 13 January 2027, in a single stage
• Status: open

What does the call fund?

The EU Missions are entering their second phase (2026–2030), in which the emphasis shifts from pilot projects to scaling up and applying solutions on a large scale. The Commission is not funding a specific technology here. It is funding how a territory manages to scale up solutions, through:

• multi-level governance models (local, regional, national);
• regulatory experimentation, that is, testing new local rules that unlock solutions;
• innovative public-public or public-private funding and blended finance;
• public procurement strategies that support the application of solutions.

Projects must identify the obstacles in their own territory (fragmented regulation, low appetite for risk, lack of blended finance) and test models that can also be adopted in other regions. Applicants choose one or more EU Missions they work on. If the project uses satellite data, it must come from Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS.

What results are expected?

• EU Missions better anchored in the territory through multi-level governance;
• a local environment that allows new solutions to be scaled up for the Missions' objectives;
• analyses turned into territorial experiments and good practices that can be replicated.

Who can apply?

The topic text states that the consortium leader should be a local authority. The territories targeted are countries, regions and interregional partnerships in Member States and associated countries. In Romania, the leader may be a municipality, a town, a commune or a county council. The consortium may include universities, research institutes, SMEs and civil society organisations. The eligibility conditions, evaluation criteria and financial rules are the general ones of the Horizon Europe work programme (General Annexes A–G).

How and by when do you apply?

The proposal is submitted electronically, in a single stage, through the submission system of the Funding & Tenders portal, by 13 January 2027. The page limit and the structure of the technical part (Part B) are described in the application form in the system. The portal has its partner search function active, which is useful for consortia that have not yet been formed.

What this means for your business

Consultant's recommendation: the call is small and competitive, with only three projects funded across Europe, so it is worthwhile only for local authorities with a genuine track record in the EU Missions. The chances are better for cities in the "100 climate-neutral and smart cities" Mission, for signatories of the Mission on adaptation to climate change, and for regions involved in the soil or the oceans and waters missions.

• For town halls and county councils: start from an existing plan (for example a city climate contract or an adaptation plan) and show specifically which regulatory or funding obstacle you want to test.
• For SMEs and universities: you cannot lead the project, but you can join as partners with expertise in funding, data, innovative procurement or impact assessment. Look now for a town hall to lead the consortium.
• Common pitfall: proposals that describe a technology, rather than a governance and funding model, miss the purpose of the topic.
• Timeline: about three months remain. The consortium and the local authority's approval decisions must be prepared in good time, especially over the holiday period.

If you are not sure that your organisation is a good fit, you can start with the eligibility check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a company from Romania lead a project under the CROSS-04 call?

In practice, no. The topic text states that consortia should be led by local authorities. Companies, universities and NGOs act as partners.

How much can a project receive?

The estimated EU contribution is between €1 and €1.5 million per project, out of a total budget of €3.62 million. The Commission estimates that it will fund three projects.

What is the submission deadline?

The call opened on 6 October 2026, and the deadline is 13 January 2027. Submission is in a single stage, on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders portal.

Which EU Mission should the project be submitted for?

Applicants choose one or more EU Missions themselves. The project must show how the territory creates the governance, regulatory and funding conditions for those Missions' solutions to be applied on a large scale.

Are investments in equipment or infrastructure funded?

The topic does not fund a specific technology, but local models for experimentation, governance, funding and procurement. Which costs are eligible is determined under the general Horizon Europe rules for innovation actions, with funding based on the project budget.

Official sources

• Funding & Tenders portal – HORIZON-MISS-2026-07-CROSS-04: Demonstrating place-based experimentation and innovation spaces as enabling environments for scaling EU Missions
• Topic fact sheet (dates, budget, conditions), European Commission

Information checked on 12 October 2026. Conditions may be changed by the managing authority — check the guide in force before you submit.