Everything you need to decide whether to apply — and how to win.
Verify these facts: Topic page on F&T Portal
Source documents: General Annexes 2026-2027, WP Part 9 — Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
If any fact above doesn't match the Portal, this brief may be outdated. Check the F&T Portal directly.
Source: "The following additional eligibility criteria apply: the proposals must apply the multi-actor approach." — Topic conditions, section 3
(Topic text, Expected Outcomes section — verbatim):
What the EC actually wants — decoded from the topic text.
Source: "while pesticides are important short-term solutions, the long-term solutions require shifts in current agriculture or forestry practices and system-level transformations within agri-food systems" — Topic scope
Source: "Proposals should: map resistance risks [...] develop early detection methods [...] design and evaluate innovative integrated pest and weed management (IPWM) strategies [...] innovate storage and handling practices [...] support foresight activities [...] enhance capacity-building" — Topic scope
Source: "Climate change compounds this issue by enabling pests to survive milder winters, expand their ranges, and increase their exposure to pesticides—accelerating the development of resistance." — Topic scope
Source: "develop early detection methods and predictive modelling (including AI-driven approaches) to anticipate and monitor the evolution of pesticide resistance" — Topic scope
Source: "Proposals should capitalise on relevant research findings, knowledge, solutions and tools, from past and ongoing projects [...] proposals should consider the activities of international committees on pesticide resistance management." — Topic scope
Based on: The €12M total budget, the RIA instrument, and the breadth of the six "should" activities.
At €12M with projects typically €4-6M for CL6 RIAs, we expect 2-3 projects funded. The scope is broad enough that different consortia could emphasise different crops, pest types, or geographic zones without overlapping. A consortium covering multiple crop systems across different EU climate zones would demonstrate the systemic approach the topic demands.
This is a strategic interpretation based on budget arithmetic and scope breadth. Assess whether it matches your consortium's profile.
What kills your proposal before evaluation.
| Status | Gate | Rule | Your Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 CRITICAL | Multi-actor approach | MANDATORY eligibility criterion. Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach as defined in this WP part. | Include farmers, advisors, researchers, industry, policymakers. Name them in the consortium or as associated partners. Describe co-creation, not just dissemination. |
| 🔴 CRITICAL | Lump sum budget table | Mandatory Excel budget table (HORIZON Lump Sum Grant). If purchase costs >15% of personnel costs per participant, justify in "Any comments" sheet. | Download "Detailed budget table (HE LS)" from submission system. Read the 17 Feb 2026 topic update. |
| 🔴 CRITICAL | Consortium minimum | Min. 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU MS or Associated Countries (General Annex B, RIA) | Standard RIA minimum. In practice, the multi-actor + systems approach requires more partners. |
| 🔴 CRITICAL | Page limit | 45 pages for Part B (RIA + lump sum, General Annexes Annex A) | More room than a CSA (28pp) but still tight for 6 scope activities + multi-actor + foresight. |
| 🟡 IMPORTANT | Lump sum cost justification | Topic update (17 Feb 2026): if purchase costs exceed 15% of personnel costs per participant, justify in "Any comments" sheet | This was a February 2026 update. Many applicants will miss it. |
| 🟡 IMPORTANT | Build on existing work | Topic requires capitalising on past/ongoing projects and international resistance committees | Not a hard eligibility gate, but failing this weakens Excellence significantly. Map relevant H2020/HE projects. |
| 🟢 NOTE | China eligibility | No destination-level exclusion for CL6 — Chinese entities eligible | Standard General Annex B rules apply |
| 🟢 NOTE | Gender Equality Plan | Required for public bodies, HEIs, and research organisations (General Annex B) | Confirm GEP status for all academic/research partners |
How to score well on each criterion — for this specific RIA topic.
RIA sub-criteria from General Annex D: clarity/pertinence of objectives, soundness of methodology, ambition/novelty.
Source: Topic explicitly references CAP objectives, Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive, Vision for Agriculture and Food, and the Biotechnology Communication. — Topic scope, policy alignment paragraph
Who you need — the multi-actor approach demands a specific mix.
Source: "Service to industry and SMEs including spinoffs and startups" + mandatory multi-actor approach
Source: "proposals should consider the activities of international committees on pesticide resistance management" — Topic scope
| Entity / Country | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| China | ELIGIBLE ✓ | No CL6 destination exclusion — standard rules apply |
| Russia / Belarus | EXCLUDED | Standing EU Council sanctions — all instruments |
| UK, Switzerland | ELIGIBLE | Associated Countries — standard rules |
How to frame your idea for this specific topic.
This topic sits under Destination "Fair, healthy and environment-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption" in Cluster 6. The destination is driven by the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture, and the Green Deal.
Source: "ensure the long-term competitiveness and sustainability of our farming, fisheries, aquaculture and food sector within the boundaries of our planet" — Destination text
Source: "Agriculture and forestry face a growing challenge from the dual threat [...]" — Topic scope, opening sentence
Source: "innovate storage and handling practices to reduce resistance pressure during post-harvest stages" — Topic scope, activity 4
| Priority | Referenced? | How to Address |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-actor approach | MANDATORY | Eligibility criterion. Farmers, advisors, practitioners in co-creation roles throughout — not just an advisory board. |
| Biodiversity | YES — explicit | "innovative environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives that promote agrobiodiversity" — EO2 |
| AI / Digital | YES — explicit | "AI-driven approaches" for predictive modelling + "advanced technologies for precise and targeted pesticide use" |
| Climate adaptation | YES — core framing | Climate change as the accelerator of resistance — integrate climate projections into modelling |
| CAP alignment | YES — explicit | Topic references CAP specific objectives, Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive, Nature Restoration Regulation |
| Biotechnology | YES — explicit | "support the Commission Communication on: Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology" — scope |
| Open Science / FAIR data | NOT EXPLICIT | Not mentioned in topic. Standard HE requirements apply — DMP commitment sufficient. |
Your action plan — work backwards from 14 April 2026.