Who can apply for funding under national calls and European Union programs?

Funding opportunities are open to a wide range of applicants - private enterprises, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, scientific and educational institutions, as well as partnerships between them. Each fund, each call or procedure has specific conditions and requirements, so it is important to analyze the eligibility and potential of the applicant in advance.

What does "eligibility of costs" mean and why is it important?

The eligibility of costs is one of the most strictly controlled aspects of any project. Only costs that are directly linked to the activities carried out within the eligible period and supported by correct documentation can be recognized.NORTAN experts perform detailed verification and ensure compliance with the requirements of the governing authorities, which reduces the risk of financial corrections.

What are the main stages in managing an EU-funded project?

The project cycle goes through several key phases:Analysis of client needs and identification of suitable financing opportunities;Development of a project idea and preparation of a proposal;Assessment and approval by the Managing Authority;Implementation, monitoring and control of activities;Final reporting and sustainability of results.NORTAN Ltd offers comprehensive support at every stage - from concept to successful completion of the project.

What are the most common reasons for project proposals being rejected?

Among the most common errors are incomplete or incorrect documentation, a mismatch between the project objectives, the scope and priorities of the program, as well as incorrect budget structuring, which includes expenses for remuneration, the purchase of equipment and other external services.Our team conducts a thorough analysis before submitting the project proposal to ensure full compliance and increase the likelihood of approval.

How does the project reporting and control process work?

Reporting includes the presentation of detailed technical and financial reports that demonstrate the implementation of activities and the achievement of results.NORTAN provides methodological and expert support throughout the entire process, from documentation preparation to communication with governing bodies, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and legality at the completion of each project.NORTAN Ltd. experts, with proven experience in writing technical and financial reports, provide full support in their preparation and reporting to the competent institutions.

What is cascade funding?

Cascading Funding is a mechanism where the European Commission provides funds to a lead beneficiary (usually a consortium), which then distributes part of these funds to third parties (SMEs, start-ups, NGOs, researchers) through open calls for applications.This type of funding is widely used in programs such as Horizon Europe and Digital Europe and is also known as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) .

Do you work with municipalities?

Yes, we work with municipalities and municipal enterprises , providing expert support in project development and implementation, including strategic planning, application and subsequent management.

Do you work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

Yes, we work with non-governmental organizations , including foundations and associations, in preparing and implementing projects in areas such as social activities, education, culture, innovation and sustainable development.

Do you work with other organizations?

Yes, in addition to SMEs, municipalities and NGOs, we also work with:universities and scientific organizations;public institutions and agencies;startups and innovative companies;consortia and partnerships on international projects.

What does co-financing mean?

Co-financing is the part of the project budget that is not covered by European funding and is provided by the beneficiary or other sources.

What are eligible costs?

These are costs that:are directly related to the project;were made within the eligibility period;comply with the rules of the relevant program;are duly documented.

Up to €60,000 for integrating solutions to improve circular ecosystems

Apr 10
3 min read

The “Value Chain Expansion and Improvement” Call (Call 3.2) under the CIRCULOOS project aims to strengthen existing CIRCULOOS ecosystems by attracting new partners representing the “missing link” — namely manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and technology providers.

The objective is to overcome specific technical, logistical, or market barriers in order to support the achievement of full operational scale of these circular economy value chains.

Applicants may choose one of the following tracks to integrate their solution (e.g. advanced sorting technologies, new material recovery processes, or access to markets for circular products):

A: Join one of the 15 existing demonstration projects to fill a specific gap;

B: Join one of the three main CIRCULOOS pilot projects (Wood, Leather, or Plastics) to introduce new recycling strategies or expand recovery capabilities.

The CIRCULOOS project offers an opportunity to achieve circular transformation of micro and SMEs by combining state-of-the-art tools, reliable data, and building an ecosystem of collaborating organizations.

Funding

The CIRCULOOS project is funded under the Horizon Europe Program 2021–2027.

The total call budget amounts to €600,000.

Support is provided in the form of lump-sum grants with a maximum amount of €60,000.

Up to 10 projects are expected to be funded.

Eligible costs will be covered at a rate of 60%.

Beneficiaries

Eligible applicants include manufacturing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps, recycling and processing companies, waste collection companies, upcycling businesses, service centers, as well as technology providers, including artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, sorting, data management, and others.

Applicants must be established in an EU Member State or in a country associated with the Horizon Europe Program.

Applications must be submitted individually.

It is allowed to submit one application per track, but each applicant may be funded for only one project proposal.

Eligible Activities and Costs

Track A

Solutions are sought that:

Unlock scalability or efficiency by overcoming a specific bottleneck (e.g. by providing a specific sorting technology, ensuring a missing waste stream, or opening a new processing market);
Extend the product lifecycle beyond what the original pilot could achieve independently by adding new recycling strategies or deepening existing ones;
Integrate into the existing CIRCULOOS digital ecosystem, ensuring that material flows and data of the new partner are tracked alongside those of the original consortium members;
Demonstrate added sustainability impact through lifecycle assessment, proving that the addition of the new partner improves the overall circularity of the value chain.

More information about the 15 demonstration projects is available here (pp. 16–21).

Track B

Applicants will collaborate with stakeholders from the three pilot projects to:

Introduce new R-strategies — expanding reuse and recovery opportunities in pilot sectors;
Improve existing processes — enhancing the efficiency of sorting, recycling, or processing;
Validate and improve CIRCULOOS digital tools — using real-world data to optimize lifecycle tracking and sustainability assessment.

Eligible costs include personnel, subcontracting, equipment, travel, and related expenses.

Management and Evaluation

The procedure is managed by the CIRCULOOS project partners. Project proposals that pass the administrative eligibility check will be evaluated by two external experts and one internal expert based on criteria of excellence, impact, and implementation.

Priority will be given to projects with higher impact potential and feasibility.

Timeline

Project duration: up to 6 months.

The deadline for submitting project proposals is June 10, 2026, at 17:00 (Central European Time).

Applications are submitted electronically via the official platform.