AQUARIUS Transnational Access Calls Open

TA Call 1 | Regional Lighthouse Access Call | Open 11 November 2024 – 20 January 2025

AQUARIUS provides access to a comprehensive and diverse suite of integrated research infrastructures to address challenges and explore opportunities for the long-term sustainability of our marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Through a robust and transparent system of transnational access funding calls, this four-year Horizon Europe-funded project, comprising 45 partners, will target and support research and innovation activities that contribute to the objectives, regional scope and implementation of the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.’

Supporting EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030

The thematic and geographic scope of the AQUARIUS transnational access calls are related to the concept of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters area-based “Lighthouses” in major sea/river basins: Atlantic-Arctic, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic-North Sea, and Danube-Black Sea, each prioritising one of the three Mission objectives:

• The Atlantic-Arctic and the Danube & Black Sea regions focus on protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems.
• The Baltic & North Sea is focused on making the blue economy carbon neutral and circular.
• The Mediterranean Sea targets preventing and eliminating marine pollution.

Who can apply?

Marine and freshwater researchers from academia, public bodies, industry and civil society organisations are welcome to apply, providing they meet the eligibility criteria. The majority of the group of people involved in the proposal (UserGroup) must work in a country other than the country(ies) where the installation is located (unless access is provided by an international organisation, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), an ERIC or similar legal entity). Only User Groups that are allowed to disseminate the results they have generated under the action may benefit from the access (unless the users are working for SMEs). Non-EU User Groups are eligible to apply for AQUARIUS TA, however, access for User Groups with a majority of Users not working in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country is limited to 20% of the total amount of units of access provided under the grant.

What’s on offer?

In most cases, full access to the research infrastructure(s) is available including the logistical, technological and scientific support for users, ad hoc user training and the preparatory and closing activities (mobilisation and demobilisation of a research vessel for example) needed to use the installation. Users’ own travel and subsistence and logistics costs are covered up to a specified limit – this will be reimbursed to the Users by the RI Operator or the Operator can incur the costs directly (whichever is more agreeable to both parties). In the case of mobile research infrastructures (drones, ROVs, AUVs etc), transport costs to the work area are covered by the project. Each proposal will be logistically evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure ‘value for money’ for the project.

What is the budget available?

AQUARIUS has a total of €8.1Million to support transnational access, including travel costs. We are encouraging large super-integrated ambitious projects. All proposals received will be evaluated based on scientific excellence and then logistically evaluated to ensure ‘value for money’ for the project. The budget per project could be in the order of one million euros, or more for larger projects that integrate multiple infrastructures.

What to do next?

More details on the call particulars are available on the call website: https://aquarius-ri.eu/access/