Funding opportunity for local and regional governments to improve water quality

07 May 2025

Join a Europe-wide initiative to fight chemical pollution by May 31st, 2025

RHE-MEDiation project

Is your local or regional authority tackling chemical pollution in marine or freshwater ecosystems?

As coordinators of the RHE-MEDiation project, funded under Horizon Europe, we are looking for 5 local or regional authorities ready to pilot nature-based, microalgae-powered remediation solutions to address the growing challenge of chemical pollution.

The RHE-MEDiation Open Call for Associated Regions is now live and accepting applications until May 31st, 2025.

This call is a unique opportunity for local and regional authorities committed to improving the quality of their water resources, especially those facing long-standing challenges related to chemical pollution in coastal seawater or semi-confined inland areas.

Why this matters to your region

Persistent chemical pollutants—such as heavy metals, PFAS, and pesticides—pose serious risks to ecosystems, public health, and local economies. RHE-MEDiation is developing innovative, nature-based, and microalgae-powered remediation technologies that can help regions address these challenges more effectively.

With this Open Call, we are looking for 5 Associated Regions where these solutions can be tested and scaled, in close collaboration with the project’s expert partners.

What selected regions will receive

- Up to €100,000 in financial support.

- Tailored technical assistance from leading European researchers and innovators.

- Capacity-building activities to support local implementation.

- Visibility and inclusion in a pan-European network of environmental frontrunners.

Who should apply?

We encourage applications from local and regional authorities in:

- EU Member States, or

- Horizon Europe Associated Countries

Eligible areas should be linked to marine or freshwater ecosystems facing pressure from persistent pollutants. Authorities must be outside the countries already involved in the RHE-MEDiation consortium (Italy, Greece, Portugal, Belgium, Turkey), and not previously funded under the iMERMAID Open Calls (ID: 101112824).