BioAgora is featured in the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme: Here's how to engage

The Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme for Cluster 6: Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment has officially been released, marking a major step forward in the EU’s efforts to address biodiversity loss, climate change, sustainable food systems and circular bioeconomy innovation.

Among the standout features of this year’s Call for new projects under the Work Programme is the explicit inclusion of BioAgora, the flagship EU project co-developing the Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD), as a point of engagement for biodiversity-related proposals.

What’s new in the 2025 Cluster 6 Work Programme?

Cluster 6 will drive research and innovation that:

• tackles the key drivers of biodiversity loss;

• develops biodiversity-friendly practices in agriculture, forestry and aquaculture;

• strengthens the transition to a sustainable circular and bioeconomy;

• supports water resilience and ocean sustainability in line with the European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the Nature Restoration Regulation.

In the context of the funding call, BioAgora is highlighted as a key mechanism for ensuring science-based policy-making, contributing directly to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

What Is BioAgora and the Science Service for Biodiversity?

BioAgora is an EU-funded coordination and support project, mandated by the European Commission (EC) to co-create the Science Service for Biodiversity (SSBD) by the end of 2026.

The Science Service will be the scientific pillar of the EU Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) - a central knowledge hub for biodiversity-related policy-making. It is designed to connect researchers, experts, practitioners and citizen science professionals with EU institutions through structured knowledge-sharing mechanisms.

By the end of 2026, BioAgora will have:

• piloted and tested key SSBD functions, such as answering EC policy requests and facilitating capacity building;

• established governance and ethical structures;

• developed a sustainability-focused business plan;

• launched an accessible digital platform for all stakeholders to participate in and benefit from the Science Service.

How to engage with BioAgora: Your pathways

Whether you are submitting a Horizon Europe proposal or part of an ongoing project, you are encouraged to engage with BioAgora and the SSBD in the following ways:

1. Contribute to knowledge requests

EU-funded projects can play a vital role in responding to knowledge requests from the EC. These are focused, time-sensitive questions linked to ongoing or emerging EU policy priorities. The SSBD, through BioAgora, coordinates expert input and facilitates the co-creation of responses that help ensure biodiversity knowledge feeds directly and effectively into EU decision-making processes.

Projects can contribute in multiple ways, depending on the nature of the request, policy needs and project interests:

a) Content Contributions

Projects and their experts may contribute by:

• Joining expert panels in response to urgent knowledge needs
• Participating in Eklipse Expert Working Groups mandated by the EC to address more in-depth, complex questions that require a consolidated knowledge base. Experts involved are acknowledged authors of policy-relevant outputs with traceable impact in policy, science and/or practice
• Submitting data, evidence or knowledge to open calls for knowledge. This helps to avoid duplication of efforts, strengthens the framing of the request, and increases the potential for policy impact
• Reviewing:

          o    Draft methodological protocols (within Eklipse processes)

          o    Draft knowledge overviews or evidence synthesis reports

b) Process Contributions

Projects may also play an active role in coordinating or facilitating knowledge request processes, including:

• Acting as focal point for an urgent request, which may involve:

          o    Facilitating expert panels

          o    Liaising with EC requesters

          o    Managing timelines and deliverables

          o    Identifying and engaging relevant contributors

• Organising or supporting events such as workshops, webinars or stakeholder consultations linked to a knowledge request
• Hosting capacity development events to improve understanding of the Science Service and increase stakeholder engagement
• Organising activities that align with the objectives of relevant EU project clusters

Indicative Resource Estimates

To support resource planning within projects, here are example time commitments:

• Focal point for an urgent request: ~1–2 person-months per request
• Eklipse Expert Working Group member: ~10% FTE over an average period of 9 months
• Reviewing outputs (e.g., knowledge syntheses): ~0.5 to 1 day, depending on complexity and length

Flexible Contribution Pathways

Project contributions can remain flexible and open in the proposal phase. Activities can evolve based on emerging policy needs or project developments. Contributions to the Science Service may take several forms over the project’s lifetime and can be tailored accordingly.

Example in Practice

• BioAgora recently mobilised a team of experts to co-develop a targeted knowledge response on Urban Greening Tools, directly supporting implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation
• Eklipse, following a request submitted through BioAgora, has issued a call to review the evidence report developed by an Expert Working Group on the Cumulative impacts of offshore wind farm expansion on Marine biodiversity

2. Participate in events and potentially co-organise events with BioAgora

Join events and sessions organised by BioAgora and participate in the dialogue on relevant topics as part of your efforts to ensure your research aligns with legislative and strategic processes.

3. Join a Knowledge Exchange Network

Seven topical Knowledge Exchange Networks are already active under BioAgora, addressing priority biodiversity topics. They act as knowledge hubs that feed into policy processes - and more are on the way.

4. Engage with the broader BioAgora community

Take part in events and workshops, or join the Biodiversity Knowledge Agora - a broader network of experts underpinning the SSBD.

5. Share your expertise and collaborate

If your project aims for strong policy impact, reach out to co-organise joint communication actions or events with BioAgora. You can also join the BioAgora Communications Hub, a space for aligning outreach strategies across biodiversity-focused initiatives.

Why This Matters

There is a growing urgency for knowledge-driven biodiversity policy-making. The Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme places BioAgora at the centre of this shift, creating a direct route for your research to impact EU policy.

This is not just an opportunity - it’s a responsibility for all biodiversity-related consortia to engage meaningfully, plan for policy impact and help shape a more sustainable future for Europe.

Start engaging today! Visit bioagora.eu or contact us at contact@bioagora.eu. Follow BioAgora on LinkedIn and Bluesky and make sure you don’t miss out any updates.

Be part of the transformation. Join BioAgora efforts to support the EU biodiversity science-policy interface and help shape biodiversity policy in the EU.