EIP-AGRI brokerage event ’Get involved in the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe’

The EIP-AGRI brokerage event ’Get involved in the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe’ will take place on 8-9 June 2022 in Brussels, Belgium.

This event will offer matchmaking sessions through face-to-face meetings and networking amongst farmers, advisors, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders to support the preparation of proposals for the EU Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ call that will be launched in May. Additionally, the activity will create conditions for exchanging knowledge and innovative ideas and practices (living labs and lighthouses), that may inspire potential applicants to take part in the next EU Mission call.

All information and updates will be posted on this page.

The event will be by invitation only. An open call for expression of interest is open until 22 April, 23:59 CET.

Event description and objectives:

The main objective of the brokerage event is to support the Horizon Europe call for proposals under the EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe. Specific objectives include:

– improving awareness on the EU Soil Mission and its work programme 2022 and the opportunities offered under its calls,

– supporting future applicants in finding potential partners, and

– sharing further information on the call and its topics, thus contributing to improving the quality of the proposals.

The Horizon Europe mission work programme for 2022 will be published on 12 May 2022, with a call for proposals to support the implementation of the EU Soil Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe. The info days for this call are planned for 17 and 18 May.

The EU Mission: A Soil Deal for Europe will bring concrete solutions to the challenges related to soil. It aims to reduce soil degradation and desertification, conserve soil organic carbon stocks, stop soil sealing, reduce soil pollution, prevent erosion, improve soil structure, reduce EU footprint on soils and improve soil literacy. The EU Mission is also part of global commitments such as the UN sustainable Development goals (SDGs) that has seven goals which directly or indirectly involve soils and the European Green Deal which highlights the importance of soil as essential in order to face climate change and environmental challenges.

The EU Soil Mission will support the transition towards healthy soils by 2030 by setting up a network of 100 living labs and lighthouses in rural and urban areas. Living labs are places to co-create and test knowledge on the ground, with different actors coming together to find solutions to shared challenges. Lighthouses are individual sites (such as a farm or a park) which are examples of innovative solutions for soil health that can inspire others.