Partnership for Research & Innovation in the Mediterranean Area under EU PRIMA

Open Date:

07/05/2026

Phase I:

24/05/2026Ended

Deadline for Submission:

08/10/2026

Time zone:

Israel

Summary:

As described in the introduction to the PRIMA Annual Work Programme 2026, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) is an EU institutionalized partnership co-funded by the European Union and the Participating States.

The PRIMA Partnership is implemented in accordance with PRIMA’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which defines its thematic priorities and operational modalities. Its thematic focus centers on sustainable water management, farming systems, and agri-food value chains. These thematic areas are addressed through the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus, an integrated framework that recognizes the interdependencies across resource systems, including linkages between freshwater, coastal, and, where relevant, marine environments. This approach ensures that solutions are technically sound, context-specific, and adapted to the region’s diverse agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions.

PRIMA’s mission is to address the region’s shared and systemic transboundary challenges by fostering sustainable water resource management and enhancing the resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness of Mediterranean agri-food systems. Given the Mediterranean’s deep ecological interdependencies, accelerating climate variability, and diverse socio-economic contexts, these challenges cannot be effectively addressed by individual countries acting alone. They require coordinated, long-term, and cross-border approaches that mobilize scientific excellence and multi-stakeholder cooperation across the region. PRIMA provides a framework through which Participating States can pool expertise and resources to co-develop innovative, practice-oriented solutions that strengthen sustainability and resilience across the Mediterranean region.

PRIMA is a co-funded partnership covering three sub-areas:

Agriculture – Agricultural systems in an integrated context, with a focus on scaling up the implementation of agroecological practices at the farm level across the Mediterranean basin.
Water – Water systems management in an integrated context, aimed at strengthening policy development through water footprinting and impact-based “virtual water” concepts across the Mediterranean basin.
Food – The food value chain in an integrated context, promoting the transition to alternative plant-based protein products across the Mediterranean basin.

As specified in the PRIMA Annual Work Programme 2026 (page 6), the Participating States include Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, and Türkiye. Please refer to pages 70–71 for the list of organizations and countries providing funding.

PRIMA is implemented through the following funding modalities:

Section 1: Funding is provided by the European Union, while the PRIMA Foundation (PRIMA-IS) is responsible for managing the calls.
Section 2: Funding is provided by the Participating States (PS), while PRIMA-IS is responsible for managing the calls and monitoring the activities.

Applicants seeking funding from the Science and Technology Administration must act in accordance with the guidelines published by their respective Administration. Please note that duplicate applications for funding the same project may not be submitted within the framework of this Call.

Program Description

This call will focus on the following areas of activity, drawn from the topics of the partnership’s call for proposals:

Farming Systems in the Nexus: Novel remote and non-invasive ICT monitoring and control systems for addressing disease and pest infestations.
Water Management in the Nexus: Leveraging ecosystem functions and enhancing water allocation for the protection and restoration of non-perennial watercourses in the Mediterranean.
Agri-food Value Chain in the Nexus: Empowering Mediterranean food value chains through context-aware digital traceability.

This call is open for submitting applications to carry out joint research and development projects within the PRIMA partnership, together with partners from countries participating in the partnership, in accordance with and subject to the procedure for implementing international agreements related to the European Framework Programme (hereinafter: “ISERD Procedure”) and the relevant provisions of Sub-program A – Applied Research Consortia under Incentive Program No. 5 of the Israel Innovation Authority – the Applied Research Fund for Academia and Industry as detailed in the ISERD Procedure (hereinafter: “the Incentive Program”).

Designated Audience

The call is open to an Israeli partner within a consortium (an Israeli entity that has submitted an application to the PRIMA sub-program, as specified in the ISERD guidelines).

As specified in the PRIMA Annual Work Program 2026 (page 6) the participating states include: Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, and Türkiye. See page 70-71 to find the organizations and countries that provide funding

Funding

The Innovation Authority grant rate will be 66% of the approved budget for industrial corporations and 80% of the approved budget for commercialization companies (academia).
The total grant budget allocated by the Innovation Authority for all Israeli participants approved under the PRIMA partnership for 2026 is €0.5 million. This does not constitute a commitment to pay this amount, in whole or in part.

Criteria

The call is open to Israeli Industrial corporations that submitted an application to the PRIMA-Med partnership and researchers from Israeli academia through the research institution’s commercialization company, conducting joint research with an Israeli industrial corporation partner in the consortium, which committed to fund at least 10% of the Israeli academic partner’s project budget).
According to sub-program rules, submission within an international consortium under PRIMA requires at least four partners from at least three different participating countries, with at least one from an EU member state and at least two being from a Southern Mediterranean state.

Application Process

Applicants to this call are also required to submit applications to the European partnership in response to the call detailed here.

Israeli applicants must submit proposals together with partners from other countries participating in the partnership, as specified in the partnership’s call for proposals:

In parallel, Israeli applicants are required to submit an application for support from the Israel Innovation Authority, as detailed below under “How to Submit the Application.”

Further details can be found in the document: “Guidelines for Applicants PRIMA Call-2026-Section 2.”

Submission for Stage 1 to the PRIMA Partnership: by 15 May 2026, 17:00 CET.
Submission for Stage 1 to the Israel Innovation Authority: by 24 May 2026, 12:00 Israel Time.
Submission for Stage 2 to the PRIMA Partnership: by 29 September 2026, 17:00 CET.
Submission for Stage 2 to the Israel Innovation Authority: by 8 October 2026, 12:00 Israel Time.

Applications must be submitted through the personal area on the Israel Innovation Authority website.

Detailed information regarding the submission process and the required forms is available on the Applied Research Consortia Program page.
(Documents to be submitted to the Authority as part of the approval process for participation in the sub-programs of the European Framework Programme — programs funded exclusively by the Authority.)

Please note:

The budgeting rules applicable under this Call for Proposals follow the procedures of Sub-Program A – Applied Research Consortia, under Incentive Program No. 5 of the Israel Innovation Authority — the Applied Research Fund for Academia and Industry.
At Stage 1, the Israel Innovation Authority will confirm applicants’ eligibility to participate and receive a grant. The approved budget and grant percentage will be determined only after the sub-program management has selected the projects approved for funding.

Important: The submission deadlines for the sub-program management are determined by the relevant management bodies. The dates listed above are provided for convenience only. Applicants are responsible for verifying the official deadlines, which may change according to the management’s decisions, as well as all other conditions and guidelines published on the official website of the relevant management body.