Supporting the implementation of the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 (Horizon Europe)

The Work Programme 2026-27 of the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, in line with the Implementation Plan of the Cities Mission, supports the implementation of the Mission by providing strong and direct support to cities committed to climate neutrality, enabling them to implement their climate action plans and achieve climate neutrality by 2030. The cities benefitting from these actions will act as experimentation and innovation hubs for other European cities aiming to become climate-neutral by 2050.

Cities’ green and digital transformation with the aim of climate neutrality is associated with important co-benefits and urban qualities such as reduced air and noise pollution, more sustainable mobility, improved health and well-being, reduced urban environmental footprints, enhanced urban greening, more efficient use of energy and infrastructures, as well as improved waste and water management. It also improves policy coherence across sectors and stimulates participatory and inclusive decision-making.

The Cities Mission specifically addresses the following main European Commission policy priorities:

(1) A new plan for Europe's sustainable prosperity and competitiveness; (2) Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model; (3) Sustaining our quality of life - Food security, water and nature. In addition to a significant contribution to the objective of the European Green Deal to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, the supported actions through the Cities Mission Work Programme will also complement initiatives such as the EU Digital Strategy, Green Deal Industrial Plan, Net-Zero Industry Act, Clean Industrial Deal, Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy, New EU Urban Mobility Framework, European Declaration on Cycling, Decarbonise Corporate Fleets Communication, Energy Efficiency Directive, renewed Sustainable Finance Strategy, Renovation Wave, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, Circular Economy Action Plan, European Affordable Housing Plan, Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, Zero Pollution Action Plan, Nature Restoration Law, and European Water Resilience Strategy. Further political priorities and synergies addressed by the Cities Mission include the UN Agenda 2030, New Leipzig Charter, and the Urban Agenda for the EU.

Topics with submission deadline on 08 October 2026:

• HORIZON-MISS-2026-04-CIT-01: Energy efficient urban and sub-urban public transport, complemented by shared mobility
• HORIZON-MISS-2026-04-CIT-02: Transition to low-temperature heating solutions in multi-apartment buildings

Find the full work programme “Missions " for 2026-2027 here.