Successful proposals will contribute to the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the Common Agriculture Policy, the Common Fisheries Policy, the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 and the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas by supporting the CBE Deployment Group on primary producers and contributing to the uptake of economically viable and environmentally sustainable solutions in agriculture, forestry and aquaculture & fisheries primary sectors.

Project results should contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Support services to the CBE JU Deployment Group of primary producers to successfully meet their expected objectives and carry out the proposed tasks^[1].
• An efficient, active, engaged, and well-coordinated Deployment Group on primary producers maintained and at least for a period of three years.
• Enhanced impact of the CBE JU Deployment Group of primary producers by means of implementing high-quality actions and delivering outstanding outcomes.
• Improved overall facilitation, organisation, communication and dissemination of activities stemming from the CBE JU Deployment Group of primary producers and their results at European and national level.
• Enhanced cooperation with existing initiatives, networks and projects relevant for the activities of the CBE JU Deployment Group of primary producers.

Primary producers are at the beginning of the circular bio-based value chains as biomass suppliers^[2]. They also play an important role as producers and end-users of bio-based products and innovations. As such, they have a critical role in the deployment of circular and bio-based innovations. However, do not always fully benefit from the opportunities that this can offer to them and are often not entirely integrated into the bio-based value chains together with other actors. The long-term economic viability of novel bio-based business models, from which the primary producers can benefit, is sometimes uncertain and affected by associated technical barriers but also by policy, regulatory & legal barriers as well as for other unpredictable climatic or global circumstances.

The CBE JU Deployment Groups are established in accordance with articles 22 and 56 of the Council regulation establishing the Joint Undertakings^[3], taking also into consideration the CBE Impact Assessment^[4] and the CBE JU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda^[5].

Under this framework, a specific Deployment Group of primary producers will be established to provide advice to CBE JU on critical issues encountered by primary producers with an impact on the deployment of circular bio-based solutions and innovations. In particular, the Deployment Group on primary producers will address opportunities and challenges faced by the primary sector which constitutes critical issues for the deployment of circular bio-based solutions and innovations and to ensure that primary producers benefit from their involvement in new and innovative circular and bio-based value chains.

The Deployment Group will be composed by a flexible and balanced group of stakeholders representing the primary sector, including the agricultural; forestry; and fisheries & aquaculture primary sectors^[6]. The proposal should engage primary producers from different regions and pedo-climatic zones in Europe.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Put in place the working modalities and tools to maintain a robust, active, engaged, and well-coordinated as well as effective CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers for at least three years.
• Support the CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers in developing and updating of an action plan to meet its objectives^[1], while taking into consideration the particularities and specificities of each one of the identified primary sectors. Provide the means and mechanisms to implement the above-mentioned action plan.
• Facilitate the organisation of regular CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers meetings (in-person and virtual), assist in the dialogue among the different stakeholders and sectors and prepare the reports and conclusions arising from the meetings.
• Organise ad-hoc technical working groups to discuss specific topics, as needed, and thereby ensure that the relevant expertise is well covered to achieve tangible results.
• In the case of face-to-face meetings of the CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers, if requested, reimburse the travel and accommodation costs of the experts.
• Assist the Deployment Group on Primary Producers in the preparation of tangible outputs, such as policy reports, analyses, or recommendations targeted for the CBE JU Governing Board, but, also if needed, translated into other languages.
• Identify, and set-up efficient mechanisms to follow-up on the challenges faced by the primary sector with impact on the deployment of circular bio-based solutions and innovations and other critical issues identified by the CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers, as well as opportunities (e.g., successful business models, success stories with replicability potential, etc.).
• Develop collaboration structures and methods between primary producers and the industry, involving Bio-based Industries Consortium, for the creation of bio-based value chains offering them mutual benefits.
• Perform other additional activities to support the activities of the CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers, maximising its impact, and multiplying its effect, including dissemination and communication activities in different languages, as needed (e.g., promotional material, digital dissemination tools, networking and stakeholder management tools, events, seminars, etc.) and activities to enhance cooperation with the rest of stakeholders that are part of the value chains.
• Connect and build on the work already done through existing initiatives and networks, such as the Common Agricultural Policy and the European and national CAP, the EIP-AGRI and the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems, as well as other relevant initiatives and networks for the fishery and aquaculture sectors; and propose and implement actions to ensure synergies with them for enhanced deployment (e.g. in terms of capacity building, knowledge exchange, exchange of good practices, development of skills, promotion, etc.).
• Identify, in close cooperation with the CBE JU Deployment Group on Primary Producers, areas for which analysis of past and ongoing R&I projects is needed according to the needs and priorities of the group.

Prepare a final report at the end of the CSA aimed at ensuring continuity of actions in the future and build-up upon on the results of the CSA:

• Proposals may involve financial support to third parties to provide direct support (e.g., in the form of cascading grants) to actions related to teaming). Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000. A maximum EUR 300 000 of the EU funding can be allocated to this purpose.

Collaboration with the project that will be selected under the topics HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024 CSA-01 and HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024 CSA-02 is strongly encouraged.

A Steering Board comprised of representatives from both the European Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium will be established to guide the project toward achieving the envisioned impacts outlined in the topic description.

The CSA should consider further specifications and requirements stemming from the Deployment Group final scope and setting.

[1] CBE Governing Decision adopting the concept note which defines among others, the scope, objectives and tasks of the deployment group on primary producers.

[2] SRIA Annex V. Table V.1: Potential feedstock for the bio-based industry.

[3] Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085 of 19 November 2021 establishing the Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R2085&from=EN.

[4] SWD(2021) 37 final PART 17/19 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021SC0621&from=EN.

[5] CBE JU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda.

[6] For the purpose of the DEG and in line with the definition comprised in the CBE key performance indicators’ handbook, primary producers are defined as entities operating in the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture primary sectors performing activities related to the production, harvest, handling, and storage of biological resources before being moved to either processing or distribution. The production of biological resources is a key part of the activities of the entity.

[7] CBE Governing Decision adopting the concept note which defines among others, the scope, objectives and tasks of the deployment group on primary producers.