International Wadden Sea Research: Understanding Complex Pressures on the Wadden Sea and Developing Action Options

This funding program aims to support international collaborative projects focusing on the impacts of ecological crises on the Wadden Sea. A wide range of organizations are eligible, including universities, research institutions, and commercial enterprises from Germany and the Netherlands. Projects must deepen knowledge about the Wadden Sea and develop concrete action options for its sustainable protection.

The program supports inter- and transdisciplinary research consortia addressing the complex pressures on the Wadden Sea. This includes scientific thematic priorities such as the analysis of ecological changes and their socio-economic consequences, as well as a special cooperation and transfer project for consolidating research results and transferring them into practice. Eligible are project-related costs and expenses that directly serve the research process.

Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant. The funding amounts vary depending on the project phase and applicant type, with different funding rates applying to companies and research institutions. Project durations are specifically defined for scientific projects and the coordination and transfer project.

For funding, specific conditions regarding application submission, consortium formation, and compliance with state aid regulations must be observed. Requirements are placed on the collaboration of project partners, stakeholder involvement, and scientific communication. Additionally, certain rules for budgeting and the use of project results must be observed.

The application procedure is two-stage. First, project outlines are submitted, which are then evaluated by an independent expert panel. In the second stage, the German main and co-applicants of the positively evaluated outlines are invited to submit formal funding applications. Coordination is carried out via the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and Project Management Jülich.

The funding program "International Wadden Sea Research" is based on a specific federal guideline and is subject to various national and European legal frameworks that regulate the granting and administration of subsidies. These include the Federal Budget Code and the EU's General Block Exemption Regulation.