The EU-project CO-FREE was launched in January 2012 (grant agreement number 289497, duration 54 months). The aim of this project is the development of innovative strategies for replacement of copper in European organic and low input fruit, grapevine, potato, and tomato production systems. The focus is set on the most copper-relevant diseases, including Venturia inaequalis, Plasmopara viticola and Phytophthora infestans. A collaboration of 21 partners, including 11 academic and 10 industry (all small and medium enterprises) partners from 11 European countries, is working towards achievement of this goal. Thereby, the project follows a construction kit system consisting of different tools, including e.g. decision support systems, disease tolerant varieties, cropping systems (including agro-forestry) and alternative compounds/bicontrol agents. Starting points of the project were results of former projects (e.g. REPCO, BlightMop, ENDURE). Twelve of the most promising and advanced pipeline compounds of plant and microbial origin, derived from these EU and national research projects, and from R&D funded by SMEs have been selected for further investigation in CO-FREE. The chosen agents fulfill the following criteria: (i) proven efficacy against at least one of the major copper-controlled diseases, with specific, clearly identified aspects remaining to be improved in the frame of the project (e.g rainfast formulation, clarification of mode of action for optimization of the application parameters), (ii) novelty, and (iii) involvement of a leading/innovative SME company ensuring further development and marketing. The CO-FREE partners are further developing these control agents, and identify their impact on diseases in small scale greenhouse and field trials. Following the construction kit system, control agents are combined with other above mentioned tools, so that finally practice-relevant control strategies will be generated.