Development and testing of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes (EPR) within the priority Circular Economy Action Plan value chains
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The 2020 circular economy action plan introduces measures that aim at making sustainable products the norm, contributing to the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target and to halt biodiversity loss. It focuses on resource-intensive sectors with the highest circularity potential such as textiles, plastics, packaging, electronics including ICT products, furniture and construction products.
EPR schemes can contribute to improve circularity gaps in key product value chains with high circularity potential, given its full lifecycle approach. They make producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of the products made available on the market, from the design-phase up to their end of life, including waste collection and recycling.
Detailed Call Description
These schemes can be a lever for producers, including SMEs, to design their products for circularity considering sustainability criteria and have been proven successful in improving the management of waste in products such as packaging and batteries.
R&I activities in proposals should:
- develop, test and demonstrate operational solutions for large scale implementation of EPR schemes that consider the eco-modulation of EPR fees for one or more of the following product value chains: construction products, ICT products, furniture, mattresses, and carpets;
- develop and test novel circular business models and solutions linked to EPR schemes for the above-mentioned product value chains, supported by ecodesign requirements;
- assess the economic, environmental and social cost-benefits of the implementation of EPR schemes for the relevant stakeholders, especially for consumer and producers (with a focus on SMEs);
- develop and test the application of dedicated digital technologies, such as the digital product passport (pre-consumer) and tracking applications (post-consumer), to collect evidence within those product value chains and facilitate producers’ registration and the exchange of information between national EPR schemes;
- provide policy recommendations for specific elements of an EPR scheme that incentivises waste prevention and/or minimisation (e.g., ecodesign, reuse, preparation for reuse, repair and refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling) and facilitate cross-border cooperation.
Proposals should consider the global perspective within the national EPR schemes, as frequently the value chains mentioned above are established at a global scale and producers may be situated outside of the EU. This may apply to new products made available on the EU-market or waste from post-consumer products managed outside the EU. They should also include the case of online platforms, given the increase of online sales and the associated potential risks of free-riding economic operators, as well as cross-border cooperation mechanisms.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
Expected EU contribution per project: €5.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Energy
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Consumer Organisations
- NGOs
- Other Beneficiaries
- Producer Associations
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding.
Projects should bring together all relevant stakeholders active in the selected product value chains (industry members, local authorities, waste management operators, SMEs, economic operators, producer responsible organisations (PROs), consumer organisations, researchers, and NGOs).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Persons:
Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy
Dr. Mary Economou
Scientific Officer
Email: meconomou@research.org.cy