Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors (Horizon Europe)

Proposals for topics under this destination should set out a credible pathway to:

• develop the circular economy and bioeconomy sectors;
• ensure natural resources are used and managed in sustainable and circular manner;
• prevent and remove pollution;
• unlock the full potential and benefits of the circular economy and the bioeconomy, with clean secondary raw materials, ensuring competitiveness and guaranteeing healthy soil, air, fresh and marine water for all, through better understanding of planetary boundaries and wide deployment and market uptake of innovative technologies and other solutions, notably in primary production (forestry) and bio-based systems.

More specifically, the proposed topics should contribute to one or more of the following impacts:

• Regional, rural, local/urban and consumer-based transitions are accelerated towards a sustainable, regenerative, inclusive, just and clean circular economy and bioeconomy across all regions of Europe. Special attention should be paid to the most sensitive/vulnerable 237 and greenhouse gas-intensive regions, based on better knowledge and understanding of science, and improved capacity to design, implement and monitor policies and instruments for circular and bio-based transitions.
• European industrial sustainability, competitiveness and resource independence are strengthened by reducing the use of primary non-renewable raw materials and greenhouse gases emissions and other pollutants, achieving an improved environmental footprint (including on biodiversity), enabling climate-neutrality, zero pollution238 and higher resource efficiency. This will also be supported by increasing circular and bio[1]based practices in textiles, plastics, electronics and construction, developing further on industrial symbiosis as well as circularity and sustainability by design, cascading use of biomass and, clean secondary raw materials, along and across value chains.
• Innovative and sustainable value-chains are developed in the bio-based sectors replacing fossil-based value chains, increasing circular bio-based systems from sustainably sourced biological resources, and replacing carbon-intensive and fossil-based systems. Such a development will be supported through R&I in biotechnology and other enabling technologies, which is a prerequisite and driver of future solutions for a circular economy and the bioeconomy transition. This will involve with inclusive engagement with all stakeholders, including policymakers and will increase access to finance and technical support along whole supply chains for bioeconomy projects.
• The benefit for consumers and citizens, including those in rural areas, are improved by establishing circular and bio-based systems based on sustainability, inclusiveness, zero pollution239, health and safety. All value chain actors (manufacturers, retailers, service industry, consumers, public administration, including on regional level, primary biomass producers etc.) are involved to a significantly higher degree.
• Multi-functionality and management of forests in Europe are safeguarded based on the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental and social), in particular to optimise the contribution of forests and the forest-based sector in mitigating and adapting to climate change.
• Potential of marine and freshwater biological resources and blue biotechnology is enlarged to i) deliver greener (climate-neutral and circular) industrial products and processes, ii) help characterise, monitor and sustain the health of aquatic ecosystems for a healthy planet and people, and iii) help in the drafting of proposals for accompanying changes in regulation where necessary.

Call topics mit der Einreichungsfrist 22.02.2024:

1-stufiges Antragsverfahren:

• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-1: Circular Cities and Regions Initiative’s project development assistance (CCRI-PDA)
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-2: Circular solutions for textile value chains based on extended producer responsibility
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-3: Innovative circular solutions for furniture
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-4: Systemic circular solutions for a sustainable tourism
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CIRCBIO-01-5: Programmed biodegradation capability of bio-based materials and products, validated in specific environments
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-6: Digital information systems for bio-based products
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-7: Demonstrating the fair and just transition from GHGintensive economies facing challenges towards circular bioeconomy model regions
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-8: Bioeconomy project development assistance
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-9: Circular bioeconomy start-up villages
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-10: Targeting aquatic extremophiles for sourcing novel enzymes, drugs, metabolites and chemicals

2-stufiges Antragsverfahren:

• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-1-two-stage: Circular solutions for textile value chains through innovative sorting, recycling, and design for recycling
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-2-two-stage: Increasing the circularity in plastics value chains
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-3-two-stage: Increasing the circularity in electronics value chains
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-4-two-stage: New circular solutions and decentralised approaches for water and wastewater management
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-5-two-stage: Circular design of bio-based processes and products
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-02-6-two-stage: From silos to diversity – small-scale biobased demonstration pilots

Budget: 147,5 MEUR

Vollen Text des Arbeitsprogramms "Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment" (2023-2024) finden Sie hier.