Circular solutions for textile value chains based on extended producer responsibility is sponsored by Horizon Europe. This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Circular solutions for textile value chains based on extended producer responsibility | ERRIN Website Circular solutions for textile value chains based on extended producer responsibility Circular solutions for textile value chains based on extended producer responsibility HORIZON-CL6-2024-CircBio-01-2 https://ec. europa.

eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportuni… Scope and expected outcomes A successful proposal will contribute to the following Destination impacts: i) enhance European industrial sustainability, competitiveness and resource independence, and ii) improve on consumer and citizen benefits.

Proposal results are expected to contribute to all the following outcomes: Recommendations on best innovative solutions for the identification of material composition of used textiles/textile waste embedded in the design of textile products; Recommendations on design for recycling for textile products that allows the use of targeted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes; Recommendations on policy tools to reach EU greenhouse gas reduction targets till 2050 (climate neutrality), including the 2030 target.

Textiles are the fourth highest-pressure category for the use of primary raw materials and water and fifth for greenhouse gas emissions and a major source of microplastic pollution in production and use phases. They are also a key material and product stream in the circular economy action plan. Improvements in the circularity of the textile value chains will help reduce GHG emissions and environmental pressure.

EPR schemes are a lever for circularity. The purpose of this topic is to enable the optimal functioning of EPR schemes for textiles within the EU and to take into account the commitments of the textile strategy on EPR. The circular economy action plan establishes the policy objective to make the textiles sector more sustainable by boosting the circularity of textile consumption i.

a. through reuse, separate collection, sorting and recycling of textiles. It also wants to limit textile waste generation and restrict exports of waste that have harmful environmental and health impacts in third countries or that can be treated within the EU.

Furthermore, increased amounts of separately collected textile waste are expected because of the Waste Framework Directive’s obligation to separately collect textiles as of 2025. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes have proven to be an effective tool for improving the treatment of other waste streams and therefore are being considered as necessary in recent consultations by the stakeholders of the textile sector.

In view of that, the Commission is assessing the feasibility of introducing EPR for textiles into EU legislation. Proposals should aim to support the high-quality separate collection, preparation for treatment and treatment of used textiles and textile waste, thereby enabling the optimal functioning of EPR schemes in this sector.

It will do so by providing recommendations on improving the ease of identification of material composition in a wide range of used textile products/waste to inform the different actors in the use and end-of-life stages of textiles (consumers for use and disposal, social enterprises to enable reuse, waste management operators to enable preliminary treatment and treatment operations).

To do so, it will inter alia identify, develop and test innovative labelling of textile products (including through the use of technologies such as AI, blockchain or Internet of Things) to ease separate collection for re-use or end-of-life treatment that leads to high quality secondary raw materials.

Proposals should bring together different stakeholders active in the sector along the value chain, such as waste collectors, waste sorters, repair and reuse organisations. Proposals should also try to address historical liabilities and the impact of textiles coming from outside the EU.

Proposals should analyse how EPR schemes can improve the circularity of textiles, assess the material composition in a wide range of used textile products and waste with a view to targeted EPR schemes for improved collection and recycling, and test separate collection options for reuse or end-of-life treatment that could be enforced through EPR schemes. Projects should also identify novel solutions for textile reuse.

They should also consider possible rebound effects and only propose measures that will not hamper the market uptake of more sustainable novel textile materials.

Projects should also recommend/identify/define tools (policy, legislation, governance, market-based, etc.) that the EU institutions (Commission, Parliament, Council of the EU) could implement or propose in order to reduce the overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the textile sector (including from final consumption, not only production) in the EU in line with the EU greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets till 2050 (climate neutrality), including the 2030 target; for this, the projects should take into account the relevant possible rebound effect.

The targeted TRL at the end of the projects is 6 to 8. Specific Topic Conditions : Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-8 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors (2023/24) This destination and its topics target climate-neutrality, zero pollution[[ See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of Horizon Europe Cluster 6.]]

, fair and just circular and bioeconomy transitions[[ Synergies ensured with Horizon Europe Clusters 4 and 5 (including their European public private partnerships), while Cluster 4 targets the industrial dimension (including digitalisation, circularity and climate-neutrality / low GHGs emissions industry transition, including developing bio-integrated manufacturing).

Cluster 5 covers cost-efficient, net zero-GHGs energy systems, centred on renewables (including the R&I needed to reduce CO2 emissions from the power and energy-intensive industry sectors, such as solutions for capturing, utilising and storage of CO2 (CCUS), bioenergy/biofuels and other industrial sectors) Cluster 6 covers the research and innovation based on sustainable biological resources (bioeconomy sectors), in particular for new sustainable feedstock development and valorisation through the development of integrated bio-refineries).]]

These cover safe, integrated circular solutions at territorial and sectoral levels, for important material flows and product value chains, such as i) textiles, ii) electronics, iii) chemicals, iv) packaging, v) tourism, vi) plastics and construction, and vii) key bioeconomy sectors such as a) sustainable bio-based systems[[ In synergy and complementarity with the EU public-private partnership for a ‘Circular Bio-based Europe’ (CBE JU), (especially as related to the size of actions – IAs and RIAs, and Technology Readiness Level and the industrial-focus of activities, with the first CBE calls expected in 2022).]]

, b) sustainable forestry, c) small-scale rural bio-based solutions, d) environmental services and e) aquatic (including marine and freshwater) value chains[[ In synergy and complementarity with the EU partnership for a climate-neutral, sustainable and productive blue economy and with the EU mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’.]]

The destination supports the European Green Deal, and in particular: the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), adopted in March 2020, and the subsequent initiatives along the entire life cycle of products[[ It targets how products are designed, promotes circular economy processes, encourages sustainable consumption, and aims to ensure that waste is prevented and the resources used are kept in the economy for as long as possible.

This plan also aims to ensure that the circular economy works for people, regions and cities, fully contributes to climate-neutrality, zero pollution and resource use decoupling and harnesses the potential of research, innovation and digitalisation]]; the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change adopted in February 2021[[ COM(2021)82 final “Forging a climate-resilient Europe - the new EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate”.]]

; the EU zero pollution action plan[[ COM(2021)400 final ‘Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All EU Action Plan: “Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’.]] , adopted in May 2021, with the chemicals strategy for sustainability[[ COM(2020) 667 final ‘Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment’.]]

from October 2020 and the new approach for a sustainable blue economy[[ COM(2021)240 final ‘On a new approach for a sustainable blue economy in the EU Transforming the EU's Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future’.]] adopted in May 2021; the EU forest strategy for 2030[[ COM(2021)572 final ‘New EU Forest Strategy for 2030’.]]

: research and innovation will be key drivers in achieving the ambitious goals of this strategy; the EU climate law targeting climate-neutrality by 2050 and AFOLU[[ AFOLU: “Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use”.]]

climate-neutrality by 2035, which supports increased focus on bio-based circular consumption, as part of the Fit for 55 package proposed on 14 July 2021[[ COM(2021)550 final “'Fit for 55': delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Target on the way to climate neutrality”.]] ; the new European Bauhaus initiative[[ COM(2021)573 final “New European Bauhaus Beautiful, Sustainable, Together”.]]

and the renovation wave[[ COM(2020)662 final “A Renovation Wave for Europe - greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives”.]]

The wide range of EU initiatives supported by this destination includes: the EU chemicals strategy for sustainability; the revised (2018) bioeconomy strategy[[ European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European bioeconomy policy: stocktaking and future developments: report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, https://data.

europa. eu/doi/10. 2777/997651 .]]

and its action plan; the communication on sustainable carbon cycles; the sustainable blue economy approach and its offshoot initiatives; the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030; the farm to fork strategy; the upcoming EU agenda for tourism; the plastics strategy and the action plan on critical raw materials.

In addition, this destination will contribute to the transition pathways of energy-intensive industries, textiles, construction and agri-food industrial ecosystems. Where appropriate, proposals are encouraged to cooperate with the European Commission Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy, also for the purpose of dissemination and exploitation of results.

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[[ Taking into account all aspects of sustainability, i.e. social, economic and environmental, and in particular sensitivity/vulnerability to the effects of the climate change, as well as due to the current social dependency on fossil resources, especially in remote, rural and low-income regions and cities.]]

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 pollution[[ See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of this Cluster.]] and higher resource efficiency.

This will also be supported by increasing circular and bio-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 pollution[[ See also Destination 4 ‘Clean environment and Zero pollution’ of this Cluster.]] , 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. 1.

Admissibility conditions: described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System 2.

Eligible countries: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes 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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide . 3.

Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes 4.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes 6.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes 7.

Specific conditions: described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme] Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System Standard application form (HE RIA, IA) Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 9.

Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13.

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