Circular Economy and Recycling of Pre-consumer …
221
• a second part dealing with a study about the conditions for the development of a
cross-sectoral virtual marketplace, where the different stakeholders (manufacturers, possible users of by-products and scraps, industrial process planners, public
administrators, etc.), organised in a network, can identify, locate and exchange
available by-products and pre-consumer scraps. The output of this part is the
proposal of a framework of a cross-sectoral platform that can allow various stakeholders to share information and create trades.
4 The Database of Best Practice
In order to outline the practices, the experimentations and the trends in the field of
applied research, the study has investigated the European funded researches, related
to recycling and secondary resources. The examined projects are those supported
by: the LIFE Programme
8 (EEC European Economic Community 1992), the CIP
programme
9 (EU European Union 2006) and some Horizon 2020 (EC European
Commissions 2011, b, c) initiatives.
In particular, focusing on the LIFE Programme projects allows to highlight both
the European research strategies towards innovations in products and processes,
involved in recycling (De la Paz 2014), and the trends of various manufacturing
sectors towards the market generated by circular economy. In economic terms, the
EU support to the programme has grown exponentially, from the 400 million euro
of the first loan to the EUR 5.450 million in funds provided for 2021–2027. This
is the sign of the success achieved by the initiative and the quality of the results
produced by the more than 4.700 projects funded so far. Besides, LIFE Programme
allocates to the area “environment and resource efficiency” more than the 30% of the
total budget, showing a great interest in manufacturing initiatives that can improve
the efficient use of raw materials, prevention of waste and production of secondary
materials. Considering the year 2017, for this area of the LIFE programme, we have
witnessed a 15% increase in projects funded, reaching a final amount of more than
8 From 1992, the LIFE is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment. The general objective of
LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy
and legislation by co-financing pilot or demonstration projects characterised by European added
value. For the period 201420, the fifth version of the LIFE programme for the environment and
climate action establishes the EU’s main funding framework for environmental and climate change
policy. The programme provides action grants for pilot and demonstration projects to develop, test
and demonstrate policy or management approaches. It also covers the development and demonstration of innovative technologies, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of EU environmental
policy and law, as well as best practices and solutions. The European Commission is particularly
looking for technologies and solutions that are ready to be implemented in close-to-market conditions, at industrial or commercial scale, during the project duration. See: https://ec.europa.eu/
easme/en/section/life/life-environment-sub-programme.
9 The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) supports SMEs in innovation
activities (including eco-innovation), provides better access to finance and delivers business support
services in the Regions.
221
• a second part dealing with a study about the conditions for the development of a
cross-sectoral virtual marketplace, where the different stakeholders (manufacturers, possible users of by-products and scraps, industrial process planners, public
administrators, etc.), organised in a network, can identify, locate and exchange
available by-products and pre-consumer scraps. The output of this part is the
proposal of a framework of a cross-sectoral platform that can allow various stakeholders to share information and create trades.
4 The Database of Best Practice
In order to outline the practices, the experimentations and the trends in the field of
applied research, the study has investigated the European funded researches, related
to recycling and secondary resources. The examined projects are those supported
by: the LIFE Programme
8 (EEC European Economic Community 1992), the CIP
programme
9 (EU European Union 2006) and some Horizon 2020 (EC European
Commissions 2011, b, c) initiatives.
In particular, focusing on the LIFE Programme projects allows to highlight both
the European research strategies towards innovations in products and processes,
involved in recycling (De la Paz 2014), and the trends of various manufacturing
sectors towards the market generated by circular economy. In economic terms, the
EU support to the programme has grown exponentially, from the 400 million euro
of the first loan to the EUR 5.450 million in funds provided for 2021–2027. This
is the sign of the success achieved by the initiative and the quality of the results
produced by the more than 4.700 projects funded so far. Besides, LIFE Programme
allocates to the area “environment and resource efficiency” more than the 30% of the
total budget, showing a great interest in manufacturing initiatives that can improve
the efficient use of raw materials, prevention of waste and production of secondary
materials. Considering the year 2017, for this area of the LIFE programme, we have
witnessed a 15% increase in projects funded, reaching a final amount of more than
8 From 1992, the LIFE is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment. The general objective of
LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy
and legislation by co-financing pilot or demonstration projects characterised by European added
value. For the period 201420, the fifth version of the LIFE programme for the environment and
climate action establishes the EU’s main funding framework for environmental and climate change
policy. The programme provides action grants for pilot and demonstration projects to develop, test
and demonstrate policy or management approaches. It also covers the development and demonstration of innovative technologies, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of EU environmental
policy and law, as well as best practices and solutions. The European Commission is particularly
looking for technologies and solutions that are ready to be implemented in close-to-market conditions, at industrial or commercial scale, during the project duration. See: https://ec.europa.eu/
easme/en/section/life/life-environment-sub-programme.
9 The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) supports SMEs in innovation
activities (including eco-innovation), provides better access to finance and delivers business support
services in the Regions.