Funding for transition towards circular economy and resource efficiency
There is a need for a rapid thrift towards more circular economy in the whole EU as well as in the Baltic Sea region. Finding new solutions requires innovativeness and new approaches, but also financial support. Funding can be found from the Interreg programme family, which is finance by the European Regional Development Fund. Many of the Interreg programmes have transition towards more circular economy as one of their priorities. Effective search, distribution and implementation of circular economy solutions are the path towards prosperity and sustainability of the Baltic Sea region.
In the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, circular economy is a theme that goes through all Policy Areas, as the circular economy solutions can promote the progress in any policy areas. I.e. more circular management of agricultural side streams can be a part of nutrient management (PA Nutri) or a biogas solution (PA Energy). In order to speed up transition towards circular economy, many Interreg programmes have established the circular economy as a main objective, but as said above, circular economy innovations can still receive project funding if they contribute to other priority objectives.
The Interreg programmes, which focus on the circular economy:
Interreg Central Baltic has “Joint circular economy solutions” as one of its Programme objectives. The objective targets the challenge related to high levels of waste, low levels of product and material reuse, inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances, and low levels of awareness in reuse of products.
Interreg Deutchland-Danmark has a Special objective under priority “A Green Region”. The objective focuses in promoting the transition to resource-efficient circular economy.
Interreg Sverige-Norge has a sub-objective “Promote the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy" under a priority A greener border region adapted to climate change and focused on circular economy.
Northern Periphery and Artic focuses on climate change and resource efficiency and as a part of it has sub-objective “Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy”.
Interreg Baltic Sea Region has Circular economy as a part of the priority “Climate-neutral societies”.
Interreg Central Europa wants to speed up transition with the subobjective “Taking circular economy forward”.
Interreg North Sea Region has a subobjective “Developing skills for smart specialization, industrial transition and entrepreneurship” and circular economy belongs under it.
Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak wants to create a sustainable, circular and climate smart region and thus, has a subobjective “Promote the transition to a circular economy”.
Interreg South Baltic has also a sustainability theme and under it “Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy”.
What can circular economy project focus on? The first idea that comes to mind when talking about circular economy and resource efficiency is naturally waste prevention. That is end-of-waste and waste management; recycling and recovery of resources and raw material. However, projects can also concentrate on sustainable innovations in the earlier stage of linear production processes: eco-design, cleaner production and closed loop systems. As many of the Interreg programmes promote remote areas, projects can facilitate transfer and development of solutions for the sparsely populated communities. Projects can also focus on awareness-raising and the well-needed behavioral changes, whether it is with producers, consumers or public buyers.
Those who have an idea for a circular economy project, or any other project, can use the search tool EuroAccess Macro-Regions to find out suitable funding sources.
