The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) is part of the new European Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 2020 and aims to support Europe’s green transition by boosting circularity at local and regional level.

In order to build capacity and drive economic growth, it works to increase collaboration and knowledge sharing between EU cities and regions. The initiative now has an open call for pilot and fellow cities and regions. 

The CCRI also aims to boost innovation and upscaling, which are essential for making the circular economy more widespread and mainstream. Delivering concrete solutions can prove challenging, given that economic sectors, value chains and services vary greatly across Europe’s cities and regions. The CCRI therefore aims to share replicable best practices to help cities and regions find concrete Circular Systemic Solutions that suit their own needs.

Combining technical and financial support, the initiative provides comprehensive support over the whole life cycle of urban and regional circular economy initiatives. It assists stakeholders across Europe’s cities and regions, including regional and local authorities, industry representatives, research and technology organisations and civil society. Cities, regions and territorial clusters combining public and private stakeholders, are eligible.

The call aims to select a group of ten Pilot cities, regions and territorial clusters that will benefit from four years of knowledge-sharing and technical support to speed up their circular policy implementation. Furthermore, 20 Fellow cities, regions and territorial clusters can liaise with the pilot group to engage in the multistakeholder learning process. 

A number of factors make this a unique opportunity:

• An international team of circular economy experts of the Coordination and Support Office (CCRI-CSO) offers practical and tailor-made support to speed up circular economy implementation in your city or region from 2022-2025. They provide first-hand support on effective ways to turn circular economy into a daily reality for citizens, employers, private companies and industries and public service providers in your city or region.
• Other front-running cities and regions share their knowledge and evidence-based insights in the field of circular economy policy and regulations, circular awareness and acceptance, circular technologies and innovative business models.
• You will learn about a multitude of initiatives and projects and get acquainted with both public and private actors engaged in testing tools, implementing plans, developing knowledge and identifying best practices to achieve the circular economy transition in Europe. 
• You will gain first-hand information about upcoming funding opportunities: 
  • Financial support to demonstration projects from Horizon Europe: €200 million over the period up to 2027
  • Financial support to project development assistance (PDA) of investment proposals, €40-50 million depending on needs, delivered through PDA grants in Horizon Europe and Circular Economy Technical Assistance Facility (CETAF) grants from the European Investment Bank;
  • Non-financial assistance from collaborating organisations, such as the European Investment Bank’s Circular City Centre (C3), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) throughout the Programme on the Circular Economy in Cities and Regions’. 

How to apply? 
Apply by completing this survey in English before 29 April 2022. 

You find the details of the call for expression of interest here.