European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Novel circular business models to enable the just transition to a sustainable and circular economy
Horizon Europe Cluster 6 Circular economy and bioeconomy sectors
Funding Amount
€5.0M - €5.0M
Deadline
17/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Novel circular business models to enable the just transition to a sustainable and circular economy Call?
Grant Description
Develop and demonstrate at large scale innovative circular business models to enhance product reliability, durability, reusability, reparability, refurbishment, repurposing and remanufacture, including product-as-a-service approaches; assess and quantify environmental, social and economic impacts from a lifecycle perspective; include social innovation and behaviour analysis to stimulate sustainable consumption and regenerative practices; involve diverse actors across the value chain; address gov...
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Project results are expected to deliver:
• Consumers’ access to new circular products and services (reuse, repair, sharing) that drive sustainable consumption and reduce environmental footprint, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity pressure.
• Proven examples and implementation guidelines enabling economic operators, particularly SMEs, to introduce successful circular business models.
• Emerging (re-)skilling programmes and creation of new job opportunities in reuse, preparing for reuse, repair, upgrade, refurbishment, repurpose and remanufacture.
• Mitigated resource use and greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable novel products and business models, enhancing Europe’s sustainable competitiveness.
• Consumers’ access to new circular products and services (reuse, repair, sharing) that drive sustainable consumption and reduce environmental footprint, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity pressure.
• Proven examples and implementation guidelines enabling economic operators, particularly SMEs, to introduce successful circular business models.
• Emerging (re-)skilling programmes and creation of new job opportunities in reuse, preparing for reuse, repair, upgrade, refurbishment, repurpose and remanufacture.
• Mitigated resource use and greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable novel products and business models, enhancing Europe’s sustainable competitiveness.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must:
• Align with the European Green Deal, 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), Waste Framework Directive and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
• Develop and demonstrate at large scale one or more circular business models covering refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, repurpose, remanufacture, upgrade and/or product-as-a-service strategies.
• Quantify environmental (lifecycle), social and economic impacts on stakeholders (SMEs, consumers, municipalities, regions), including resource efficiency and material use.
• Analyse consumer pull factors and behavioural enablers, incorporate ESPR requirements, EU Ecolabel aspects and green claim verification.
• Include social economy entities or social enterprises to foster sustainable consumption patterns.
• Integrate social innovation to increase demand or reduce overall consumption and materials use.
• Explore self-sufficiency and regenerative practices for biodiversity restoration and climate mitigation.
• Engage diverse value-chain actors for access to finance, governance models and change-management, addressing scaling and diffusion.
• Target specific social groups, ensuring fairness, gender equality, diversity and inclusion; assess prerequisites for new jobs and reskilling.
• Propose fair and affordable pricing models, analyse regulatory/governance/economic barriers, and assess potential unintended or rebound effects.
• Explore territorial and geographical dimensions; plan synergies and clustering with New European Bauhaus (NEB), Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and LIFE-2024-SAP-ENV projects.
• Ensure effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities expertise.
• Align with the European Green Deal, 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), Waste Framework Directive and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
• Develop and demonstrate at large scale one or more circular business models covering refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, repurpose, remanufacture, upgrade and/or product-as-a-service strategies.
• Quantify environmental (lifecycle), social and economic impacts on stakeholders (SMEs, consumers, municipalities, regions), including resource efficiency and material use.
• Analyse consumer pull factors and behavioural enablers, incorporate ESPR requirements, EU Ecolabel aspects and green claim verification.
• Include social economy entities or social enterprises to foster sustainable consumption patterns.
• Integrate social innovation to increase demand or reduce overall consumption and materials use.
• Explore self-sufficiency and regenerative practices for biodiversity restoration and climate mitigation.
• Engage diverse value-chain actors for access to finance, governance models and change-management, addressing scaling and diffusion.
• Target specific social groups, ensuring fairness, gender equality, diversity and inclusion; assess prerequisites for new jobs and reskilling.
• Propose fair and affordable pricing models, analyse regulatory/governance/economic barriers, and assess potential unintended or rebound effects.
• Explore territorial and geographical dimensions; plan synergies and clustering with New European Bauhaus (NEB), Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and LIFE-2024-SAP-ENV projects.
• Ensure effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities expertise.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• Type of Action: Horizon Innovation Action (Budget-based, single-stage).
• Admissibility, eligibility, financial/operational capacity, evaluation, award criteria and legal/financial grant setup governed by Horizon Europe General Annexes A–G and specific Work Programme conditions.
• Include SSH experts and institutions; follow Annex B (eligible countries), Annex C (capacity), Annex D (award criteria), Annex E (page limits/layout), Annex F (submission/evaluation) and Annex G (MGA) requirements.
• Strongly encouraged clustering with CCRI projects and Coordination and Support Office; seek synergies with LIFE-2024-SAP-ENV to avoid double funding.
• Proposals must address participation of disadvantaged groups and ensure gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Submission via Funding & Tenders Portal by 17 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
• Admissibility, eligibility, financial/operational capacity, evaluation, award criteria and legal/financial grant setup governed by Horizon Europe General Annexes A–G and specific Work Programme conditions.
• Include SSH experts and institutions; follow Annex B (eligible countries), Annex C (capacity), Annex D (award criteria), Annex E (page limits/layout), Annex F (submission/evaluation) and Annex G (MGA) requirements.
• Strongly encouraged clustering with CCRI projects and Coordination and Support Office; seek synergies with LIFE-2024-SAP-ENV to avoid double funding.
• Proposals must address participation of disadvantaged groups and ensure gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Submission via Funding & Tenders Portal by 17 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
Important dates
Open from: 06/05/2025
Deadline:17/09/2025
Application period has ended
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