REPLACE

The project aims at improving the management, implementation and monitoring of regional policy instruments that aim at facilitating the transition towards a circular economy and boosting sustainable development.

Abstract of the project:

Circular economy (CE) is very relevant for European projects, due to raw materials lack and environmental problems. REPLACE (Regional Policy Actions for Circular Economy) has the goal of integrating, deploying and capitalizing on lessons learnt through the Horizon 2020 project SCREEN (www.screen-lab.eu), by engaging policy makers and managing authorities with the common objective of improving Regional Operational Programmes (ROPs) and their performances in the field of Circular Economy, to be in line with the Circular Economy Action Plan of the European Commission.
The project aims at improving management, implementation and monitoring of regional policy instruments which are aiming at facilitating the transition towards a circular economy and boosting sustainable development: the overall objective is to create and apply policies and actions focusing on identification, valorisation, assessment and financing of circular value chains, and related project (local and  interregional). In addition, a replicable framework for regional benchmark on circularity excellence level is developed.

REPLACE wants to fulfil a synergic use of funding for circular economy, connected to RIS3, and enhance innovation, competitiveness, economic and employment performances, while increasing effectiveness of policy instruments. REPLACE shared and integrated approach involves a significant amount of resources, both material (funds) and immaterial (know-how).

REPLACE has an innovative horizontal cross-cutting approach, not focusing on one or more specific aspects of the circular economy, but dealing with the lack of an effective and shared strategy for CE at regional level; it aims at introducing, in the regional policy instruments, measures capable of increasing cooperation among regions (targeted at financing cross-regional value chains) and therefore does not overlap the 7 already financed INTERREG projects dealing with circular economy, but will integrate and complement them.