Deploying circular systemic solutions through living labs in cities and regions (Circular Cities and Regions Initiative topic)

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• increased circularity and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants in the economic sectors, services and product value chains at local and/or regional scale. This also includes an efficient valorisation of local resources, with positive effects on air and water quality as well as on biodiversity;
• widespread deployment and easier replication, scalability and visibility of circular systemic solutions for a multiplication of their economic, social and environmental benefits;
• enhanced collaboration and knowledge transfer between public authorities (cities and regions), companies, research and citizens in addressing environmental challenges, such as climate-change, resource depletion and biodiversity loss.

Scope:

This topic supports the implementation of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI). It builds on a series of CCRI-related topics funded under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, and replicated every one to two programming year since 2021. The goal is to accelerate place-based innovation, boost skills and capacities and support the implementation of solutions for a circular systemic transition at city or region level. Implementing circular systemic solutions reduces environmental impacts and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity, by decreasing the extraction of primary raw materials and minimizing waste generation.

This topic specifically focuses on moving from demonstration to further deployment and upscaling through the setup of well-functioning real-life innovation ecosystem, such as living labs. This topic targets public local and regional authorities (or their groupings) in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Proposed living labs should enable systematic participation of all ecosystem stakeholder in targeted cities and regions to co-create solutions that are practical, relevant, and readily applicable. These stakeholders include citizens, policymakers, research bodies, academia, industries, start-ups and SMEs, social economy entities and financial intermediaries. In line with the nature of living labs, projects must adopt the multi-actor approach to involve end-users. The actors involved in each living lab may vary, based on its unique characteristics. Proposals should set up engaging and effective governance structures, facilitate collaboration and coordination, and ensure continuous feedback and monitoring to enable an iterative and flexible process. Proposals should integrate systemic socio-ecological approaches and involve the effective contribution of SSH disciplines (e.g., economics, politics, sociology, psychology, gender studies).

Proposals should support the validation, testing and optimisation of innovative, circular systemic solutions in selected cities/regions (the ‘demonstrators’), along with relevant governance models and business plans. This CCRI-related topic does not target specific technologies or industrial sectors but supports a place-based approach. This means that proposals should select their targeted sector(s) and/or value chain(s), based on a detailed analysis of the local/regional contexts and specific circular potentials.

Proposals should facilitate knowledge and experience transfer for further outreach and large scale replication across Europe. Proposals should turn their insights into actionable recommendations, identifying the lessons learned, specifying the enabling framework, main barriers and enablers, business case, and other relevant factors for successful replication and upscaling in other cities and/or regions (the ‘replicators’).

At least two different demonstration and three replication ‘living labs’ (incl. cities/regions – possibly together with their public and/or private ecosystem partners in their territory) must be part of the consortium. One out of the three replication labs must be located in Horizon Europe widening countries (including Outermost Regions).

Proposals should clearly specify how they will ensure synergies and complementarities with other relevant circular economy projects and initiatives, including those recognised as CCRI Projects^[1] and CCRI Associated Partners^[2]. In that sense, proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources and a plan on how they will collaborate with the CCRI office, projects and partners (e.g. thematic discussion groups, joint events, joint R&I gap analysis and policy briefs). Clustering and dissemination activities will be facilitated and supported by the CCRI Coordination and Support Office to ease knowledge exchange, foster solution replication and uptake, and maximise impact.

This topic contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Clean Industrial Deal, in particular the 2020 circular economy action plan (CEAP), as well as the new EU bioeconomy strategy. It also supports the Start-ups and Scale-ups strategy by fostering placed-based (social, technological and non-technological) innovation to make European cities and regions more circular, resilient and competitive.

Linkages with relevant initiatives such as the Regional Innovation Valleys, the New European Bauhaus and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and the Adaptation to Climate Change Mission should be explored – whenever relevant.

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[1] List of CCRI Projects from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe: https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/ccri-projects. New CCRI-related projects under the 2026-2027 work programme include: HORIZON-MISS-2027-04-CIT-CCRI-04 and HORIZON-MISS-2026-06-01-CIT-NEB-B4P-CCRI.

[2] List of CCRI Associated Partners: https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/associated-partners