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ERA-NET Cofund on Raw materials

 

The objective of the ERA-NET is to strengthen co-ordination of national and regional research programmes in the field of non-energy non-agricultural raw materials, while building on the experience of ERA-MIN ERA-NET. This should be achieved in line with the integrated strategy proposed in the EU Raw Materials Initiative (RMI) and the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials. The ERA-NET should cover the whole raw materials value chain including exploration, extraction and processing technologies and recycling, as well as substitution.

Proposals should pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national (or regional) research programmes with a view to implementing a joint call for proposals resulting in grants to third parties with EU co-funding in this area. Proposers are encouraged to include other joint activities including additional joint calls without EU co-funding.

Participation of legal entities from international partner countries and/or regions is encouraged in the joint call as well as in other joint activities including additional joint calls without EU co-funding. Participants from countries which are not automatically eligible for funding[[http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/docs/h2020-funding-guide/cross-cutting-issues/international-cooperation_en.htm]] may nonetheless request a Union contribution (on the basis of the ERA-NET unit cost) for the co-ordination costs of additional activities.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution in the range of EUR 5 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

In order to secure sustainable supply of raw materials to the EU society, the raw materials sector needs to strengthen its performance and competitiveness through research and innovation. Stronger integration of national and regional R&I programmes across the whole EU is needed to tap the potential of available funding and to reach the critical mass pushing the EU raw materials sector to the forefront in the sustainable production of primary and secondary raw materials and scarce materials substitution.

Actions are expected to lead to:

  • achieving the objectives of the EIP Raw Materials, particularly in the area of research and innovation co-ordination;
  • reduced fragmentation of raw materials research and innovation efforts across Europe;
  • improved synergy, co-ordination and coherence between regional, national and EU funding in the relevant research fields through transnational collaboration, and where appropriate international collaboration;
  • improved use of human and financial resources in the area of raw materials research and innovation.