Objectives of the commitment
This RMC will be a âvoluntary schemeâ addressing multi-stakeholders value chain âgood governance and sustainable, transparent performanceâ and a commitment to facilitate open-coordination to implement the EIP and make the EU a âcircular economyâ. It aims to focus on an efficient use of natural resources in a collaborative economy at territorial level (a Region, An Urban Community, A City, a Rural Municipality as well as between Regions, Cities and Communes) where the material and energy flows are minimized and wastes used as a resource.
The Covenant will involve a very large number of partners across the European Union and entire raw materials value chains with a focus on Territories (Regions and Cities). By doing so, the Covenant will contribute to the re-industrialisation of Europe in a circular economy perspective .
Description of the activities
RMC Signatories will fix a value chain public-private coordination scheme (inspired by the Covenant of Mayors) at the Regional/City level between public and private interested parties - as well as between Regions and Cities - and promote a new multi-stakeholders co-operation and planning vision for innovation and circular economy shaping a new prosperity model. The Covenant itself would be signed second half of 2015 (EU Luxemburg Presidency). In view of Rio+30, the covenant would be registered under the provisions of § 283 of Rio+20 outcome document.
The signatories of the RMC commit to contribute to an open-coordination process for partnerships related to a circular economy â as follows :
(i) Covenant Signatories will fix objectives and a system of public-private coordination at the Regional/City level between public and private interested parties as well as between signatories Region/Cities. They will be in line with the EIP Raw Materials priorities, the âsustainable development goalsâ, which would incorporate and expand the Millennium Objectives, as well as with the international initiatives on transparency and accountability.
(ii) Each Region/City and or Company signatory of this Covenant will fix in one year time an integrated circular economy action plan in support to the SIP and value chain management at territorial level.
(iii) Each Region will establish a link with the Structural Funds Operational Plan a Region has to adopt, Regions and Cities will activate their procurement power, Companies and Citizens will make use of their purchasing and investment powers, Universities and Clusters will contribute to innovation.
(iv) To the extent our Regions/Cities and/or Companies are active at the international level on âcircular economyâ export of products and services, we will explore opportunities of co-operation with non EU Member States with which the Commission has signed partnerships agreements related to raw materials.
(v) We are committing to a dialogue at Regional level and between Regionsâ on the basis of progress reports â among interested parties leading to open coordination multi-stakeholder platforms within the value chain in specific areas/fields such as waste management and Extend Producer Responsability schemes, mining and deep sea mining, phosphorus, the energy-food-raw materials-water nexus, transports, finance, urban development, sustainable lifestyles.
(vi) We will involve Cities, Clusters, Poles of excellence, Financiers (public and private banks), National and Regional resource efficiency agencies, Business Clubs.
A European Secretariat will collect the results of signatoriesâ actions at the regional and local levels. These actions will serve as examples for others to follow, notably through referring to the âBenchmarks of Excellenceâ, a database of best practices submitted by the Covenant signatories. The Secretariat will facilitate biennial joint progress reviews.
A Memorandum of Understanding is signed with other relevant initiatives at UN and EU levels, as the Covenant of Mayors.
The Covenant Secretariat will provide the EIP with a joint report of aggregated outcomes with findings and recommendations to feed upwards, in terms of delivering the seven concrete targets of the EIP and contributing to the overall objectives of the EIP
Description of the expected impacts
1. Guidelines towards a Regional/City Circular Economy Action Plan in support to the SIP implemented in hundreds of Regions and Cities.
A. General Guidelines to help Regions and Cities to devise - for the next 7 years - a Multi Operational Programme for a Circular Economy : governance, content, structure, partners (leading org ACR+)
B. Sectorial Guidelines formulated by specific experts groups â which might be steering committee of other RMCâs - will be drafted on how to address value chain management in a circular economy for specific sectors addressed by the SIP and the Resource Efficiency Flagship.
It will incorporate best practice examples of communication with stakeholders, promote early and open communication, launch information campaigns, encourage industry to adopt voluntary codes on good governance and sustainable performance (e.g. EMAS, ISO, CSR, GRI, ICMM, FSC, PEFC, EITI), address quantitative and qualitative targets and Extended Producer Responsibility, innovative approaches and infrastructures for reuse and recovery of end-of-life consumer products, new business models ⦠in relation with strategic raw materials s.
2. Sectorial Pilots value chain avoiding one-size-fits-all approach launched by the Steering Committee with the help of other RMCâs/experts platforms/organization (org)/.
3. Twining at international level in relation with a circular economy at regional and city levels as well as related to mining management.
4. Progress, achievements and delays experienced will be closely monitored on an annual basis. It will include the following output : legislation, public policy, pilots, new structures, data and information, public acceptance, greater (quality)recycling, investment, skills/jobs.
Coordinating organisation & role
Name of the coordinating organisation: European Partners for the EnvironmentCountry: BelgiumEntity profile: NGOsRole within the commitment:
The Covenant is co-managed by its signatories.
A steering committee is established. If the RMC is labeled by the EU, the steering committee will be an informal platform which will elect its own chairperson and nominate its own director, have its own budget, make use of EPE as the necessary legal entity. The Chair of the steering committee will become member of EPE Board.
Other partners
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.
Name of the organisation: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V. Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Fraunhofer will lead the CFRP and GFRP recycling research.
Fraunhofer will perform corrosion tests on the developed materials.
Fraunhofer will work with CIDAUT on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project. Fraunhofer is the Quality Manager of the Consortium and will oversee deliverables and general reporting are produced with the best possible quality following agreed review standards.
Fundacion Cidaut
Name of the organisation: Fundacion Cidaut Country: Spain Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: CIDAUT will lead the research activities on materials recycling and compounding, implementing lab scale demonstrators of each process at its premises and, later, supporting end-users upscale the processes.
CIDAUT will perform mechanical tests, microstructural analyses, injection moulding capability studies on the developed materails, and will work with Fraunhofer on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project.
RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV)
Name of the organisation: RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV) Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: RWTH will implement the novel 3D Generative Preforming process (3D Fibre Spraying) that enables to create high-value long fibre-reinforced 3D preforms for thermoplastic and thermoset composites at low process costs (different kinds of yarn as a raw material, low tooling costs due to low cavity pressures). This cost effective technology allows to align the sprayed fibres in order to produce high-performance, engineered anisotropic products.
Universita' di Cagliari
Name of the organisation: Universita' di Cagliari Country: Italy Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: University of Cagliari is one of the leading European organization in the resin design and coupling with thermoplastic and thermose materials. University of Cagliari will support in the definition of the composite materials, both from CFRP/GFRP, ABS and Rare Earth composite material.
Relight
Name of the organisation: Relight Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: RELIGHT will work with ITRB to provide the research partners with residues for the recycled ABS supply and the REE recovery processes, including their HydroWEEE process as part of the processes to be studied and analyzed.
Piaggio Aerospace
Name of the organisation: Piaggio Aerospace Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - large company
Role within the commitment: Piaggio Aerospace is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Piaggio will assist in the compounds selection, provide Fraunhofer with specific corrosion requirements on business jet size aircraft, and will assess that the developed materials performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.
Blackshape Aircrafts
Name of the organisation: Blackshape Aircrafts Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: Blackshape Aircrafts is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Blackshape will support to fulfill the requirements of the aeronautics industry on ultra light jet, light jet and trainer for Syllabus, and will assess that the developed alloys performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.
KU Leuven
Name of the organisation: KU Leuven Country: Belgium Entity profile: Academia
Role within the commitment: KUL will collaborate on the balance problem studies and will lead the rare earth recovery research with the solvometallurgical and ionometallurgical processes.
KUL will also contribute to the final compounding selection.
KUL is the Dissemination Manager of the project, promoting that all partners are active on the project Dissemination.
FIDAMC
Name of the organisation: FIDAMC Country: Spain Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: FIDAMC is going to lead the Work Package on Compression Moulding with CFRP-enhanced materials. As part of the AIRBUS Group, FIDAMC will also be able to provide the input material.
FIDAMC successfully developed a 3D Printer of own design to serve the Aerospace Industry and will be supporting Smart Lab 3D Industries in its 3D printer design.
COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER
Name of the organisation: COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER Country: Canada Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Composite Innovation Center is one of the world leading organization in the field of Composite materials, both from carbon fiber and vegetal-based fibers.
Composite Innovation center has successfully implemented, at lab-scale, recycling processes for CFRP and GFRP.
Existing EU Contribution: No
Period to implement the commitment: from 05-06-2014 to 05-06-2022