Building Europe’s circular future: progress of the European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV)

The European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV) is building one of Europe’s most ambitious interregional ecosystems for circular innovation. Funded under Horizon Europe, ECIV connects 12 European regions with a shared objective: accelerating the development, testing and scaling of circular solutions that reinforce the continent’s environmental and industrial resilience.

ECIV serves a dual purpose: a five‑year project (2024–2029) and the foundation of a permanent interregional valley. While the project phase focuses on establishing structures and partnerships for long‑term cooperation, the ultimate vision is to create a self‑sustaining ecosystem where regions, businesses and research actors collaborate to scale circular solutions across Europe.

Six shared sub‑missions were defined to align priorities and guide collective action:

• Waste Reduction: Eliminating industrial waste
• Circular Packaging: Reducing virgin raw material use
• Regenerative Agrifood: Closing nutrient loops and reducing losses
• Biobased Construction: Accelerating sustainable materials for the built environment
• Natural & Recycled Fibres: Increasing circularity in textile value chains
• Circular Metals: Securing circularity in steel and critical raw materials

These missions provide a shared strategic framework for coordinated innovation across regions and value chains.

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