This report analyses 27 high-impact Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020 projects to inform the regulatory design of the forthcoming Circular Economy Act. 

While the portfolio covers key intervention areas - as circular public procurement, critical raw material recovery, and industrial symbiosis, its primary focus is the reform of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). 

The findings show that achieving the Act's ambitions will require a fundamental shift in EPR, from a waste-management financing mechanism to a strategic, data-driven instrument supporting industrial competitiveness, resource security, and circular value creation across Europe.

See also other focus areas

• Public procurement
• Recycled and bio-based content
• Waste electrical and electronic equipment
• Transnational and regional initiatives