The eco-innovation initiative bridged the gap between research and the market. It helped innovative green ideas become fully-fledged commercial prospects, ready for use by business and industry.
There were five main strands to this initiative:
- Materials recycling and recycling processes;
- Sustainable building products;
- Food and drink sector;
- Water efficiency, treatment and distribution;
- Greening business.
Find out which projects have been co-financed in the Eco-innovation projects database.
Funded projects
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Legal basis
The eco-innovation initiative was part of the EU’s Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.
The Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) – which has since become the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) – managed the eco-innovation initiative on behalf of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment.
Programme results
A study carried out in 2016 shows that the eco-innovation initiative brought significant environmental benefits as well as the creation of jobs in Europe:
Related documents:
- Executive summary
- Full report
- Innovation area: key findings by Product, Service and Process innovations
- Priority area: key findings for Food & Drink, Building & Contruction, Recycling, Clean Production, Greening Business, Water
- SME dimension: overview of the expected benefits of the Eco-innovation initiative accruing to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
News
Technology and trust in the mining industry – getting the raw materials for the green transition
How can the mining industry support the carbon-neutral economy? Can the mining innovation projects engage with civil society to create solutions that bring benefits to local communities? How can the mining industry attract young professionals? Those were some of the questions addressed in the ‘Open to the World: the EU’s Horizon programme for research and innovation’ workshop at the Prospectors & Development Association of Canada (PDAC) convention on 3 March 2020 in Toronto.
Knowledge exchange results and coordination platform at the ‘COVID-19 effects on climate policy modelling’ event
On 17 June ten EU climate action projects, representatives of the European Commission and EASME gathered in the webinar "Accounting for COVID-19 pandemic in climate policy modelling".
Climate Services webinar series kicks-off in June
As climate change continues to bring significant challenges to Europe, the need for climate-related risk strategies and adaptation of new measures is becoming more urgent. However, that is also an opportunity for building a more resilient society and economy.