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Key reports and studies

10/12/2020
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The new Eco-Innovation Observatory: monitoring Member States’ performance
After more than a decade of monitoring green economy developments across the EU, the Eco-Innovation Observatory (EIO) has helped to build a shared understanding of what eco-innovation is, as well as why and how it should be supported by policy interventions, businesses and consumers. The EIO...
Eu
18/11/2020
Sustainable chemicals for a circular economy
Back in 2009, German and Swiss authorities found a problem: traces of mineral oil in food. The contamination was entering food from the inks in the recycled cardboard used to make packaging for products such as frozen pizzas, pasta and breakfast cereals. Further studies were carried out and in 2017...
Eu
02/11/2020
EIO Biennial Report 2020: Digital eco-innovation as a means to reach a circular economy in Europe
The study provides an overview of trends in technological digital eco-innovations and illustrates those by good technology and policy practices that can further drive the circular economy, as well as innovation to make digital products, hardware and infrastructures more sustainable in Member States...
Eu
30/03/2020
Rewards for recycling
What happens to old mobile phones when they reach the end of their useful lives? They might be recycled, though this seems to be the case for only a small portion (data is lacking but the recycling rate in the EU could be about 15%). They might be discarded with other waste and end up incinerated...
Eu
19/12/2018
New EIO Report: Eco-Innovation of products - Case studies and policy lessons from EU Member States for a product policy framework that contributes to a circular economy
Multiple pathways exist for the implementation of circular economy principles, e.g. through repair, re-use, remanufacturing and recycling. Products lie at the  core of the challenge. In particular, the way in which products are designed and manufactured (when considering aspects such as modularity...
Eu
13/07/2016
InnovFin offers advice on financing research into cutting-edge technologies
InnovFin offers advice on financing research into cutting-edge technologies
Eco-innovative companies could benefit from an advisory service attached to the European Union's InnovFin – EU Finance for Innovators initiative. The advisory service is targeted at large-scale projects that require a minimum of €15 million in research and innovation (R&I) investment, and that...
Eu
31/03/2016
Steps taken to eliminate barriers to the circular economy
Steps taken to eliminate barriers to the circular economy
Two new initiatives, from the European Commission and the Dutch government respectively, aim to eliminate legal barriers that hold up the cross-border trade in raw materials obtained from waste, and illustrate the benefits for the circular economy of cooperation between regulators. This is in line...
Eu
09/03/2016
SHIFT project concludes with handbook on eco-innovation support scheme design
SHIFT project concludes with handbook on eco-innovation support scheme design
Support systems designed to underpin entrepreneurship and innovation are still insufficiently focused on eco-innovation and sustainability, according to the final recommendations of a research project supported by the ECO-INNOVERA Network. Environmental, social and economic benefits The SHIFT...
Eu
23/02/2016
EU Green Action Plan boosts SME resource efficiency
EU Green Action Plan boosts SME resource efficiency
During 2015, the European Commission took a number of initiatives to encourage small and medium-sized companies to see the business opportunities that can arise from greater resource efficiency and green entrepreneurship. The initiatives are grouped under the Commission's Green Action Plan for SMEs...
Eu
09/02/2016
Award scheme highlights environmental as well as social innovation
Award scheme highlights environmental as well as social innovation
A European award scheme for innovative social projects shows that social innovation often goes hand in hand with environmental innovation. The European Social Innovation Competition gave out its first awards in 2013, and the scheme is now getting ready to open its fourth edition, with a launch...
Eu

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