The application window for the 2021 edition of the "Circular Economy Call" opened on 3 May. The initiative aims to promote and support innovation and the competitive repositioning of Lombardy's supply chains in the circular economy by supporting:

1. Projects that promote the reuse and use of recycled materials, products, by-products, or residues from production cycles as an alternative to virgin raw materials, and the reduction of waste generation;
2. Eco-design projects that consider the entire product life cycle according to Life Cycle Thinking methodology;
3. Projects as described in points 1 and 2 that aim to address new economic, health, and social needs, particularly solutions involving the prototyping or development of new materials, devices, and/or components in the medical or workplace safety sectors.

Projects must be completed within 12 months of the ranking approval.

The call is aimed at MSMEs with an operational headquarters in Lombardy at the time the grant is disbursed, either individually or in partnerships consisting of at least 3 companies representing the supply chain. Entities that are not MSMEs (e.g., large enterprises, Mid-Caps, research centres, trade associations, etc.) may participate in the partnership but will not receive funding.

The grant is non-repayable, with a maximum amount of 120,000.00 euros and an intensity of 40% of eligible expenses, subject to a minimum investment of 40,000.00 euros.

Applications may be submitted until 17:00 on 15 July via the WebTelemaco portal. Before uploading the application, you must be registered for Telemaco's consultation and filing services by following the procedure available on the Business Register website. Registration must be requested at least 48 hours before the application deadline.

The full text of the measure is available in the attachment on the original call page.