REMHub project proposal will create a cutting-edge digital innovation hub propelling EU excellence for Rare Earth Elements (REEs ) and magnets. REMHub will develop test and pilot novel technologies for exploration and primary production of rare earths and recovering rare earths from side streams to enhance supply security of REEs in EU. In addition, Re-X (Recycle, Reuse, refurbishment and repurposing) technologies for rare earths and valuable metals from end-of-life products as well as electric machine design for easier permanent magnet recycling will be developed. The project will also identify and engage relevant stakeholders for developing REE value chain in EU. In addition, in the innovation hub will ensure that the novel technologies developed in the project will be commercialized and offered as services in a digital platform. The project will also have dynamic communication and dissemination with the aim to involve and engage the public to develop trust and awareness related to REEs as well as to build capacity in EU. The hub targets transformative material sourcing for REEs and REE magnets, including traceability, digital twinning, and digital passport. The project partners cover the entire REE value chain starting from mineral exploration, through mineral processing and refining to metal production and magnet making as well as recycling. The project incorporates safe and sustainable by design framework (SSbD) including design for Re-X (recycling, re-use, refurbishment, repurposing) approach integrating easy dismantling and circularity properties. REMHub will significantly improve the supply security of REEs in the EU and with the digital innovation hub considerably accelerate the development of technologies and services to faster and easier market entry.

Adhesives and coatings are an integral part of consumer products used in our daily lives. Today, the vast majority of adhesives and coatings on the market are formulated using fossil-based and harmful chemicals, which conflicts with the EU-level goal of reducing our dependency on non-renewable resources and protecting the health and well-being of citizens and the environment. The SuperBark project will exploit natural components in softwood bark, a major industrial side stream of forest industry, to develop 95% bio-based adhesives and coatings for wood panels and packaging paper with the functional, safety, and sustainability standards required by the industry and consumers. The project partners will deliver this through 1) extraction of polyphenols from bark using a novel alkaline fractionation technology and conversion of cellulose-rich bark residues into cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) 2) development of adhesive and coating formulations using bark polyphenols and CNF that meet technical requirements and build on Safe and Sustainable by Design principles set out by the JRC and 3) combination of digital technologies in process design, system dynamics modelling, and data analysis to accelerate the adhesive and coating developments and evaluate technical, socio-economic and market opportunities. The project findings will be disseminated to scientists, policy makers, society, and industrial actors in relevant sectors, including furniture, construction, transportation and packaging, to raise awareness on the benefits of the adhesives and coatings developed from bark components. The exploitation of results from SuperBark will have a measurable economic impact on the consortium companies and will also translate into clear environmental and health impacts to the society, in alignment to the objectives set in the CBE JU annual work program.

Engage4BIO will strengthen circular, sustainable bioeconomy and sustainable regional development through engaging quadruple helix actors - taking into account their diversity of societal, economic and cultural perspectives from five regional bio-based systems (and five associated regions) in processes of design thinking, co-creation, (re)training and skills development. Based on their regional specificities (availability of biomass feedstock, level of technology, planetary boundaries and social capital) activities will be co-created, performed and (re-)shaped to their best advantage for each region. The regional bio-based systems focus on the five major value chains, namely circular and bio-based textiles (NL), agriculture and agro-food industries (HU), wood and interior (AT), bio-based and sustainable packaging (FI) and blue bioeconomy (IT). The embedding art and design in the activities the framework will boost the uptake to a) strengthen local governance feedback loops and respective governance models, b) to increase design thinking and co-create formats for training, retraining, mentoring and skills development and transfer fostering understanding and engagement in bio-based systems c) to co-create communication and awareness campaigns. The co-created and implemented activities result in fully open initiatives that advance skills transfer and development activities like (re-) training formats or mentoring programmes for various relevant stakeholders in bio-based value chains, and encourage the inclusion of citizen's knowledge and perception as well as the engagement of citizens, boosting a better-informed decision-making process and enhancing engagement and innovation. Thus, Engage4BIO framework will be designed in a transferable way, considering regional, natural and cultural differences and will be applicable in different European regions, also thanks to the involvement of networks and regions the partners include.