Funding programme

The Just Transition Fund is a new financial instrument within the EU Cohesion Policy which aims to provide support to territories facing serious socio-economic challenges arising from the transition towards climate neutrality.

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Call overview

This call aims to support the development of bioeconomy piloting and demonstration projects in the wider midlands area.

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Call detail

With a budget of €10 million for two separate projects, proposals are being sought to support the bio-based sector to become climate neutral and sustainable with enhanced circularity, while remaining competitive on the global market. This can be achieved by replacing non-renewable and fossil based raw materials and mineral resources with sustainably sourced biomass and biological waste to produce industrial and consumer goods.

Funding will support close collaboration between stakeholders along the entire bio-based value chain, including SMEs, research performing organisations, universities, local authorities, clusters,primary producers, bioprocessing industries, and consumer brands.

This funding call has two topics: 

• Optimised and integrated industrial bio-based systems based on agriculture and/or forestry-based value chains
• Processing and co-processing of bio-based waste and mixed bio-based waste.

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Eligibility

The funding will offer the opportunity to support close collaboration between stakeholders along the entire bio-based value chain, including SMEs, research performing organisations, universities, local authorities, clusters, primary producers, bioprocessing industries, and consumer brands.

It will support bioeconomy innovation at the Just Transition Fund territorial level and will seek the active involvement of local actors (e.g., NGOs, local and regional authorities, community, and local action groups) alongside the bio-based industries.

This call will support the development of two Bioeconomy piloting and demonstration projects in the 'Designated Territories' of the midlands, which includes the counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon, and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (Co. Galway), Athy and Clane-Maynooth (Co. Kildare), and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (Co. Tipperary).   

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Budget

Indicative total budget of the 2023 call: €10 million and it is estimated that a contribution of up to €5 million per project would allow for the requested outcomes to be addressed appropriately.