PROJECT NAME: EUROPEAN MINING REGIONS INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS SUPPORTING THE CIRCULARITY AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY  /EMRIE/

 

PROJECT TYPE: Interreg Europe

 

PROJECT DURATION

01.05.2025-31.07.2029

 

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Commission for Regional Development and Coordination of the Alentejo (Portugal)

PROJECT PARTNERS

Association Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources (Portugal) 

General Directorate of Mines, Regional Ministry of Industry, 

Energy and Mines, Regional Government of Andalusia (Spain) 

Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (Spain) 

Regional Council of Kainuu (Finland) 

Lower Silesian Voivodeship – Marshal’s Office of Lower Silesian 

Voivodeship (Poland) 

Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (Poland) 

Örebro University (Sweden) 

National Technical University of Athens (Greece) 

Dnipro University of Technology (Ukraine) 

ASSOCIATED POLICY AUTHORITY

Region Örebro County (Sweden)

More about the project: https://www.interregeurope.eu/emrie

 

 

PROJECT SUMMАRY

The secure and sustainable supply of raw materials is a critical challenge for Europe’s green and digital transitions. In response, the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) sets ambitious targets. 

 By 2030: 

- at least 10% of the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials should be sourced through domestic extraction; 

- at least 25% through recycling. Meeting these targets requires significant policy reform — especially at the regional level, where most mineral resources are located. 

The EMRIE project (European Mining Regions Innovation Ecosystems) brings together regions rich in critical and strategic raw materials to lead this transformation. These partner regions play a central role in implementing the CRMA by upgrading their land-use, innovation, and environmental policies in line with circular economy and resource efficiency principles. 

EMRIE supports this process by improving regional policy instruments. It helps regions: 

- Reduce dependency on imported raw materials; 

- Promote the sustainable use and reuse of natural resources; 

- Integrate circular economy approaches into mining and land-use planning; 

- Turn mining waste into economic value. 

 Through a shared learning journey, EMRIE strengthens regional governance, fosters cross-border collaboration, and builds the capacity of local ecosystems. By putting responsible resource management and inclusive stakeholder engagement at the centre of its approach, EMRIE empowers regions to deliver greener, more resilient, and innovation-driven development. 

The project is aimed at developing innovative ecosystems in mining regions across Europe that will support the implementation of circular economy principles. It brings together academic institutions, industry, and local communities to ensure the efficient use and re-utilization of mineral resources. The project implementation will enhance environmental sustainability, competitiveness, and socio-economic development of these regions. 

Attention is given to strengthening interregional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the creation of innovation platforms for technology transfer and the implementation of best practices in the field of sustainable development of mining territories. 

The EMRIE project will improve six regional policy instruments to align with the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), integrating circular economy and resource efficiency principles. It will support regions in transforming mining waste into value, strengthening governance, and enabling inclusive stakeholder engagement. EMRIE fosters regional mining innovation ecosystems by connecting public authorities, SMEs, academia, and civil society. Through a structured learning journey, the project will share 12 good practices, host 22 interregional learning events, and increase the capacity of 59 organisations. EMRIE empowers regions to reduce import dependency, support sustainable growth, and become key players in Europe’s green and digital transitions. 

 

Contact person: Roman Dychkovskyi   dychkovskyi.r.o@nmu.one