On Friday 3 February, the European Commission announced the launch the previous day of two new Big Tickets calls to fund Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) projects for the green transition in the coal and steel sectors.
The Big Tickets calls for contributions finance projects that are at a high level of readiness, aiming to reduce emissions from the steel industry and achieve ‘clean’ steel production, and that contribute to a just transition in the coal regions.
The Big Tickets call for steel has a budget of €130 million and will benefit innovative pilot projects for clean technologies.
The coal-related call has a budget of €34.5 million. It aims to support pilot projects and demonstrators supporting the redevelopment of closed down former coal mining sites and related activities, such as the processing and recycling of spoil and other materials and the monitoring of methane emissions.
Participation in both calls is open until 4 May 2023.
The RFCS has had a new legal basis since July 2021. Managed by the European Commission, the fund is financed by the income generated by the assets in liquidation of the European Coal and Steel Community (see EUROPE 12336/13) (ECSC). Under the new legal basis, the fund is authorised to use part of these assets in 2021-2027 to provide an annual RFCS allocation of €111 million. The RFCS also contributes to the Clean Steel Partnership initiated under Horizon Europe.
Link to the calls: https://aeur.eu/f/588 (Original version in French by Emilie Vanderhulst)