ExpectedOutcome:

In line with the Paris Agreement, on 11 December 2019, the Commission adopted the Communication on the European Green Deal, committing to tackle climate and environmental-related challenges and to transform the Union into a fair and prosperous society, with a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases in 2050 and where economic growth is decoupled from resource use.

The communication, supported by the Fit for 55 set of legislative proposals and amendments to existing EU legislation that will help the EU cut its net greenhouse gas emissions and reach climate neutrality, also states that all Union actions and policies should pull together to help the Union achieve a successful and just transition towards a sustainable future. In line with the ‘do no harm’ principle referred to in the communication, the objectives of the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel are being revised, so as to no longer cover activities that perpetuate the extraction, processing and unabated use of coal.

Following the EC communication on the Sustainable Europe Investment Plan and the European Green Deal Investment Plan, the Council Decision 2008/376/EC for the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) has been revised and updated, with the aim of enabling the funding of large clean steelmaking R&I breakthrough projects as well as research activities in the coal sector in line with the principles of the Just Transition Mechanism, meaning to provide support to the people and regions most negatively affected by the transition too climate neutrality and to help alleviate the socioeconomic costs of the transition. The RFCS Research Programme shall support collaborative research in the coal sector and shall also provide support for research projects for managing the just transition of formerly operating coal mines or coal mines in the process of closure and related infrastructure in compliance with Article 4(2) of Council Decision 2021/1094).

The present Call is in line with the Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094, together the other Council Decisions (EU) 2021/1207 and 2021/1208 which constitute the new legal basis for the Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), with the newly adopted objectives of the RFCS programme. Additionally, the present Call is also aligned with the existing and incoming relevant legislative initiatives, such as REPowerEU, the Just Transition Mechanism, the Critical Raw Material Act, the EU strategy to reduce methane emissions, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and the Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe'.

Special attention shall be given to proposals focusing on repurposing of former coal and lignite mines as well as coal-related infrastructure, including power supply services, in line with a climate-neutral and environmentally friendly transition in compliance with Article 4(1.d) of Council Decision 2021/1094).

Proposals will aim to build and strengthen synergies with other EU initiatives when relevant, including but not limited to an increased cooperation with cohesion policy (incl. the Just Transition Fund, the European Regional and Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Social Fund Plus), LIFE, Processes4Planet Partnership, Clean Energy Transition Partnership, and Clean Hydrogen Partnership, as well as seeking complementarity with projects funded under Horizon Europe.

Objective:

The RFCS Research Programme (Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094) has the following research objectives for the Coal sector:

• Supporting the just transition of the coal sector and regions (Art. 4);
• Improving health and safety (Art. 5);
• Minimising the environmental impacts of coal mines in transition (Art. 6).

The call objectives are:

1. Repurposing of former coal and lignite mines and coal-related infrastructure including power supply services;
2. Materials and waste reuse, and development of alternative materials, including recovery of critical raw materials;
3. Land monitoring, modelling, stabilisation and/or restoration;
4. Processing of methane emissions;
5. Monitoring, management and/or treatment of mine water and water tables in coal mines in the process of closure and formerly operating mines.

Scope:

Applicants may submit proposals for either Pilot or Demonstration projects (see Art. 15 and Art. 16 of Council Decision 2008/376/EC).

Proposals should be in line with Council Decision (EU) 2021/1094.

In line with Art. 2 of the RFCS Decision 2021/1094, research and technological development funded under the RFCS must be in line with the Just Transition Mechanism goals, meaning to provide support to the people and regions most negatively affected by the transition too climate neutrality and to help alleviate the socioeconomic costs of the transition.

Proposals are expected to include activities to:

• Facilitate the promotion of the development of efficient reskilling and upskilling programmes for workers affected by a coal phase-out, including research on the training and reskilling of workers employed or previously employed in the coal sector, in accordance with Art. 4 (e) of the RFCS Decision 2021/1094.
• Address potential solutions that improve the working conditions of employees of the phasing-out coal mines, in particular health, safety and ergonomics in and around the workplace, in accordance with Art. 10 (a) of the RFCS Decision 2021/1094.

Proposals should address the application of innovative technologies related to one or two of the five call objectives listed below. If addressing two call objectives, proposals should clearly identify which Work Packages address which call objective(s).

Activities are expected to start at TRL 4-5 and achieve TRL 7-8 by the end of the project.

Expected Impact:

Proposals are expected to include an exploitation strategy outlining possible integration of the deliverables of the project (including the pilot/demonstrators) in an industrial environment and a preliminary assessment of their economic viability. When relevant, activities related to economic analysis in the direction of a business case or new business models can also be described.

Proposals will have to demonstrate how they will support the social and economic revitalization of the former coal mines regions, in line with the relevant Territorial Just Transition Plans . Proposals shall involve the local community and focus on the communication to the stakeholders, including citizens.