Impact Innovation - Regulations and policy instruments for a sustainable industry

With this the call for proposals Metals & Minerals and Net Zero Industry want to contribute to a sustainable transition in line with the programs' mission and program goals as well as the call's resultsand impact goals. See section 2.

The call for proposals is focused on regulations and policy instruments that affect the conditions for sustainable transition. The aim is to contribute to a reduced climate and environmental footprint within the manufacturing, mining and metal industries.

The projects that are financed are expected to contribute to the development of regulations and policy instruments. This is by, for example, analyzing policy-related obstacles and goal conflicts for sustainable transition and highlighting effects on the industry's global competitiveness.

The call for proposals covers policy and instruments nationally, within the EU and internationally as well as from standardization bodies. Examples of instruments that are covered are laws, regulations, permits, procurement, various economic instruments, certifications and standards.

At least three parties must participate in the projects. At least one of these must be an industry operator.

The project that are granted are expected to have a project duration of up to 14 months. Vinnova's funding amounts to a maximum of SEK 1,500,000 per project. Maximum aid intensity amounts to 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs.

The call for proposals aims at a reduced climate and environmental footprint within the manufacturing, mining and metal industries. The focus is on regulations and policy instruments that affect the conditions for sustainable transition.

The projects that are financed are expected to contribute with data with potential for the development of various types of regulations and control instruments. Furthermore, the projects are expected to analyze obstacles, goal conflicts and highlight effects on the industry's global competitiveness.

The call for proposals is made within the framework of Impact Innovationprogrammen Metals & Minerals and Net Zero Industry with aim of contributing to the missions and program goals below.

Net Zero Industry's mission is to reduce the footprint of the Swedish manufacturing industry until 2035 compared to 2024 with:

• 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions per revenue during the lifetime of the product or service.
• 75 percent reduced greenhouse gas emissions from resources such as energy and materials used in manufacturing processes per produced department, regardless of disruptions in the manufacturing system.
• Increased resilience within Swedish manufacturing industry including robust supply chains.

Metals & Minerals' mission is to ensure a sustainable and resilient supply of metals and minerals for the transformation of society. It means, among other things, that sustainability aspects such as biodiversity, water and air quality need to be taken into account.

Metals & Minerals' program objective is:

• Significant Swedish funding for the EU's CRMA objective that at least 10 percent of the EU's annual use of strategic raw materials must be produced in the Union and that at least 25 percent is recycled material.
• Fossil-free processing chains for minerals and metals in 2045.
• Significantly reduced environmental footprint for mineral and metal production in 2040.
• Threefold increase in qualified applicant for jobs in the mining and metals industry in 2035 compared to 2020.

Regulations and instruments are of great importance for the transformation of the industry. On the one hand, harmonised, relevant and well-designed regulations and instruments can provide direction, stimulate and speed up efforts for change. On the other hand, poorly designed or missing regulations and instruments can lead to weak incentives and unclear rules of the game, which can discourage long-term investments for sustainable transition.

Other challenges are the handling of objective- and conflicts of interest as well as risks for social and regional inequality.

The call for proposals includes policy and instruments from the public sector as well as from industries and standardization bodies. The means of control can be of many different kinds such as laws, rules, regulations, permits, testing, supervision, standards and certifications. Furthermore, various types of economic instruments are included such as taxes, fees, funding, subsidies and pledge systems. Finally, strategies, roadmaps and the like are included with relevance for sustainable transformation of the industry.

The results of the call for proposals

The projects are expected to result in:

• Knowledge with potential to contribute with the basis for the development of regulations and policy instruments with relevance for sustainable transition including potential effects on social and regional equality.
• Knowledge of objective- and conflicts of interest as well as increased understanding of effects on the industry's global competitiveness of current and future regulations and policy instruments.
• Plan for continued exploitation of the project results after the end of the project period.

The call's impact goals

In the long term, the project results are expected to have the following effects:

• Regulations and policy instruments that promote Net Zero Industry's or Metals & Minerals' mission and program goals.
• Regulations and instruments that are appropriate and contribute to a reduced climate and environmental footprint from the manufacturing, mining and metal industries.
• Reduced policy-related obstacles and improved management of objective- and conflicts of interest including regulations and policy instruments that promote the industry's sustainable competitiveness.

Focus on climate and gender equality in all our investments

Vinnova is tasked with promoting sustainable growth and community development. Genom Agenda 2030, the countries of the world have agreed on a global agreement and understanding of what characterizes sustainable development. Through our efforts, we contribute to the global commitment to reach the goals.

In Inom Agenda 2030, Vinnova has particularly singled out climate and gender equality as two central sustainability perspectives to which our funded investments should contribute positively. Project financed by Vinnova are therefore expected to take special account of the climate and gender equality aspects.

One aspect that Vinnova follows up on and assesses is whether both women and men equally share in the contribution, participate in and have influence over the project. This aspect is included in the assessment criterion Actors.

Another aspect involves analyzing and deciding whether there are gender aspects that are relevant to the project's problem area, solutions and utilization. In the application form under the heading " Project tasks" there is a question about this which is mandatory to answer in all applications. This aspect is included in the assessment criteria Potential and Feasibility.

Our work to contribute to the goals of Agenda 2030

Equal innovation - what it means for you who seek funding from us

Free access to scientific publications and results

Results from research and innovation that are made freely available increase the opportunity for more people to contribute to solutions to societal challenges. This the call for proposals should contribute to making more results freely available to everyone. Therefore, all scientific publication must be open access.

The offer is aimed at universities, university colleges, research institutes, companies, business organizations, the public sector and non-profit organizations.

At least three project parties must participate, one of which is an industry player with knowledge of and understanding of the industry's conditions. Industrial actor refers to an industrial company, trade association, business organization or a labor market party.

Participant seeking funding must be a Swedish legal entity in Sweden. Foreign actors without a branch or place of business can participate in the projects without funding from Vinnova.

Metals & Minerals and Net Zero Industry are looking for collaborative projects that gather forces around regulations and policy instruments relevant to the programs' objective and missions.

Examples of activities that are financed:

• Research, analysis and investigation to develop knowledge that is relevant and useful for policy development or the development of knowledge about barriers to change and effects on the industry's long-term competitiveness.
• Activities for interaction with industry representatives and other relevant actors.
• Communication activities including development of strategy and plan to communicate and exploit project results after the end of the project period.

Communication, dissemination and utilization outside the project constellation is deemed to be particularly important and should therefore be a clear part of the project plan.

What is not funded in this call for proposals:

• Development of technical solutions is an important piece of the puzzle for conversion but is not the focus of this the offer.
• Project proposals that constitute point efforts without clear spillover effects and where the benefit only accrues to one or a few individual actors. The projects must address problems or questions that are relevant to more than the applicant actor constellation.
• Project proposals that do not address the call's resultsand impact goals.

Our funding is covered by rules on state aid. The rules govern both what kind of costs and what proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined for each organization individually. We therefore differentiate how much funding the project can receive, and how much each participating participant can receive.

How much funding can the project get?

The grant can amount to a maximum of 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs and the grant per project can amount to a maximum of 1.5 million kroner.

How much funding can a participant receive?

In this the call for proposals we provide support to economic actors according to the regulation on support of minor importance (EU no. 2023/2831). According to this regulation, the maximum aid intensity for economic actors is 100 percent. This type of support is also called de minimis support. Organizations with economic activities that seek funding must attach a completed certificate for support of minor importance.

Universities, research institutes or other actors who participate with their non-economic activities can receive a maximum of 100 percent in funding.

Note that the grant can amount to a maximum of 80 percent of the project's total eligible costs.

What costs can we finance?

Our funding may only go to certain types of costs. These are called eligible costs. In this the call for proposals these types of costs are eligible:

• Personnel costs: Salaries, social security contributions and other personnel costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or used under license from an external actor.
• Other direct costs: For example materials, stock items and travel necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are not incurred as an immediate consequence of but can be related to the project, for example regular premises and cleaning.
  Indirect costs may constitute a maximum of 30 percent of personnel costs.

For more detailed information on which costs we can finance, see our instruction on eligible costs.

What eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

For a cost to be eligible, it must be necessary for the activities of the project. Project costs must also be properly accounted for and reported separately from the organization's other costs. An organization may also not take up someone else's costs as its own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our instruction on eligible costs.

In order for us to take a position on and assess your proposal it must meet certain basic requirements - so-called formal eligibility requirements. If these eligibility requirements are not met, our evaluator will not handle your proposal.

• The project parties are legal entities
• At the time of application, the constellation must consist of at least three project parties, of which at least one is an industrial player
• The project manager is employed by one of the project parties
• That the project's estimated aid intensity according to the budget does not exceed 80 percent
• Proposal is written in Swedish or English
• Proposal strictly follows the instructions set out in section 9.

What do we assess?

Potential

That is, the importance of the project results and the effects if the project is successful.

• To what extent the project, if successful, will contribute to the call's performance objectives.
• To what degree the project, if successful, will contribute to the call's impact goals.
• How well the project is judged to contribute to increased gender equality.
• How well the project is judged to contribute positively to the global goals in Agenda 2030, and how well it is judged to minimize the negative effects.

Actors

That is, who the project parties and other actors are and how the collaboration between them is organized to implement the project.

• How well the actor constellation's composition, competence, ability and commitment relate to project goals and implementation.
• To what extent does the project group have access to relevant competence in sustainability.
• The project manager's ability and commitment to lead the project.
• How well the project team is composed with respect to gender distribution, including the distribution of power and influence between women and men.

Feasibility

That is, how the project has been designed to reach its resultsand impact goals.

• To what extent the project plan and budget are realistic, credible and expedient.
• How appropriate the approach and involvement of project parties and other relevant stakeholder groups is.
• To what degree the implementation is open and designed in such a way that actors outside the project consortium can follow the project, contribute with views and take part in results.
• How well equality and equity aspects have been integrated into the project plan.

How do we judge?

The assessment of applications takes place in competition between received applications.

The applications that meet the formal requirements in section 6 will be evaluated against the assessment criteria in section 7 by specially appointed external evaluator, who are appointed by Vinnova.

The assessment results in a recommendation to Vinnova which is the basis for Vinnova's decision regarding funding.

When we have assessed all applications, we will send a decision in which we either grant or reject your proposal. In the decision, we state how much funding each party in the project is granted. Our decision cannot be appealed.

What if you are granted funding?

If we grant your proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms and conditions include this:

• That you must sign a special document in which you agree to carry out the project
• That you must report the project's costs and results to Vinnova regularly during the project
• How the results will be used, and how any scientific publication will take place.

See our general terms and conditions and get help understanding and fulfilling them

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

The following term replaces § 1.4 of the general terms and conditions. Project agreement is not required in this project.

• The project must be represented by at least one participant at the conferences and other activities organized within Net Zero Industry and Metals & Minerals.
• The project must maintain a continuous dialogue with Net Zero Industry's and Metals & Minerals' program office and project support throughout the duration of the project.
• In information about the project and in every publication of project results, it must be stated that: the work was carried out within Net Zero Industry and Metals & Minerals, a joint effort by Vinnova, Formas and the Energy Agency.

We can also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In that case, they appear in the decision.

Can you have to pay back funding?

If you do not follow our term you may be liable for a refund. This also applies if you have been granted funding incorrectly or with an amount that is too high.

To apply for funding you fill in a proposal in our e-service. Proposal contains questions about the project, other project parties and budget.

You also attach these attachments to proposal:

• A project description according to the mandatory template, maximum 10 pages.
• An attachment with a CV for the project manager and other key people in the project according to the mandatory CV template, maximum 1 page/person.
• Organizations with economic activities seeking funding must attach a completed form for support of minor importance (de minimis support, negligible support) according to regulation EU no. 2023/2831.

At the same time as proposal is sent to Vinnova, a non-confidential public project description of two pages must also be sent to the program offices for Net Zero Industry and Metals & Minerals via e-mail utlysningar@netzeroimpact.se and rasmus.ostlund@jernkontoret.se. The content of the two pages sent to the program office must be able to be distributed and published freely and must not contain confidential or otherwise sensitive information.

Start proposal in good time

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on analyzes you will be doing. Therefore, start in good time. You can start filling in information and continue at a later time. When proposal is ready, you mark it as done.

You can unlock proposal and make changes at any time, right up until the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it as ready for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

2024-08-23

Addendum in section 3:

Industrial actor refers to an industrial company, trade association, business organization or a labor market party.

2024-08-21

In section 9, the email address has been changed from cecilia.ramberg@ri.se to utlysningar@netzeroimpact.se