The HARMONI project coordinated by CIRCE brings together more than 150 European experts in the search for solutions to facilitate the transfer of technologies in process industries

This event discusses options that allow intensive industries to integrate and implement technological solutions more quickly and easily. Technical barriers are certainly a substantial part of technological development. However, there are other non-technological challenges that hinder the application and integration of the technical advances achieved. Among these challenges is the lack of adequate regulation for technical developments, the transposition of European regulation to national conditions that are not always aligned or the different legal frameworks that have an impact on production plants both at the process and product level . All these elements affect the transfer of technical solutions very close to the market. Finally, standards as a tool for exchanging information, knowledge and as a facilitator of technological developments, are not sufficiently developed or used by all actors in intensive industries.

The HARMONI project seeks precisely solutions that help create an adequate regulatory framework as well as create a stable and transparent investment market, which reduces uncertainties and favors investment in R & D & I in intensive industry.

The results of the project are aimed mainly at the European public authorities, mainly the European Commission, responsible for developing and updating the legal texts applicable by industries. For this reason, collaboration and constant dialogue with these organizations is critical. All this will conclude for the benefit of both industries and regulators.

The meetings that are taking place these two days, bring together more than 150 people, mostly companies represented by their researchers and plant managers from intensive sectors, such as: water, engineering, steel, cement, minerals, non-ferrous materials, chemical and ceramic. In addition, a large participation of representatives of the European Commission of the highest level, both speakers and participants in the discussions, reinforces the exchange of views between the public and private sectors. The event is divided into 6 areas, the same ones that the HARMONI project has proposed as the most urgent to face at European level. These are: the need to harmonize policies related to processes and products in intensive industry, access to public financing that is aligned with the needs of the industries, Circular economy, waste recycling, plastics recycling and carbon dioxide recovery. Each session includes questions to the speakers, working groups and discussion panels. All of this allows us to evaluate the possible solutions that industries need, while giving voice to the representatives of the European Commission in an open and transparent dialogue. The conclusions, practical examples and priorities identified at the end of the event will serve to provide the HARMONI project recommendations with content.

This project began at the end of August 2017 and will continue in execution until the end of October of this 2019. Among other possibilities, it is considered the best way to modify the waste framework directive, how to facilitate the development of technologies for separation and treatment of plastics complex, CO2 transformation technologies in order to produce carbon chains with high added value for many different applications or the best way to develop the standardization framework in the coordination of CEN / CENELEC technical groups in the field of circular economy .

Finally, it is worth mentioning the presence of the general investigation direction of the European Commission as the main interested in the HARMONI project. The project, in the words of said general management, can play a very interesting role in the future of the Horizon Europe R&D program, advising in its design on aspects such as the integration of good practices on regulation and standardization. CIRCE, as coordinator of the project and responsible for this event, faces for the first time, the organization of a technical event of such importance and with experts of such high level in the framework of intensive industries at European level.