The specific objectives of the sub-programme 'Circular Economy and Quality of Life' are:

• Develop, demonstrate and promote innovative techniques, methods and approaches to achieve the objectives of EU environmental legislation and policy and contribute to the knowledge base and, where appropriate, to the application of best practice;
• Support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of EU environmental legislation and policy, including by improving governance at all levels, in particular by strengthening the capacities of public and private actors and the involvement of civil society;
• Catalyse the large-scale dissemination of successful technical and policy solutions for implementing EU environmental legislation and policy, replicating results, integrating related objectives into other policies and public and private sector practices, mobilising investment and improving access to finance.

This sub-programme aims to facilitate the transition to a sustainable, circular, toxic-free, energy-efficient and climate-resilient economy and to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment.

This sub-programme will contribute to EU priorities by aiming to

• reduce resource consumption and facilitate the transition to a sustainable, circular, toxic-free, energy-efficient and climate-resilient economy;
• develop circular systems, in line with the new action plan for the circular economy, reflecting the focus on sustainable products, material- and energy-intensive sectors and circular business models for value preservation;
• reduce waste production in line with the waste framework directive 2019/10044 and the reduction of hazardous waste in view of the EU's commitment in the Basel Convention5;
• Improve waste management with regard to waste collection and storage, recovery options and end-of-life disposal, also in islands where waste management faces specific challenges;
• reduce emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere and ensure clean air for EU citizens in line with EU legislation and the objectives of the Zero Pollution Action Plan;
• achieving and maintaining good status of EU water bodies;
• ensuring clean surface and groundwater in sufficient quantities for humans and other species, including by increasing the efficiency of water use;
• reduce the production, use and emissions of hazardous chemicals, and reduce the exposure of humans and the environment to these chemicals
• Promote the development, marketing and adoption of safe and sustainable substances, materials and products by design;
• reduce exposure to harmful noise levels;
• protect EU soil quality, prevent soil degradation through sustainable soil and land management practices, remediate soil pollution and enhance capacity to improve water quality by reducing nitrate losses and reduce emissions through carbon storage.

You can find the Fact Sheet on this Sub-Programme attached.