CLOSER Public Newsletter Issue One
August 05, 2026
Welcome to the CLOSER Public Newsletter.
The transition to a more circular and resilient economy affects everyone. Many of the technologies we use every day, from smartphones and solar panels to electric vehicles and medical devices, depend on critical raw materials (CRMs) such as Silicon, Gallium, Indium, and Germanium. Yet the supply of these materials is increasingly challenged by resource scarcity, geopolitical tensions, and global supply chain disruptions.
This newsletter is designed for a broad audience, including citizens, students, researchers, businesses, policymakers, and sustainability professionals who want to better understand the role of critical raw materials in Europe’s green and digital transitions. In this newsletter, readers will find accessible insights into semiconductor and photovoltaic value chains, innovative recycling and recovery technologies, digital tools such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP), and key European policy insights. We will also share project achievements, industry perspectives, and upcoming events, helping to raise awareness and foster dialogue on building a more sustainable, circular, and resource-secure future for Europe.
About CLOSER
Project Scope
CLOSER stands for Circular raw materials for European open strategic autonomy on chips and microelectronics production. It is an I3 (Interregional Innovation Investments) project that aims to establish a European closed loop for semiconductors, organising the ecosystem for Critical Raw Materials from e-waste, back into sustainable chips and microelectronics.
Figure 1. CRMs challenge in Europe and the CLOSER solution.
Project Work Packages
CLOSER is structured around eight interconnected Work Packages (WPs) that cover the entire circular semiconductor value chain. A Work Package means a major subdivision of the project, from project coordination and e-waste collection to material recovery, semiconductor manufacturing, digital traceability, and market deployment. Each addresses a specific stage of the value chain while contributing to the project’s overarching goal of strengthening Europe’s circular semiconductor ecosystem.
Figure 2. The roles of CLOSER Work Packages.
The CLOSER Consortium
31 partners from eight countries in Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, and Greece, are working together to build and scale a resilient European circular supply chain for semiconductors.
Figure 3. Geographical locations of CLOSER partners across Europe.
The consortium brings together 15 SMEs, 3 clusters, 3 large industrial companies, 7 research and academic institutions, 2 non-profit organisations, and 1 regional authority, combining complementary expertise from across the semiconductor, recycling, digitalisation, research, and circular economy sectors to accelerate innovation and strengthen Europe’s resource resilience.
Figure 4. The CLOSER consortium composition.
To learn more about the expertise and contributions of each consortium member, visit the partner section.
Geopolitical Vulnerabilities of Critical Raw Materials and Europe's Path to Strategic Autonomy
Silicon (Si), gallium (Ga), indium (In), and germanium (Ge)are among the most important materials used in semiconductor manufacturing. More broadly, these and other CRMs underpin virtually all industrial value chains, from raw material extraction and processing to advanced manufacturing. They are essential for clean and digital technologies, including semiconductors, batteries, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient solutions, making them crucial for achieving Europe’s industrial, climate, and sustainability ambitions.
Despite their strategic importance, Europe has limited domestic access to many of these materials. For example, it was estimated that Europe can provide only 1% of the raw materials needed to produce the batteries needed for the Green Deal.As a result, the continent relies heavily on imports of raw materials and electronic components from the Far East and the United States. Since many CRMs are sourced from a limited number of countries, geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and supply chain disruptions pose significant risks to Europe’s industrial competitiveness and technological sovereignty. In addition, Europe has lost considerable expertise and industrial capacity over recent decades due to the relocation of manufacturing activities and the discontinuation of key technological processes.
Against this backdrop, the development of a resilient European supply chain for recovering and reusing semiconductor materials from electronic and industrial waste is both timely and necessary. The overarching objective of CLOSER is to establish a pan-European network for collecting, recycling, and recovering semiconductor-based components, increasing the use of secondary raw materials in Europe’s semiconductor value chain and reducing dependence on external sources. By developing innovative technologies for the recovery and recycling of critical raw materials, CLOSER helps transform waste streams into valuable resources that can be reintroduced into semiconductor manufacturing.
CLOSER will showcase how the principles of circularity and urban mining can be applied to convert end-of-life materials and components from regional smart specialisation sectors into valuable secondary resources. Specifically, the project demonstrates the recovery of:
- Secondary semiconductor critical raw materialsfor use in microelectronics manufacturing; and
- Remanufactured componentsfor strategic European industries that are highly dependent on external supply chains, including automotive, aerospace, renewable energy, healthcare, and computing.
The figure below illustrates the key challenges facing Europe’s semiconductor sector and how CLOSER is contributing to the solution.
Figure 5. CRMs challenge in Europe and the CLOSER solution.
Recovering Critical Semiconductor Materials: Silicon, Silicon carbide, Gallium and Indium
Semiconductors are at the heart of modern technologies, powering everything from smartphones and data centres to solar panels and electric vehicles. A key opportunity lies in the recovery of these valuable materials from electronic waste and end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) modules. Rather than treating discarded electronics as waste, they can be viewed as an urban mine containing critical raw materials that can be recovered and reintroduced into manufacturing processes.
Siliconis the foundation of most semiconductor devices and crystalline photovoltaic cells. Yet despite its importance, the recycling rate of silicon from end-of-life products remains extremely low. Recovering silicon requires several processing steps, including collection, dismantling, removal of glass and other materials, purification, and recrystallisation before it can be reused in new applications.
Silicon carbide (SiC)is becoming increasingly important for advanced power electronics used in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and high-performance electronic devices. Through CLOSER’s revamping and reclaiming activities, valuable SiC substrates are recovered from defective manufacturing wafers and prepared for reuse in new semiconductor production. This approach extends material lifetimes, reduces waste, and decreases the need for virgin resources.
The recovery of gallium and indiumpresents additional challenges. Both materials are typically obtained as by-products of other mining activities, occur in low concentrations, and are embedded within complex products and global value chains. Gallium is widely used in GaAs and GaN semiconductors, LEDs, and advanced photovoltaic technologies, while indium is essential for display technologies, transparent conductive coatings, and CIGS solar cells. Current recycling processes often prioritise the recovery of more abundant and valuable metals, such as copper, causing gallium and indium to be lost as impurities or discarded in processing residues.
To address these challenges, CLOSER is trying to improve collection and sorting approaches, targeted pre-treatment, selective extraction and purification processes, and advanced material characterisation techniques. The project is also investigating whether recovered materials can meet the stringent quality requirements needed for semiconductor manufacturing and be transformed into new wafers and electronic components.
Figure 6. An overview of CRMs recovering process.
Digital Product Passports (DPP): Enabling Transparency Across Circular Value Chains
Secondary critical raw material value chains stretch across many actors and countries, from collectors to recyclers, chemical producers, and electronic manufacturers. Each actor holds only a piece of a product’s history. This fragmentation makes it difficult to trace where secondary materials originate, how they have been processed, and how or if they can be safely reused or recycled.
The Digital Product Passport aims to close this gap by providing a shared, standardised and transparent record that follows products and materials throughout their lifecycle. Within this context, for an interregional innovation project such as CLOSER, the DPP is a critical cornerstone. It will be used to link otherwise disconnected recycling and manufacturing steps, support compliance with the EU CRM regulatory framework, and build the trust needed for the successful integration of secondary raw materials in the European supply chains.
With the successful completion of the CLOSER project, Europe will have a transparent and verifiable information repository on CRMs, promoting circularity and securing its strategic autonomy.
Figure 7. The concept of a Digital Product Passport.
Regulatory Framework and Policy Developments
Critical Raw Materials Act, EU Chips Act, Waste Shipment Regulation, and PFAS Regulation: Potential Impacts on the Semiconductor Industry and CLOSER
The European Union is rapidly strengthening its policy framework to secure access to critical raw materials while building resilient, circular and competitive industrial value chains. At the heart of this agenda is the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which sets ambitious 2030 benchmarks to increase domestic extraction, processing and recycling capacity, while reducing dependence on any single third-country supplier. Together with the EU Chips Act, these measures are designed to reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy in semiconductors and other key technologies.
Complementary legislation is equally important. The revised Waste Shipment Regulation facilitates the development of high-quality recycling within the EU by tightening exports of valuable waste streams to non-OECD countries and improving traceability. Meanwhile, the forthcoming Digital Product Passportwill make information on material composition, repairability and recyclability more accessible throughout product lifecycles, creating new opportunities for recovering valuable secondary raw materials.
The infographic developed within the CLOSER policy work also highlights barriers beyond legislation. Industrial quality standards frequently favour new components over validated reused electronics, while accredited EU-wide testing methods for second-life semiconductor components are still lacking. Mandatory Digital Product Passports for ICT and electronics are not expected until around 2029, meaning recyclers must continue to identify valuable materials in legacy products without digital material data.
Figure 8. Policy challenges for CLOSER.
At the same time, the European semiconductor industry is closely monitoring the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a broad group of chemicals valued for their resistance to heat, chemicals, and corrosion and widely used in semiconductor manufacturing processes and production infrastructure. Like the industry as a whole, our project partner Freiberger is significantly affected by these discussions. It remains uncertain whether, and to what extent, PFAS that are essential for semiconductor production facilities and infrastructure will continue to be permitted. Should these critical uses not be exempted, the European semiconductor sector could face severe disruption. In such a scenario, the industrial-scale implementation of innovations developed within projects such as CLOSER could also be significantly constrained in Europe.
All these policy developments are highly relevant to the CLOSER project. CLOSER highlights the opportunities created by Europe’s circular economy agenda, but also the importance of ensuring that future regulations enable, rather than constrain, the industrial deployment of sustainable semiconductor technologies.
CLOSER Investments & Portfolio Companies
Investment Area 2: EU Semiconductors Production for Open Strategic Autonomy
Investment Update from SMART Photonics
SMART Photonicsis developing Europe’s first industrial-scale manufacturing facility for Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic chips based on 6-inch wafer technology. Backed by an investment of €150 million, the facility aims to bridge the gap between world-class research and scalable industrial production, strengthening Europe’s photonics ecosystem. As a leading European provider of InP technology, SMART Photonics is a key end user of the pilot line and plays an important role in accelerating industrial adoption. The company contributes its extensive expertise in InP-based photonic integrated circuits to support the development and optimisation of 6-inch wafer production processes. In addition, SMART Photonics serves as a training provider, helping to build the skills and knowledge required across the European photonics value chain.
According to CEO Johan Feenstra, participation in this ecosystem initiative will enhance the company’s ability to serve customers across multiple markets while reinforcing the Netherlands’ and Europe’s leadership in photonics manufacturing. Learn more HERE.
Investment Update from ATLANT 3D
ATLANT 3Dbecame a Founding Member of CuspAI’s AI Materials Foundry, a global initiative accelerating AI-driven materials discovery through collaboration between leading industrial and research organizations. Through this partnership, ATLANT 3D is connecting its A-Hub™ autonomous materials foundry to the AI Materials Foundry, bridging AI-driven materials discovery with autonomous physical experimentation and advanced manufacturing. In parallel, the company is preparing the introduction of its next-generation platform, further strengthening its integrated ecosystem for AI-driven materials discovery and accelerating the path from scientific discovery to scalable industrial applications.
This strategic positioning strengthens ATLANT 3D’s innovation ecosystem, expands its collaboration network with major industry stakeholders, and enhances its potential to attract investment and support the industrial scale-up of next-generation semiconductor and advanced materials technologies. Learn more HERE.
Collaboration with EU Projects & Initiatives
High-Level Dutch-European Roundtables Advance Circular Value Chains Under CLOSER
In 2025, Holland Circular Hotspotengaged industry representatives, policymakers, researchers, investors, and regional stakeholders through a series of high-level initiatives aimed at strengthening the circularity and resilience of Europe’s critical raw materials and semiconductor value chains.
Activities in Brainport Eindhoven and at the Municipality of Eindhoven included stakeholder sessions with private-sector representatives, including Philips Healthcare, a site visit to SMART Photonics, and a mini-seminar involving several European regions. These exchanges provided valuable opportunities to showcase the CLOSER project, explore leading innovation ecosystems, and foster regional collaboration on circular semiconductor solutions.
The programme continued in The Hague, where Holland Circular Hotspot, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, organised three thematic roundtables on critical raw materials, semiconductors, and solar photovoltaics. Discussions highlighted the importance of circular supply chains, digital traceability, material recovery, and stronger European cooperation to reduce dependence on external sources. An investor pitching session hosted by Invest International further explored opportunities to accelerate the scale-up of innovative circular solutions. Together, these activities reinforced CLOSER’s role as a catalyst for collaboration, supporting Europe’s ambitions for greater strategic autonomy, resource resilience, and a more circular economy.
CLOSER Digital Product Passport Dissemination: Li4LIFE Cross-fertilisation Workshop
On 17 March 2026, Michail Sismanis, representing GBMS, was invited to participate in the Cross-fertilisation Workshop of the Li4LIFE project, held in Athens, Greece. Li4LIFE aims to develop efficient and innovative technologies for recovering lithium from low-grade or complex ores, strengthening the sustainable management of critical raw materials and the European lithium value chain; goals closely aligned with CLOSER’s own focus on the circularity of semiconductor materials. The presented work focused specifically on the DPP solution being developed within CLOSER, its capabilities, and how it is envisioned as a fundamental digital infrastructure for promoting circularity and strategic autonomy in Europe. This engagement with leading experts and industry stakeholders provided valuable feedback, further helping to shape the DPP’s scope and expand it toward a broader potential user audience.
CLOSER Project Dissemination: Università degli Studi della Tuscia (UNITUS) on Tour at the conferences WOA, ECIS, and EURAM 2026
May and June 2026 have been marked by intense and prolific scientific dissemination activities for the CLOSER project, with the Università degli Studi della Tuscia(UNITUS) actively participating in three of the most relevant European academic events in the fields of Information Systems and Management. Alessio Maria Braccini and Marco Smacchia presented different versions and advancements of their recent studies, embarking on a conference “tour” that covered three major events in a single month:
- WOA 2026 (Workshop on Organisation Studies), held in Rome, 28–29 May 2026.
- ECIS 2026 (European Conference on Information Systems) in Milan, 15–17 June 2026, featuring a presentation within the TREO format.
- EURAM 2026 (European Academy of Management), held in Norway, 16–19 June 2026.
The Core of the Research is Inter-organisational Information Systems, such as the Digital Product Passport and Circular Value Chains. The presented works focused on the role of the Inter-organisational Information Systems as a fundamental information infrastructure for the circular economy. Through the use of analytic simulations, the research explores how different configurations of these systems and policy mixes influence technical, economic, and environmental performance across heterogeneous populations of recycling organisations, with a specific focus on recovering silicon from e-waste. A parallel strand of the study, based on an fsQCA analysis, highlighted the centrality of inter-organisational power dynamics. The findings illustrate how the interaction between policymaker support and producer commitment to circularity is central to achieving high sustainability standards, and how recycler adoption strategies influence the broader ecosystem.
This dense network of participation allowed the research team to gather valuable feedback from the international community, thereby consolidating the theoretical and practical contributions of the CLOSER project to developing strategies for European autonomy in semiconductor production.
CLOSER and HCH Investor Day: Highlights Europe’s Circular CRM Opportunities
On 11 June 2026, Holland Circular Hotspot co-organised the CLOSER Investor Day at imec in Leuven, Belgium, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and project partners to discuss scaling circular critical raw materials in Europe. Discussions highlighted the need to move from pilot projects to large-scale implementation by addressing regulatory, market, and operational challenges. The event featured company pitches from CRITICAL.GREEN , ATLANT 3D, SOLTECH NV , Forkbomb BV, and Wattloop, showcasing innovative solutions in urban mining, advanced manufacturing, circular photovoltaics, digital traceability, and battery systems. The day concluded with the CLOSER Consortium Meeting and an exclusive tour of imec’s lab facilities.
ATLANT 3D Strengthens CLOSER Visibility Through CuspAI Collaboration
ATLANT 3Dhas further increased the visibility of the CLOSER project by joining the CuspAI initiative as a founding member, contributing to the advancement of AI-driven materials discovery and critical raw materials processing. Through this strategic collaboration, ATLANT 3D is helping accelerate innovation at the intersection of advanced materials, artificial intelligence, and sustainable manufacturing, while fostering stronger links between industry and research communities that support the objectives of CLOSER.
Feragame Recycling Facility Visit: Advancing CRM Recovery from End-of-Life PV Panels
On 21 July 2026, a technical meeting was held at the Feragamerecycling facility, bringing together the CLOSER consortium representatives from Feragame, ERP, and Due2Lab. The facility specializes in the treatment and recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) panels.
The meeting focused on evaluating the potential deployment of a tool developed by Due2Lab and defining the technical and operational steps required for its implementation. The tool is designed to identify and quantify the concentration of CRMs in the powder fractions generated during the shredding of end-of-life PV panels. Following the discussions, the partners conducted a guided tour of the facility to assess the characteristics of the material streams and identify the most suitable location for integrating the device within the existing treatment line.
The meeting marked an important milestone towards validating the technology in a real industrial environment and provided an opportunity for the partners to jointly assess the technical requirements and practical considerations for its integration into the recycling process.
Selcom Advances Circular Economy Through the European CLOSER Project
Selcom Group continues to make tangible progress within the CLOSER project, contributing to a more sustainable manufacturing model based on material recirculation and resource efficiency. One of the objectives of CLOSER is to give a second life to electronic components recovered from end-of-life or discarded printed circuit boards, enabling their reuse in new products. As part of this initiative, Selcom has prepared its SMT production line to remount recovered components by configuring the placement equipment and developing the appropriate assembly programs to ensure accurate and reliable positioning on new electronic boards. The components are then soldered using Selcom’s reflow oven, guaranteeing the high levels of quality and reliability required for the final product.
On 22 July 2026, Selcom welcomed Professor Francesca Nanni, coordinator of the CLOSER project, to Selcom’s facilities. During the visit, they presented the progress achieved so far and showcased the technological solutions implemented to support the recovery, reuse, and reintegration of electronic components into the manufacturing process. The visit provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the next steps of the project and the important role that the electronics industry can play in the transition towards a more circular economy, reducing waste, and preserving valuable resources.
Selcom is proud to contribute to a European initiative that combines innovation, sustainability, and responsible resource management, transforming electronic waste into new opportunities for the future.
CLOSER and EVEN CLOSER Featured in LOOPS Webinar on Critical Raw Materials
CLOSER partner Veltha continues to promote circular semiconductor value chains through its LOOPS webinar series and newsletter, which recently featured the sister project EVEN CLOSER. The webinar brought together several EU-funded initiatives to explore how digital traceability tools and Digital Product Passports can support the recovery and reuse of CRMs in Europe’s circular economy.
During the session, EVEN CLOSER presented its vision of expanding the circular semiconductor value chain by strengthening the collection, recycling, and reprocessing of semiconductor-based components containing strategic materials such as silicon, gallium, indium, and germanium. A key focus was Attesta, an end-to-end traceability platform designed to document material recovery processes and generate reliable Digital Product Passports, helping improve transparency, material tracking, and circular value chain management. Through initiatives such as LOOPS, Veltha is fostering knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement while increasing the visibility of both EVEN CLOSER and the broader objectives of the CLOSER ecosystem.
Events & Representation
CLOSER places strong emphasis on direct stakeholder engagement through participation in key industry, research, and policy events. These platforms provide valuable opportunities to showcase project results, exchange knowledge, gather feedback, and build collaborations that support the development of circular value chains for semiconductors and critical raw materials. The second half of 2026 features a series of events where CLOSER partners engage with industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, investors, and other stakeholders to promote project outcomes and strengthen the European ecosystem for circular semiconductors. Take a look at the event schedule below.
Looking ahead, the consortium aims to maximise its visibility and participation across relevant events in the fields of semiconductors, microelectronics, critical raw materials, WEEE, solar panels, and the circular economy. In addition to the events listed above, partners are encouraged to identify and attend national and international conferences, trade fairs, and networking opportunities aligned with CLOSER’s objectives.
To stay informed about future CLOSER events, project developments, and opportunities to engage with the circular semiconductor ecosystem, follow CLOSER on LinkedIn.
Follow the CLOSER partners on LinkedIn:
AFIL – Associazione Fabbrica Intelligente Lombardia , ATLANT 3D , Regione Calabria , Closing the Loop , Clust-ER Meccatronica e Motoristica , CRITICAL.GREEN , GREEN BLUE MODERN SOLUTIONS PC, Dockweiler Chemicals , Due2Lab , ERP Italia Servizi , Feragame , Fivrec , Forkbomb BV , Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft , Freiberger Compound Materials GmbH , Holland Circular Hotspot , imec in Vlaanderen , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research , Leonardo , Ufficio Camerale , Out of Use nv , Politecnico di Milano , RAIT88 , Selcom Group , SMART Photonics , SOLTECH NV , SweGaN AB , University of Rome Tor Vergata , Università degli Studi della Tuscia , Università Telematica Pegaso , Veltha, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
