ERA-MIN3 comprises a progressive, pan-European public-public partnership of 25 public research funding organisations from 19 European countries/regions and 3 third countries, which aims to continue strengthening the mineral raw materials (RM) community through the coordination of research and innovation (R&I) programmes on non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials (metallic, construction, and industrial minerals). ERA-MIN3 will thus contribute to the objectives of the EIP on Raw Material’s Strategic Implementation Plan and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, in support of the EU Raw Materials Initiative, the UN sustainable development goals and the European Green Deal. Built on the successes of the previous ERA-MIN and ERA-MIN 2, and to ensure the EU’s resource security and sustainable supply of strategic RM to the European society, ERA-MIN3 will achieve its goals of improving synergy, coordination and coherence between regional, national and EU funding in the RM sector by reducing fragmentation of RM funding across Europe and globally, as well as, improving the use of human and financial resources, the competitiveness and the environmental, social, health and safety issues of RM operations through supporting of transnational, excellent and translational R&I activities. This will be achieved through a EU co-funded joint transnational call for R&I proposals and, at least, one additional call with participation of invited partners, on demand-driven R&I on primary and secondary resources, covering the entire value chain, from exploration, extraction and processing technologies to recycling and substitution of CRM, as well as, environmental and societal impact, new business models and/or public perception. ERA-MIN3 will liaison with RM related initiatives to ensure alignment of research topics (e.g. batteries), promote synergies and complementarities thus avoiding duplication of efforts and contributing for the circular economy and the sustainable development.

M-ERA.NET 3 aims at coordinating the research efforts in the participating EU Member States, Regions, and Associated States in materials research and innovation, including materials for future batteries, to support the circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals. A large network of national and regional funding organisations from 25 EU Members States, 4 Associated States and 6 countries outside Europe will implement a series of annual joint calls to fund excellent innovative transnational RTD cooperation, including one call for proposals with EU co-funding and additional non-cofunded calls. Continuing the activities started under the predecessor project M-ERA.NET 2 (3/2016-2/2021), the M-ERA.NET 3 consortium will address emerging technologies and related applications areas, such as - for example- surfaces, coatings, composites, additive manufacturing or integrated materials modelling. Research on materials supporting the large scale research initiative on future battery technologies will be particularly highlighted as a main target of the cofunded call (Call 2021) with a view to supporting in particular SDG 7 (“Affordable and clean energy”) by enabling electro mobility through sustainable energy storage technology and SDG 9 (“Industrial innovation and infrastructure”) by enhancing scientific research and upgrading the technological capabilities of industrial sectors. Several relevant action plans and initiatives will serve as programmatic guides for M-ERA.NET 3 when defining the joint activities, such as the Circular Economy Action Plan, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the EC communication “A clean planet for all”, and the “European Green Deal”. The total mobilised public call budget is expected to reach 150 million € with additional private investment of 50 million €. Thus, the leverage effect of the EU contribution will reach a factor of 13, exceeding by far the minimum required factor of 5.