A large number of products contain various electronic components, and they are even fundamental in some of the European strategic markets such as the automotive sector. The project CIRC-UITS aims to promote and improve circularity within the automotive and mass electronics sectors by reusing and recycling semiconductors. The project aimed to unlock the full potential and benefits of Circular practices through digital technologies. Furthermore, the project aimed to increase resource efficiency and independence and to reduce the negative environmental footprint of electronics production processes through circular behaviour. Another objective was to improve and standardize the exchange of information and data among leading industrial companies involved in the same and/or similar value chains.

The benefits of digital circular economy generated in the project were demonstrated within four Use-Cases.

DIN was responsible for the standardization activities within the consortium. This included the compilation of an overview of published standards relevant for CIRC-UITS, development of a standardization strategy for the CIRC-UITS project including the analysis of standardization gaps, the identification of needs for new or revised standards, and, where appropriate, the drafting of CEN Workshop Agreements (CWA) with the project partners and any interested experts.

For further information please go to projectwebseite: Circ-Uits Project

Project results

Based on the standardization potentials identified during the project, two CEN workshops were initiated, and the following CEN Workshop Agreements (CWA) were drawn up in collaboration with project experts and external experts, to prepare the project results for European standardization:

CWA 18311 Enabling Circular Economy Practices: Repair and Recycling of PBAs

CWA 18313 Use-case for the application of EN 45554 in the automotive industry

In addition, a liaison was established with CEN-CLC JTC 24 Digital Product Passport - Framework and System in order to align project results with ongoing European standardization activities.

Furthermore, the project partners have created a video that presents the role of DIN and the standardization of the project results: EU-CIRCUITS • Episode 05 - #DIN

In January 2026, a handbook titled “Circular Approaches for the Ecodesign, Repair and Remanufacturing of Car and Mass Electronics - The CIRC-UITS Project” has been published, in which chapter 10 describes the standardization work achieved within CIRC-UITS.

Project duration

01/2023 - 12/2025

Project coordination

• POLITECNICO DI MILANO (Italien)

Project partners

• OFFIS EV (Deutschland)
• OSTERREICHISCHE GESELLSCHAFT FUR SYSTEM- UND AUTOMATISIERUNGSTECHNIK (Österreich)
• ASOCIACION DE EMPRESAS TECNOLOGICAS INNOVALIA (Spanien)
• NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO (Niederlande)
• TXT E-SOLUTIONS SPA (Italien)
• CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPA (Italien)
• ROBERT BOSCH GMBH (Deutschland)
• ALPHA ASSEMBLY SOLUTIONS GERMANY GMBH (Deutschland)
• CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE SAS (Frankreich)
• MATERIAL RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY (Niederlande)
• WHIRLPOOL MANAGEMENT EMEA SRL (Italien)
• BESU.SOLUTIONS GMBH (Deutschland)
• POLLINI LORENZO E FIGLI SRL (Italien)
• TRACXON B.V. (Niederlande)
• ERION COMPLIANCE ORGANIZATION SCARL (Italien)

Project funding

Funded by the European Union (GA Nummer: 101091490). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.