Interview with the Organisers of the "Legal-By-Design Digital Disruption in the Circular Economy" Project

Interview with the Organisers of the "Legal-By-Design Digital Disruption in the Circular Economy" Project

During 2023 and 2024, our researchers on circular economy and hydrogen have been collaborating with the University of Minho to explore how law shapes and develops novel business and industrial areas. For more on this, visit this website and the EEA Grants site. This is an interview to the organizers about their experience and further research ideas.

• Can you introduce the "Legal-By-Design Digital Disruption in the Circular Economy" project and its main objectives?

Principal Investigator and co-Organiser Marta Santos Silva (University of Minho): The project aims to explore how legal frameworks can be integrated into digital solutions to support the transition to a circular economy. We focus on the concept of "Legal-By-Design," ensuring that digital innovations, such as Digital Product Passports (DPPs), align with regulatory requirements from the outset. Our interdisciplinary approach brings together law, technology, and industry perspectives to create practical and legally sound solutions for the circular economy.

Co-Organiser Ignacio Herrera-Anchustegui (University of Bergen): This initiative is a collaborative effort between the University of Minho and the University of Bergen, funded through the EEA Grants Bilateral Relations Program. We seek to bridge the gap between legal compliance and technological innovation, fostering sustainable practices across industries.

• What was the significance of the kick-off workshop in Bergen?

Co-Organiser Berte-Elen Konow (University of Bergen): The kick-off workshop in Bergen was a crucial moment for laying the groundwork of the project. It brought together senior and junior legal scholars and technology experts to discuss the main challenges and opportunities of integrating digital solutions into the circular economy. We established key research questions, methodologies, and collaborative strategies to guide the project forward.

• Can you tell us more about the two-day workshop in Braga?

Marta Santos Silva: The workshop at JusGov, University of Minho, held on October 9 and 10 2022, was a high-level event featuring some of the most recognized European experts in law, technology, and sustainability. Researchers from both universities, alongside industry stakeholders, engaged in deep and fruitful discussions on regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and industry applications. A Sustainability Observatory was created following this initiative, which bridges academics and industry representatives in the common search for solutions which are sustainable from the legal, economic, technological and environmental perspectives. A workshop with enterprises on the digital product passport, from which resulted a e-book openly accessible here, has been implemented in May 2024 and it was a great success.

Ignacio Herrera-Anchustegui: One of the highlights was the debate on Digital Product Passports and their role in enhancing traceability, transparency, and legal compliance in circular business models. The insights gathered during these two days will help shape the next phases of our research.

• How do you see the impact of this project on policy and industry?

Marta Santos Silva: The project has significant potential to influence policymaking by providing evidence-based recommendations on how digital solutions can be legally integrated into circular economy practices. By working closely with industry partners, we ensure that our findings are not just theoretical but also practically implementable. A digitally created and animated White Paper is in production, and we aim to reach out, in an out-of-the-box manner, policymakers with the results of our research.

Berte-Elen Konow: The involvement of industry stakeholders is essential, as they are the ones who will apply these legal-tech solutions in real-world scenarios. By fostering dialogue between academia, policymakers, and businesses, we aim to create a roadmap for the adoption of Legal-By-Design approaches in digital innovations.

• What are the next steps for the project?

Marta Santos Silva: Moving forward, we will analyze the outcomes of the workshops and conduct further research on Digital Product Passports. We also plan to disseminate policy to facilitate the integration of Legal-By-Design principles into digital systems.

Herrera-Anchustegui: Collaboration remains key. We will continue engaging with stakeholders, organizing further discussions, and exploring funding opportunities to expand our research. The goal is to contribute to a more sustainable and legally robust digital economy.

• Any final thoughts?

Marta Santos Silva: We are excited about the potential impact of this project and grateful for the collaboration between our institutions and partners. The workshops in Bergen and Braga have been invaluable in shaping the direction of our research.

Berte-Elen Konow: Indeed, this project showcases the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in tackling complex global challenges. We look forward to the next stages and to sharing our findings with the wider academic and industrial communities.

This collaboration has been made possible thanks to the funding granted to the research project “Legal-by-design digital disruption in the circular economy: an exploratory research project” by the Iceland Lichtenstein and Norway Grants (EEA Grants), project coordinated by the University of Minho, Portugal (Bilateral Initiative No. FBR_OC2_58).