Strengthening Circular Economy in the Philippines (Reference N. PH 23 NDICI EN 01 26)

Twinning call to strengthen circular economy capacity of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Philippines under the EU Green Economy Partnership, publication reference EuropeAid. Maximum EU grant €3,550,000; project duration up to 36 months (39 months contract period) and mandatory placement of a full-time Resident Twinning Adviser at EMB. Only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply via their National Contact Points for Twinning; submissions must be sent to delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu by Friday 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Proposals must follow the Twinning Manual templates and include CVs for the Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser and Component Leaders, addressing the three mandatory components on impact assessment, investment environment and institutional capacity for EPR enforcement.

Call type and scope

Twinning project to build EMB capacity on circular economy and EPR

What it funds:A Twinning action to strengthen the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to integrate circular economy principles into waste policies, enforcement and investment facilitation (focus areas include EPR, impact assessment, LGU support, advisory services, training and EU-PH research cooperation).

Maximum grant amount:€3,550,000 maximum for the Twinning grant ¹.

1. 1Who may apply: Only public administrations and mandated bodies of EU Member States via their National Contact Points for Twinning.
2. 2Beneficiary: Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippines.

Selection and submission:Member State administrations submit a single Twinning proposal via their National Contact Point. Selection considers operational capacity (PL, RTA, Component Leaders) and proposal quality; selection meeting provisionally in late August 2026. Submit applications by e-mail to the Delegation: delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu. More details available on the portal Opportunity page.

Footnotes

1. 1Call documents (Invitation Letter, Twinning Fiche, Annexes) published by the EU Delegation to the Philippines: webgate.ec.europa.eu and related links in the portal.

Opportunity summary

Call for proposals (Twinning) issued by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines to implement a Twinning project entitled Strengthening Circular Economy in the Philippines under the Green Economy Programme in the Philippines (ACT-61024). The Twinning aims to enhance the capacity of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to promote and implement circular economy principles in waste-related policies, programs and investments. The maximum EU-funded budget is €3,550,000 and the project duration is up to 36 months (implementation period) with a total contract execution period of up to 39 months. Submission deadline to the EU Delegation is 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. The call is published under Publication reference EuropeAid and Call identifier 187000. Detailed Twinning fiche, invitation letter and annexes are available in the Publication Documents Twinning Fiche and Publication Documents ¹.

Reference and administrative identifiers:Publication reference: EuropeAid; Twinning reference: PH 23 NDICI EN 01 26; Portal topic identifier: 187000PROSPECTSEN; Programme: ACT-61024 Green Economy Programme in the Philippines; Beneficiary administration: Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), DENR; Implementing agency: European Union Delegation to the Philippines. ¹

Eligible Applicant Types

Only public administrations and mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply. Applications must be submitted through the EU Member State National Contact Points for Twinning, in accordance with the Twinning Manual. Proposals are to be led by an EU Member State public administration (the Member State Project Leader) and include designation of a Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA), Component Leaders and a pool of short-term experts.

Funding Type

Grant financing via a Twinning contract under direct management by the EU Delegation to the Philippines (EU-funded Twinning grant). The modality is Twinning (technical cooperation between an EU Member State public administration and a beneficiary administration).

Consortium Requirement

Single lead applicant per proposal:one EU Member State public administration submits the Twinning proposal through its National Contact Point. Proposals should demonstrate an administrative structure that mobilises the Project Leader, Resident Twinning Adviser, Component Leaders and short-term experts. The engagement includes close cooperation with the beneficiary (EMB/DENR) and GEPP partners but the formal applicant is a single Member State public administration.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Applicants must be public administrations or mandated bodies from EU Member States (EU). The activity will be implemented in the Philippines (beneficiary country). National Contact Points for Twinning of Member States coordinate submissions.

Target Sector

Primary sector:Environment, with thematic focus on circular economy, solid waste management, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), plastic waste reduction, climate mitigation, resource efficiency and sustainable investment facilitation. Cross-cutting links to energy (energy efficiency, renewable deployment), research and innovation, public administration reform, and private sector engagement.

Mentioned Countries

Philippines (beneficiary country). Applicants must be institutions from EU Member States (applicants). The call references EU-Philippines relations and EU Member States as potential implementing partners.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity

Maturity:capacity-building and implementation support (development, validation and demonstration). The Twinning is oriented to institutional strengthening, policy development, training, advisory services, pilot exchange of best practices and mainstreaming of circular economy into policies and investments — moving from policy design and systems integration toward operationalisation and institutionalisation rather than early research or pure commercialization.

Funding Amount

Maximum EU-funded budget for the Twinning project:€3,550,000 (three million five hundred fifty thousand euros).

Application Type and Submission Method

Open Twinning call for EU Member State National Contact Points. Twinning proposals must be submitted by the Member State National Contact Point to the Contracting Authority (EU Delegation to the Philippines) by e-mail to delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu before 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State may be submitted to the Contracting Authority. Requests for clarification must be sent by 17 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time; responses to questions will be provided by 27 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time.

Nature of Support

Primarily monetary support via an EU-financed Twinning grant contract paying for the implementation of Twinning activities, expert costs, staff (RTA, assistants), study visits, training, equipment/operational support as defined by the Twinning Manual and contract. The Twinning also delivers substantial non-monetary technical assistance: peer-to-peer exchange, expert secondments, capacity building, advisory services, institutional advisory, curricula development, research cooperation facilitation, and facilitation of access to EU best practices and standards.

Application Stages

The selection and award process described is effectively a single-stage submission evaluated against selection and award criteria; however there is a subsequent selection meeting and possible remote interview/representation meeting. Key steps: submission by National Contact Point, administrative eligibility check, qualitative evaluation (selection and award criteria including PL/RTA profiles), provisional selection meeting (provisionally around 25 August 2026, remote via Webex), notification of selection (expected September 2026), contracting and mobilization. Overall, applicants should expect at least 1 formal evaluation stage with subsequent contracting steps (so answer: 1 main submission stage followed by selection/steering meeting and contracting).

1. 1Submission by Member State National Contact Point to EU Delegation by 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time.
2. 2Administrative and eligibility screening against Twinning Manual requirements (Project Leader, RTA, Component Leaders profiles).
3. 3Qualitative evaluation and scoring of award criteria (scoring 1 to 5 for award criteria).
4. 4Selection meeting (provisional date late August 2026) where Member State delegation should be represented by proposed PL and RTA.
5. 5Notification of selection and contracting, expected September 2026, followed by project commencement within three months of notification.

Success Rates

No explicit success rate is provided in the Twinning fiche or publication notice. Twinning calls are competitive and limited to one selected Member State per Twinning fiche; therefore the selection probability depends on number and quality of Member State submissions. Historically Twinning calls typically result in a single winner per fiche, implying a low success rate relative to the number of potential Member State applicants.

Co-funding Requirement

No co-funding from the beneficiary (EMB) is specified as a requirement in the Twinning fiche. Twinning grants follow Twinning Manual rules where the grant covers costs related to experts, RTA, training, study visits and limited operational costs. Member State administrations provide the experts and administer their engagement through the Twinning contract; in many Twinning projects Member State administrations bear no additional mandatory cash co-financing, but in-kind contributions (staff time, expertise) are implicit. Applicants must follow Twinning Manual requirements regarding budget lines and eligible costs.

Selection and Award Criteria — Overview

Selection criteria focus on operational capacity of proposed key staff and structures (Project Leader, RTA, Component Leaders) and are assessed on a Yes/No basis; a single negative selection criterion disqualifies the proposal. Award criteria assess the quality of the proposal and merits (methodology, sequencing, quality of expertise, experience of administration in cooperation projects) and are scored 1 to 5. Applicants must strictly follow the Twinning Manual and use the mandated templates.

Profiles and Required Expertise (Key Personnel)

The Twinning fiche details required profiles and tasks for the Project Leader (PL), Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA), Component Leaders (3), short-term experts (STEs), Permanent RTA Assistant and Permanent Language Assistant. Requirements include university degree in relevant disciplines, minimum years of relevant experience (typically 8 years total professional experience and at least 3 years in relevant public-sector reform/circular economy/EPR/ waste management), familiarity with EU circular economy practices and legislation, project management, inter-institutional coordination, training and advisory skills, excellent English, and computer literacy. The RTA will be resident full-time in EMB premises for the project duration.

Mandatory Results and Components (Summary)

The Twinning is structured around three components with specific Mandatory Results (MRs):Component 1: Integration of circular economy principles in projects with significant environmental impacts (MRs on impact assessment, strategic planning and socio-economic integration, MERV strengthening). Component 2: Fostering a business-friendly and predictable environment for sustainable investments (MRs on compliance assessment for fast-tracked projects, tax incentives alignment, advisory services for companies). Component 3: Sustained institutional and technical capacity of national and regional EMB offices (MRs on curricula development and institutionalised training, cooperation with EU and Philippine research institutions).

1. 1Component 1 MRs: MR1 exchange on environmental, financial and economic impact assessment of waste-related projects; MR2 on integrating environmental and socio-economic considerations into strategic planning and policy-making.
2. 2Component 2 MRs: MR1 on strengthening compliance assessment for fast-track high-impact projects; MR2 on strengthening tax incentives for environmentally compliant investments; MR3 on enhancing advisory services to companies.
3. 3Component 3 MRs: MR1 develop/test/institutionalise at least one training curriculum; MR2 establish cooperation with research institutions for co-creation and innovation.

Implementation Arrangements and Management

The EU Delegation to the Philippines is the implementing agency responsible for tendering, contracting and accounting. The EMB is the beneficiary and lead counterpart for coordination with DENR and other Philippine stakeholders. A Project Steering Committee (PSC) will oversee implementation. The RTA will be based in EMB premises; EMB will provide office space and basic facilities. All formal documentation and reporting will be in English. Interim and final reports require narrative and financial sections and follow Twinning Manual templates and Twinning reporting rules.

Facilities and support provided by EMB:EMB will host EUMS experts and RTA assistants and provide offices, international telephone line, internet access, printers, projectors for workshops and photocopier as described in the Twinning fiche.

Key Dates

Submission deadline to the Contracting Authority:07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Request for clarification deadline: 17 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Responses to questions: by 27 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Provisional selection/committee and meetings: late August 2026 (selection meeting provisionally around 25 August 2026, remotely by Webex). Notification of selection expected in September 2026. Project implementation should commence no later than three months after notification of selection.

Application Templates and Required Documents

Applicants must follow the Twinning Manual requirements and use the mandated Twinning proposal template. The submission must include: CVs of designated Project Leader (PL) and Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA), CVs of potential Component Leaders, a concise but detailed technical proposal demonstrating how the mandatory results will be achieved (methodology, sequencing, timetable), administrative structure and capacity of the Member State entity, and evidence of the applicant being a public administration or mandated body. Only one Twinning proposal per Member State may be submitted to the Contracting Authority. Annexes referenced in the Twinning Manual (Annex C6 administrative compliance and eligibility grid; Annex C7 Twinning Manual) must be respected.

1. 1Mandatory use of Twinning Manual templates for proposal and administrative compliance documentation.
2. 2Inclusion of CVs for PL and RTA and potentially named Component Leaders.
3. 3Clear description of sequencing, methodology, and timetable; demonstration of operational capacity and relevant experience of the Member State administration.
4. 4Submission through Member State National Contact Point to the EU Delegation email: delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu.

Monitoring, Reporting and Indicators

Reporting follows Twinning Manual:interim reports for each PSC meeting and a final report. Reports include narrative and financial parts and should measure progress against the logical framework indicators (examples provided in Annex C1a), including reductions in plastic leakage, number of policies integrating circular economy principles, number of tools and curricula developed and institutionalised, number of LGUs and companies supported, and indicators linked to GEPP outputs. The Twinning fiche provides indicative indicators and sources of verification.

Cross-cutting considerations and sustainability

The Twinning emphasises gender-responsiveness, inclusion of vulnerable and informal sector stakeholders (e.g. women in MSMEs and informal waste sector), respect for traditional ecological knowledge, rights-based approaches, just transition principles and alignment with climate mitigation objectives. Sustainability is sought via institutionalisation of deliverables within EMB structures and embedding training curricula and operational tools into regular EMB functions without dependence on additional budget where possible.

Risks and Assumptions

Key external assumptions include continued political commitment to circular economy in the Philippines, availability of relevant data, engagement of stakeholders, timely coordination with GEPP partners, and conducive economic and investment conditions. Identified risks include busy government agendas causing timing delays, turnover of key staff, and potential need for extension of the GEPP financing agreement to cover the full Twinning implementation period.

How to apply — practical steps

National Contact Points for Twinning in EU Member States must collect and validate proposals from their national public administrations and submit the Twinning proposal by e-mail to the EU Delegation in the Philippines at delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu before the deadline. Member State delegations must ensure proposed PL and RTA are available to participate in the selection meeting (remote) and that CVs and proposal follow the Twinning Manual templates.

Concluding summary

This Twinning call offers an EU-funded technical cooperation opportunity (maximum €3,550,000) for an EU Member State public administration to partner with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Philippines to strengthen institutional capacity for circular economy integration in waste-related policies, enforcement, investment facilitation and local government implementation. The project covers three interlinked components: improving impact assessments and policy integration, making the investment environment more predictable and circular-economy-friendly, and institutionalising training, curricula and research cooperation. The Twinning requires a Member State public administration lead, nominated Project Leader and Resident Twinning Adviser (RTA) who will be resident in Manila, and a team of Component Leaders and short-term experts. Applicants must follow the Twinning Manual templates, submit via National Contact Points, and meet eligibility, selection and award criteria. The call closes on 07 August 2026 and selected partner will be expected to start implementation within three months of notification, with a project duration up to 36 months and contract execution period up to 39 months. The action is part of the EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership (GEPP) and aligns with national policy frameworks and international standards to advance circularity, reduce plastic leakage and mainstream EPR and sustainable investment approaches. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1Official publication and supporting documents (Invitation Letter, Twinning Fiche and Annexes) are available via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page: ec.europa.eu. The Invitation Letter, Twinning Fiche and Annex C9 publication notice were published 29 May 2026 and contain full procedural and technical details.

Key Facts at a Glance

Who Can Apply

Only Public Administrations and Mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply, through their respective National Contact Points for Twinning ¹. Private companies, NGOs, or Filipino entities cannot submit proposals directly.

Maximum Grant Amount:€3,550,000 (maximum) ².

Project Duration:Up to 36 months of implementation, with a total contract period of 39 months ².

Deadline for Submission:Friday, 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time (via National Contact Points) ³.

1. 1Public Administrations of EU Member States
2. 2Mandated bodies as defined in the Twinning Manual
3. 3Applications must be submitted via the Member State’s National Contact Point for Twinning

Beneficiary and Strategic Context

The beneficiary is the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines ². The project is part of the EU-Philippines Green Economy Partnership (GEPP), a €60 million political commitment (2023–2028) to support green and circular transition ².

Project Objectives and Components

The Twinning aims to enhance EMB’s capacity to implement circular economy in waste-related policies, programmes, and investments through three mandatory components ².

Mandatory Results (MRs)

Each component includes specific mandatory results, such as exchanging expertise on impact assessment (C1-MR1), strengthening compliance for fast-track projects (C2-MR1), and developing at least one institutionalized training curriculum (C3-MR1) ².

Key Team Requirements

Proposals must include CVs for the Project Leader (PL), Resident Twinning Advisor (RTA), and Component Leaders (CLs). The RTA must be based full-time at EMB premises for the entire project duration ².

1. 1PL: Senior public administration staff, 8+ years experience, 3+ years in circular economy reforms
2. 2RTA: Based full-time at EMB, 8+ years experience, track record in EPR/circular policies
3. 3CLs: One per component, 8+ years experience, relevant sector expertise

Application Process and Timeline

Applications must be submitted by the Lead Member State Administration to the National Contact Point, following the Twinning Manual template strictly ³. The selection meeting is expected in Manila around 25 August 2026 (remote via Webex), with results notified in August 2026 ².

Clarification Deadline:17 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time ².

Responses to Questions:By 27 July 2026, 12:00 Brussels time ².

Cross-Cutting Priorities

The project emphasizes gender-responsiveness, inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge, rights-based approaches, and just transition principles, ensuring no group is left behind in the circular economy shift ².

Contact Information

For clarifications and submissions:delegation-philippines-cfs@eeas.europa.eu ². Beneficiary contact: Engr. Marivic E. Yao (EMB Assistant Director) ².

Footnotes

1. 1Eligibility criteria defined in Annex C9 of the Twinning Fiche: Only Public Administrations and Mandated bodies from EU Member States may apply via National Contact Points ².
2. 2Full project details from the Twinning Fiche (Annex C1): Budget €3,550,000, duration 36 months, beneficiary EMB/DENR, components and MRs as described ².
3. 3Deadline confirmed in Annex C9: 07 August 2026, 12:00 Brussels time, via National Contact Points ³.