Welcome to the Networking Village of our 2023 Annual Conference, where Stakeholders have an opportunity to showcase their best projects, initiatives or business models relevant to the circular economy.

On Day 1 and 2 of the Conference, the Networking Village will be accessible online* for registered participants.

Circular Economy Tools

Explore the EU tools to support the transition to a circular economy:

• Ecolabel, the EU label for environmental excellence
• Environmental Footprint methods, which quantify the environmental impacts of products
• Reset The Trend, the EC's new campaign on circular textiles
• EMAS, supporting the uptake of environmental management, and
• Consumption Footprint Platform, an LCA-based framework to monitor the environmental footprint of EU production and consumption.

Circular Materials

• Humana - optimising textile reuse at the global level
• BYPROTVAL - recovery and recycling of high value-added proteins from rendering by-products
• Hydal Coffee - cascade recycling of coffee capsules and spent coffee grounds
• Farmuganda - turning cassava waste by-products into value
• CETEM - a digital training programme for seniors (60+) to actively engage in the green transition and connect with younger generations
• LIFE WASTE2BUILD - using the waste demolition to build within a circular economy approach.

International initiatives

• ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform, helping ASEAN Member States achieve sustainable consumption and production by accelerating a transition to a circular economy
• Adelphi - international projects driving new circular business models based on the CEAP
• European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) - presenting its Green Transition Support facility, a set of services oriented to support clusters, clusters members and any other entity in their development and implementation of green transition related initiatives (also on site on Day 2)
• Up2Circ - how to increase efficiency of EU SME support in order to make circular economy the new normal?
• Yunus Environment Hub - supporting sustainable social business through circular economy.

Innovation

• Metropolitan Area of Barcelona – Life infusion project - intensive treatment of waste effluents and conversion into useful sustainable outputs: biogas, nutrients and water
• CIRPASS - shaping the future of the Digital Product Passport for electronics, batteries and textiles
• Circularity Gap Reports - annual CGRs prepared by Circle Economy (also present on site on Day 2) at global, national and city levels, analysing the state of circularity, developing transition pathways for change and compiling key actions for business and policy actors
• CircleHub - a quest for effective circular/blue economy solutions
• COAG - Alcarràs (Spain) as an example of circular economy among local farmers for a sustainable management of livestock manure (also on site on Day 2).

Circular Projects

• Horizon Europe – circular economy related R&I funding opportunities - a virtual stand by Commission's DG RTD to interact with circular stakeholders, provide information on Horizon's calls (scope, budget, deadlines, rules) and answer possible questions
• Regenera Network - how to sustainably and circularly reconstruct heritage by using remaining structure, local materials, and informing the process based on ancient methods through research of history
• Green Assist - advisory initiative under InvestEU, funded from the LIFE programme, aiming at building up a pipeline for green investment projects with a high impact
• EU Green Public Procurement (GPP) Helpdesk - providing timely and accurate answers to stakeholders' enquiries, and promoting and disseminating information on GPP
• Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) -  implementing the circular economy across Europe’s cities and regions by increasing synergies, disseminating knowledge, and giving greater visibility to best practices.

On Day 2, the Networking Village will also have some exhibitors and stands on site on the EESC premises (Atrium 5).

• COAG - Alcarràs (Spain) as an example of circular economy among local farmers for a sustainable management of livestock manure
• Oxfam IMPACT Furniture - upcycling and Second Hand Office Furniture
• Aitiip Technologies - research and development and eco-innovation for the plastics value chain
• TUV Rheinland about product control and certification
• Jakobstad Region - its largest industrial park - Alholmen - as a concrete example of circular economy in practice with a focus on industrial symbiosis
• European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) - presenting its Green Transition Support facility, a set of services oriented to support clusters, clusters members and any other entity in their development and implementation of green transition related initiatives (also online on Days 1 and 2)
• Horizon Europe – circular economy related R&I funding opportunities: a physical stand by Commission's DG RTD to interact with circular stakeholders, provide information on Horizon's calls (scope, budget, deadlines, rules) and answer possible questions
• Cyclup - social enterprise focusing on upcycling and putting into practice circular economy principles as well as promoting local employment
• Circle Economy - focused on empowering decision-makers from the public and private sectors to develop and implement circular economy strategies and business models (also present online on Day 1 and 2 with their Circularity Gap Reports)
• Renewable Matter - a quarterly magazine on key topics of the circular economic transition.