Circular Economy Forum Austria is a learning and dialog platform, initiating and promoting the exchange and further development of knowledge, ideas and implementations and identifies potential synergies among companies, politics, science, research and design.

The Forum:

• operates and collaborates in a solution-oriented and innovative way;
• supports and facilitates comprehensive transformation by linking interdisciplinary know-how and ideas for innovation, decision makers and practitioners;
• promotes new business partnerships to increase the visibility of existing and up-coming circular innovation supporting the expansion of the Austrian circular eco-system;
• encourages and fosters collaborative projects and initiatives with contributions to value creation cycles.

What is the Circular Economy Industry Platform about?

Circulary is a web tool managed by BusinessEurope and its national members that contributes to the EU’s agenda on circular economy.

It continuously brings new examples of innovative ways in which industry, SMEs and other business add to the circular economy in Europe, and features over 150 prime examples of industrial best practice in circular economy as of November 2018. At the same time, it highlights the regulatory and non-regulatory challenges these businesses still face to upscale their current initiatives or to start new ones. As such the platform is a unique bottom-up business-led hub of knowledge and expertise.

Why should your company engage?

• To showcase what your company is already doing on circular economy. By showing the extent to which business is already engaged into this transformation process, you will help make EU policy fit-for-purpose.
• To raise your concerns on barriers and obstacles. The analysis of common trends in barriers and obstacles that you and other companies face to become circular will help draw the attention of policymakers.
• To make your voice heard on upcoming EU policy initiatives. By gathering your “on the ground” practical experiences, BusinessEurope will be in a stronger position to advocate the business voice towards European institutions.
• To develop your network. The platform is a unique way for you to connect to other companies on circular economy, either by being contacted by others because of your expertise or by being able to see what is happening elsewhere.
• To access the EU / Brussels debate on circular economy. Based on what we receive from you and others, BusinessEurope intends as much as possible to organise events, consultations and promotion of the platform and its participating community.

LOOP-Ports aims to facilitate the transition to a more circular economy in the port sector, providing an innovation ecosystem around port activity fostering circular economy initiatives, and facilitating the exchange of experiences and good practices. This network will focus on high-emitting materials, mainly metals, plastics, cements and biomaterials and has begun the following activities:

• Compilation of a wide range of examples of circular economy activities already implemented in the port sector at EU level as well as some additional best practices around the world;
• Analysis of the main drivers (legal, policy, finance, market structures,...) to identify the opportunities for intervention and to formulate specific recommendations in order to boost the development of circular economy activities in port ecosystems;
• Preparation of tailored training materials and development of training pilots to improve skills, knowledge and innovation capacities both within and among different port clusters;
• Establishment of a database with all the information collected from the EU ports (following the variables considered relevant to map EU ports in terms of circular economy);
• Developing a web tool for circular economy showing project results, enabling the exchange of information among the members of the network, stakeholders and the general public;
• Creation of a pan-EU network of ports focused on circular economy activities, including workshops/roundtables with stakeholders to gather interests, points of view and expectations;
• Development of business models - real-use cases selected during the project - analysing their replicability in other ports with similar characteristics.

All port stakeholders are welcome to join the Circular Economy Network of Ports, which is funded by the EIT under its Climate-KIC Programme.

Circular Europe Network gathers ACR+ members committed to improve their resource strategies and strengthen the sustainable development of their territory. The CEN will be helped by an Advisory Committee involving European experts from various backgrounds, in order to provide a multi-stakeholders input.