In the framework of the CIRCWASTE project, coordinated by SYKE, pioneering municipalities have developed local circular economy roadmaps in 2019. This roadmap, adopted by Vantaa, Finland's fourth biggest city, is based first and foremost on what stakeholders identify as local strengths, special characteristics and challenges.

The roadmap lists the priorities, objectives and actions to take in 2019-2030 that could a promote circular economy locally. Its priorities are :

1. circular business models
2. circular economy in construction
3. circular public procurement
4. sharing economy.

The objectives are to be reached by 2030 in four timeframes, with responsibility for implementation shared among several local stakeholders that vary from municipal utilities to private companies.

In the framework of the CIRCWASTE project, coordinated by SYKE (Finnish Environment Institute), pioneering municipalities have developed local circular economy roadmaps in 2019. The City of Porvoo is one of these and published its own circular economy roadmap in May 2019 to steer efforts that promote resource efficiency and circular economy in the coming years, so it can build on successes to date that range.

A steering group of 16 municipal civil servants and other local stakeholders drafted this roadmap, which focuses in particular on the following objectives:

1. increasing the use of recycled materials in excavation and building sites
2. cooperating to improve energy efficiency
3. reducing the amount of total waste while increasing the level of recycling municipal waste.

In the framework of the CIRCWASTE project, Southwest Finland developed a circular economy (CE) roadmap in late 2018 to help implement the national waste plan and define regional objectives with concrete measures to achieve these.

The Finnish Environment Institute formed an expert network on CE, and began identifying regional strengths and special characteristics to start with.

While the overarching theme is public procurement, the regional strategy focuses on the following sectors:

1. construction and demolition waste
2. biodegradable waste, biogas and the nutrient reuse
3. plastics
4. electric and electronic wreckage.

Different stakeholders, from municipal/regional authorities, to national institutes, educational establishments, and private companies take responsibility for implementation.

In 2018, Finland's easternmost region of North Karelia adopted a circular economy (CE) roadmap as part of the CIRCWASTE project. Its objectives are to:

• enhance material and energy efficiency and improve natural resource use
• make circular economy inherent to industrial production in priority sectors and strengthen the regional cooperation network in the field of CE
• strengthen and stimulate new circular business models while developing new technological solutions and know-how in the region.
• Regarding waste management overall, the strategy aims to increase knowledge and change overall consumer attitudes.

A system to recycle construction waste is set for development, focusing on logistics, demolition methods and supervision. This strategy aims to improve training on waste management.

The circular economy (CE) roadmap of the South Karelia region in Finland, along the Russian border, was drawn up at the end of 2018 in the framework of the CIRCWASTE project. The Finnish Environment Institute formed an expert network on CE, and began by identifying regional strengths and specific characteristics.

In South Karelia, stakeholders set the objectives of CE as:

• Sustainable wellbeing, no emissions, no waste, or excessive consumption
• More jobs and business activity in the field of environment
• Strengthening of knowledge and training in environmental and circular economy issues.

Stakeholders at different levels are responsible for achieving specific targets, from the regional development council to municipalities, private companies, networks, universities, etc.

In the framework of the CIRCWASTE project, Southwest Finland developed a Circular economy (CE) roadmap to implement the national waste plan and define regional objectives with concrete measures to achieve these.

The Finnish Environment Institute formed an expert network on CE, and began identifying regional strengths and special characteristics.

For Southwest Finland, stakeholders set a focus on sustainable food systems, high-tech industry, transport and logistics. Public services and knowledge exchange with industry, academia and and civil society are the overarching themes. 

The priority sectors are:

• Construction
• biodegradable waste
• nutrient reuse
• municipal waste.

Targeted training and versatile learning materials will advance CE in construction, where the strategy aims to generate less waste and increase the use of construction and demolition waste to 70%

The Brussels Regional Programme for a Circular Economy (CE) is Belgium's capital region strategic effort towards a CE. Within this program, the Brussels construction industry with its 12,000 businesses is a priority sector. As construction and facilities management accounts for 98% of water use, 75% energy demand and 33% of waste in Brussels, there is great potential for a substantial contribution to a circular transition.

The roadmap, developed in partnership with the Environmental Agency through 3 stakeholder workshops, includes three gradual steps towards circular building in Brussels:

1. voluntary measures by construction businesses by 2025
2. comprehensive regulation for circular public buildings by 2030
3. reforming all relevant local planning regulations to include circularity by 2040.

In this policy note, the City of the Hague outlines why a circular transition is necessary and what benefits it can provide to the city for its sustainable development. Continuing with a state-of-play, the note sketches out the policy framework at European, national and regional level to provide strategic context and introduce analysis of a non-exhaustive list of 143 ongoing circular projects in The Hague area.

Links to further research show that using the opportunities a circular economy provides in the Construction, Procurement and Retail Trade sectors alone could substantially reduce carbon emissions and deliver 3,500 jobs in city's area.

Building on this research, the policy note indicates the city's priorities best lie in biomass, construction material and critical raw materials.

After the 2014 elections, the new Roubaix municipality team wanted to change the image of its city and encourage a positive attitude towards both its inhabitants and France as a whole.

The roadmap aims at turning difficulties into advantages, generating a new dynamic. Based on the Sustainable development strategy (since 2003), a zero waste policy is progressively implemented with a focus on cooperation and awareness raising among stakeholders.

The approach is global, even if some activities are implemented on a micro-scale (budget issue), mostly at the level of a city sub-district (Fresnoy-Mackellerie).

To enable the entire City of Roubaix to experience the transition to a zero waste economy, projects are open and accessible to all categories of population and businesses.

Greece's Governmental Economic Policy Council endorsed a National Action Plan on Circular Economy (CE) in early 2018 to set the country on a path towards the long-term adoption of CE principles. This supports Greece's economic strategy in its key quest to green the economy in a way that creates jobs, especially for women and youth, and long-term equitable and inclusive growth based on resource efficiency, promotion of SMEs, innovation and investment in new technologies, and boosting of the “social economy” potential.

The long-term (2030) goals of the Action Plan are:

• preventing waste and improving recycling
• promoting industrial symbiosis
• supporting circular consumption patterns
• enhancing multi-stakeholder partnerships
• monitoring progress towards a CE model through SMART indicators