Annual Conference 2023: Recovery, Open Strategic Autonomy and Resilience
On 27 and 28 February 2023, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Commission hosted the 2023 European Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference in hybrid mode. The sixth Conference brought together Europe's biggest circular economy stakeholders to focus on the role of the circular economy in driving sustainable recovery, open strategic autonomy and resilience. The two-day event was an opportunity to present the circular economy as a key factor in building resource independence and resilience while ensuring that policy objectives are linked to sustainable consumption and production.
Circular economy principles allow for sustainable development by decoupling economic growth from resource use and environmental impact. The principles of ‘do no harm’ and ‘build back better’ couldn’t be more in line with the circular economy, which contributes to economic and social resilience as well as to the green and digital transition. EU initiatives on circularity, ecodesign and waste prevention will also bolster efforts to achieve the zero pollution, biodiversity protection and restoration, and climate goals.
The European Commission hosted Day 1 of the Conference (27 February 2023). The event included a focus on the main issues at the heart of the negotiations taking place in 2023 and looked back at the initiatives adopted in 2022 by the Commission. The plenaries presented innovative regulations and initiatives, showcased best practices of EU-funded projects and schemes and explored future developments in circular economy policies in the EU. To conclude the European Year of Youth, a youth representative provided a perspective from a different generational angle.
The afternoon's technical parallel sessions discussed the transition to safe-and-sustainable chemicals, the European automotive industry driving towards circularity and the environmental and social impacts of global textiles value chains. The plenary sessions and parallel sessions were broadcast live from the Commission’s Charlemagne building in Brussels (with speakers and moderators on stage).
The EESC hosted Day 2 of the Conference (28 February 2023). The event focused on stakeholders' views in a series of sessions and two interactive workshops. The sessions and workshops were grouped under two main topics: Biodiversity and climate and Resilience for Europe.
Day 2 also hosted a Networking Village, online and onsite, an exhibition space where a selection of Circular Economy stakeholders were able to highlight their good practices and pitch their projects to a broader audience.
- Day 1 - 27 February - European Commission - Charlemagne
08:00-09:30 - Registration and welcome coffee
09:30-10:15 - Keynotes speeches
Moderated by Jacki Davis
- Frans Timmermans, EVP European Commission
- Christa Schweng, President of the EESC
- On-line intervention by: Romina Pourmokhtari, Swedish Minister for Climate and the Environment
10:15-11:15 - Plenary - 2023: A key year for the circular economy to foster resource efficiency
- Florika Fink-Hooijer, Director General of Directorate General for Environment
- Torbjörn Haak, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU
- Ladeja Godina Košir, Founder of Circular Change, Co-chair ECESP
- Online intervention by: Alessandra Moretti, ENVI Committee, Member of the European Parliament
11:15-11:45 - Break
11:45-12:45 - Plenary - The circular economy at the heart of EU recovery
- Giulio Federico, Head of Unit RECOVER Environment, Energy, Sustainable Transport, Competition
- Pavel Zednicek, Executive and Chief Financial Officer, INCIEN, Czechia
- Nicole Kronenberg, Deputy Head of Unit for Circular Economy, Ministry for Environment, Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
- Sari Piippo, CircWaste, Finland
12:45-13:00 - Keynote speech
- Hans Bruyninckx, Director EEA
13:00-14:00 - Lunch break
14:00-15:15 - Breakout sessions
- The transition to safe-and-sustainable chemicals
- Chair: Sofie Norager, Deputy Head of Unit, Industrial Transformation, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
- Tommy Detemmerman, Senior Regional R&D Director for EMEA, Dow
- Nico Snoeck, Business Development Manager, Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Belgium
- René Korenromp, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands
- The European automotive industry driving towards circularity
- Chair: Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director, Directorate for Circular Economy, DG Environment, European Commission
- Owain Griffiths, Head of Circularity, Global Sustainability team, Volvo
- Emmanuel Katrakis, Secretary General, European Recycling Industries’ Confederation
- Alex Keynes, Clean Cars Manager, Transport & Environment
- Kamila Slupek, Sustainability Director, Eurometaux
- Driving sustainable global textile value chains
- To watch the recording, play the first video for Day 1 and reach the 14:00 time mark
- Chair: Paola Migliorini, Deputy Head of Unit, Circular Economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption, DG Environment, European Commission
- Susanne Knöfel, Deputy Head of Unit, Company Law, DG Justice and Consumers, European Commission
- Maria Teresa Pisani, Economic Affairs Officer, Economic Operation and Trade Division, UNECE
- Elspeth Hathaway, Senior Policy Advisor, IndustriAll Europe
- Jukka Pesola, CEO, Pure Waste Textiles
- Veronika Hunt Safrankova, Head of Brussels Office, UNEP
15:15-15:30 - Break
15:30-16:20 - Plenary - “The circular economy’s role in taking forward the European Green Deal’s ambitions and fostering resource independence”
- Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director, Directorate for Circular Economy, DG Environment, European Commission
- Joss Bleriot, Executive Lead, Institutions, Governments and Cities, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Petri Salminen, President SMEUnited
- Federica Marchionni, CEO Global Fashion Agenda
- Philipp Horn, Head of Division of Circular Economy, EIB
16:20-17:10 - Closing dialogue and speech - “Which economic model for the Future of Europe? Ambitions to take forward”
- Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Commission
- Agata Meysner, President, Generation Climate Europe
- George Kyrou, founder of Motivw
17:10-17:20 - “The ECESP - a hub to navigate barriers to and opportunities of the circular economy”
- Freek van Eijk, Chair of ECESP Coordination Group
- Day 2 - 28 February - EESC - Jacques Delors Building
(Indicative timing)
9:30-10:10 - Opening plenary - JDE62- Moderator: Jacki Davis
- Christa Schweng, EESC President
- Patrick Child, DG ENV
- Elin Larsson, Director for Markets and Finance, WWF Sweden
- Freek van Eijk, ECESP CG chair – Holland Circular Hotspot
10:10-11:00 - Plenary Session - Biodiversity and climate - JDE62
- Moderator: Boris Erg, IUCN
- Introductory remarks: Arnaud Schwartz, EESC member
- Setting the scene:
- Mika Sulkinoja, Sitra
- The current policy status surrounding the CE-biodiversity-climate nexus, including an overview of key current issues:
- Karolina D’Cunha, Deputy Head of Unit, DG ENV
- Key findings presentations:
- Sonja Eser, SinnenWandel
- Tobias Nielsen, European Environment Agency
- Alexander Mannweiler, CSCP
- Closing
11:00-11:15 - Coffee break
11:15-12:15 - Parallel Sessions 1 - Biodiversity and climate
Click on the title to access details and recordings
12:15-13:15 - Interactive wrap up
13:15-15:00 - Lunch break and Networking Village
15:00-15:50 - Plenary Session - Intergenerational dialogue on resource resilience in Europe - GCE-
- Moderator: Mayri Tiido, Founder and CEO, Lowmerism
- Keynote speech
- Teresa Oberhauser, Global Coordinator, Youth Constituency of UNEP
- Panel discussion
- Nicoletta Merlo, EESC member
- Teresa Oberhauser
- Artur ten Wolde, Executive Director, Ecopreneur
- Closing remarks: Mayri Tiido
15:55-16:55 - Parallel Sessions 2 - Resource Resilience for Europe
Click on the title to access details and recordings
17:00-17:15 - Coffee break
17:15-18:15 - Interactive wrap up
18:15-18:20 - Closing Plenary- JDE 62
- Ladeja Godina Košir, Founder Circular Change, Co-chair ECESP
- Cillian Lohan, EESC Vice-President
- Day 1 & Day 2: Networking Village
In the Networking Village, Stakeholders had an opportunity to showcase their best projects, initiatives or business models relevant to the circular economy. >>Detailed info
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