The European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV) hosted its flagship conference, “Circular Innovation through Regional Collaboration,” on 4 June in Brussels, as part of European Green Week 2025.
As the European Commission’s annual event on environmental policy, this year’s Green Week focused on circular solutions as a driver of European competitiveness. The ECIV conference showcased how regional collaboration is accelerating tangible progress toward a circular economy.
The event highlighted the central role of Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs) in implementing place-based circular economy strategies. Regions were recognised not only as enablers of this transition, but also as sources of innovation, opportunity, and practical challenge-solving.
Held in a hybrid format, the conference brought together stakeholders from across ECIV territories—public authorities, businesses, research institutions, and civil society—to exchange insights, align on shared circular missions, and identify opportunities for interregional innovation projects.
Key strategic topics were addressed, including upcoming European funding instruments to support regional circular economy initiatives. Magdalena Cymerys, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, presented the 2025 call for circular innovation proposals, outlining how regions can access support.
Representatives from several RIVs showcased collaborative projects already underway—such as PRECISEU, RIV CIRCULAR SYSTEM EU, and UNITE—demonstrating the potential of cross-regional cooperation to drive competitiveness and sustainable transformation.
Delia Sola, Director of Strategic Projects and Entrepreneurship for the Government of Navarra (Spain), presented key milestones in ECIV’s implementation roadmap and introduced the upcoming cascade funding calls for interregional innovation projects, set to launch in December 2025.
Speakers Nadine Aschenbach (Dalarna, Sweden) and Luc Hulsman (Northern Netherlands) introduced the mission-driven work of their regions and the ECIV “Dance Floor” methodology—a practical tool designed to spark collaboration, activate participation, and shape finance-ready innovation projects based on regional needs.
A highlight of the day was the roundtable discussion, where diverse perspectives converged into a shared narrative on how regions can lead Europe’s transition toward a more sustainable, resilient, and cooperative economic model.
The event reinforced the commitment of ECIV’s partners to advance the circular economy through regional action and innovation. The consortium thanks all participants and European institutions for their active involvement and continued support.
What’s next: ECIV at the Fryslân Circular Summit 2025
From 10–12 June in the Netherlands, ECIV will take part in the Fryslân Circular Summit, which will further explore the role of regions in shaping Europe’s circular future. The event will convene a broad spectrum of circular economy stakeholders and will also host the General Assembly of our partner ACR+, the network of circular cities and regions.
