Mikel Irujo, Minister of Economic and Business Development of Navarre, participated in the first working session held in the region within the framework of the European Circular Innovation Valley (ECIV) project. Navarra is the leading partner of this circular economy initiative, which began in September 2024 in Brussels and brings together 19 different organizations from 13 European regions.
The project has a total budget of €27.2 million, of which €6.43 million is allocated to Navarra. The region is tasked with leading the creation of Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem in circular economy, promoting sustainable development and cross-border cooperation.
According to Mikel Irujo, “Navarra’s strategy and priorities in circular economy, through the Navarra Zirkular initiative and the ECIV project, are closely aligned with the EU Commission’s Clean Industry Act – a new strategy for industrial competitiveness and decarbonisation in the EU.”
The minister also addressed the evolution of European legislation on circular economy, including the new EU industrial law directive and amendments to Navarra’s own industrial legislation, which includes specific measures to promote circular economy in business. He stressed that Navarra’s innovation ecosystem is already prepared to implement real circular economy solutions, and that events like this help to transform the concept into practical action.
This conference was organized by the Ministry of Economic and Business Development of Navarre, in collaboration with SODENA and the Department of Community and Foreign Affairs. Discussions covered the challenges and opportunities of circular economy in Navarra’s industry, as well as interregional cooperation opportunities to address these challenges more effectively.
As the leader of the ECIV project, Navarra is committed to promoting innovation across various sectors, including energy, agri-food, automotive, construction, and machinery, in line with the European Smart Specialization Strategy.
