DECIDE CONTRIBUTES TO CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND BIOECONOMY ADVANCEMENTS IN THE DANUBE REGION

As a part of ongoing efforts to promote the sustainable use of resources and advance circular economy and bioeconomy principles across the Danube region, the Working Group Circular Economy and Bioeconomy of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) Priority Area 8 (Competitiveness of Enterprises) hosted an online session on 7th March 2025.

The session featured a mini-conference focused on the exchange of ideas between three flagship projects, each driving innovation in circular economy and business competitiveness:

• DECIDE (Garfond, Goran M. Vasić) – Project Website

• PLAN C (Biz-up, Iris Reingruber) – Project Website

• WE.Circular (RAPIV, Ralitsa Zhekova) – Project Website

These projects are at the forefront of Priority Area 8 (PA8) - Competitiveness of Enterprises, pioneering innovative solutions that integrate circular economy and bioeconomy principles into business practices. The exchange of experience and project achievements sparked great interest among participants, reinforcing the importance of continued collaboration and knowledge sharing within the working group.

Strengthening Visibility and Collaboration

In addition to project presentations, the session also highlighted the PA8 initiative to identify lighthouse projects in the Danube Region and enhance communication measures. The study, led by Steinbeis Europa Zentrum (Steinbeis 2i GmbH) in cooperation with the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Slovenia (CCIS) and Pannon Business Network (Hungary), aims to showcase successful projects driving regional competitiveness. Grit Ackermann presented key findings and the next steps, including a workshop at the annual EUSDR forum in November 2025 in Sarajevo dedicated to the topic.

Looking Ahead: Study Trip to Promote Best Practices

With the support of the PA8 coordinator, the Working Group is planning a study trip in the coming period, aimed at providing SMEs and stakeholders with direct exposure to good practices in the Danube macroregion. This initiative will help companies establish new connections, explore cooperation opportunities and enhance their competitiveness through insights from successful circular economy initiatives.

The DECIDE project partners are proud to be part of these collaborative efforts and will continue to contribute to the advancement of circular economy business models across the Danube region.