Circular4.0 project – with innovation and digitalization accelerating regions transition to circular economy

 

Tehnološki Park Ljubljana as a leading partner of the Circular4.0 Interreg Alpine Space project invited Circular Change to contribute on two of the February events.

The main objective of the Circular 4.0 project is to strengthen digitalisation processes by SMEs to foster innovation processes and accelerate the transition to the circular economy in Alpine Space.

Invited experts of different business models along different stages of the value chain shared best practices and knowledge on circular design, optimal use and value recovery business models.

During the Online train the trainers course with EU circular economy team from DG Environment and EUSALP, partners and experts gained invaluable input and  increased their competences on EU circular economy package (Commission’s vision and policies on circular economy for the period 2020-2024, and the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan) and better approach to EU directives (waste, plastic, water, etc). Ladeja G. Košir contributed with her presentation on Inspiring visions - COVID recovery and the Green Deal as two sides of the same coin- opportunities for accelerating transition to CE & how to proceed with systemic changes.

 The Online Study Tour provided insight into optimal use and how it can be supported by digital technologies. We were excited to participate and present the Circular Change platform, its role and functions and how it can help in raising the awareness of circular economy. Marco Segovia also presented the opportunities platforms create for under-/post-graduate students and researchers and the projects Circular Change institute is involved in.

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CIRCULAR4.0 addresses specific objectives to Integrate the EU circular economy Action plan with specific actions addressed to the Alpine Space area and its peculiarities, focusing particularly to SMEs (eco-design and innovative business models), value-chain and clusters according to S3 and the EUSALP strategic sectors; policy makers (integrate circular economy into innovation policies for SMEs and 2020+ Programme).

The main project outputs will be:

a) "Circular economy and digitalisation in Alpine Space: SMEs, perspectives, needs and expectations" that sums-up users needs analysis, on-going experiences and alignment to EU, EUSALP and National policies;

b) CIRCULAR4.0 toolkit available to intermediaries with tools to support SMEs implement their digitalised circular economy processes, promote new business models and define investment plans and funding opportunities;

c) Local Actions addressed to SMEs to foster circular economy with digitalisation processes according to transnational feasibility studies in line wth 3 circular economy approaches (circular design models; optimal use models; value recovery models);

d) CIRCULAR4.0 Action Plan to strengthen the implementation of the EU circular economy package in AS;

e) CIRCULAR4.0 circular economy Community to strengthen circular economy and digitalisation processes, exchange knowledge and best practices and monitoring the benefit of SMEs digitalisation for circular economy processes in terms of well-being, sustainable growth and optimal use of resources.

For more about Circular4.0 project click here: https://www.alpinespace.eu/projects/circular4_0/en/home

 
Circular Change