The RIVCircular Project achieved great success during its participation in the European Week of Regions and Cities (EU Regions Week), on 14–15 October in Brussels. The event was an excellent opportunity to present the project’s upcoming actions and to exchange ideas with other regions and initiatives committed to advancing the circular economy transition across Europe.
Interactive Participation: Circular Economy Feedback Stations
At the RIVCircular stand, visitors were invited to join an interactive experience titled Circular Economy Feedback Stations. The activity was designed to gather insights, encourage dialogue, and promote engagement through a participatory and hands-on approach. Participants shared ideas and reflections around four key areas:
- Good Practices and Policies Radar: Identifying effective regional actions.
- Barriers Wall: Mapping policy or implementation obstacles.
- Challenges Lab: Brainstorming potential solutions.
- Who Is Missing?: Reflecting on underrepresented stakeholders.
This dynamic and inclusive format created a space for mutual learning and co-creation, where policymakers, practitioners, and citizens reflected together on how to shape Europe’s circular future. Many participants stressed the importance of collaboration and collective action: “Everyone tends to work on their own projects; we need to scale through collaboration,” as we could read in some of the notes left for us. The need for measurable indicators was also highlighted: “We need clear KPIs to evaluate circular performance,” people agreed.
Positive Outcomes and Next Steps
The participatory format was very well received, with visitors appreciating the opportunity to share their views in a creative and informal setting. The technical and logistical organization worked seamlessly throughout the event, ensuring an engaging experience for all participants.
The insights gathered during the activity will serve as valuable input for the project’s upcoming working groups focusing on:
- Market barriers to the circular economy
- Capacity building
- Green and innovative public procurement
Through this successful participation in the EU Regions Week, RIVCircular reaffirmed its commitment to collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovative solutions to drive the transition towards a more circular and sustainable Europe.
We look forward to continuing our participation in initiatives like this to keep reflecting on the progress and future of the circular economy in Europe.