The Committee was also welcomed by Senior Advisor Marco Rolandi (Interreg officer at the Liguria Regional Authority) reiterated the strategic value of the CE-PRINCE initiative in shaping policy and expressed confidence in the project team.
The meeting served as a strategic milestone to evaluate project progress, strengthen collaboration, and plan the next phase of activities aimed at integrating circular economy criteria into public procurement processes.
CE-PRINCE Works on Circular Public Procurement Criteria
A key discussion focused on public procurement criteria, particularly the differences between mandatory and voluntary requirements across partner countries. Participants explored ways to upgrade existing criteria in the four key sectors to enhance circularity, with the goal of developing a set of harmonized, sector-specific criteria applicable across Central Europe. Partners also reviewed their plans for public tenders to ensure upcoming calls align with project objectives. Testing the new criteria through real pilot tenders was identified as a crucial step for validating the effectiveness of the chosen approaches.
Coordination of Action Plans and Capacity Building
The consortium discussed the progress of the Transnational Action Plan, with the aim of finalizing it by the end of November. Capacity building was highlighted as a cornerstone of CE-PRINCE’s impact. Partners shared updates on upcoming workshops, peer-to-peer exchanges, and training sessions aimed at public administrators and SMEs. The Polish partner updated the consortium on the development of a board game dedicated to immerse in the knowledge and skills of applying circular economy principles.
Partners discussed their plans on peer-to-peer meetings to foster cooperation between public institutions and private enterprises and emphasized the importance of gathering best practices, sharing methodologies, and ensuring consistent reporting templates across all activities.
Looking Ahead
The CE-PRINCE partners reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting green innovation, green procurement, and circular economic transformation across Central Europe. The meeting underscored the value of collaboration, methodological rigor, and inclusive participation in achieving project milestones.