Basque Circular Summit

Alexander Boto, Ihobe General manager: ‘Strengthening the circular economic model will enable Basque companies to face the changes in the international arena’

admin — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 11:19:20 +0000

Basque Circular Summit 2025 se establece como el congreso europeo de referencia en economía circular, movilizando a 700 empresas y más de 1.300 asistentes

El congreso, celebrado del 2 al 4 de abril en Euskalduna Bilbao, ha constatado que la economía circular no es una tendencia, sino una necesidad urgente para garantizar la competitividad de las empresas vascas y un futuro sostenible

El director general de Ihobe también ha subrayado la importancia de “alinear el tejido empresarial vasco con las directrices europeas”, ya que “la transición hacia la circularidad es inaplazable

Basque Circular Summit 2025 se reafirma como el mayor evento sobre economía circular del sur de Europa. Del 2 al 4 de abril en Euskalduna Bilbao, ha movilizado a 700 empresas vascas del sector y ha atraído a más de 1.300 personas. El congreso, organizado por la Sociedad Pública de Gestión Ambiental del Gobierno Vasco, ha contado con más de 150 ponentes especialistas en diversas materias relacionadas con la circularidad, pero también con una gran exposición en la que un centenar de empresas vascas ha mostrado sus soluciones circulares, y una zona de stands en la que una veintena de entidades han podido dar a conocer sus iniciativas y proyectos.

Alexander Boto Bastegieta, director general de Ihobe, ha declarado que “reforzar el modelo económico circular facilitará a las empresas vascas afrontar los cambios en el escenario internacional”, más aún tras la guerra arancelaria anunciada por la administración de Donald Trump. Según las primeras estimaciones del Gobierno Vasco, de los 2.000 millones anuales que Euskadi exporta a Estados Unidos, las empresas vascas afectadas podrían sufrir un sobrecoste de más de 400 millones de euros.

Para preparar al tejido industrial vasco ante este y otros retos, Basque Circular Summit 2025 ha tratado de conseguir que las empresas se anticipen, teniendo en cuenta la nueva planificación y normativa europea. Inspirada por las recomendaciones del Informe Draghi, la Comisión Europea lanzó a principios de 2024 su “Brújula para la Competitividad de la UE”, una estrategia para fortalecer la competitividad industrial que, posteriormente, se ha completado este año con el Pacto Industrial Limpio, que integra la circularidad con la descarbonización para reducir la huella ambiental del sector industrial y mejorar su eficiencia, innovación y autonomía estratégica.

“La economía circular ya no es una tendencia, es una necesidad urgente para garantizar la competitividad de las empresas vascas y un futuro sostenible”, ha valorado Boto, recalcando que “congresos como el Basque Circular Summit son vitales para avanzar por ese camino, compartiendo conocimientos, innovaciones y estrategias”. El director general de Ihobe también ha subrayado la importancia de “alinear el tejido empresarial vasco con las directrices europeas”, ya que “la transición hacia la circularidad es inaplazable y Europa no puede frenar sola el uso insostenible de recursos”. “Euskadi tiene la voluntad y está más que preparada para contribuir a este cambio necesario”, ha concluido.

Un punto de encuentro para seguir avanzando

Cerca de 150 ponentes han participado activamente durante estos tres días de congreso, una de ellas Mónica Chao. Experta en sostenibilidad estratégica, transformación empresarial y liderazgo ESG en España, Chao ha incidido en que Europa necesita una transformación industrial que impulse la competitividad a través de la sostenibilidad y que Euskadi lleva años en esa línea. “Apostar por la descarbonización, la innovación y la economía circular es, con el nuevo Clean Industrial Deal, una oportunidad estratégica para reforzar nuestra autonomía industrial y crear empleos de calidad en un entorno legal predecible y resiliente”, ha afirmado.

Por otro lado, Janez Potocnik, copresidente del Panel Internacional de Recursos del Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente y excomisario europeo, ha subrayado: “Es preciso que los gobiernos transversalicen la economía circular, dotándose de instrumentos económicos para impulsar la fiscalidad verde, la compra pública ecológica, pero, sobre todo, educando y formando”.

Basque Circular Summit 2025 también ha dejado claro que el avance hacia una sociedad y una economía circular no es ajeno al mundo financiero. Las finanzas sostenibles implican que en el proceso de toma de decisiones de inversión se tengan en cuenta los factores ambientales, sociales y de buen gobierno (criterio ESG, por sus siglas en inglés).

Por su parte, el congreso ha analizado cómo reforzar el papel de las personas consumidoras para conseguir un cambio en los patrones de consumo, desgranando los nuevos instrumentos puestos en marcha por Europa, como la Directiva 2024/825 sobre empoderamiento de los consumidores, o la futura directiva de alegaciones ambientales. “Como personas consumidoras tenemos una corresponsabilidad, puesto que somos un agente más de todos los que hay en el mercado, un eslabón en la cadena de la circularidad con capacidad para empoderarnos y ayudar en la implantación definitiva de la economía circular”, ha destacado Brenda Chávez, periodista de investigación, datos y soluciones, especializada en sostenibilidad, durante su ponencia en el congreso.

Este Basque Circular Summit también ha puesto el foco sobre la tecnología, imprescindible para acelerar la transición circular y climática en la industria. Y Euskadi, más allá de lo que ya define la Unión Europea, tiene una herramienta muy ambiciosa: el Listado Vasco de Tecnologías Limpias, un instrumento fiscal impulsado por las entidades públicas Ihobe, EVE y SPRI que permite una deducción fiscal del 30% del coste de inversión del equipo sobre la cuota del Impuesto de Sociedades.

La Comisión Europea, desde la plataforma INCITE, apoya el despliegue de tecnologías innovadoras y acompaña a la industria europea a descarbonizarse y a alcanzar el objetivo de contaminación cero. Ioannis Retsoulis, responsable científico de proyectos de industria sostenible del Centro Común de Investigación de la Comisión Europea, ha destacado que “el Listado de Tecnologías Limpias que se promueve desde Euskadi se incardina perfectamente en este objetivo”.

Durante las tres jornadas se han celebrado otras sesiones sobre envases, sector textil, materias primas críticas, materiales de construcción, el papel de los municipios en la economía circular, la Directiva sobre Reporte de Sostenibilidad Corporativa (CSRD), el derecho a reparar, el marco europeo de residuos, la evaluación en sostenibilidad en las pymes, greenwashing, taxonomía europea, herramientas de evaluación ambiental, modelos de negocio circulares, inteligencia artificial y ecoinnovación en eficiencia de materiales.

Fagor Ederlan, Somos Oreka, Gamesa Gearbox and Fuelium, winners for their circular solutions and products at the Basque Circular Summit 2025

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 11:03:03 +0000

The Basque Circular BEST 2025 awards recognise the best circular products, services, business models and startups of the Basque Country

The Basque Government’s Deputy Minister for the Energy Transition, Irantzu Allende, and the Ihobe General Manager, Alexander Boto, presented the awards

In total, there were four award winners and three runners up selected from among the 65 entries from 49 Basque companies

This morning, the Basque Government’s Deputy Minister for the Energy Transition, Irantzu Allende, and the Ihobe General manager, Alexander Boto, have presented the Basque Circular BEST awards to Fagor Ederlan, Somos Oreka, Gamesa Gearbox and Fuelium during the Basque Circular Summit 2025. The awards, organised by Ihobe, recognise the best circular product, service, business model and startup of the Basque Country for the first time ever.

The awards have been very popular with the companies at the EXPO area of the Basque Circular Summit, as there were 65 entries by 49 companies from out of the more than 150 products and services on display.

During the award ceremony, Deputy Minister Allende explained that the prizes had been set up in response to a need that the Basque Government had noticed for some time now. ‘The Basque circular economy ecosystem has matured, is generating scalable, tangible and real solutions… and deserves its own recognition space’, she stressed.

The Basque Circular BEST awards are an essential recognition for Basque companies that are leading the transition towards a circular economy. By rewarding both large companies and SMEs, these prizes highlight the importance of innovation and sustainability in the industrial fabric of the Basque Country.

‘These awards are a catalyst to encourage more companies to adopt sustainable practices, creating a multiplier effect that can transform the territory’s economy. They not only celebrate the current achievements, but they also inspire a future where the circular economy is the norm and not the exception’, Boto explained.

Alongside the Basque Deputy Minister for the Energy Transition and the Ihobe Manager, the members of the jury for the awards were made up of experts in the field, of the ilk of Aitor Cobanera, the Business Promotion Director at the Spri group; Xabier Caño, Chair of Aclima; Carlos García, Director of the Mondragón Polytechnic School; María García de la Fuenter, Chair of the Environmental Journalism Association; Olaia Irulegi, former Chair of EIDE-Basque Design Association; Marcelo Leslabay, professor and researcher in Design at Deusto University; Rikardo Minguez, Director of the Master’s Degree in the Circular Economy at the University of the Basque Country; and Tamara Yagüe, Chair of CONFEBASK.

When assessing the more than 65 circular solutions, the jury took criteria into account such as the degree of circularity, feasibility, capacity, scalability, environmental contribution, and the transformation potential of the entries.

The most circular product

The Basque Circular BEST award for the most circular project has gone to Fagor Ederlan for its STA Knuckle product, a key component in vehicle safety that combines three different systems: steering, suspension and braking. The knuckle represents an important reduction in the carbon footprint, as high standards of recyclability have been applied, along with a lighter design, meaning a significant reduction in emissions. The jury took into account its innovative design in aluminium using 80% of secondary raw materials and 51% lighter in weight.

In turn, there were two runners-up in this category; Asfaltia, for incorporating secondary raw materials in its asphalt mixes for highways (both rubber waste and steel aggregate from electric arc steelmaking); and Koopera, for its work from the field of social inclusion by providing solutions to reuse textile waste as new recycled thread and thermal and acoustic insulation panels for interior partitioning in housing; panels that are obtained from treated polyester and cotton fibres from textile waste that the general public puts in the reuse bins.

The most circular service

The award for the most circular service has gone to Somos Oreka for its service provision platform (Software as a Service) to donate and use food waste; it has managed to avoid up to 50 tonnes a month of food ending up as waste, by collecting it from the canteens of organisations, supermarkets and other companies for the surplus to be donated safely. The application also allows recurring donations to be programme, thus reducing the delivery time and food waste.

The Jury also named RECIRCULAR as the runner-up for its recovery and reuse platform (in other words, giving a second life) for material, surplus and industrial waste, along with used equipment, so that other companies can recycle and reuse them. Furthermore, the platform calculates the social and environmental benefits generated from harnessing that waste.

Business model award

The winner of the circular business model category was Gamesa Gearbox, which has developed from simply manufacturing products to a new business model based on remanufacturing air turbine parts, giving them a second life; one such case is the wind turbine gearboxes, whose life has been lengthened by 125%. The Jury assessed the business consolidation of a model based on remanufacturing components.

The best solution by a start up

Fuelium was the winner in the most circular startup category for its ecodesigned paper batteries to be used in single-user portable devices for in vitro diagnosis and personal care, such as pregnancy tests, blood and saliva screening. It has thus developed a competitive solution in manufacturing and raw materials costs, as well as reducing the waste generated. The battery consists of non-toxic sustainable materials, which allows it to be recycled with paper and cardboard, along with being biodegradable and compostable.

The first BEST awards have been held as part of the Basque Circular Summit 2025, which is the largest conference on the circular economy in southern Europe. Organised by Ihobe, the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Agency, it is being held at Euskalduna Bilbao from 2 and 4 April, where 1,300 experts and over 150 speakers have gathered to thresh out the ramifications that the new European legislation and planning will have on Basque companies.

Lehendakari Pradales: ‘We are aligning our Industrial Plan with European directives, because the Basque Country can and must be a key player in this process’

admin — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:41:51 +0000

Lehendakari Imanol Pradales has opened the Basque Circular Summit 2025, organised by Ihobe and which will be held at Euskalduna Bilbao from 2 to 4 April

1,300 professionals and experts for the environmental and industrial fields from all over Europe will analyse the ramifications that the new European Union planning and legislation will have for Basque industry in areas including the Ecodesign Regulation, the digital product passport, packaging, textiles, construction, critical raw materials, building materials, clean technologies and sustainable finances, to name just a few

The Summit has three different areas: the FORUM conference zone, the EXPO showcasing circular products and solutions, and the VILLAGE with stands, where the Basque Government will be centre stage along with the Government of Navarra and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, among over twenty participants

This morning, Lehendakari Imanol Pradales opened the Basque Circular Summit, the largest conference on the circular economy in southern Europe and which is being held at Euskalduna Bilbao from 2 to 4 April; it will consider in detail the ramifications of the new planning, legislation and the recently approved Clean Industrial Deal of the European Commission, with the aim of Basque companies anticipating the global challenges of the circular economy and decarbonisation. The Lehendakari was accompanied at the opening ceremony by the Basque Minister for Industry, the Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi; its Deputy Minister for the Energy Transition, Irantzu Allende; its Deputy Minister for the Environment, Josu Bilbao; and the Ihobe General Manager, Alexander Boto.

During the opening address, the Lehendakari highlighted the work of all the socio-economic stakeholders of the Basque Country in the transition towards a new circular economy and stressed that “we are aligning our Industrial Plan with European directives, because the Basque Country can and must be a key player in this process. We have got what it takes to do so’.

Lehendakari Imanol Pradales went on to reflect on the compulsive consumption model, based on “extracting, producing, using and disposing”, and stressed that must be a thing of the past. ‘We must replace it by one that reduces the use of raw materials and energy, and generates less waste; which allows for longer product life cycles and helps us to become more competitive. A model that avoids waste, pursues durability, and uses resources efficiently’. ‘In the Basque Country, projects are flourishing that are generating new industrial opportunities’, he concluded.

As the Basque Environmental Outlook Report 2024 reflects, the Basque Country has taken a significant leap in terms of efficiency. Since 2005, material consumption per inhabitant in the Basque Country has fallen by 8 tonnes, a figure that is above the European average. Furthermore, the material productivity index, which measures the ratio between the Gross Domestic Product and Domestic material consumption has risen from 1.49 to 3.79, meaning that the economy has grown using fewer resources.

The Lehendakari was followed William Neale and Ioannis Bakas, representatives of the European Commission and of the European Environment Agency, respectively, who also stressed that the Basque Country is a benchmark in Europe in the circular economy which is progressing well.

The largest conference on the circular economy in southern Europe

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 is the result of the commitment to the circular economy and is one of the main tools to bolster the leadership of the Basque Country. This year’s summit – with the tagline ‘Time for Action’ – has got underway with a programme that addresses the main challenges and opportunities of the circular economy.

Over 150 speakers, representatives of the European Commission, trailblazing business leaders in circularity and other leading experts in the field of sustainability will also be at the Summit, where, over three days, they will share experiences and ideas to build a more sustainable future for the economy.

One of them is Mónica Chao, an expert in strategic sustainability, business transformation and ESG leadership in Spain and a founding partner and director of Acativa Partners; she praised the Basque Country’s work in the field of circularly and the impetus to new sustainable business models.

‘Europe needs an industrial transformation that drives competitiveness through sustainability and the Basque Country has been working in that line for years now. Committing to decarbonisation, innovation and the circular economy is – with the new Clean Industrial Deal – a strategic opportunity to bolster our industrial autonomy and create quality jobs in a resilient and predictable legal environment’, Chao stressed.

Three conferences in one and over 1,300 delegates

The Basque Circular FORUM – the conference area – will analyse the ramifications that the new planning and legislation of the European Union will have on the Basque industrial fabric with many side events and sessions. The issues considered will include the ecodesign regulation, the digital product passport, packaging, textiles, construction, environmental assessment tools, circular business models, critical raw materials, construction materials, clean technologies, European taxonomy and sustainable finances, to name a few.

However, the Basque Circular Summit 2025 is more than a conference area; it also has the Basque Circular EXPO, where a hundred or so companies will exhibit over 150 circular solutions and products, making it the best showcase to learn about the large number of large companies and SMEs of the Basque Country that are committing to products that are both sustainable and competitive.

The Summit also boasts the Basque Circular VILLAGE, a space with stands and for networking where over a score of stakeholders and entities that are driving the Basque transition towards circularity will showcase their activity and projects to the conference delegates. The Basque Government will be present with a stand displaying several initiatives that are driving the circular economy in the Basque Country, such as the Basque Ecodesign Center, Basque Circular SME, Basque Circular Hub and the 2025 Grant Plan for Industry. Along with the Basque Government, the spotlight will be on the Government of Navarra and the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, among the more than twenty participants.

Basque Circular Summit 2025 to prepare Basque companies for the ramifications of the new European Clean Industrial Deal

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:25:49 +0000

The Basque Government has so far been the driving force behind the creation of 5,000 direct jobs based on the circular economy.

Since 2005, material consumption per inhabitant in the Basque Country has fallen by 8 tonnes, a figure that is above the European average.

The Summit, which will be held at the Euskalduna Conference Centre in Bilbao, will have 140 speakers and over 1,000 people are already registered.

The Basque Circular Summit will analyse all the ramifications for Basque industry of the new European Union planning and legislation.

The goal of the Basque Circular Summit, the leading conference on the circular economy in southern Europe, is to break down the ramifications of the new planning, legislation and the recently approved Clean Industrial Deal of the European Commission; the aim is to help Basque companies anticipate the global challenges of the circular economy and decarbonisation. The Summit – organised by Ihobe, the Basque Government’s environmental management agency and which will be held at the Euskalduna Conference Centre in Bilbao – will have 140 speakers and over 1,000 people are already registered.

Since 2020, Europe has faced two unprecedented crises stemming from the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The price volatility of raw materials and energy has hit the European economy hard. Given the growing concern about the loss of industrial competitiveness, the European Commission presidency commissioned the Draghi Report – ‘More European products, more European jobs’ – in 2024. The report stresses the importance of the circular economy as a competitive advantage for the EU, pointing out that it not only contributes to environmental sustainability, but it also offers significant economic opportunities by cutting costs and opening up new markets.

Inspired by the recommendations of the Draghi Report, the European Commission launched its ‘EU Competitiveness Compass’, a strategy to bolster industrial competitiveness, in early 2024; in addition, this year has seen the publication of the Clean Industrial Deal, which integrates circularity with decarbonisation to reduce the environmental footprint of the industrial sector and to improve its efficiency, innovation and strategic autonomy. One of the cornerstones of the Clean Industrial Deal is circularity, taken to be reducing the consumption of raw materials and optimising the use of materials throughout their life cycle.

Accordingly, the Basque Government – through Ihobe, its Environmental Management Agency – is yet again the driving force behind a further edition of the Basque Circular Summit; the Summit will analyse all the ramifications for Basque industry of the new EU planning and legislation.

During the press appearance at the Euskalduna Bilbao today, Irantzu Allende, the Basque Government’s Deputy Minister for the Energy Transition; Josu Bilbao, the Basque Deputy Minister for the Environment; Alexander Boto, Ihobe’s General Manager; and José María Fernández, the Circular Economy Director at Ihobe reflected this as they set out the key points of the circular economy in the Basque Country and of the Basque Circular Summit 2025.

‘In the Basque Country, we are firmly committed to this transition, not only because it is necessary, but also because it is a great opportunity for our companies. We are and we wish to continue to be benchmarks for other European countries and regions in this field. We have provided sufficient proof that we have assumed leadership on that path’, stressed Deputy Minister Irantzu Allende.

Three conferences in one

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 will reflect this commitment to the circular economy and is one of the main tools to bolster the leadership of the Basque Country. Companies, authorities and experts will share experiences and ideas to construct a more sustainable future for the economy. The event is also considered a catalyst to accelerate the circular transition in the Basque Country and in Europe.

The Summit is being held with the tagline ‘Time for Action’. ‘It is time to shift from words to facts, from thinking beyond theoretical concepts; the circular economy is having a positive impact on business results, on resource efficiency and on lowering the environmental impact’, stressed Alexander Boto, Ihobe’s General Manager.

An ambitious and comprehensive programme has therefore been prepared and which will address the main challenges and opportunities of the circular economy. The Basque Circular FORUM will feature internationally renowned speakers, representatives of the European Commission, trailblazing business leaders in circularity, and top-tier academics in the field of sustainability.

In particular, Janez Potočnik, co-chair of the UNEP IRP, STH co-financier and former European commissioner; Mónica Chao Janeiro, one of the leading experts in strategic sustainability, business transformation and ESG leadership in Spain; and Brenda Chávez, a solutions and data investigative journalists, will be speaking at the Summit.

Over three days, the Summit will be structured around thematic areas, which will range from digitalisation for circularity to circular design, and include the new business models and industrial symbiosis. There will be panels on European legislation, plenary sessions, practical workshops and visits to companies.

Nearly 100 companies, showcasing over 150 circular products, will take part in the second space, the Basque Circular EXPO. This showcase will be the best example to learn about the large number of large companies and SMEs alike that are committing to the circular economy and whose products and processes are both sustainable and profitable. The companies exhibiting at the Basque Circular EXPO are from all sectors, from automotive to food, and including construction and energy.

The third space, the Basque Circular VILLAGE, will feature the ecosystem of stakeholders driving the circular economy in the Basque Country, with stakeholders from the business, scientific and academic worlds and society overall. Therefore, this area of stands and networking will be the opportunity for stakeholders to set out their ideas and connect with investors and consolidated companies.

As regards participation at the Basque Circular Summit 2025, over 1,000 people and entities interested in taking part in the conference have already registered, which is proof of the growing interest and commitment to the circular economy.

This year, the Basque Circular Summit 2025 will also have an important new feature as it will host the prize-giving for the Basque Circular BEST 2025 awards, being held for the first time. The goal is to recognise the best solutions and projects presented at the Summit based on their impact and economic feasibility.

The Circular Economy in the Basque Country

As the Basque Environmental Outlook Report 2024 reflects, the Basque Country has taken a significant leap forward in terms of efficiency. Since 2005, material consumption per inhabitant in the Basque Country has fallen by 8 tonnes, a figure that is above the European average. Furthermore, the material productivity index, which measures the ratio between the Gross Domestic Product and Domestic material consumption has risen from 1.49 to 3.79, meaning that the economy has grown using fewer resources.

The European Commission calculates that establishing a circular economy could benefit the continent as a whole to the tune of €1.8 billion by 2030. Basque companies that have opted to implement circular economy strategies have increased their turnover by 12% on average. This figure shows that circularity increases competitiveness and generates new business opportunities.

Companies are responding to this challenge by investing in innovation and creativity. Reusing materials, ecodesign and industrial symbiosis are ever more frequent in the Basque Country’s economic fabric, which has allowed the average consumption of raw materials to be cut by 20%.

The goal is to make the Basque Country and employment benchmark based on the circular economy, creating quality jobs and driving the transition. Five thousand direct jobs have already been created. This transition is anticipated to generate 700,000 new jobs in Europe by 2030.

By the same token, Josu Bilbao, the Basque Government’s Deputy Minister, stressed the environmental reasons for why it is important to promote the circular economy. Thanks to the firm commitment of the Basque Government, the amount of waste ending up in landfill has been reduced by 54% since 2018. ‘This has all been possible thanks to ambitious public policies and an investment of €31.2 million to minimise landfill and foster reusing waste as secondary material’, he explained.

The Basque Country has thus become one of the regions with the best rates of waste recovery and reuse and cutting landfill, over the Spanish State average and in line with the most demanding European targets. The Basque Waste Prevention and Management Plan 2030 is an example of this, with specific measures to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The Basque Country is also committed to putting cutting-edge infrastructures in place that will allow the waste to be converted into new resources for industry, lowering dependency on external raw materials and bolstering industrial autonomy. This approach has positioned the Basque Country as a benchmark in the application of the Clean Industrial Deal in the Spanish State and Europe, as it shows that circularity is a driving force for competitiveness and decarbonisation.

Basque companies bolster their commitment to the circular economy at Basque Circular EXPO

admin — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 08:00:27 +0000

Nearly a hundred companies have confirmed they will be taking part in an exhibition showcasing 150 circular solutions.

Basque Circular EXPO is fast becoming the benchmark event for companies to showcase their circular economy solutions and developments.

Basque Circular EXPO is seen as a milestone in the transformation towards the circular economy, with 90 Basque companies taking part that have committed to sustainability as a strategic area. This exhibition of circular products manufactured in the Basque Country will have over 150 innovations on show, 70% of which are new solutions and proof of how Basque industry is adapting to the new market and regulatory requirements.

The machinery sector, which accounts for around 10% of the industrial gross added value of the Basque Country, will be centre stage in the exhibition. The participating companies will exhibit solutions that integrate ecodesign, energy efficiency and new sustainable production models. In turn, the food industry, whose challenges include reducing food waste and introducing sustainable containers, will unveil key initiatives to meet the future Prevention of Food Loss and Food Waste Act.

The electrical-electronic sector will be another in the spotlight at Basque Circular EXPO; the sector is progressing in the rolling out of the right to repair and reuse critical materials to reduce their environmental impact. In this vein, innovations will be presented that are in line with the new Ecodesign Regulation, aimed at improving the efficiency, durability and recyclability of products. In the field of construction, which generates roughly 20% of the waste of the Basque Country, the fair will be the opportunity to show solutions focused on selective demolition, the use of recycled materials and to reduce the environmental impact of aggregate extraction.

Basque Circular EXPO will not only be an innovation showcase, but also a space to discuss the strategies that will define the competitiveness of the Basque business fabric in an ever-demanding market in terms of sustainability. The need to integrate circular business models, guarantee the traceability of the materials and respond to the growing demand for environmental transparency will be some of the central themes in the event’s sessions.

As the circular economy is a key factor for competitiveness, Basque companies are stepping up to be positioned as benchmarks in a more efficient and sustainable economic model. Basque Circular EXPO will be proof of this undertaking and bolster the Basque Country as a trailblazing territory in the transition towards circularity.

Basque companies addressing circular economy challenges: adaptation, innovation and competitiveness

admin — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 11:11:23 +0000

The transition towards the circular economy will mark the future of Basque business

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 will be setting for companies to share strategies to face the challenges of an ever more demanding market

The circular economy is not longer an option, but rather a requirement for Basque companies to be competitive in an ever more demanding market and regulatory context. Adapting to carbon neutrality, complying with European ecodesign regulation and the need to improve environmental transparency have become key factors that will mark the future of business. In this scenario, the Basque Circular Summit 2025 will be the place to hear about the strategies and solutions of the companies leading this transformation, and where the challenges will be analysed that will define competitiveness in the coming years.

The latest Strategic Environmental Watch Report by the Basque Ecodesign Center identifies the challenges that Basque companies must face to consolidate its position on market where sustainability is not a matter of corporate responsibility, but rather a key factor to access customers, financing and investments. Reducing the carbon footprint will be a priority, not only due to international undertakings, but also because European regulations be ever more demanding in strategic industrial sectors. The Basque Country has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 33% since 2005; the challenge is now to speed up the rolling out of clean technologies and decarbonisation in industry, affecting both large companies and SMEs.

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 will also be the opportunity to discuss the New European Ecodesign Regulation, which will require companies to incorporate circularity criteria in their products, from the design to their end of life. In the Basque Country, over 300 companies already or will have environmental transparency obligations, which includes sustainability reporting and digital product passports. Furthermore, over 250 Basque industrial facilities will be subject to the new Industrial Emissions Directive, which will require the best available techniques to be adopted to reduce the environmental impact of the production processes.

However, the challenge is not limited to production. There will be ever greater pressure on companies to avoid greenwashing and guarantee that their environmental communication is rigorous and verifiable. The regulation will be stricter for those companies that are not transparent in their climate undertakings or which offer unreliable information. On the other hand, the market will penalise those companies that do not include circular economy strategies in their business model, in a context where the lack of critical raw materials require dependency to be lower on external resources and for impetus to be given to the use of secondary raw materials.

The transformation underway will also have a direct impact on access to financing. European taxonomy and sustainable finances will be the difference between companies that can access investments and those who will see their capacity for growth limited. Managing environmental information will be key for SMEs, which will have to adapt to new requirements throughout the value chain, from assessing the impact of their products to alignment with financial sustainability criteria.

In its latest assessment of Basque business competitiveness, the Basque Ecodesign Center stresses that the Basque Country is favourably positioned with respect to other European regions thanks to its early adoption of key measures in the transition towards the circular economy. However, it warns that the public instruments that facilitate investment in clean technologies, private-public partnership and training for working professionals will need to be bolstered. These key points will be at the centre of the sessions of the Basque Circular Summit 2025, a forum which will analyse the sector’s challenges and solutions shared to guarantee that Basque companies continue leading the sustainable transformation and remain competitive on a global market.

Streaming of the plenary sessions will be available in English

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 09:00:46 +0000

The link to follow the streaming will be shared a few days before the start of the evento

International viewers unable to attend will be able to follow the event’s content more easily

Anybody unable to be at the Basque Circular Summit 2025 plenary sessions will be able to follow the live streaming. There will be simultaneous interpreting into English for these main sessions to make it easier for the international audience for follow the content.

Please note that the interpreting service into English and streaming will only be available for the plenary session. There will be no interpreting services for the parallel sessions and side events. The link to follow the streaming will be shared a few days before the start of the event and will be available on the official website.

The Basque Circular Summit 2025, a benchmark in the circular economy in southern Europe, will be held on 2, 3 and 4 April. This sixth edition of the event will yet again gather together leading industries, institutions and experts with the goal of driving cooperation and innovation among the companies and different sectors.

The event, which will be on-site, will be very well attended. Companies and institutions that are advancing in the circular economy will showcase innovative solutions in the EXPO, Village and Forum areas. Advanced projects and technologies will be on show in the EXPO area; the Village will be the place for networking and sharing experiences; and the circular transition of the economy will be the subject of the debates and papers at the Forum.

The Basque Circular Summit will be a strategic meeting point to speed up the circular transition by means of innovation, industry and strategic cooperation.

Basque Circular Summit 2025, certified as an Erronka Garbia sustainable event

admin — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:00:27 +0000

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 is not only the largest event on the circular economy in southern Europe, but it is also a benchmark in the organisation of sustainable events. The Summit – organised by Ihobe, the Basque Government’s environmental management agency – holds Erronka Garbia certification, which endorses its commitment to reducing its environmental impact and fostering responsible practices in its planning and development.

Erronka Garbia is a environmental quality seal promoted by the Basque Government through Ihobe; its goal is none other than to ensure that events minimise their ecological footprint by incorporating sustainable measures in their organisation.

The Erronka Garbia-Sustainable Event certificate seeks to raise awareness among the attendees at the event and the organisers about the need to mitigate the negative impacts associated to hosting multitudinous events.

The protocol for the Basque Circular Summit 2025 to obtain this certification was as follows:

Sustainable mobility: the event fosters the use of public transport, vehicle sharing and active mobility (bikes, walking) to reduce the carbon footprint.
Energy efficiency: the event prioritises the use of renewable energy and the optimising electricity consumption.
Responsible water management: the event implements measures to minimise water consumption and to avoid waste.
Sustainable purchasing: the event uses recycled or recyclable materials to produce the event, reducing the use of single-use plastics as far as possible.
Responsible infrastructures: selecting spaces and settings to guarantee the lowest environmental impact possible.
Waste reduction and management: the event fosters the reuse, recycling and correct separation of the waste generated during the event.

A sustainable event model

Erronka Garbia certification is not only a recognition, but also a declaration of principles. Ihobe, as the event organiser, considers it fundamental that the Basque Circular Summit 2025 not only promotes the circular economy from the business and theoretical perspective, but that it is also applies those principles in the organisation and running of the event.

Furthermore, this initiative seeks to make organisers and delegates alike aware of the importance of adopting sustainable habits, by showing that it is possible to reduce the environmental impact without compromising the quality and the experience of the event.

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 seeks to leave a positive footprint beyond holding the event itself. Thanks to its commitment to the Erronka Garbia standards, it will act as a benchmark for other events that are seeking a more envrionmentally friendly management model.

More information on Erronka Garbia

Accreditation open for the press wishing to cover the Basque Circular Summit 2025

admin — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:55:50 +0000

Media professionals can now apply for accreditation through event website

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 – to be held by in Bilbao (Bizkaia) from 2 to 4 April and organised by the Basque Government’s Ihobe – has opened accreditation for journalists and the media. The event promises to be a key meeting point to discuss and analyse the future of the circular economy in the Basque Country and Europe.

Media professionals interested in covering the BCS2025 can now request their accreditation through the press room set up on the event website. The accreditation will allow access to the different programmed activities on the three days, including the plenary and parallel sessions of the ‘Forum’, the ‘Expo’ exhibition where nearly two hundred circular solutions will be showcased, and the ‘Village’ networking area.

Over 800 experts and professionals (see list of speakers) from the environmental and industrial sectors will attend this event to address key issues for the transition towards a circular economy model. The main issues on the BCS2025 agenda include:

Challenges and opportunities in the packaging and textile sectors
The evolution of the European Green Deal towards a Clean Industrial Deal
The importance of crucial raw materials and sustainable construction materials
The impact of the new European Ecodesign Regulation
Implementing the digital product passport and the right to repair
Trends in sustainable finances and waste management
Combating greenwashing and redirecting investments to positive impact projects

Media professionals that wish to arrange interviews with speakers or participants should directly connect the event’s press office at prensa@basquecircularsummit.com

The Basque Circular Summit 2025 is a can’t-miss event for media professionals that want to delve further into the challenges and opportunities of the transition towards a circular economy.

The Basque Circular Summit 2025, a parallel event of the World Circular Economy Forum, is bolstering its global impact

admin — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:02:54 +0000

Belonging to the World Circular Economy Forum positions the Basque Circular Summit 2025 at the heart of the international debate on the circular economy

Thanks to the Basque Circular Summit’s joining the largest global forum on industrial transformation and sustainability, the Basque Country is now positioned as a benchmark in the circular economy

The Basque Circular Summit 2025, which will be held in Bilbao from 2 to 4 April, is now an official event of the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), the most important global forum on the circular economy, led by the Finnish Innovation Fund, Sitra. Every year, the WCEF gathers together civil society, business and governmental leaders to speed up the transition towards a wasteless economy, by fostering innovative industrial transformation and sustainability solutions.

Being part of the WCEF agenda bolsters the international outreach of the Basque Circular Summit, placing it alongside the most influential events in this field. This recognition endorses the work of Ihobe and the Basque Government, whose advanced public policies and promoting circular business models have made the Basque Country a trailblazing territory in the circular economy.

Over the three days the Basque Circular Summit 2025 will address the business, technological and regulatory key points that will define the future of the circular economy, in line with WCEF priorities. The new ecodesign regulation and the CSRD Directive on sustainability reporting and the European taxonomy will be discussed, along with the role of artificial intelligence, CO2 capture and reuse, and the business models based on material efficiency.

The fact that the conference is part of the WCEF event network stressed the importance of the Basque Country in the global circular economy and makes the Basque Circular Summit a must-attend event. The event, which is already at 60% capacity with just over a month to go, will gather together companies, authorities and technology centres with the goal of speeding up the adoption of circular solutions