The 5th LSG Meeting of the INTERREG EUROPE co-financed project "SinCE-AFC, (Enhancing the Entrepreneurship of SMEs in Circular Economy of the Agri-Food Chain)" regarding Circular Economy in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises operating in the Agri-food sector, The 5th LSG Meeting in Greece took place online on Wednesday 8th of December 2021.

The meeting was organized by the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia on behalf of the Region of Central Macedonia, in collaboration with ANATOLIKI SA and realized with the attendance of representatives of the Local Stakeholder Group.

Ms. Chrysanthi Kiskini, Head of the Scientific and Technical Support and Project Implementation Department of the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, made the opening speech by giving special honors to the participation of the members of the Local Stakeholder Group, and introducing to the project’s objectives and the agenda of the meeting as well.

The floor was given to Mr. Konstantinos Michailidis, Head of the Independent Directorate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support, of the Region of Central Macedonia. He made his personal remark with respect to Circular Economy as a new priority axe of the Regional Operational Programme, and the extent in which SinCE-AFC project contributes to its fulfillment.

The Regional Action Plan was displayed in its initial form. The focal units were summarized and the preferred Action, as emerged by the Action Plan, was elaborated. It considers the development of a mechanism that horizontally supports the integration of entrepreneurship in Circular Economy. The provision of this mechanism’s services to small and medium enterprises, were laid out and the good practice ICESP, the source of inspiration of the Regional Action Plan, was presented.

In the next section of the meeting, the results of the consultation process that conducted among members of the national stakeholders list, were presented. Mrs Vasiliki Papadopoulou, coordinator of the SinCE – AFC project on behalf of the Lead Partner of the project ANATOLIKI SA, brought many fruitful conclusions out that could give aid to the completion of the Action Plan.

In the last section of the meeting, Mrs. Asteria - Anna Boura, representative of the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, referred to the good practices Envirogrind Ltd and Cill Ulta that were presented during the recent Project Partners' meeting in Ireland, as indicative, good examples of circular economy. At the termination of the meeting, the forthcoming actions regarding the enrichment of the Action Plan, as well as the means for the effective promotion of CE principles for their adoption by small and medium sized enterprises and public bodies, were discussed.