SYMBI background & scope (5th call)
The pandemic has caused major disruptions in SYMBI partners’ efforts to transition towards a circular economy model, since governments and industries are most concerned with responding to immediate emergencies. Securing by any means the production of necessities and the operation of supply chains, however, has come at the expense of sustainability and circularity.
At the same time, the pandemic has exacerbated the ineffectiveness of linear territorial economic models in times of crisis, raising concerns not only for recovery but also for future resilience. Considering that industrial waste, energy demand, and CO2 emissions skyrocket after major crises, there is a pressing need to resume and further advance the circular transformation in the participating SYMBI territories, in light of policy gaps uncovered by COVID-19.
SYMBI 5th call expected results
All partners (excl. ANDALUCIA) will survey the impact of COVID-19 on territorial supply chains and the challenges faced in applying circular economy & IS approaches.
They will then use this knowledge to enhance their crisis management capacities and identify 14 good practices as solutions for the gaps documented, through three interrelated workshops on
i) digital solutions to promote increased adoption of IS in SYMBI territories,
ii) financial opportunities for IS deployment through CEAP & EU Green Deal, and
iii) how to foster the application of reporting & certification systems.
Partners will map the impact of COVID-19 on GPP implementation, provide examples of successful practices and identify promising recovery & resilience pathways.
The main outputs of the SYMBI additional activities will include the following:
• 2 online steering committee meetings
• 1 COVID-19 impact, challenges & new IS opportunities joint study
• 14 Stakeholder meetings to receive feedback and document proposals
• 1 Digital tools & pathways workshop
• 1 CEAP & EU Green Deal synergies workshop
• 1 IS reporting & certification systems workshop
Kick-off Meeting
The meeting started with Maika Diaz welcoming all partners and sharing a brief summary of what will be presented and discussed during the meeting.
Digitals, as an external expert, presented the common challenges faced by the consortium and details each of the policy instruments addressed by the CPs (Type of improvement expected: improvement of governance or structural change). The presentation was followed by the Exchange of experiences and the Dissemination and Budget and Networking activities. They present in detail the activities of the two semesters and the activities that each partner has to do in the two semesters.
The project will end in March 2023. On financial management and reporting, the LP started with an overview of the budget breakdown, explaining also possible budget changes (20% flexibility rule and major changes). The main steps of the reporting procedures were reviewed.
The partners responsible for the activities of the first half of the year then made their presentations.
Angel Huertas (LP) explained the report of activity 2 covid-19 impact, challenges and new opportunities of the SI joint study. The main outputs will be 2 methodologies for data collection and documentation of the challenges and a joint study on ways of recovery and resilience to the situation we are experiencing.
Marjana Dermelj (SVRK) presented the workshop Digital tools and pathways (online). Partners will contribute and peer-review good practices of circular digitisation/IS from their own regions. The aim is the identification of good practices and tools in the partner regions.
Roland Dancsecs (Pannon Novum Nonprofit Ltd) gave two presentations: firstly, he explained the communication activities in which all partners will have to participate. In the second presentation, Roland explained the regional stakeholder meetings, an activity also led by Pannon Novum.
Finally, the partnership raised some questions that will be passed on from LP to JS.
AGENDA
11:00-13:00hs.
Welcome to all project partners by LP Fundecy-Pctex
Presentation on the SYMBI 5th call by Digitalis (External Expert)
• Overview and Vision on SYMBI project 5th call by Digitalis
• Work Plan on SYMBI project 5th call by Digitalis
Questions and doubts
Project Management and Coordination by LP Fundecy-Pctex Financial Management and reporting by LP Fundecy-Pctex 1st Semester Activities:
• COVID-19 impact, challenges & new IS opportunities joint study by FUNDECYT& KOZANI
• Stakeholder dialogues & dissemination by PANNON NOVUM
• Digital tools & pathways workshop by SVRK
Final remarks
