The circular economy issue is a high priority on Europe's political agenda. With the European Green Deal, all member states are striving to achieve a CO2-neutral, environmentally friendly, non-polluting and fully circular economy. Project partners in Interreg VI have also come forward to contribute to this, as this challenge plays a major role in business on both sides of the border. The Handwerkskammer Münster, Landkreis Grafschaft Bentheim, Oost NL, Stichting Kiemt, Saxion and several Dutch and German SMEs are going to work together to encourage the conversion process to a circular economy in the Dutch-German border region and support the business community in this.
Conversion to circular
Various project measures will promote the development towards new circular processes and business models in SMEs. The project partners expect to reach a total of 500 companies in the border area during the project period with a Quick Scan and thus make them realise the importance of switching to a circular economy. With this Quick Scan, companies from the wood, electrical, plastics processing, metal and mechanical engineering and construction and finishing sectors can find out where they currently stand with regard to the circular economy and where improvements can be made.
They can then be linked to a knowledge institution, chain-supply partner or other similar companies and enter into a partnership with them. In this partnership, own projects are launched that deal with, among other things, using resources efficiently, switching material use to a circular approach and reducing waste as much as possible. In training courses, companies are introduced to circular design principles and business models. Moreover, they can immediately translate this into concrete plans for their own products and services.
Tutorials
Tutorials are also made available for SMEs on various current topics. Through these tutorials, companies can gain additional valuable insights that will enable them to become more circular. Possible topics for these tutorials include financing, laws and regulations, circular business models, circular innovations or cross-border cooperation.
Funding:
The Interreg funding for Two4C comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). With the approval of the above-mentioned projects, € 1,588,589.23 from this fund will flow into German-Dutch cooperation. In addition, the Interreg partners are making a co-financing contribution totalling € 680,823.99. These are German and Dutch ministries and provinces, including the Ministerie Economische Zaken en Klimaat and the provinces of Overijssel, Gelderland, Flevoland, Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen on the Dutch side and the Ministry of Federal and European Affairs of Lower Saxony and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia on the German side.
Duration
2023-2027
Leadpartner
HWK - Handwerkskammer Münster
