The international partnership of the Circular Minds Interreg Europe project participated in a study tour focusing on circular procurement on 30 October 2024.
During the morning, the Public Procurement Authority of Hungary gave a presentation on greening Hungarian public procurement practice and strengthening circular competences. These efforts are also reflected in the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union’s programme for the second half of 2024, where the circular economy is a factor that will strengthen competitiveness.
Film festival and film review
Clair Communication, a Budapest-based consultancy, presented a film festival and screening as a good practice, where among other things, the need to minimize the carbon footprint, the venue and the circularity of the catering meant that they were the best bidder and the event host chose them to implement the event. The components and pitfalls of successful circular branding were also discussed.
Challenges for the construction industry
HOLCIM Hungary Ltd. illustrated the circular challenges of the building industry with the cement it produces and distributes, as its products include low carbon footprint cement products made by recycling building materials. Finally, the Italian lead partner of the CE-PRINCE Central Europe project presented their work on standardization of circular procurement, based on a survey of both demand-side (typically self-governments) and supply-side (companies providing goods and services) actors, with an international perspective.
Circular solutions
During the afternoon, we learned about the circularity of the construction industry at Nonprofit Ltd. For Quality Control and Innovation in Building in Szentendre, a state-owned organization with extensive international contacts and numerous international projects, which operates the National Model House Park and Visitor Center, showcasing modern, circular materials and construction solutions, and also provides construction testing and certification services on a commercial basis to industrial manufacturers and suppliers. Building is a key area of green and circular procurement in all Circular Minds partner countries.
The Circular Minds project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Hungary within the Interreg Europe Program.
