RDFCM has 22 staff members who work in close cooperation with the staff teams of RCM, the Managing Authority of the Regional Operation Programme of Central Macedonia, and academic and research centres based in Thessaloniki.
 

CE is a priority for the Research & Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) of the Central Macedonia region. CE is a horizontal sector, crossing all the champion sectors of the region (tourism, agro-food industry, textiles, construction materials).

GDP or GDP Category (at NUTS 3 level) Eurostat, same as cohesion policy 2019: Less developed region

Urban rural predominance: Predominantly rural with significant urban centres

Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia

EU funded-projects department

The central objective of the Circular Economy Action Plan, (CEAP), which is linked to the Circular Economy for SMEs (CESME) Action Plan, was to influence the available policy tools toward a CE, with a special focus on the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) of Central Macedonia. This was supported by actions that increased the awareness of potential SME beneficiaries so that the beneficiaries/SMEs are included in actions that are funded by the ROP.

The overall goal was for 80 SMEs in the region to improve their resource efficiency through CE actions.

The CEAP for the promotion of a CE in the region of Central Macedonia consists of three main pillars:

• ‘Specialisation’ of the RIS3 Strategy.
• Incorporation of CE actions into the ROP of Central Macedonia 2014–2020.
• Implicit incorporation of the issues of the CE into the ROP of the next programming period (2021-2027) and its funding priorities.

Moreover, there are two more CEAPs in the framework of the participation, which are on BIOREGIO and SinCE-AFC projects.

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In 2018 the National Strategy for the Circular Economy in Central Macedonia was established, whereas in 2021 its action plan was specified. It includes management and organisational interventions that allow public and private entities to take advantage of the opportunities offered by circular economy. The Policy Instrument addressed in the Regional Operational Programme (ROP) 2021-2027 of the Region of Central Macedonia, and the Policy Responsible Authority is the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM).

Under the Policy Objective 2: "A greener and more resilient low-carbon Europe and on the way to a net zero carbon economy, by promoting a fair transition to clean energy, green and blue investments, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility", the RDFCM participates as project partner in the following projects, directly linked to circular economy and bioeconomy:

• Three Interreg Europe projects: CITISYSTEM, FISSH, DeCo
• One Horizon Europe project: CisWEFE-NEX

Additionally, the RCM participates as project partner in:

• Two Horizon Europe projects: ROBIN, WOOD2WOOD
• One Interreg Europe project: MINEV
• One Interregional Innovation Investments Instrument (I3) project: BIOTECH4FOOD

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The Region of Central Macedonia participates in the following initiatives:

• OECD Programme for cities and regions
• BIC Bioeconomy Platform
• EEDSA Hellenic Solid Waste Management Association
• ERIAFF Network of European Regions for Innovation in Agriculture, Food and Forestry

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