On 09/06/2023 there were held the 3rd Project Meeting of the Common Management Unit and 2nd Steering Committee Meeting in a present, in a hybrid way and online via the ZOOM platform at the Helexpo Exhibition Center: Nikolaos Germanos Conference Center in Thessaloniki, Greece with participation of representatives of all project`s partners. The meetings were organized regarding the implementation of the project “Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021", the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.

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On 08/06/2023 the Closing Conference of the project “Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" under the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020 was held in a hybrid way and online via SEVE’s Youtube & Facebook platforms and via the ZOOM platform. The event took place at the Helexpo Exhibition Center: Nikolaos Germanos Conference Center in Thessaloniki, Greece with participation of representatives of all project`s partners. Guests from various organizations interested in the circular economy also participated.









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The training course CIRCULAR ECONOMY ended on 31/05/2023 with a final exam.
The programme of the course contained 6 (six) training modules for asynchronous online learning:
● Life Cycle of Raw Materials, Materials and Products
● Waste Management
● Business Models For Circular Economy
● Legal and Institutional Framework of the European Union
● EU Environment Policy
● Sustainable Finance.
94 experts from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and Sweden applied for the 6-month training on circular economy issues. The trainees used for the first time the specially created platform containing information on the leading topic for Europe.
All experts who successfully pass the exam will receive certificates.
After completing the training, the resources in the multilingual platform will be freely available for use.

 

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Invitation to potential members

Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” (VFU) as a lead beneficiary of the project BSB 
1021″KNOWING CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN BLACK SEA BASIN-CIRCLECON” under the cross-border 
cooperation program under the European Neighborhood Instrument” Black Sea Basin 2014-2020″
awarded a contract to “Organic Herbs OOD” with the subject: “Establishment of a European Group 
for Territorial Cooperation in the Black Sea Basin Region”. The contractor acts in favor of the VFU 
“Chernorizets Hrabar” as the responsible partner for this activity aiming to establish an EGTC with 
​the participation of organisations from the Black Sea Basin area.

 

The main objectives of the EGTC include:

1-Promoting and support special provisions for the adoption of Circular Economy Model in BSB
countries
2-The adaptation in the new programming period national / regional and local strategies in the BSB
area to EU CE action plan
Moreover, the EGTC aims at contributing to the:

• EU Green Agenda & Green Deal
• EU Blue Economy
• Black Sea Synergy (BSS)
• Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (CMA)
• EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR)
• A Smarter cooperation area
• Promoting climate change adaptation
• To the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals

Contact:
info@circleconproject.eu
organicherbsbg@gmail.com
 

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On 02.12.2022, the Circular Economy course was opened. The training and development of the platform are part of the activities of the project „Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021", financed by the Joint Operational Program for Cross-Border Cooperation under the European Neighborhood Instrument "Black Sea Basin 2014-2020", with leading organization VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar". Partners are organizations from Greece, Turkey, Georgia and Ukraine.
90 experts from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine and Sweden will undergo a 6-month training on circular economy issues. The trainees use for the first time the specially created platform containing information on the leading topic for Europe. After completing their training, the resources in the multilingual platform will be freely available for use.
The event was opened by George Kremlis, Honorary Director of the General Directorate "Environment" of the EC and patron of the Master's program "Circular Economy" of Varna Free University. He presented the new moments of the work of the European Commission in the field of the circular economy to participants. The moderator was Associate Professor Dr. Eleonora Tankova - Dean of the Faculty of International Economics and Administration.
The training, which will be conducted in English, will continue until the end of May 2023. The program includes six asynchronous online training modules related to the life cycle of raw materials and products, waste management, circular economy business models, legal and institutional framework of the European Union, EU environmental policy and sustainable finance.

On March 23, 2021 Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" as a leading organization launched the project "Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" under the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.
 
The overall goal of BSB-CIRCLECON is to promote territorial coordination of environmental protection and sustainable growth in the Black Sea Basin. The idea is to encourage as many actors as possible to embark on the transition to the circular economy, going beyond waste prevention and management to Waste as a Valuable Resource. BSB-CIRCLECON targets to promote:
o Circular Economy package o Common awareness-raising and joint actions to reduce waste o Coordination of environmental protection and joint reduction of waste and marine litter in the Black Sea basin countries, in a lower – level, the “every day” people, supporting and facilitating Brussels and local governments’ activities towards CE.
 
The main goals of the project are:
Promote CE model to business and local authorities
Inform key actors and output multipliers
Develop specific educational material
Organise training of experts groups
Disseminate C E to public
 
Core Activities:
1. CEWG WORKSHOPS
The CEWGs will introduce a new way of working in the BSB area; CEGWs will be a series of high-level technical meetings, aiming to promote and set the basis for implementing policies under the broad banner of circular economy. CEWGs members will be experts from EU DG ENV, DG AGRI, DG REGIO and DG NEAR as well as experts from the hosting partners and the relevant participants. EU experts will present the main CE principles and latest reviews, outline the coherence with ENI and BSB strategies and exhibit good practices and policies. The local representatives will have the opportunity to get details about the EU priorities in each of the participating countries. The workshops will offer in-depth discussion and exchange on good practices’ specific resources and requirements for transfer and implementation (structural, staff, financial, political and legal framework conditions). DELIVERABLE 10 meetings (2 in each country)
The deliverables of ECWG workshops will be 10 meeting reports:
- mapping in all partner regions,
- identification of all relevant practices needed to start or to develop
- consider local priorities, programming plan and potential
- establishing a data-base with strategies and activities already taken
2. Regional Specific Study
All partners (except ERFC) shall produce a regional State of the Art analysis in the field of Waste Management and Circular Economy. The aim is to describe in detail in quality and quantity terms the current situation of waste management and circular economy issues, especially, waste collection – waste treatment - waste recycling – waste reuse - main environmental challenges in each area –– soil, area and water pollution status – general people behavioral patterns related to waste. The methodology and specifications will be developed by VFU and will be common for all partners as to insure compatibility of results and comparability of data.
3. ACTIVITY TITLE: INFORM KEY ACTORS
The beneficiary in each country, based in the knowledge that he gained from CEGW meetings and Studies, will carry out two informational workshops one for Local & Public Authorities & NGOs and Consumers and the other for Business and Academia with at least 70 participants in each workshop.
4. ACTIVITY TITLE: MULTILINGUAL ONLINE EDUCATION
The 1st online training for Circular Economy provided by a University in EU level. The Educational Platform will incorporate Video Lectures, Interactive Assessments, Screen Recordings, Dialogue Simulation, eLearning Interaction, Extensive LMS Support, Adaptive layers and Mobile App extension. The Platform will be multilingual: At least it will incorporate user interface in all partners’ languages, plus an English version. (6 languages: Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish, Georgian, Armenian and English). The training module will be based on the Master’s Degree Programme, leading at first stage to a University Degree – Europass Certificate, according to the European Standard ECVET.
5. ACTIVITY TITLE: GO DIGITAL
The content of the smartphone application will be based on the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. The toolkit will provide a virtual open space which aims at promoting Europe's transition to a circular economy by facilitating policy dialogue among stakeholders and by disseminating activities, information, and good practices on the circular economy.
6. ACTIVITY TITLE: EXPERTS’ TRAINING
Ten (10) experts will be selected from each representing country, a total of 50 persons of which the 50% will be women. The call for applications will be addressed to everyone that holds a bachelor degree and lives in the eligible regions of the beneficiaries. The selection process will be random based, as criteria are not applicable under this first pilot period of training. VFU will carry the activity with the active involvement of all partners in the phase of the call for applications.
7. ACCREDITATION
The beneficiaries are planned to be certified according to ISO 14000 standard on March 2023.
8. EGTC
Establish legal entity /at least 10 organisations from the 5 participating countries/ legal siege in Varna. The main objectives of the EGTC include:
-Promoting and support special provisions for the adoption of Circular Economy Model in BSB countriеs
-The adaptation in the new programming period national / regional and local strategies in the BSB area to EU CE action plan
 
Expected results:
The immediate project result is increased awareness on environmental challenges and good waste management practices within Black Sea Basin as a consequence of CE model; more than 60.000 people are expected to be informed, some 1400 to follow informational events, up to 50 experts to be trained to CE models, 350 organisations and companies to intensively advised, 6 organisations to play the role of multipliers and some 10 organisations to be engaged in creating a EGTC in BSB for Circular Economy. The above are directly contribute to the Programme Result Indicator “R2.2 Level of awareness of environmental challenges and good waste management practices related to river and marine litter” BSB-CIRCLECON is expected to offer opportunities to improve regional BSB economies making them more sustainable and competitive, preserve resources that are increasingly scarce and subject to mounting environmental pressure or volatile prices, and create innovative, more resource
efficient ways to provide services or products to customers. In long term, results of proposals dealing with CE adoption will contribute to:
- reduce soil, river and marine litter;
- better waste management;
- reduce landfills, and their associated pollution;
- reduction in the total materials requirement o ecodesign, waste prevention and reuse could bring net savings to businesses;
-less greenhouse gas emissions.
 
Рartners:
1. Greek Exporters Association, Greece;
2. European Regional Framework for Cooperation, Greece;
3. Municipal Institution “Grant office “ODESA 5T”, Ukraine;
4. International Centre for Social Research and Policy Analysis, Georgia;
5. Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey.


 

 

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Mobile App for the project

Download Here:



QR Code:



 

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On 13-th of May, 2022 it was held the second Inform Key Actors workshop (IKA). It was organized a blended event (on place at Varna Free University, Bulgaria and via Google Meet) under the project "Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" , the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.

68 participants were present - representatives from National/Regional Local Authorities and regional agencies, Infrastructure and public service providers, Interest groups including NGO’s, Higher education and Research, Training Centers, Business Support Organisations, SMEs, enterprises.

Participants wеre informed on the benefit of increased knowledge in the field of Circular Economy. The potential transferability of particular good practices were discussed with the participants. The workshop will offered in-depth discussion and exchange on good practices’ specific resources and requirements for transfer and implementation.

On the second IKA VFU presented the summary of the conducted regional studies on waste management and the potential for development of the circular economy in Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey. VFU representative made a presentation of VFU projects related to Circular Economy. The Workshop finished with a Discussion, Questions and Answers.

The venue was accessible to persons with disabilities, all events’ supplies were from recycled only materials and all attendants were made aware that the European Union is financing the event.
 

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On 13-th of May, 2022 it was held the Opening Conference. It was organized a blended event (on place at Varna Free University, Bulgaria and via Google Meet) under the project "Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021", the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.

88 participants from different organisations were present with the aim to raise awareness within them. On the Opening Conference were present representatives from National/Regional Local Authorities and regional agencies, Infrastructure and public service providers, Interest groups including NGO’s, Higher education and Research, Training Centers, Business Support Organisations, SMEs, enterprises.

The event was opened by the Project Manager, Assoc. Prof. Eleonora Tankova, PhD. She welcomed the guests, presented the main objectives and main activities of the project, deadlines, plans for its implementation and the value of the contract for the grant awarded.
Address to the participants in the meeting was made by the EU High Expert Mr. George Kremlis, Honorary Director of the DG Environment of the European Commission, he also presented the Circular Economy.

All partners presented their partner organizations.

The venue was accessible to persons with disabilities, all events’ supplies were from recycled only materials and all attendants were made aware that the European Union is financing the event.
 

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On 1-st of April, 2022 it was held the first Inform Key Actors workshop (IKA). It was organized a blended event (on place at Varna Free University, Bulgaria and via Google Meet) under the project "Knowing circular economy in Black Sea basin BSB-CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" , the Joint Operational Programme Black Sea Basin 2014-2020.

53 participants were present - representatives from National/Regional Local Authorities and regional agencies, Infrastructure and public service providers, Interest groups including NGO’s, Higher education and Research, Training Centers, Business Support Organisations, SMEs, enterprises.

Participants wеre informed on the benefit of increased knowledge in the field of Circular Economy. The potential transferability of particular good practices were discussed with the participants. The workshop offered in-depth discussion and exchange on good practices’ specific resources and requirements for transfer and implementation.

On the first IKA it was made a ECGW local reports presentation and it was presented a summary of the conducted regional studies on waste management and the potential for development of the circular economy in Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey. The Workshop finished with a Discussion, Questions and Answers.
The venue was accessible to persons with disabilities, all events’ supplies were from recycled only materials and all attendants were made aware that the European Union is financing the event.
 

 

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On November 26, 2021, the first Workshop of a Working Group on circular economy (CEWG) under a Pproject "Knowledge of the circular economy in the Black Sea basin CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" was held. It was a hybrid event - on site at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar", USK 3, and via Google Meet. The main guests in the Workshop were:

- Mr. George Kremlis, Honorary Director of the DG Environment of the European Commission Consultant of Circular Economy.  Mr Kremlis informed the audience on the priorities of the European Union on Circular Economy and on the Bulgarian National Action Plan for Circular Economy. He also referred to The Green Deal on Climate Change which will make Europe the First Climate-Neutral Continent by 2050, and the meaning of the Green Deal, which is much more than saying goodbye to coal, for a huge opportunity to transform into a new, modern, a less energy-intensive, high-tech, efficient and far more competitive economy, etc.- Mr. Alkis Stavridis, Overall Project Manager presents the Project in-depth, it`s main goals, objectives and activities.
- Mr. Todor Kolev, Director of Directorate of the "Ecology and Environmental Protection", Municipality of Varna. He presented projects and programs at the local level, aimed at protecting the components of the environment, increasing resource efficiency, including the initiatives envisaged in the European Union Circular Economy Package.
- Mr. Svilen Shitov, Mayor of Devnya Municipality. He presented the good practices & challenges of Devnya Municipality. He spoke about the policy of Devnya Municipality, which seeks to improve the components of the living environment for the citizens of Devnya Municipality by increasing economic activity, human resources development and especially improving the environmental condition and environmental protection.
-Mr. Emil Dichev, Manager of Ecoinvest Assets AD. He as a representative of solid waste processing plant presented their experience in the field of waste recycling. He expressed the view that natural resources will soon not be so freely available and that the recycling industry must play a major role in this process, and that reducing landfills, recovering useful raw materials and energy from organic waste must be one important contribution to living conditions.
During the workshop were presented the main activities currently performed by VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar": 1.2 " Regional Study " and 2.1 "Online Education ", as well as prepared by the VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" team " Regional study in Bulgaria, Varna region: processes, effects and challenges”.

• The venue was accessible to persons with disabilities.
• The events’ supplies were from RECYCLED ONLY materials.
• All attendants were aware that the European Union is financing the event.

 

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On December 10, 2021, the second Workshop of a working group on circular economy (CEWG) under a Pproject "Knowledge of the circular economy in the Black Sea basin CIRCLECON - BSB 1021" was held. It was a hybrid event - on site at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar", USK 3, and via Google Meet.

The topic of the workshop was focused on the transition to a circular economy and waste management, which is a valuable resource and a great opportunity to create competitive advantages on a sustainable basis for Bulgarian local and regional academic organizations, business support organizations, SMEs and training centers.
The workshop focused on adopting a circular economy model that could strengthen the EU's industrial base and boost entrepreneurship.
Project Manager presents the Project in-depth, it`s main goals, objectives and activities.
During the workshop were presented the main activities currently performed by VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar": 1.2 " Regional Study " and 2.1 "Online Education ", as well as prepared by the VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" team " Regional study in Bulgaria, Varna region: processes, effects and challenges”.
The final data from the conducted interviews with stakeholders in connection with the regional study in the field of waste management and the circular economy were presented.
 
o   The venue was accessible to persons with disabilities.
o   The events’ supplies were from RECYCLED ONLY materials.
o   All attendants were aware that the European Union is financing the event.