Greece: Helping SMEs to use resources efficiently

In the project ‘Circular economy for SMEs’ (CESME), nine partners from six countries have helped their SMEs transform environmental challenges into business opportunities. Their goal has been to bring their regional and local authorities and business development agencies together to design SME support solutions to help them make the most of the circular economy. Development Agency of Eastern Thessaloniki’s Local Authorities joined the project together with the Region of Central Macedonia to identify circular economy solutions for Greek SMEs. They wanted an effective mechanism for promoting the circular economy in the region and thereby generate resource efficiency initiatives by SMEs, which would be funded through the regional operational programme.

920,000

Helping SMEs to use resources efficiently

Policy improved directly by the Managing Authority for EU Structural Funds in Central Macedonia.

© Globelet Reusable (Unsplash) © Bernard Hermant (Unsplash)

SMEs in Greece’s Central Macedonia have been adapting their business practices for the circular economy with the help of a new one-stop liaison office and a voucher scheme. Inspired by ideas from Denmark, the office is promoting resource efficiency in the region through networking among SMEs.

ERDF Thanks to ideas from Denmark, they developed a ‘one-stop’ liaison office at the Region’s premises to promote the circular economy to SMEs. The office organises seminars and workshops about various good practices and open calls for funding. The liaison office puts SMEs in contact with each other, so that they can discover whether their waste can be someone else’s raw material, or vice versa.

The regional operational programme provided 920,000 euros for the liaison office. Moreover, SMEs can apply for innovation coupons which they can use to improve the resource efficiency of their facilities or to adopt other circular economy practices.