The 5th Transnational Meeting of the DESICE Project in Italy

The 5th transnational meeting of the DESICE project, implemented under the Interreg Europe programme, took place on 9 and 10 September 2026 in Bologna and Imola, Italy, bringing together project partners and representatives of organisations from the participating regions. ANATOLIKI S.A., as the Lead Partner, participated with two representatives, as well as two representatives of the project’s Local Stakeholder Groups.

The DESICE project aims to improve the implementation of regional and local policies in the field of the circular economy, with particular emphasis on strengthening the capacity of product designers.

The first day began in Imola with a presentation on the progress of the project by Ms Eleni Iordanidou, Project Manager at ANATOLIKI S.A., followed by an update on communication and dissemination activities. Ms Stavroula Balmadaki, a member of the ANATOLIKI S.A. Project Team, presented the progress of the Peer Reviews carried out among the project partners. The Lithuanian partner, Public Institution Lithuanian Innovation Centre, presented the progress of the second phase of the consultation process, during which local stakeholders are invited to complete a questionnaire on the extent to which their knowledge of circular design has improved as a result of their participation in the project.

The meeting also featured significant participation from representatives of the Greek region. Specifically, Ms Popi Oikonomou, from KEPA – Centre for Business and Cultural Development, and Mr Panos Remountos, founder of Creativity Platform, participated in the meeting. Mr Remountos presented the good practice “Creativity Platform NGO – Creative Couples”, highlighting the contribution of creativity and collaboration to the development of innovative solutions.

As part of the meeting, the open event “Ecodesign, Circular Economy and Innovation for Businesses” was also held, with the participation of key Italian stakeholders and organisations. Through presentations by Ecoinnovazione Srl, Datalogic and the University of Ferrara, contemporary approaches to ecodesign, the circular economy and innovation were showcased. Of particular interest was the University of Ferrara’s AURA initiative, a creative approach that connects literature, public space and digital experiences.

The day concluded with a study visit to the Imola motor racing circuit, where practices aimed at reducing environmental impacts, pollution and noise were presented.

The second day included a visit to Romagna Impianti, an agricultural services company, where innovative solutions in the field of digital agriculture and advanced agrivoltaic systems were presented. This was followed by a visit to Fondazione Golinelli, where the organisation’s activities in the fields of education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship were presented, along with its support for innovative ideas and start-ups.

The 5th transnational meeting of the DESICE project provided another important opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and good practices, strengthening cooperation among the partners in promoting ecodesign, innovation and the circular economy.

The project partnership consists of the following organisations: