Policies and Strategies – Circle-in – Promoting CIRCuLar Economy INvestments and policies in the cross-border area of Greece-Italy

National strategy on Circular Economy

According to the National Strategy (December, 2018), Circular Economy consists of not only an opportunity but also a necessity for Greece. This fact is due to the significant delay that Greece presents overall in relation to the sector itself and also due to the limitations in terms of the existing resources and specifications when it comes to its geographical characteristics (islands, remote-mountainous areas).

Circular Economy can play the role of the catalyst regarding the reconstruction in production and has district regional dimension. It is based on the proper use of resources, the idea of recycle and reuse. It encourages the use of secondary materials and waste as productive resources and useful materials giving the production model a sustainable dimension.

Greece presents great potential for the application of such a productive/economic model for a number of reasons such as:

Available natural resources and unused secondary resources and waste.
Scientific potential and know-how but also productive and technical tradition in the technical professions.
Primary sector with growth potential and needs for modernization and reduction of production costs.
Low indicators of resource productivity as well as energy productivity (and energy efficiency)
Available EU strategy framework and available funding tools.

Significant benefits of Cyclical Economy include the high added-value coming from such investments due to the low cost of raw materials and the intensive knowledge that is required in many cases, the absorption / exploitation of young scientists and its compatibility with SMEs and the social economy.

It is noted that Circular Economy is in contrast with the economic model that was applicable in Greece by the year of 2015. More specifically, it refers to an economy of real product, it caters for the primary and secondary economic sector, it is based on economy of knowledge and specialization, it produces high surplus-value, it exploits and respects natural and environmental resources, reduces dependency on imports and improves trade balance, creates jobs, adapts to all sizes, does not always need start-up capital, improves resource and energy productivity indicators and is fully compatible with SMEs and the social economy.