As part of the study trip titled “Supporting the Transfer of Circular Economy Practices to the Western Balkans”, the EU4Green project organized a visit to Environment Agency Austria in Vienna, showcasing Austria’s leadership in circular economy practices. Representatives from six Western Balkan economies came together to learn from Austria’s experience and explore how these practices could be adapted to their local contexts.

Over the course of three days, participants, including government officials, industry experts, and environmental professionals, exchanged knowledge and ideas on key aspects of sustainable development. The visit laid the groundwork for regional collaboration and actionable solutions tailored to the needs of the Western Balkans.

Key Topics Explored

Participants focused on several critical areas of circular economy design and implementation:

1. Green Public Procurement
   Gerhard Weiner, Head of the naBe Platform, presented Austria’s leading efforts in embedding sustainability into public procurement processes, offering strategies to integrate eco-friendly practices across sectors.
2. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
   Andreas Pertl, Managing Director at VKS Verpackungskoordinierungsstelle GmbH, highlighted Austria’s successful EPR framework, focusing on its role in waste management and producer accountability.
3. Waste Treatment and Reuse
   Technical facility visits included the Lobau Composting Plant, ContraCon’s construction waste processing facility, and Vienna’s innovative reuse shop, the 48er-Tandler. These visits demonstrated Austria’s practical approaches to waste prevention, separate collection, and sustainable reuse.
4. Waste Prevention Programs
   Claudia Scholz from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action (BMK) provided insights into Austria’s national waste prevention program, emphasizing strategies for food waste reduction and public awareness campaigns.

Participant Insights

What specific aspects of Austria’s Circular Economy practices did you find most applicable or inspiring for your work in your home country?

“The centers for collecting old products, second-hand shops in Vienna, and public awareness campaigns are especially inspiring and directly applicable to our local context. These initiatives have the potential to bring immediate benefits to municipalities and communities in North Macedonia. We plan to work closely with municipalities to adapt and implement these practices,” said Ana Karanfilova Maznevska, Head of the Waste Department in North Macedonia.

How do you plan to implement or adapt the insights gained during the study visit to advance Circular Economy initiatives in your local context?

“We aim to tackle these challenges through short- and medium-term political strategies, such as the Strategy of Industry 2030, which focuses on transitioning the manufacturing sector to green production. This includes implementing circular strategies, using renewable energy, and managing resources more efficiently. Initiatives like the Program for Consumer Protection and ongoing legislative efforts, such as packaging waste regulations, are also essential for advancing green practices,” emphasized Nijazi Shala, a representative from Kosovo’s* Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade.

Regional Collaboration and Impact

The study trip aimed to assess how Austria’s circular economy practices could be transferred to the Western Balkans, encouraging participants to adapt these solutions to their local contexts. Discussions on challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned created an atmosphere of collaboration and identified key insights:

• Green public procurement as a driver for systemic change.
• Waste prevention’s role in reducing environmental impacts and improving resource efficiency.
• Regional adaptation of Extended Producer Responsibility systems.

Conclusion

This study trip underscores EU4Green’s aim to enhancing regional collaboration and supporting the Western Balkans in transitioning to a sustainable circular economy. By providing opportunities for peer learning and knowledge transfer, the project is providing region-specific solutions that align with the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.