European Sustainability Congress is one of the biggest international events about circular economy. Its goal is to promote the idea of a circular economy, support sustainable business models and establish cooperation between interested stakeholders.
The Congress is the focal point of Circular Week 2026 and will take place on 29 October 2026. The event will involve the participation of small and large companies, start-ups, investors, representatives of public administration, local governments, enterprises, managers dealing with sustainable development and CSR and the media.
The Congress will feature lectures and discussion panels among international experts representing areas such as macroeconomics, bio-economy, urban infrastructure, waste management and plastics. There will be also networking area with expo booths, where circular projects and start-ups will promote themselves. It will be an excellent opportunity for international networking, promoting your activities internationally and exchanging ideas during networking sessions.
Agenda
8:30AM-09:00AM
Participant registration, welcome coffee
9:00AM-09:10AM
Welcome and Opening of the Congress
Opening speech:
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Agnieszka Sznyk PhD, President of the Board, Institute of Innovation and Responsible Development INNOWO, Member of European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform
9:10AM-09:45AM
Ambassadors Roundtable „A Circular and Resilient Europe – From National Priorities to Joint Action”
Moderation:
Ron van Bloois, Board member, Real Asset Media
9:45AM-10:00AM
Keynote Speech
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Stoyan Tchoukanov, President of NAT (Nature, Agriculture and Rural area) section, European Economic and Social Committee
10:00AM-10:45AM
From Policy to Practice: The Circular Economy Act in Action
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Anita Sowińska - Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Climate and Environment,
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Dr. Agnieszka Sznyk – President of the Board, Institute for Innovation and Responsible Development INNOWO
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Michael Kuhndt – Founder and Executive Director, CSCP Germany
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Claire Downey – Chief Executive, Rediscovery Centre, The National Centre for the Circular Economy, The Boiler House Ireland
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Prof. Juste Rajaonson, PhD Université du Québec
10:45AM-11:00AM
Keynote Speech: Sustainable design engineering
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Jeremy Faludi, Associate Professor of Sustainable Design Engineering, TU Delft
A presentation on sustainable design as a foundation of the circular economy. The speaker will present engineering methods and tools that enable the reduction of products' environmental impact at the design stage, including eco-design approaches, life cycle assessment (LCA), and the integration of circular design principles into industrial processes. The lecture will place the regulatory discussion in the broader context of technological innovation driving the transition.
11:00AM-11:15AM
Keynote Speech: Circular Economy and Sustainability Lab
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Priya Saikumar, Research Lead – ReMan & ReElectronics, Circular Economy and Sustainability Lab, University of Oxford
A presentation of research findings on circularity in the electronics and remanufacturing sector. The speaker will present models for extending the life cycle of electronic devices through repair, refurbishment, and component reuse, as well as the technological, economic, and regulatory barriers to scaling these solutions in Europe. The presentation will also highlight the potential of the ReMan sector as a source of new jobs and a means of reducing e-waste.
11:15AM-11:45AM
Networking Break
11:45AM-12:30PM
Blue & Bio in Action: Scaling the Circular Bioeconomy
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Tobias Nielsen, PhD, Expert – Circular Economy, European Environmental Agency
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Sidse Jensen FSC -PIB
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Thomas Hartnik, PhD Director Division of Environment and Natural Resources NIBIO - Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi /
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Dr hab. Jerzy Kozyra IUNG
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Andrzej Stangred – REFOOD
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Prof. Dr. Harald Grethe – Director, Agora Agriculture
The panel will open with a presentation of a report prepared by the Dutch side (NL), showcasing best practices and lessons learned from implementing circular bioeconomy models in the Netherlands. Experts and practitioners will then discuss opportunities for scaling solutions based on biomass, renewable raw materials, and marine resources (blue economy) at the European level. Topics will include investment barriers, availability of biowaste processing technologies, integration of the agricultural and fishing sectors into the circular economy, and the role of international cooperation in accelerating knowledge transfer and innovation between EU countries.
12:30AM-12:45PM
Keynote Speech
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Joanna Kasowska - Quality Standards & Climate Protection Director, Żabka
12:45PM-13:45PM
Circular Economy in Practice: Costs, Responsibility, and Business Models
Moderation: Anna Sapota – Vice President Public Affairs Eastern Europe North, TOMRA
Speakers:
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Anna Kozera-Szałkowska – Managing Director, Plastics Europe Polska
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Jacek Płaza – Chief Sustainability Officer, Decathlon Poland
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Łukasz Sosnowski – ProKarton
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Jakub Szalatkiewicz - Phoenix Surowce Sp. z o.o.
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REKOPOL representative
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Żabka representative
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Michał Mikołajczyk - REKOPOL
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IKEA representative
A discussion focused on the economic and organizational aspects of transitioning businesses to circular models. The panel will cover an analysis of transformation costs, the distribution of responsibility among producers, distributors, and consumers (including extended producer responsibility mechanisms), and a review of new business models such as product-as-a-service, raw material leasing, and take-back and recovery systems. Participants will assess which solutions are realistically scalable and what financial and regulatory support is needed to reduce investment risk for companies implementing these models.
13:45PM-14:45PM
Lunch Break
14:45PM-14:50PM
Students presentation
14:50PM-15:05PM
Keynote Speech
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Katarzyna Śliwa – Chief Executive Officer, Ergo Design
15:05AM-15:50PM
Financing Circular Value Chains: Innovation, Bankability and a Strong Signal for the EU Single Market
Moderation: Hubert Bukowski, Research Director, Institute of Innovation and Responsible Development INNOWO
Speakers:
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Andrei Geica – Chief Impact and Policy Officer, Sporos
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Piotr Świerczyński – Director of the National Contact Point Department, NCBR
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Bartosz Silczak – Director of the ESG Risk Office, National Development Bank (BGK)
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Stanislav Shmelev – Environment Europe Foundation Oxford
A panel dedicated to financing mechanisms for the circular transition, including capital availability for innovative projects, investment risk assessment (bankability) of circular models, and the role of financial institutions, EU funds, and private investors in accelerating the implementation of circular economy solutions. Experts will discuss which financial instruments (guarantees, guarantee funds, green bonds) can strengthen investor confidence, and how stronger regulatory harmonization at the EU single market level can lower cross-border barriers for circular businesses.
15:50PM-16:35PM
Closing the Loop in Low-Carbon Technologies: Resource Challenges of the Energy Transition
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Prof. dr. hab. inż. Jarosław Zuwała – Deputy Director for Research and Development, Institute of Fuel and Energy Technology
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Prof. dr hab. inż. Krzysztof Pikoń – Professor at the Faculty of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Silesian University of Technology; Head of the Department of Waste Management Technologies and Equipment
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Jeremy Faludi – Associate Professor, Sustainable Design Engineering, TU Delft
The closing panel will explore the intersection of the circular economy and low-carbon technologies, focusing on the critical raw materials and resource challenges underpinning the energy transition. As demand for solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries grows, so does pressure on global supply chains. Participants will discuss strategies for reducing primary resource dependency through closed-loop recycling of critical minerals, design for disassembly, and the development of secondary raw material markets. The panel will also address the role of EU policy in securing supply chains and how circular approaches can make the green transition more resilient and economically competitive.
16:20PM-17:00PM
Closing Remarks