“The topic of the circular economy is extremely important for the CCDR and for the objectives of the CCDR. It's not just because it's a fashionable agenda, it's because, effectively, we all have to contribute to the improvement of the regions, the country and, ultimately, the planet,” the president of the CCDR of the Centre told journalists.

According to Isabel Damasceno, waste must be avoided and “things must be reused,” and this is part of a strategy and policy that the CCDR must have as a promoter of the region.

There are two ways to implement a strategic policy: either we remain in the strategic thinking stage, or we transform that strategic thinking into concrete actions. And we have been carrying out concrete actions, namely the issue of the circular economy roadmap,” she emphasised.

The formalisation of the Circular Economy Pact in the Central Region took place today at a hotel in Condeixa-a-Nova, in the district of Coimbra.

The third edition has 203 signatory entities, the highest number ever. In the first edition, in 2019-2020, 86 entities joined, rising to one hundred in 2023-2025.

"The leap that is being made from the second [edition] to the third is really very significant, which demonstrates that the practice we have applied to the movement around the circular economy has had practical effects on the adhesion of entities more and more," she stressed.

"The realisation that it is worthwhile and that there are others to do has brought more and more actors to the adhesion of the pact," added Isabel Damasceno.

Among the signatory entities are companies, business associations, higher education institutions, intermunicipal communities, municipal councils, parish councils, private social solidarity institutions, and local development associations.

Of the total number of entities, 93 are repeat participants, and the rest are participating for the first time, according to Carla Coimbra, director of the Planning and Regional Development Unit of the CCDR of the Centre.

In her speech, she detailed that more than a third of the 380 actions already finalised are from municipalities, parish councils and intermunicipal communities, about a quarter are subscribed by higher education institutions and the scientific and technological system, and 19% are from companies.

Most entities opted to propose only one action, 27% have three or more, with the University of Coimbra and the Leiria Local Health Unit subscribing to the pact with 12 actions each.

This edition of the pact will be based on a model of communities of practice, in which the signatory entities commit to implementing at least one circular economy action.

“These are spaces for collaboration, for sharing experiences and for capacity building through a circularity axis. We created seven communities of practice, each reflecting a circularity axis, and entities can join through a community of practice,” Carla Coimbra explained to journalists.

The seven communities cover the areas of scientific and technological research; digitalisation; circular public procurement; responsible consumption, awareness, and social involvement; education and training; sustainable production and the efficient use of resources; and the circular urban economy.

In this model, we believe it is easier to create articulation both between peers, because the entities are more similar, have more common challenges, and also to bring together entities that need to articulate with others, to have joint projects and a constituted network,” she added.

According to Carla Coimbra, most entities chose to be part of only one community, whereas the University of Coimbra is part of all seven communities of practice.