European Commission
ongoing
Ecorys, EGEN, tecnalia, Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN), Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (ACR+), European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Tremend Software Consulting
Launched by the EU as part of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) focuses on implementing the circular economy across Europe’s cities and regions - from integration into political strategies to practical implementation of systemic solutions. Many of the cities and regions are already working on a transition to a green, climate-neutral and circular economy.With their competences and approaches, they are best placed to drive this change, which on the one hand reduces pressure on natural resources but can also create sustainable growth and jobs. The initiative (CCRI) aims to exploit synergies between projects and make existing knowledge and best practices more accessible and visible.The Initiative's Community Support Office (CCRI-CSO) provides a combination of technical and financial support to cities and regions, such as:
Prognos is part of the CCRI-CSO and responsible for the knowledge block. The team collects and analyses barriers, enablers and solutions for cities and regions to implement the Circular Economy place-based and locally. Prognos has also developed a self-assessment tool that helps cities and regions to track their progress (monitoring) and recognise new potential. In the course of the project, the team will also advise the so-called Pilot & Fellow cities and regions through direct contact as well as in thematic working groups.
Single-use packaging from the food service sector is a major environmental challenge in Munich. The city is developing a cross-system take-back infrastructure for reusable packaging, aiming to create a city-wide network of return points in public spaces.
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The City of Gothenburg faces operational challenges that limit its ability to implement circular practices at scale. The Circular Transition Arena (CTA) addresses this by providing a collaborative, hands-on platform where city departments, municipal companies, and experts work together to develop practical circular solutions.
Industrial symbiosis offers cities and regions a powerful way to turn local waste and excess resources into shared value—but getting started can be complex and context-specific. This report presents the outcomes and reflections of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) Thematic Working Group on Industrial Symbiosis and Circular Economy in Industries (TWG IS) from January 2023 to October 2025.
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For more information, please visit the CCRI homepageWebsite Circular Cities and Regions Initiative
Project team: Daniel Gehrt, Jannis Lambert, Hanne Hagedorn, Anna Kronvall, Vera Wechner, Tim Bichlmeier, Bianca Neumann, Vera Fuhs
Following EU Green Week 2025, the ‘4th CCRI Coordination & Support Workshop’ will take place, bringing together CCRI stakeholders for a final face-to-face meeting of the first phase. Prognos will provide input on our work in the project.
As part of EU Green Week 2025, the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) are jointly presenting pioneers in the circular economy. Prognos helped organise the event.
Prognos has developed a tool for the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) that supports cities and regions in monitoring their circular economy activities.
Jannis Lambert and Tim Bichlmeier talk about monitoring concepts for the Circular Economy and present a self-assessment tool.
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Project Manager
How far have systems for storing and extracting CO2 developed in Europe? Our study for the German Environment Agency evaluated planned and ongoing CO2 capture projects in Europe, focusing on BECCUS and DACCUS projects.
Methane emissions from landfills are an often underestimated climate challenge. On commission by Kanadevia Inova, we investigated how these emissions develop over time and what levels they reach.
The Talent Booster Mechanism supports eleven EU regions that are suffering from a decline in the working-age population and a low proportion of university graduates. The first pillar has been successfully implemented.
A shrinking workforce, digitalisation and decarbonisation: Prognos examined the specific effects of global trends on regional labour markets.
In recent years, Europe has maintained its strong position in the global market for clean energy technologies, but faces growing competition. On behalf of the European Commission, we examined the competitiveness of these technologies.
How effective are EU cohesion and structural policies in driving green change in Europe? We examined this and other questions together with COWI, Milieu and CSIL on behalf of the European Commission (DG REGIO).
Prognos and its partners evaluated how effectively ERDF funding was used for research, technology, development and innovation in the 2014–2020 funding period.
How can smart specialisation be empirically justified and managed? On behalf of the European Commission (DG REGIO), Prognos is implementing the S3 Community of Practice (S3 CoP) together with a network of partners.
For the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion (ESPON), we are investigating how regions can work together more effectively to protect the climate.
The Single Market Programme promotes the EU internal market in order to strengthen it, standardise it and make it more competitive. Prognos was involved in the mid-term evaluation of the programme.
We combine economic research and strategy consulting for sustainable decisions in politics, business and society. Our robust data, precise analyses and scientifically based findings enable fact-based progress – financially independent, politically neutral.
