Launch Conference of the Circular Economy Fortnight

Program:

11:30 | Welcome of participants – Walking lunch From 11:30 and throughout the conference | Stands of the “Go Circular” and “Chantiers & Services Circulaires” winners 12:30 | Welcome address by Minister Willy Borsus, Vice-President, Minister of Economy, Research and Innovation, and Digitalization Introduction | Keynote speaker (to be confirmed) Panel 1 | Circular economy as a lever for businesses in facing societal challenges Crucial challenges such as climate change, ecosystem destruction, and quality of life preservation require us to change our ways of producing and consuming. Circular economy provides a toolkit that allows businesses to offer solutions. This theme has become central, both through the European Green Deal and within the framework of recovery measures. But what are these circular practices, how can we generalize them, and accelerate the transition? How do they foster innovation and address these societal challenges? Jan Laperre, CEO, CENTEXBEL Amélie Matton, CEO, ECOSTERYL Marc Bosmans, Circular Economy Manager, KNAUF INSULATION Stéphane Neirynck, Director, Centre Terre et Pierre Frédéric Druck, Director, Essenscia Wallonie Panel 2 | Circular economy: towards solutions for raw material sourcing and strategic autonomy Our increased dependence on resources undermines the competitiveness of our businesses. Against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and soaring energy and raw material prices, the transition to a circular economy appears as a response to strengthen the resilience of our economy. The COVID-19 crisis already revealed a vulnerability to sudden shocks in the global supply chain. How can the circular economy contribute to raw material supply security? What are the levers and barriers to starting a circularization of operations within an organization or even an entire industry? Rafael Jaimes Contreras, Head of Circular Economy Unit, MECATECH Pierre-François Bareel, CEO, COMET Group Jean-François Sidler, CEO, STUV Lionel Fourdrinier, Program Leader, Centre de Recherches Métallurgiques Clarisse Ramackers, Director, AGORIA Supporting businesses in their circular transition | Presentation of the SOWALFIN mechanisms (Anne Vereecke, member of the SOWALFIN Management Committee – to be confirmed) and SRIW/ NEXT – Circular Economy (Francine Turck, Investment Manager) Closing remarks | Willy Borsus, Vice-President, Minister of Economy, Research and Innovation, and Digitalization, Christie Morreale, Vice-President and Minister of Employment and Training, Céline Tellier, Minister of the Environment 16:30 | Drink – Networking.