The CEI-Executive Secretariat (CEI-ES), Lead Partner of the Horizon Europe project RIBES – Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepreneurship Solutions, gathered project partners in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 30 June–1 July 2026 for the project's 6th General Assembly and a public workshop on inclusive circular bioeconomy. The event was organised by the project's Greek partner CERTH (Centre for Research and Technology Hellas) and brought together researchers, policymakers, public authorities, businesses and civil society representatives to exchange knowledge and discuss innovative solutions for sustainable regional development.
During the General Assembly, partners reviewed the project's progress, coordinated the next implementation steps and advanced the development of the RIBES Toolkit and Platform, key instruments designed to support inclusive bio-based entrepreneurship across Europe's rural regions.
The public workshop opened with a keynote presentation by Peter Canciani, Project Manager at the CEI-ES, entitled Fostering Regional Inclusive Biobased Entrepreneurship. The presentation highlighted the CEI's long-standing commitment to promoting European integration and sustainable development through regional cooperation and showcased how the organisation has supported circular bioeconomy across Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe for more than a decade.
Drawing on the CEI's extensive experience, the presentation illustrated how the Organisation has promoted the circular bioeconomy by raising awareness, strengthening research and innovation capacities, fostering collaboration between regional stakeholders and leading European scientific institutions, and leveraging its institutional activities, dedicated funding instruments and participation in EU-funded projects. These efforts have supported local development, reinforced sustainable value chains and addressed wider societal challenges, including rural depopulation, unemployment and social inclusion. Building on this experience, alongside projects such as BIOLOC and BIOSTARS, RIBES will further strengthen the capacity of rural communities to develop innovative, inclusive and sustainable bio-based business models while supporting the transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
Through its coordination of RIBES, the CEI continues to foster cooperation, knowledge exchange and innovation, helping translate European policy objectives into concrete opportunities for regional development across its Member States.
For more info: canciani@cei.int
