On 27 July 2021, the Ministers of Energy, Commerce and Industry and Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy presented the “Cyprus Action Plan for the transition to a circular economy 2021-2027” with budget of €90m, has been approved by the Council of Ministers.
Speaking at the press conference for the presentation of the Action Plan, the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Ms. Natasa Pileidou, stated that, by moving to a circular economy, there will be opportunities for the transformation of companies and industry, in order to gain more competitive advantages and become more competitive, resilient and more sustainable at a local and international level.
The “Cyprus Action Plan for the transition to a circular economy 2021-2027” is based on the following four pillars:
- 1st Pillar – Cultural change for a circular economy:
It includes informing the business community and consumers about the prospects and business opportunities of a circular economy, information campaign for the sustainable management plan “Pay as you throw” and providing training on circularity issues.
- 2nd Pillar – Providing incentives for investments in a circular economy:
It includes the development of a Consulting and Financial Guidance Plan of €1m (€15 thousand per company), the development of “Go Circular” Grants schemes of €1m. by the Research & Innovation Foundation for the development of new circular products and services and the utilization of HRDA plans for training on circular economy.
- 3rd Pillar – Development of circular economy infrastructures:
With a total cost of €2m, conduct a study to identify the appropriate waste streams to be declassified, create an online sharing platform that will enable companies to share equipment, services, facilities, waste, etc., and create an integrated system of supervision and monitoring of waste management projects.
- 4th Pillar – Municipal Waste Management:
Development of a “Pay as you Throw” scheme (€25m), for the separate waste collection in mountainous areas, development and operation of a network of Green Recycling Points to help remote communities (€3.5m), domestic composting of organic waste (€7m), development of Product Repair and Reuse Centres (€4m), reduction and separate collection of solid waste in Limassol – Paphos (€5m) and waste recovery plan collected separately (€15m).
The Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry has started preparing the Grant Schemes and an Incentive Scheme of €13m will be announced in 2022, which will give industries the opportunity to invest in projects and practices that lead to circularity.
The presentation of the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Ms. Natasa Pileidou, on the Cyprus Action Plan for the circular economy is available here (Greek text).
