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Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure BE-2005-1/3124 – measures in Belgium

Circular economy grant

Beurs voor circulaire economie

Country Belgium , applies regionally

    • – BE1 RÉGION DE BRUXELLES-CAPITALE/BRUSSELS HOOFDSTEDELIJK GEWEST
Time period Open ended, started on 01 January 2005
Context Green Transition
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Reorientation of business activities
– Change of production/Innovation
Author Dries Van Herreweghe (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and Eurofound
Measure added 22 February 2023 (updated 20 March 2023)

Background information

As part of the Regional Programme for Circular Economy and support from Bruxelles Environment, Village Finance manages a fund that invests in Brussels companies that intend to participate in the circular economy. It does so by providing grants since 2016. Certain conditions apply and only a limited number of grants is available.

Content of measure

To support Brussels start-ups and very small businesses that want to start in the circular economy, Village Finance writes out grants of €5,000 to entrepreneurial projects in start-up or development that fall within the logic of circular economy. One of the conditions of the grant is obtaining a loan of at least €10,000. The grant helps project managers to raise the necessary seed capital for their projects.

Certain conditions apply for companies willing to make use of the grant:

  • To start or develop a project as a self-employed person in main occupation.
  • To start a project with registered office in the Brussels-Capital Region.
  • To receive support from an established support structure (e.g.: Lokaal Economieloket, Iles, hub.brussels,...) in developing the business plan.
  • Simultaneously submitting a credit application of minimum €10,000 to a financing institution.
  • To start or develop a business that is an example in the circular economy field.

Use of measure

The uptake of the measure is not publicly stated.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Solo-self-employed
SMEs
Start-ups
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Local / regional government
Regional funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The involvement of social partners is not known.

Views and reactions

The views of the social partners on the specific measures have not been made public. However, EO's like Unizo and UCM which are specialised in providing support and guidance to SME's are supporters of the circular economy in general.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2023), Circular economy grant, measure BE-2005-1/3124 (measures in Belgium), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/BE-2005-1_3124.html

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