The first study visit was carried out within the scope of the “Technical Assistance for Assessment of Türkiye’s Potential on Transition to Circular Economy” (DEEP) Project that prepares the roadmap for Türkiye's transition to a circular economy; the first study visit was held in the Netherlands and Belgium between 28 November and 2 December 2022 to exchange information on ongoing activities and practices related to the circular economy in the context of resource and waste management in EU countries.
Turkish Delegation consisting of the representatives of the General Directorate of Environmental Management and Directorate General of Environmental Impact Assessment, Permit and Inspection from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change; Turkish Environment Agency and the Ministry of Trade, and the Technical Assistant Team of the Project participated in the study visit.
During the visit, the implementation and benefits of the EU circular economy package, the procedures, functioning, and financing of research institutions working on waste management and circular economy in the EU, and their relations with all authorities, including environmental agencies and ministries, were examined to understand the content.
The visit started on 28 November 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands. On the first day of the visit, our delegation met with representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Also, circular economy policies and practices of the Netherlands were discussed. During the site visit to Blue City in Rotterdam, good practices were examined and information on circular production processes in the manufacturing sector was obtained.
On the second day of the visit, our delegation met with Circularise, and its software system, digital product passport, and digitalization in the supply chain were examined and discussed. Then, during the visit to the Netherlands Institute for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), which is also a circular economy center located in Delft, the structure of the institution, its working principles, and the recycling of construction waste and the use of recycled materials in new buildings were discussed. Afterward, in the meeting with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Dutch Environment and Water Association (ENVAQUA), circular waste management and green public procurement were discussed.
The visit continued with Brussels, the capital of Belgium. On the third day of the visit, our delegation met with DG ENV, DG GROW, and DG NEAR. Waste Shipment Regulation, plastic recycling, ship recycling, textile recycling, European Industrial Strategy, and TAIEX tool procedures were discussed at the meeting. Then, the delegation visited Ambassador Mr. Mehmet Kemal Bozay, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Turkey to the European Union. They exchanged information on the European Green Deal, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, and the study visit. In the last meeting of the day, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) and European Environment Bureau representatives came together to discuss zero-waste cities, certification criteria, good practice examples, and the latest developments within the EU CEAP framework.
On the 4th day of the study visit, the first meeting was held at the premises of DEEP Project consortium partner Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH), and information was obtained on the legal structures, operational processes, circular design, and business opportunities of HCH, European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP), Het Groene Brein and CIRCO. The basic principles of transition to a circular economy were presented by the former Dutch Minister of Environment Prof. Jacqueline Cramer at the meeting. Circular economy investments of the private sector, cooperation models between the public and private sectors, and joint networking opportunities were discussed with representatives of the Amsterdam Economic Board (AEB) and the Port of Amsterdam, one of the leading institutions in the transition of the Netherlands to the circular economy.
On the 5th and the last day of their visit, our delegation received information about 100% circular raw material investment and operating procedures, the Regional Circular Textile Centre, and the EU strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles from the managers of Textiles2Textiles (T2T), Brightfiber Textile, Ereks Garment, and PVH Corp. Later, in the second visit of the day legal basis and financial resources, circular economy financing, metrics, data, business design, and public & private sector relations were presented by the representatives of the Circle Economy. The delegation also visited the Circl pavilion, a circular building in Amsterdam, and discuss the circular principles on which it was built and operated.
Having included 3 cities in its agenda and observing the circular economy models on site, our delegation examined private sector and public cooperation areas in addition to the legislation comparisons during its five-day visit.
