On May 12, an online event titled “The Circular Economy in Ukraine: Identifying Priority Sectors and Value Chains” as part of the regional program “Recovery through a circular economy and pollution reduction in the Eastern partnership countries” (EU4Green Recovery East), funded by the EU and implemented in the Eastern Partnership countries. The event was organized by the Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production Center (RECP Center) in collaboration with UNIDO and with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine.
Vitalii Kindrativ, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, opened the event by emphasizing the practical significance of the circular economy for Ukraine: “Today, the circular economy for Ukraine is not just an environmental approach, but a practical tool for economic resilience and modernization. It involves more efficient use of resources, increasing business competitiveness, introducing innovative production models, and gradually aligning the Ukrainian market with European rules and standards.”
“Ukraine is currently at a critical juncture-rebuilding amid war while simultaneously advancing toward EU membership. This challenge presents an opportunity: the circular economy. As a global leader in circular economy policy, the EU is providing Ukraine with technical assistance to develop a draft Circular Economy Strategy – a transformative roadmap that combines sustainability and recovery with EU integration and global sustainable development goals. The work of EU4Green Recovery East has significant potential to facilitate the implementation of this Strategy,” noted Torsten Wollert, Energy, Climate and Environment Advisor at the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.
UNIDO Senior Coordinator for Ukraine Stephan Sicars highlighted that industrial modernization today was directly linked to resource efficiency, international cooperation, and the implementation of circular economy principles.
The event brought together over 150 representatives from the private sector, industry associations, government agencies, academia, international organizations, and the expert community. Participants were briefed on the methodology and results of the sectoral screening analysis conducted as part of the project and discussed how circular economy approaches can contribute to more efficient resource use, waste reduction, and the creation of new economic opportunities in Ukraine’s recovery process.
During the event, experts presented:
– The state of the circular economy in Ukraine;
– The focus areas of the EU4Green Recovery East program;
– The results of the analysis and prioritization of economic sectors;
– Digital tools for implementing circular solutions;
– Approaches to analyzing value chains, particularly through the involvement of stakeholders.
Special attention was given to sectors with the greatest potential for implementing circular approaches. Based on the results of previous consultations, the list of priority sectors includes:
– The agri-food sector and food processing;
– Construction, including demolition waste;
– The textile sector.
Participants also took part in an interactive discussion and provided recommendations for the program’s future work. These proposals will help define the direction for the next phase, particularly for detailed mapping of value chains and the development of practical circular economy solutions for Ukraine. (Government portal)