Chapter 12
Circular Economy in National Smart
Specialisation Strategies: The Case
of Greece
Lena Tsipouri, Phoebe Koundouri, Lydia Papadaki, and Maria D. Argyrou
Abstract Greece is lagging significantly behind the EU average in its transition to
the circular economy (CE); it needs significant acceleration to catch up. Its main
advantage is good research skills. Monitoring indicators, European Semester recommendations, fines by the Court of Justice and national/international NGO assessments leave no doubt for that. This chapter (This work has received funding from the
European Union’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology under grant
agreement N
190,836.) presents a mapping exercise aiming at assisting the Greek
authorities in using its Smart Specialisation Strategy (SSS), thus facilitating and
accelerating the transition of the country to the CE. The combination of these two EU
priority strategies and policies, totally distinct in terms of timing and primary target,
poses significant challenges in terms of methodology, prioritisation and project
coordination. The main lesson drawn from the Greek exercise is that the CE
transition can be accelerated and become profitable, while using the crossreferencing methodology of SSS and CE strategy goals adapted for the needs and
competitive advantages of each country or region proves a very helpful tool in the
endeavour to accelerate the passage from the linear to the circular economy.
Keywords Circular economy · Smart Specialisation Strategy · Policy
recommendations
L. Tsipouri (*) · M. D. Argyrou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
P. Koundouri
School of Economics and ReSEES Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business,
Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Europe, Paris, France
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
L. Papadaki
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Greece, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Koundouri (ed.), The Ocean of Tomorrow, Environment & Policy 57,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56847-4_12
199
Circular Economy in National Smart
Specialisation Strategies: The Case
of Greece
Lena Tsipouri, Phoebe Koundouri, Lydia Papadaki, and Maria D. Argyrou
Abstract Greece is lagging significantly behind the EU average in its transition to
the circular economy (CE); it needs significant acceleration to catch up. Its main
advantage is good research skills. Monitoring indicators, European Semester recommendations, fines by the Court of Justice and national/international NGO assessments leave no doubt for that. This chapter (This work has received funding from the
European Union’s European Institute of Innovation and Technology under grant
agreement N
190,836.) presents a mapping exercise aiming at assisting the Greek
authorities in using its Smart Specialisation Strategy (SSS), thus facilitating and
accelerating the transition of the country to the CE. The combination of these two EU
priority strategies and policies, totally distinct in terms of timing and primary target,
poses significant challenges in terms of methodology, prioritisation and project
coordination. The main lesson drawn from the Greek exercise is that the CE
transition can be accelerated and become profitable, while using the crossreferencing methodology of SSS and CE strategy goals adapted for the needs and
competitive advantages of each country or region proves a very helpful tool in the
endeavour to accelerate the passage from the linear to the circular economy.
Keywords Circular economy · Smart Specialisation Strategy · Policy
recommendations
L. Tsipouri (*) · M. D. Argyrou
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
P. Koundouri
School of Economics and ReSEES Laboratory, Athens University of Economics and Business,
Athens, Greece
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Europe, Paris, France
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
ICRE8: International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy, Athens, Greece
L. Papadaki
United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network Greece, Athens, Greece
EIT Climate–KIC Hub Greece, ATHENA Research and Innovation Center, Athens, Greece
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
P. Koundouri (ed.), The Ocean of Tomorrow, Environment & Policy 57,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56847-4_12
199