municipal waste is currently recycled compared to an average of 46% in the
EU. Despite declining in recent years, there are still some illegal landfills, resulting
in costly infringement procedures for failing to comply with EU law on landfill and
hazardous waste management.
However, progress has been made on the legal and institutional measures taken to
increase the recycling of waste and to broaden EPR systems. The strategic framework for waste management is now being implemented with the approval of national
and regional waste management plans. However, the use of financial means to
incentivise prevention, reuse and recycling is inadequate, and existing systems
appear to be lagging behind expected performance. Recycling has been gaining
momentum but is still suffering from friction at the various administrative levels and
the lack of a definitive and generally accepted governance structure, while production and consumption policies have not been a policy focus in the past. An initial
mapping of actions includes:
(a) Research and innovation, GSRT [Gen. Sec. R&D] & NSRF Actions: 39 integrated research proposals for the 2016–2017 2-year period. There are two
important actions in progress, namely, the electronic platform of secondary
materials at the Balkan level (INTERREG) at the initiative of EDSNA [Association of Municipalities in the Attica Region – Solid Waste Management] and the
participation of the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Environmental
and Circular Economy Park of the Municipality of Heraklion (UIA) at the
initiative of ESDAK [Association of Solid Waste Management of Crete].
(b) An inter-ministerial committee on green public contracts: It was established on
June 13, 2017, in order to draft an Action Plan to promote green public contracts
and submit proposals for planning a national policy within 18 months of its
operation onset. The National Action Plan is approved by a Joint Ministerial
Decision of the Minister of Economy and Development and the Minister of
Environment and Energy. There is a similar proposal, prepared by a previous
committee, for “greening” 18 product groups and a study proposal for a National
Action Plan.
(c) A mixed inter-ministerial working group titled “Industry Forum”,
established on February 2, 2016. The conclusions and proposals make an
explicit reference proposal in favour of promoting circular economy in
manufacturing through the “circular economy” model, which guides industrial
entrepreneurship towards new productive operation models strongly
characterised by innovation, environmental conservation and rational use of
energy resources.
(d) A mixed inter-ministerial working group titled “Agri-nutrition,
Manufacturing, Tourism” (September 16, 2016).
(e) A mixed group of ELOT [Hellenic Standardisation Organisation] Experts on
“The Environment and Circular Economy” to effectively use international
standards and to develop national standards concerning the environment, waste
and circular economy, monitoring and participating in international and
12 Circular Economy in National Smart Specialisation Strategies: The Case of Greece
207
EU. Despite declining in recent years, there are still some illegal landfills, resulting
in costly infringement procedures for failing to comply with EU law on landfill and
hazardous waste management.
However, progress has been made on the legal and institutional measures taken to
increase the recycling of waste and to broaden EPR systems. The strategic framework for waste management is now being implemented with the approval of national
and regional waste management plans. However, the use of financial means to
incentivise prevention, reuse and recycling is inadequate, and existing systems
appear to be lagging behind expected performance. Recycling has been gaining
momentum but is still suffering from friction at the various administrative levels and
the lack of a definitive and generally accepted governance structure, while production and consumption policies have not been a policy focus in the past. An initial
mapping of actions includes:
(a) Research and innovation, GSRT [Gen. Sec. R&D] & NSRF Actions: 39 integrated research proposals for the 2016–2017 2-year period. There are two
important actions in progress, namely, the electronic platform of secondary
materials at the Balkan level (INTERREG) at the initiative of EDSNA [Association of Municipalities in the Attica Region – Solid Waste Management] and the
participation of the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Environmental
and Circular Economy Park of the Municipality of Heraklion (UIA) at the
initiative of ESDAK [Association of Solid Waste Management of Crete].
(b) An inter-ministerial committee on green public contracts: It was established on
June 13, 2017, in order to draft an Action Plan to promote green public contracts
and submit proposals for planning a national policy within 18 months of its
operation onset. The National Action Plan is approved by a Joint Ministerial
Decision of the Minister of Economy and Development and the Minister of
Environment and Energy. There is a similar proposal, prepared by a previous
committee, for “greening” 18 product groups and a study proposal for a National
Action Plan.
(c) A mixed inter-ministerial working group titled “Industry Forum”,
established on February 2, 2016. The conclusions and proposals make an
explicit reference proposal in favour of promoting circular economy in
manufacturing through the “circular economy” model, which guides industrial
entrepreneurship towards new productive operation models strongly
characterised by innovation, environmental conservation and rational use of
energy resources.
(d) A mixed inter-ministerial working group titled “Agri-nutrition,
Manufacturing, Tourism” (September 16, 2016).
(e) A mixed group of ELOT [Hellenic Standardisation Organisation] Experts on
“The Environment and Circular Economy” to effectively use international
standards and to develop national standards concerning the environment, waste
and circular economy, monitoring and participating in international and
12 Circular Economy in National Smart Specialisation Strategies: The Case of Greece
207