Mission-oriented R&I policies : in-depth case studies : circular economy Flanders (Belgium)

Vlaanderen Circulair (Circular Flanders) has the vision of a transition to a circular economy. It consists of the Flemish Materials Programme, Plan C, and the Sustainable Materials Management (SuMMa). Since 2017 they are integrated in OVAM, the Public Waste Agency of Flanders. Plan C includes a network of frontrunners and creates a long term vision and experiments with new business models, while the Agenda 2020 enables concrete priority actions streamlining actors and initiatives. Vlaanderen Circulair has a strong focus on connecting bottom-up and top-down initiatives and engaging all parts of the society. The Sustainable Materials Management (SuMMa) policy research centre, also established in 2012, supports evidence-based policy in this exceptionally multi-departmental domain. the focus is still on harnessing currently available subsidy programmes rather than on generating new ones. OVAM, the Public Waste Agency of Flanders is the main governing body of Vlaanderen Circulair. The circular economy in Flanders is embedded in a broader societal vision for Flanders, Vision 2050, adopted in 2016, that aims a social, open, resilient and international Flanders that creates prosperity and well-being in a smart, innovative and sustainable way, in which every individual counts.