ECOMONDO 2026 CLOSES WITH FOREIGN ATTENDANCE UP 14%: RIMINI IS THE HUB OF REFERENCE FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The 29^th edition of the Italian Exhibition Group event, a global stage for the green economy,

     came to a close today at Rimini Expo Centre

·    Over 1,800 exhibiting brands, 21% of which from abroad

·   1,300 hosted buyers and delegations in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign

    Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency for the promotion

    and internationalisation of Italian businesses abroad (ICE). Mexico was guest country, the Africa

    Investment HUB debuted and a delegation of 11 Brazilian agri-food start-ups was in attendance

Rimini, 6^th November 2026 – Twenty-nine years of challenges overcome, milestones reached, an international dimension and a growth strategy that has led the event to become a global benchmark for the green, blue and circular economy.

Ecomondo closes its 29^th edition today at Rimini Expo Centre with positive results, inviting us to look to the future and its 30^th anniversary, which will be celebrated in 2027: a 1% increase in domestic visitors, a 14% rise in international visitors, over 1,800 exhibiting brands, of which 21% came from abroad, and 171,000 m² of exhibition space. 651 accredited journalists, 15% of whom were from abroad.

From Tuesday 3^rd November until today, Italian Exhibition Group’s international event transformed the Expo Centre into the focal point of the ecological transition, where environmental policies were translated into innovative solutions and technologies for industries and for more resilient, circular and competitive economic systems. In the Innovation District, 20 innovative start-ups and SMEs presented cutting-edge projects and solutions to speed up the ecological transition and circular economy development.

ECOMONDO BEYOND THE EURO-MEDITERRANEAN BORDERS

With 1,300 hosted buyers and delegations involved in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency for the promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies abroad (ICE), and 14 international collectives from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland, Ecomondo 2026 has further expanded its international reach.

For the first time in its history, the event hosted a foreign country: Mexico, one of Latin America’s most promising economies, which is reshaping its development model around the principles of the circular economy. This partnership will be further strengthened with the next edition of Ecomondo Mexico, scheduled to take place from 20^th to 22^nd April 2027 at Expo Guadalajara.

Africa was once again at the centre of Ecomondo’s internationalisation strategies this year with the launch of the Africa Investment HUB to encourage business and networking with associations across the continent.

In total, Ecomondo facilitated meetings between companies, institutions, associations, researchers and innovators, and favoured the exchange of technology, knowledge and skills through over 10,000 business matchmaking sessions.

A new feature at this 2026 edition was the arrival of a delegation of 11 Brazilian start-ups operating in the agri-food sector.

POLICIES, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FOR THE GREEN TRANSITION

200 events, 70 of which organised by the International Technical Scientific Committee, chaired by professor Fabio Fava, brought European policies, research and innovation to the forefront of the debate at Ecomondo for the main industrial sectors, promoting a vision of an ecological transition that, rather than purely environmental aspects, also translates into a concrete transformation of production systems by combining sustainability, growth and competitiveness.

Resource efficiency – from textiles to water, plastics, packaging, right through to paper recycling –, sustainable finance, the blue economy, healthy and circular cities, bioenergy and the regenerative bioeconomy were at the heart of the programme, alongside in-depth discussions on developments in the European regulatory framework, climate change and adaptation, ecosystem restoration and international cooperation in the Mediterranean basin and Africa with the sixth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum, organised in collaboration with the Task Force for the Implementation of the Presidential Office’s Mattei Plan, Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and RES4Africa.

The 15^th edition of the States General of the Green Economy, organised at Ecomondo by the Foundation for Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and under the patronage of the European Commission and the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, provided an overview of the strategic issues facing the green economy in Italy and offered a glimpse of the wider world, particularly China, the USA, Europe and Africa. The first plenary session, held on the opening day of the event with the presentation of the 2026 State of the Green Economy Report, outlined a positive trend for Italy, albeit with some complexities, while the international session on Wednesday 4^th November, in collaboration with Italy for Climate, highlighted how the road to a global green economy is an obstacle course, where easy descents alternate with arduous uphill climbs.

ECOMONDO WILL BE BACK AT ITALIAN EXHIBITION GROUP’S RIMINI EXPO CENTRE FROM 9^TH TO 12^TH NOVEMBER 2027 WITH AN EDITION FULL OF NEW FEATURES TO CELEBRATE ITS 30^TH ANNIVERSARY.

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Ecomondo 2026 is organised by Italian Exhibition Group with the collaboration of: the European Commission; UNIDO ITPO; Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI); Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy; Italian Trade Agency for the promotion and internationalisation of Italian companies abroad (ICE); Emilia-Romagna Region; Rimini Municipal Council; ANFIA (National Automotive Industry Association); ART-ER; Assoambiente; CBE JU (Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking); CIB (Italian Biogas Consortium); CIC (Italian Composter Consortium); CIHEAM (International Centre For Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies); CONAI (National Packaging Consortium); EBA (European Biogas Association); ENEA; ESWET (European Supplier of Waste-to-Energy Technologies); European Environment Agency; FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization); FEAD (European Waste Management Association); Sustainable Development Foundation; ISPRA (Environmental Protection and Research Institute); ISWA (International Solid Waste Association); Legambiente; OECD; RECYCLING EUROPE; UNACEA (National Union of Construction Equipment & Attachments Companies); UNICIRCULAR (Assoambiente section); UTILITALIA; Water Europe.

ABOUT ECOMONDO 2026

Event: International trade show; Organisation: Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A.; Freqquency: annual; Edition: 29^th; Dates: 3-6 November 2026; mail: ecomondo@iegexpo.it; Website: www.ecomondo.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/EcomondoRimini; LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/ecomondo-the-green-technologies-expo

PRESS CONTACT IEG/ECOMONDO 2026

head of media & corporate communication: Elisabetta Vitali; press office manager: Pier Francesco Bellini, Marco Forcellini ; international press office coordinator: Silvia Giorgi; press office coordinator: Luca Paganin; press office specialists: Nicoletta Evangelisti, Mirko Malgieri; media@iegexpo.it

MEDIA AGENCY IEG/ECOMONDO: Smartitaly Communications

Sara Scatena, s.scatena@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 338 7836985; Francesca Pericolo, f.pericolo@smartitaly.it, mob. +39 327 986 1860.

Stampa estera – Giacomo Tortora, +39 320 7948164 – g.tortora@smartitaly.it

 This press release contains forecast elements and estimates that reflect the management´s current opinions (´forward-looking statements´), particularly regarding future management performance, realization of investments, cash flow trends and the evolution of the financial structure. For their very nature, forward-looking statements have a component of risk and uncertainty, as they depend on the occurrence of future events. The effective results may differ (even significantly) from those announced, due to numerous factors, including, only by way of example: food service market and tourist flow trends in Italy, gold and jewellery market trends, green economy market trends; the evolution of raw material prices; general macroeconomic conditions; geopolitical factors and evolutions in the legislative framework. Moreover, the information contained in this release, does not claim to be complete, and has not been verified by independent third parties. Forecasts, estimates and objectives contained herein are based on the information available to the Company as at the date of this release.