PRESS RELEASE
Comunicato n. 2 del 28/10/2026 ( download download )
· At Italian Exhibition Group’s circular economy and ecological transition event, scheduled for 3 to 6 November at Rimini Expo Centre: European policies, research and innovation for the main industrial sectors
· Over 70 events organised by the International Technical Scientific Committee, chaired by professor Fabio Fava. Considerable focus on international cooperation in the Mediterranean basin and Africa
· On 3 and 4 November, the 15th edition of the States General of the Green Economy
Rimini, 28th October 2026 – A high-profile scientific and institutional conference programme awaits companies, associations, institutions, researchers and players in the circular and regenerative economy at Ecomondo 2026, Italian Exhibition Group’s (IEG) international event, now at its 29th edition, scheduled to take place from 3rd to 6th November at Rimini Expo Centre.
Over 70 events, conferences and workshops, organised by the event’s International Technical Scientific Committee, chaired by professor Fabio Fava, in collaboration with public and private European and international institutional partners, will provide a comprehensive overview of the major challenges that are reshaping the global ecological transition with numerous sessions in English to increasingly project Ecomondo beyond the borders of the Euro-Mediterranean region. Further events organised by partners and exhibitors will also be featured.
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY, PACKAGING AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Focus on WEEE: The “Circular Economy in Action: e-waste and waste batteries best practices” event, organised with ERION, will provide an overview of the most advanced European experiences in the recycling of Critical Raw Materials by analysing the situation in Italy and assessing the role of WEEE and battery recycling in reducing Europe’s dependence on imports.
Plastic materials: The “Plastic circularity: new perspectives and critical issues” and “Eco-design of composite materials” events will focus on European measures aimed at supporting the transition towards an increasingly circular economy by promoting the efficient use of resources.
Circular economy in buildings: “Scaling the circular economy in the built environment: urban mining”, organised in collaboration with the Green Building Council Italy and the Polytechnic University of the Marche, will analyse the current regulatory framework, the opportunities and technologies supporting the implementation of urban mining models, whilst the “Tools to accelerate the development of the circular economy in the construction and infrastructure sector” event, organised with ANPAR/ASSOAMBIENTE, will facilitate dialogue amongst sector stakeholders. The event entitled “Advancing the EU’s sustainable construction framework through the Circular Economy Act” is scheduled with Recycling Europe, Construction & Demolition Branch.
Critical Raw Materials: “EU-Africa Strategic Corridors to a mutually beneficial cooperation for critical raw materials” is organised in collaboration with Turin University, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy.
Measuring circularity: “Measuring circularity from a systemic perspective across the entire value chain” is the fifth edition of the workshop organised with the Sant’Anna High School in Pisa, ENEA and UN Global Compact Network Italy, which, with Ecomondo’s TSC, will also be organising “Strategic planning and measurement in corporate decarbonisation pathways through innovative tools”.
With regard to the Circular Economy Act, the Technical Scientific Committee will organise discussions on the challenges, opportunities and implications for European packaging (in collaboration with CONAI) and on what will actually change for those involved in waste management (in collaboration with UTILITALIA).
TEXTILES TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN EUROPE’S NEW CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The events “Reuse, repair and eco-design. The heroes of "magic" circles of Circular Economy in the textile sector”, “Textile EPR in Italy and Europe: system harmonisation and new challenges for the supply chain” with ASSOAMBIENTE-UNIRAU, “ESPR and Digital Product Passport in textiles: traceability and transparency along the value chain” with AISEC, and “Eco-design: challenges, tools and opportunities for textile sector enterprises” with the European Commission’s JRC and ENEA, confirm the textile industry’s central role in the European circular economy. Moreover, Ecomondo’s Textile Working Group will also define a specific programme of events on the sector.
HEALTHY CIRCULAR CITIES
The event entitled “Building healthy cities: from vision to action” will be organised in collaboration with the CNR, the UNESCO Chair on Urban Health and ANCI. The programme will be further enriched by the “Circular city-making” session (with Materia Rinnovabile – Renewable Matter and FROM srl) on how cities can speed up the circular transition; “Smart Circular Cities” (organised with Bologna University), on digital technologies, sustainable infrastructure and new governance models to make cities more resilient and climate-neutral; “From data to decisions: national infrastructure and local applications for a data-driven Public Administration” (with Turin Polytechnic); “Indoor air quality and health: Trends and changes to know for a national plan” (with the Emilia-Romagna Region and ART-ER); and “Odour emissions: from abatement technologies to new control strategies” (with ISPRA, Italian Chemical Society – CABC Division: Chemistry of the Environment and Cultural Heritage).
FOCUS ON PAPER
Federazione Carta & Grafica and Largo Consumo will be organising the Paper District GDO & Grocery Summit entitled “Towards a new synergy between the paper industry and large-scale retail: sustainability, regulatory compliance and market trends”.
Comieco, in collaboration with Nomisma, will also present a final assessment of the environmental and economic benefits of projects co-funded by the NRRP that relate to the paper recycling sector.
NATURAL RISK PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT
Organised by Ecomondo’s TSC in collaboration with the Italian Geotechnical Association (AGI-IGS), the events entitled “Recent developments in geotechnical engineering for environmental protection and land safeguarding” focusing on the design of sustainable and resilient structures and interventions, and “Innovative and sustainable technologies for the rehabilitation and maintenance of concrete and earth dams” will be held. The latter will also involve the National Italian Committee for Large Dams – ITCOLD.
SOIL RESTORATION, REGENERATIVE BIOECONOMY AND BIOENERGY
The programme will include: “The farm of the future: a biorefinery that generates collective value” in collaboration with the Italian Biogas Consortium; “What science says on biodegradable and compostable bioplastics for soil protection” with Novamont, Coldiretti, the Re Soil Foundation and Biorepack; “Agrifood Next: start-ups, Artificial Intelligence and new investment models in the bioeconomy landscape” organised with Confagricoltura, Federalimentare, ENEA and Cluster CL.A.N.; and “Innovation for the Circular Bioeconomy” with the European Commission’s JRC and ENEA.
Now at its fifth edition, the “States General for Soil Health” conference, organised in partnership with the Re Soil Foundation, will explore the links between soil health, urban development and agri-food system resilience. The “National Conference on composting and anaerobic digestion”, organised in partnership with the Italian Composting Consortium, will be holding its 28th edition.
“Deforestation and international agreements, nature restoration and poplar cultivation, ecosystem services and carbon farming: let’s give value to forest resources and woody crops”, organised by Confagricoltura, the AlberItalia Foundation and the National Forest and Timber Cluster, will highlight how the sustainable management of forest resources is crucial for conserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change.
“Remediation in Italy in the regulatory transition: between the revision of the annexes and the new European Soil Directive” and “New strategies for the remediation of contaminated sites: applied research between technological innovation and sustainability” are the events organised in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome, UNEM, Legambiente and ISPRA, whilst “Remediation and background values for the management of contaminated sites” is the conference organised in collaboration with ARPAE and the Emilia-Romagna Region,
Lastly, “Fertilisers from sewage sludge: production, quality and applications” with UTILITALIA, ASSOAMBIENTE and CIC, and “The algae potential: industrial and market challenges”, organised in collaboration with AISAM (The Italian Association for the Study and Applications of Microalgae), which will bring together sector experts and stakeholders and focus in particular on future prospects and political support for a resilient algae supply chain.
THE WATER CYCLE AND THE BLUE ECONOMY
Ecomondo 2026 will feature numerous events on the regeneration of marine ecosystems and the sustainable, efficient and safe use of water resources. Those organised by the TSC in collaboration with key sector partners, including the Emilia-Romagna Region, ARERA, the Po River Basin Authority, CNR-IRSA, UTILITALIA, the Polytechnic University of the Marche, Bologna University and Brescia University, will include: “Adaptive regeneration of coastal areas and territory: what opportunities from the new European climate resilience framework?”; “Urban Water Services in Transition: from integrated assessment to applicable solutions for emerging contaminants, circular resources and climate-neutral utility”; “Restoring the water cycle through basin governance: nature-based solutions, crisis management, pollution prevention and biodiversity”; “Water efficiency first: transforming industry, agriculture and circular water use”; “Water infrastructure of the future: smart networks, digitalisation and security”; “Impact of climate change on fishery resources and the fisheries and aquaculture sector”; and “FishNoWaste: united for a sustainable Adriatic Sea”.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
As part of Ecomondo’s ongoing focus on international cooperation and collaboration with Africa and countries bordering the Mediterranean, the following panel discussions will be held: “Water resilience in and beyond Europe: Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, innovation and global leadership” with Water Europe, the Imperial College London, BETA Tech Centre, the Polytechnic University of the Marche, UTILITALIA and the Italian National Institute of Health; “Technological solutions for resource recovery from end-of-life products and materials in the Mediterranean landscape” with the Italian Chemical Society, ISWA International and ATIA – ISWA; “Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean: Status and actions needed” with CMCC and the European Commission’s DG RTD; “Beyond Plastic: The Mediterranean Bioeconomy for a New Generation of Sustainable Materials” with the SPRING Cluster; “From source-to-sea to scale: Mediterranean pathways for water resilience and the Ocean Pact” in collaboration with the CNR, the European Commission, the UfM, the CPMR, SEACURE, Interreg MED stakeholders and the BlueMissionMed legacy network; “Blue Economy Clusters and policy priorities: a strategic framework to drive innovation and industrialisation in blue economy in the Mediterranean” with Cluster BIG Blue Italian Growth, Union for the Mediterranean; and “Strategic EU R&I Projects for the Green Transition in the Mediterranean and Africa” with APRE (Agency for the Promotion of European Research).
AFRICA GREEN GROWTH FORUM
The sixth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum, organised in collaboration with the Task Force for the Implementation of the Presidential Council of Minister’s Mattei Plan, Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and RES4Africa, will spotlight the Mattei Plan with a session entitled “The Mattei Plan: dialogue between institutions and the private sector for Africa’s sustainable development”.
FINANCING
On the topic of financing, Ecomondo’s TSC and the Forum for Sustainable Finance (ItaSIF) will present an analysis of transition plans as a competitive advantage at the conference entitled “Climate transition plans for ESG risk management: what role for companies and investors?”
The programme will feature further in-depth discussions on ESG and risk management, bankability and new investment models for innovation, broken down by sector (e.g. water services and the bioeconomy).
KEY EVENTS
Ecomondo will once again be hosting the Forum on Responsible Communication, organised in collaboration with Ferpi and with the participation of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and Emilia-Romagna’s Order of Journalists. Now at its fifth edition, the event will be entitled “Communication on a razor’s edge. The sustainable transition between environmental urgency and social cohesion”.
The ESG CEO Summit (third edition) will also be back. Organised by Ecomondo in collaboration with TEHA – The European House Ambrosetti and IPSOS-DOXA, it will feature a session entitled “A sustainable future between compliance and competitiveness: from reporting to industrial transformation”.
THE STATES GENERAL OF THE GREEN ECONOMY
On Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th November, the States General of the Green Economy event will be held once again, organised 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.
On Tuesday 3rd November, the 2026 State of the Green Economy Report will be presented during the opening plenary session entitled “International drivers of the green economy in a critical geopolitical context” with a specific focus on the drivers of the green economy and all the latest data on the key strategic issues and cornerstones of the ecological transition: decarbonisation, circularity and nature-positive development.
On Wednesday 4th November, the international plenary session “The geopolitics of the Green economy: a window to the world” in collaboration with Italy for Climate, will offer a real-time analysis of the main dynamics of the ecological transition at a global level thanks to contributions from internationally renowned speakers and institutional representatives from Europe, the United States, China and Africa, as well as top management from several leading Italian companies.
POLICIES AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
Ecomondo’s programme will also cover: water service regulation and governance (with REF Ricerche and Utilitalia), regulatory updates on waste management (with Utilitalia and ReteAmbiente), traceability and compliance requirements for companies, new BATs for landfill sites (with Assoambiente) and end of waste. Programmed events will include “Strategic and operational aspects of implementing the Industrial Emissions Directive 2.0”, organised by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security’s EIA Commission.
CALL FOR PAPERS, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
“Innovative waste prevention systems and circular resource management” and “Industrial symbiosis, resource diagnosis and circular eco-districts in Italy through the implementation of a National Plan: opportunities and challenges”, featuring technical and scientific contributions, practical examples and case studies, are just some of the conferences for which a call for papers has been issued.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the Imperial College London, the European Innovation Council and ART-ER, Ecomondo’s TSC will organise the “Scaling Impact: Cleantech’s path to growth. Unlocking opportunities for cleantech companies to scale, innovate and transform industries” event at which experts, companies, investors and institutions will discuss strategies, real-world cases and solutions to hasten the scale-up of cleantech innovation.
At the event “EU Funding Opportunities – Meet the European Executive Agencies”, representatives from the European Executive Agency for Innovation and SMEs (EISMEA), the European Executive Agency for Health and Digital (HaDEA), the European Executive Agency for Climate, infrastructure and the environment (CINEA) and the European Research Executive Agency (REA), which have been tasked by the European Commission with implementing EU funding programmes to support research, innovation and industrial competitiveness, will present the main funding opportunities, priorities and EU programmes, offering insights into how to access European support for projects and innovations.
TRAINING AND GREEN JOBS
On Thursday 5th and Friday 6th November, a number of events will be dedicated to developing skills and careers in the sustainable transition field.
The academic training provision designed to address the challenges of the circular economy will be explored in depth. Moreover, the Unioncamere Report on skills and career needs will also be presented.
The constantly updated programme of events is available on the event’s website at the following link: https://www.ecomondo.com/it/eventi/palinsesto-convegnistico/programma
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.; Frequency: annual; Edition: 29th; 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.