Ecomondo 2026, Mexico as guest country: new opportunities for the circular economy

From 3 to 6 November 2026, the Rimini Exhibition Centre will host the 29th edition of Ecomondo, the leading event in Europe and the Mediterranean region for technologies, services and industrial solutions in the regenerative and circular economy sectors.
The event takes on an even more international dimension for us this year, with Mexico as Country Partner and a new opportunity for discussion on the themes of ecological transition and the circular economy.

The choice of Mexico follows on from the path forged in recent years through Ecomondo Mexico, the platform designed to connect the European green economy with the Mexican – and, more broadly, Latin American – market, which in 2026 took place from 14 to 16 April at Expo Guadalajara. Many Mexican industry professionals are expected to attend Ecomondo this year, reflecting the growing dialogue between institutions, businesses and stakeholders in both countries on issues of environmental sustainability, the circular economy, green technologies and the energy transition.



The 2026 edition will also take place at a particularly significant time for the international balance of power: the day after the mid-term elections in the United States and five days before the start of COP31 in Turkey. In this context, the discussion on current trends and future prospects assumes even greater significance for us. Against this backdrop, Mexico represents more than just a host country for us: it is a key vantage point to observe one of the regions of the world where the ecological transition and the circular economy are entering a phase of profound transformation.

Mexico: a market undergoing transformation
With a growing population and rapid urbanisation, Mexico is facing significant environmental challenges and rapidly accelerating its transition towards more sustainable development models. Leading this transformation are new public policies and investment programmes that are targeting sectors strategic to the ecological transition, from the circular economy to water resource management.

A significant step forward is the entry into force, in January 2026, of the Ley General de Economía Circular, which introduces a national framework to promote the efficient use of resources, product circularity and waste recovery. New features include the obligation for companies, manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire life cycle.
The law also envisages the creation of a Sistema Nacional de Economía Circular, dedicated to the planning, implementation and monitoring of national policies. This system is designed to facilitate coordination between the government, producers, consumers and other stakeholders in the supply chain.

The 2026–2030 infrastructure plan also reflects the scale of the investments currently underway: the country is planning public and mixed-sector investment totalling 5,600 billion pesos, spread across eight strategic sectors, including energy and water. In the water sector, in particular, over 186 billion pesos have been allocated to 37 strategic projects for the period 2025–2030.
This transformation also affects the way environmental issues are perceived. According to data from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico is experiencing global warming at a rate higher than the global average, amounting to 3.2°C per century. At the same time, environmental awareness is growing, and a significant proportion of the population regards climate action as a national priority.

Ecomondo 2026: focus on overseas markets is growing
We will offer Italian and international businesses an opportunity to strengthen relationships, explore new markets and build new supply chains within the green economy. Our increasingly global focus is also the result of the numerous events we have organised throughout the year beyond Italy’s borders. In addition to Ecomondo Mexico, our network includes Ecomondo China, which this year has evolved into the Italy–China Circular Economy Forum (11–12 June 2026 in Shanghai).

Furthermore, we have strengthened our internationalisation efforts through a comprehensive roadshow, which is visiting various countries – not only in Europe – such as Spain, Morocco, Germany, Hungary and Canada, involving an ever-increasing number of buyers, delegations and associations from different continents.
In particular, in Canada, one of our delegations – comprising representatives from Italian Exhibition Group as well as our International Technical and Scientific Committee (CTS) – will take part in ETC – Electricity Transformation Canada, from 19 to 21 October at the Enercare Centre in Toronto. The aim of the visit is to identify development opportunities for our international projects, exploring the potential of the Canadian market through B2B meetings and networking activities with local stakeholders, thanks in part to our collaboration with the ICE (Italian Trade Agency) – Toronto Office.
 

• You may also be interested in: Roadshow 2026: the growth of Ecomondo’s international network

See you in Rimini from 3 to 6 November 2026
For the 2026 edition, our CTS has curated a conference program packed with events in English, in collaboration with Italian and international partners and stakeholders. The discussions will focus on the key European legislative dossiers: the Circular Economy Act, the Bioeconomy Strategy, the Biotech Act II, the Pact for the Mediterranean, the RESourceEU Action Plan and the Critical Raw Materials Act, as well as the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
There will also be a focus on the bioeconomy, bioenergy and soil restoration, urban design, the water cycle and the blue economy, circular and sustainable textiles, new digital technologies and artificial intelligence applied to the ecological transition, as well as international cooperation in the Mediterranean basin and in Africa.

The new layout sees us dedicating an entire hall to the textile sector, with more space for the waste-as-resource sector and new areas dedicated to the water cycle and blue economy. We are also retaining the dedicated areas for soil regeneration, environmental monitoring, bioenergy and agriculture, the circular and regenerative bioeconomy, circular and healthy cities, paper, start-ups and innovation.

In all these areas, we will be hosting Mexico as our guest country, thereby fostering the development of new relationships and opportunities for cooperation with Italy and the other guest countries.
Article written by Maria Carla Rota


This blog is a joint project by Ecomondo and Renewable Matter