Civil society actors from five Western Balkan countries have come together around a project, united by a shared commitment to advancing the green and digital transition through circular economy and eco-innovation.
Led by Montenegro’s Community Impact Accelerator – Zid (ADP-Zid), EICEE – Western Balkan Eco-Innovation and Circular Economy Ecosystem is a forty-month intervention carried out in collaboration with organisations from Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim to create a strong regional network for the circular economy and raise awareness in the region about the importance of circular economy through educational programmes.
Up to now, five country reports have been published each providing knowledge on each respective country’s situation in relation to circular economy but also shedding light on the importance of an adoption of circular economy practices as the countries’ path to cultivating European values.
EICEE is particularly important in line with the 2020 Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, signed by WB leaders in Sofia, which is a testament to EU’s commitment to support circular economy development in the Western Balkans through policy alignment, funding, and technical assistance. The Green Agenda for the Western Balkans’ focus areas include: circular economy, decarbonization, pollution reduction and biodiversity and ecosystem protection, which in essence, mirror the EU’s Green Deal.
With an EU support of over one and a half million euro, the EICEE project has already intervened in each respective country, making steps forwards to matching the EU’s good practices when it comes to eliminating waste and promoting the continual use of resources.
National baseline reports have been completed in all partner countries, offering a comprehensive analysis of the circular economy. In addition, legal analysis as well as policy papers have been developed, outlining strategic recommendations for the alignment of Western Balkan economies with European Green Deal principles and the Circular Economy Action Plan. All these steps have laid ground for five innovation spaces that are currently being established or equipped across the partner countries, each tailored to national needs but operating within a unified regional concept.
These spaces are envisioned as physical nodes of the EICEE ecosystem and will serve as platforms for prototyping, training, community
12 Makerspace – Montenegro
Run by ADP-Zid in Podgorica, Montenegro, I2 Makerspace functions as the national center for the development of eco-designed and upcycled products. This space offers access to tools, equipment, and expert mentoring for innovators and social enterprises aiming to develop 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) solutions. It also serves as an educational and co-creation hub, especially for youth and emerging entrepreneurs.
3R Space – Kosovo
Established by LENS in Peja, Kosovo, 3R Space is a facility dedicated to the recycling and creative re-use of electronic waste. The center combines practical innovation with digital tools and training, empowering local communities to understand and engage with e-waste management, while contributing to the development of sustainable digital products.
Ništo Novo – North Macedonia
Campaigns, exhibitions and learning programs that engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders, from students to decision-makers, are at the core of Ništo Novo run by ARNO in North Macedonia. This regional awareness center serves as a national platform for education, visibility and public promotion of circular economy practices.
Deli Center – Serbia
In Serbia, Deli Center expanded its existing coworking model into a space that integrates digital solutions for circular economy processes. This center supports both product development using natural materials (such as clay) and experimentation with digital fabrication and eco-design. It is also a point of convergence for creative professionals, green entrepreneurs, and educators.
Matchmakers Center – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Launched by the Green Building Council, the Matchmakers Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina acts as a national coordination point linking producers from the social and green economy with the mainstream industry. It facilitates partnerships, technology transfer, and the scaling of circular products, while also supporting market access and visibility for small enterprises.
Each center has a clearly defined focus and function, avoiding duplication of services, while at the same time contributing to a shared regional ecosystem. Together, they form a living infrastructure for innovation, education, product development, and policy support in the circular economy sector. Through their collaboration, the centers foster cross-border partnerships, promote exchange of good practices, and enable testing of new models for sustainable production and community development.
These spaces also serve as anchors for broader project activities, including mentoring, study visits, prototyping, and capacity-building for civil society organizations, social enterprises, and SMEs. As such, the regional infrastructure developed through EICEE represents both a practical and symbolic step toward a greener, more integrated, and innovation-driven Western Balkans.
12 Makerspace – Montenegro
Run by ADP-Zid in Podgorica, Montenegro, I2 Makerspace functions as the national center for the development of eco-designed and upcycled products. This space offers access to tools, equipment, and expert mentoring for innovators and social enterprises aiming to develop 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) solutions. It also serves as an educational and co-creation hub, especially for youth and emerging entrepreneurs.
3R Space – Kosovo
Established by LENS in Peja, Kosovo, 3R Space is a facility dedicated to the recycling and creative re-use of electronic waste. The center combines practical innovation with digital tools and training, empowering local communities to understand and engage with e-waste management, while contributing to the development of sustainable digital products.
Ništo Novo – North Macedonia
Campaigns, exhibitions and learning programs that engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders, from students to decision-makers, are at the core of Ništo Novo run by ARNO in North Macedonia. This regional awareness center serves as a national platform for education, visibility and public promotion of circular economy practices.
Deli Center – Serbia
In Serbia, Deli Center expanded its existing coworking model into a space that integrates digital solutions for circular economy processes. This center supports both product development using natural materials (such as clay) and experimentation with digital fabrication and eco-design. It is also a point of convergence for creative professionals, green entrepreneurs, and educators.
Matchmakers Center – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Launched by the Green Building Council, the Matchmakers Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina acts as a national coordination point linking producers from the social and green economy with the mainstream industry. It facilitates partnerships, technology transfer, and the scaling of circular products, while also supporting market access and visibility for small enterprises.
Each center has a clearly defined focus and function, avoiding duplication of services, while at the same time contributing to a shared regional ecosystem. Together, they form a living infrastructure for innovation, education, product development, and policy support in the circular economy sector. Through their collaboration, the centers foster cross-border partnerships, promote exchange of good practices, and enable testing of new models for sustainable production and community development.
These spaces also serve as anchors for broader project activities, including mentoring, study visits, prototyping, and capacity-building for civil society organizations, social enterprises, and SMEs. As such, the regional infrastructure developed through EICEE represents both a practical and symbolic step toward a greener, more integrated, and innovation-driven Western Balkans.
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