Interreg Euro-MED VERDEinMED – Transfer Phase

VERDEinMED (PreVEnting and ReDucing the tExtiles waste mountain in the MED area) is an innovative initiative supporting the transition towards a circular textile economy across Greece, Italy, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Bulgaria.

The project focuses on transferring, adapting, and embedding the VERDEinMED Support Service, an integrated framework combining governance models, policy guidance, operational tools, stakeholder coordination mechanisms, and digital knowledge resources designed to support the implementation of circular textile solutions. Through collaboration among research organisations, public authorities, business support organisations, clusters, waste management operators, and SMEs, VERDEinMED fosters the adoption of sustainable practices and strengthens regional cooperation across the Mediterranean.

The textile sector is facing increasing pressure to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and comply with the evolving European regulatory framework for sustainable and circular textiles. In this context, VERDEinMED supports regional ecosystems in adopting proven solutions that facilitate textile waste prevention, the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, and the integration of circular economy principles into regional policies and business practices. The project builds on solutions successfully developed and validated during its first implementation phase and, through its Transfer Phase, enables new territories to adopt, co-adapt, and institutionalise these solutions according to their specific policy, operational, and market contexts.

Duration: 21 months (July 2026 – March 2028)

Partners:

• CERTH – The Centre for Research & Technology, Hellas– Greece (LP)
• Diadyma S.A.– Greece
• CTA – Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía– Spain
• Legambiente– Italy
• SERDA – Sarajevska regionalna razvojna agencija – Bosnia and Herzegovina
• CREC – Associació Clúster de residus de Catalunya – Spain
• CUEIM – Italy
• TexCycle – Bulgaria

Associated Partners:

• Bulgarian Fashion Association– Bulgaria
• CITEVE– Portugal
• Confindustria Umbria– Italy
• Consorci de la Ribera– Spain
• E-Zavod– Slovenia
• Textile Trade Association Textile Cluster (TTA-TC)– North Macedonia

Goals

• To transfer and adapt the VERDEinMED Support Service to new Mediterranean territories.
• To strengthen the capacity of public authorities, business support organisations, SMEs, and waste management stakeholders through co-creation and capacity-building activities.
• To support the implementation of governance models promoting textile waste prevention, circular economy practices, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
• To facilitate the integration of circular textile solutions into regional policies, organisational procedures, and territorial ecosystems.
• To promote stakeholder cooperation through the Knowledge Platform and the VERDE HUBS, ensuring the long-term sustainability and institutional uptake of project solutions.
• To contribute to the implementation of the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles.

Intended for

• Public administrations and local authorities.
• Textile SMEs and industrial stakeholders.
• Clusters and business support organisations.
• Waste management operators.
• Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).
• Research organisations and policy makers.
• Circular economy stakeholders.

Project Outputs

• The VERDEinMED Support Service transferred and adopted in four new Mediterranean territories.
• A Transfer Toolkit supporting the adaptation and implementation of circular textile solutions.
• A Knowledge Platform providing continuous access to methodologies, operational tools, training materials, and policy resources.
• VERDE HUBS established as regional ecosystems for stakeholder cooperation, knowledge exchange, and innovation.
• Capacity-building programmes and practical training supporting the implementation of circular textile solutions.
• Policy recommendations, formal uptake agreements, and a sustainability and replication strategy supporting the long-term integration of project results into regional governance.

The VERDEinMED project, co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Euro-MED Programme under the 6th Call for Thematic Projects (Test Projects) – Test to Transfer – Fast Lane, officially entered its Transfer Phase on 1 July 2026. Transfer activities will run until 31 December 2027, followed by a three-month project closure and final reporting period, bringing the official project end date to 31 March 2028. The overall project duration is 51 months.

The project has a total budget of €3,648,507.00, with 80% (€2,918,805.60) co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg Euro-MED Programme (for the Italian partners, including CUEIM, the national co-financing is provided through the Fondo di Rotazione CIPESS).