Stakeholder meeting in Brussels for Greengov Project

On 18 March 2025, stakeholders from various organizations gathered in Brussels for a meeting under the GreenGov project. The attendees included representatives from Brussels Economy and Employment, Port of Brussels and Brussels Environment.

The meeting began with a review of the exemplarity concept – which links public financial aid to sustainability and social responsibility – after one year of implementation. Statistics revealed that 18% of the concerned subsidies were awarded to exemplary enterprises, with notable challenges faced by micro-enterprises and startups in achieving this status.

Next, the discussion shifted to the implementation of the CSRD and updates on the Omnibus Regulation. The European Commission proposed adjustments to the CSRD framework, including exclusions for enterprises with fewer than 1000 employees and extensions for non-listed companies. Simplified reporting standards and voluntary VSME standards were also highlighted.

The Interreg GreenGov project update focused on the DNSH framework for Brussels in the project's first half, with facilitating the transition for SMEs planned for the second half. By the end of May, the first draft implementation frameworks are expected. EY's study on green financing practices across European regions was also presented.

The Port of Brussels shared its new management contract for 2025-2030, aiming to enhance the canal's attractiveness for material transport and reorient economic activities linked to the Shifting Economy. Connections between the European Clean Industrial Deal and Shifting Economy themes like the Good Food strategy, sustainable production and creating a favorable business environment for SMEs were also noted.

The meeting concluded with plans to schedule the next stakeholder meeting after the summer.

Visit our partner's website: shiftingeconomy.brussels