Second stakeholder meeting in Hannut (BE)
The Municipality of Hannut and the Smart City Institute (HEC Liège, ULiège) organised their second Local Stakeholder Group (LSG) together in Hannut, as they are working on Hannut's policy jointly.
The meeting focused on advancing sustainability efforts in Hannut by fostering collaboration between local stakeholders, businesses, and public authorities. A key challenge identified was the difficulty in establishing effective public-private partnerships due to differing legislative and political contexts. Participants highlighted the lack of a clear framework and financial resources, making it hard for local businesses and municipalities to engage in long-term sustainability projects. Additionally, measuring the impact of initiatives remains a concern, to translate discussions into concrete results.
Commerce and agriculture emerged as priority sectors, with mobility identified as a transversal issue affecting business operations. Hannut’s efforts to support agriculture were acknowledged as promising steps in Wallonia. Participants stressed the importance of leveraging existing resources such as the Walloon sustainability directory and initiatives like "Manger Demain" to support local actions.
Moving forward, the next steps include thematic and field-based meetings with local actors, an online progress review in May, and finalisation of action points by the end of May. The discussion reinforced the urgency of transitioning from theoretical frameworks to actionable solutions, ensuring that sustainability initiatives align with the real needs of the territory while benefiting from European best practices.