PROSECO Project Kicks Off in Leuven

Leuven, Belgium – 23 May 2025 – The PROSECO project, co-funded by the Interreg Europe programme, held its official kick-off meeting on 21–22 May 2025 in Leuven, Belgium. Coordinated by the City of Leuven, the meeting marked the beginning of an ambitious European initiative to strengthen the social procurement capacity among authorities and companies, promoting inclusive employment and integrating social economy actors in nine European regions.

During the kick-off meeting, the PROSECO partners came together in Leuven to lay the foundation for enhancing the strategic use of social procurement as a driver for inclusive employment across Europe. The two-day event marked an important first step in fostering interregional cooperation and developing shared approaches to social and sustainable public procurement.

Among the highlights of the meeting were the welcome address by Ms. Gudrun Denhaen, Head of Economics of the Province of Flemish-Brabant, and the keynote speech by Ms. Valentina Caimi from We Buy Social, who offered valuable insights into how procurement can be leveraged to deliver positive social outcomes at both regional and European levels.

The meeting also served as a platform for meaningful dialogue among partners, who shared regional challenges, policy priorities, and their expectations for the project. Discussions explored the current landscape of social procurement in the participating regions and the potential for transformative policy innovation through collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The PROSECO project will address key policy instruments and practices at regional and local levels to promote more inclusive labour markets through effective and innovative procurement strategies. Over the next four years, the partnership will work together to identify good practices, foster policy learning, and promote the integration of socially responsible public procurement across Europe. Stay connected with us to discover how PROSECO will support European regions in turning this vision into action—through innovation, partnership, and policy transformation.

If you are interested in learning more about the PROSECO Project, find us on the following social media:

• Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/proseco-project/
• X: https://x.com/proseco_eu
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prosecoeu