10 National Bioeconomy Hubs Launched as Part of the CEE2ACT Project To support the development of national bioeconomy strategies, 10 National Bioeconomy Hubs have been launched in countries across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as part of the CEE2ACT project. The hubs will be key to fostering collaboration between different stakeholders as the involved countries take major steps towards a circular future. The CSCP guides the stakeholder engagement process in the project and supports the target countries in fully establishing their National Bioeconomy Hubs. These hubs, located in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, represent a crucial move towards empowering CEE countries to develop circular bioeconomy strategies—a critical component in achieving climate neutrality. The Hubs serve as dynamic exchange platforms involving multiple stakeholders, encouraging and enabling collaboration among members. Led by a Hub coordinator in each country, their primary goal is to support and shape the development of national bioeconomy strategies. One measure of success of the Hubs is their ability to bring together a wide range of stakeholders. In that regard, it was a notable achievement for the Polish National Bioeconomy Hub, for example, to have assembled around 55 participants from 40 institutions, effectively engaging representatives from all major stakeholder groups. Some Hubs were launched with ministerial support. In Hungary, representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture were present along with research institutes, municipalities, universities, and related projects. In Serbia, participation from representatives of the Ministry of Environmental and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, demonstrated the cross-sectoral commitment. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s exceptional turnout of 50 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Development, underscored the high level of political interest and commitment to bioeconomy initiatives. Workshop participants were enthusiastic about the opportunities offered by the Hubs to learn and collaborate on national bioeconomy. They initiated dialogues on unique needs, motivations, and opportunities specific to each CEE2ACT country. For instance, the Polish workshop concluded with partners making statements of willingness to actively participate in the Hub, showing a collective determination to contribute to Poland’s bioeconomy strategy. Similarly, the workshop of the Romanian National Bioeconomy Hub was highlighted by the establishment of solid partnerships. The conclusion in Romania resonates with the broader theme: while partnerships are robust, there is a recognised need for continuous development. As the CSCP continues supporting Hub coordinators in stakeholder engagement activities, the launch of the Hubs signifies a milestone for the project goal towards a more sustainable and circular future for the CEE region. The National Bioeconomy Hubs now stand as space for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge transfer, supporting the development of national bioeconomy strategies in the CEE countries. The CEE2ACT project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research programme and will run for three years (2022-2025), led by a consortium of 17 European partners. For further questions, please contact Fiona Woo.