A two-day workshop, on September 9 and 10, 2026, for the partners of the European GENESIS project (Greening Economy Network for Enhancing Sustainable Industrial Systems), of which Clust-ER MECH is a regional partner.
The meeting in Charleroi brought together the partners of the GENESIS (Greening Economy Network for Enhancing Sustainable Industrial Systems) consortium for two days of discussions on the project’s progress, which aims to strengthen collaboration among European regional production systems in the transition toward greener and more sustainable manufacturing.
An Update on Activities
On the first day, participants were briefed on the progress made across the project’s various work streams: from regional collaboration on innovation, to connecting innovative organizations with European networks focused on green manufacturing and the circular economy, to aligning smart specialization strategies among the various regions involved. Significant time was also devoted to a series of masterclasses for businesses and to planning matchmaking activities among innovators.
In the afternoon, the partners visited the Aperam Stainless facilities in Châtelet, where the company’s global head of decarbonization and energy outlined the path taken toward decarbonizing steel production, offering participants a concrete example of the challenges and solutions adopted by a major industrial player.
Engagement with the Walloon region
The second day began with an in-depth look at activities focused on participating in international industry trade shows and identifying European, national, and regional funding opportunities to support the companies involved in the project.
The highlight of the day was the afternoon workshop, organized by Genesis’s Belgian partner, Pole Mecatech, and open to stakeholders from Wallonia. Representatives from regional institutions, competitiveness clusters, research centers, universities, and private companies presented their experiences and initiatives on the topics of circularity, digitalization, and industrial decarbonization, followed by thematic breakout sessions on industrial modernization and digital integration, innovation ecosystems and regional collaboration, the circular economy, and supply chain resilience.
The meeting concluded with a shared summary of the ideas gathered, which will be incorporated into the project’s upcoming activities.
GENESIS is a European project involving partners from various regions to strengthen collaboration among industrial innovation ecosystems with a focus on sustainability. Clust-ER MECH participates in the consortium as the regional partner for Emilia-Romagna.
