Circular Economy Hotspot in Hungary This October

One of Europe’s most important circular economy conferences will be held in Budapest on October 5-7, 2026. The Circular Economy Hotspot aims to bridge the gap identified in the latest research by one of the organizers, the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH): according to this research, companies have already set out on the path toward the circular economy, but the strategic-level solutions necessary for a true breakthrough are still lacking, BCSDH says in a statement.

 The Circular Economy Hotspot is an annual gathering that grew out of an event held in the Netherlands in 2016. Since then, it has traveled to Luxembourg, Scotland, Belgium, Catalonia, North Rhine-Westphalia, Dublin, and Ljubljana, and this year Budapest will host the renowned event. Collaboration plays a key role at Hotspot events – it creates a unique opportunity for Hungarian organizations to build and strengthen relationships with one another, as well as with stakeholders from other countries and regions.

Organized by the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH) and the Circular Economy Platform, the conference aims not simply to showcase best practices, but to seek solutions to the problem that this year’s BCSDH research has clearly identified: despite the spread of the circular economy, a genuine, systemic transformation has not yet taken place.

The survey revealed that although a significant proportion of companies – 75% – already employ various circular economy solutions, these typically remain isolated measures and rarely coalesce into a comprehensive business strategy, which only 21% of companies have. Most companies tend to opt for solutions that are easier to implement and deliver quick results: 59% have goals in the area of waste management, and 49% in the sustainable procurement of renewable resources, while more complex, high-impact transformations take a back seat. However, this operational-level approach is not sufficient to put the economy as a whole on a sustainable path.