Sharjah: The Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) has partnered with the European Union to explore practical strategies for reducing single-use plastics and accelerating the implementation of a circular economy. This collaboration was announced during a Business Breakfast meeting held yesterday.
According to Emirates News Agency, the event brought together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and innovators from the United Arab Emirates and the European Union. The gathering facilitated a timely exchange of ideas and discussions on policy frameworks, governance approaches, recycling systems, material innovation, and scalable business solutions aimed at transitioning away from single-use plastics.
The event underscored the growing depth of practical cooperation between the EU and the UAE, highlighting SPARK's role as the first UAE entity to join the European Enterprise Network (EEN). This partnership is already in action, fostering stronger links between innovation, business, and international collaboration.
The programme included opening remarks by Lucie Berger, Ambassador of the European Union to the UAE, and Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK. High-level perspectives on regulatory pathways and implementation priorities were shared, emphasizing the need to translate ambition into action through stronger policy coordination, market-ready circular solutions, and closer EU-UAE collaboration.
Lucie Berger stated, "The transition away from single-use plastics is no longer only an environmental imperative; it is also a policy, innovation and market opportunity, as shown by the EU experience. What emerged clearly from today's discussions is that the UAE and the European Union share a strong interest in moving from ambition to implementation - through regulation, investment, technology and practical collaboration across the full circular economy value chain."
Hussain Al Mahmoudi expressed, "We are proud to host this key dialogue at a moment when circular economy solutions are becoming increasingly central to the future of sustainable industry and responsible growth. We share synergies with the EU, and our ecosystem is driven by highly advanced strategies that many companies from Europe will identify with. Through this interaction, we look forward to welcoming more EU startups to SPARK for boosting innovation and targeted expansion."
The event's sessions focused on enabling conditions for circular transition, such as policy, governance, and recycling systems, and the role of industry in advancing circular solutions through innovation, materials, and scalable business approaches. Speakers included representatives from leading institutions and companies from both the UAE and the EU, such as the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, Tadweer Group, Alpla, BEEAH, Novonesis, and the European Commission.
Discussions highlighted a strong interest in deepening EU-UAE cooperation in areas like circular systems design, regulatory exchange, recycling infrastructure, sustainable materials, and private sector innovation. Participants stressed that reducing single-use plastics will require not only regulation but also viable alternatives, aligned incentives, improved recovery systems, and stronger cross-sector collaboration.
The Business Breakfast on Circular Economy is part of the broader efforts under the EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project to support dialogue, knowledge exchange, and practical partnerships between the European Union and GCC countries on key green transition priorities.