The main objective of this project is to move forward the current waste management practices into a circular economy motto, demonstrating the value of integrating and validating a set of 20 eco-innovative solutions that cover all the waste value chain. The benefits of these solutions will be enhanced by a holistic waste data management methodology, and will be demonstrated in 4 complementary urban areas in Europe. The eco-innovative solutions include technological and non-technological tools such as: a) IT tools to support the daily operation and long-term planning, b) Apps for citizens empowerment and engagement, c) Educational materials based on innovative teaching units and serious games, d) Tools for citizen science for the co-creation of novel solutions, e) Mechanisms to boost behavioral changes based on economic instruments and social actions, and f) Decentralized solutions for valorization and reuse of high value resources. The different solutions will be implemented in 4 complementary European areas: a) Zamudio (ES) is a highly industrialized area with a spread population that uses a separated kerbside collection; b) Halandri (GR) is a large suburban city with a wide range of business that has a very basic waste management system; c) Seveso (IT) is a residential town that uses a door-to-door system; d) and Cascais (PT) is an extensive and high touristic coastal town that implements an advanced collection system. The project includes a consortium of 19 partners with 4 public agencies and administrations, 3 research centers and universities, 8 SMEs, 2 LEs, 1 cluster and 1 NGO, that will work together during 36 months with an overall contribution from the EC of €9M.The most relevant expected impacts are: a 20% increase in waste sorting, 10% saving of management costs, and 10% reduction of GHG emissions. The experience gained, and the synergies among the partners describe the best possible scenario to launch new governance and business models.

In its resolution from 12 February 2019, the European Parliament showed the deficits in the implementation of the National Strategies for the integration of Roma and demanded therefore a stronger post 2020 EU-Framework. Without a doubt, there is progress in the four central fields of Roma integration – education, housing, employment and health. However, the unlimited health care of Roma is still not ensured.In the frame of the strategic partnership „Roma HEALTH Care“ (2017-1-DE02-KA204-004216), the health situation of Roma in different European countries was complexly researched for the first time. In a dialogue with relevant stakeholders at the local/regional level, the results of this analysis were discussed and the needs were selected that can be covered with support of European projects and the available resources on the spot.The strategic partnership „Roma HEALTH Care II“ is one of those follow-up projects. Basically, it aims at the improvement of the health situation of Roma in the partner countries. Among others, it shall particularly lead to:- raising the share of Roma obtaining a health insurance- increasing the number of Roma making use of available cancer prevention measures- decreasing the number of addicted Roma respectively of Roma who are threatened by addictions- improving the vaccination status - reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and the risk of venereal diseases- improving the dental hygiene- raising the number of Roma who regularly go in for sports and who eat healthier.In order to achieve the objectives, health education centres shall be established in the involved Roma communities in which accordingly trained health mediators – Roma themselves – implement target group specific measures of adult education for raising the health literacy. The training of health mediators is based on a newly developed Curriculum. An especially developed Handbook serves them as accompanying reference book. Local Action Plans Health for Roma are the legal framework for their work. The project will be realised by partners from Germany, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Greece, Hungary and Romania.In the project, Roma are not only beneficiaries but actors. On one hand they will be involved in the elaboration of the Intellectual Outputs, trained as health mediators and multipliers, implement and assess the Test Phases and disseminate information on the project and its results. On the other hand, they will participate in the adult education measures for raising their health literacy and contribute themselves to the improvement of their health situation this way.Thus, the project will concretely help to accomplish the demands formulated in the resolution of the European Parliament. This is particularly valid for:- the unlimited medical/health care and- the active involvement of Roma and Roma communities in the development, implementation and evaluation of measures andprojects for this target group.

<< Objectives >>With 10 – 12 million members, Roma are the biggest ethnic minority in Europe. The key to their inclusion is both education and an unlimited access to professional orientation and job preparation. “pROceed goes practise” aims at raising the flexibility of opportunities in VET, at reducing prejudices and stereotypes, at counteracting the discrimination of Roma in education and employment and at promoting their socio-economic inclusion.<< Implementation >>Apart from the activities for the elaboration and dissemination of the project products, the partners from Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia implement project meetings, two Pilot Trainings for the education of trainers, information and sensitisation events for teachers and social workers in schools, multiplier trainings, workshops for employers, the testing of the project products and a European Conference.<< Results >>Project results are among others:1. Guideline for the professional orientation of young Roma2. Online Self Assessment Tool for Roma for identifying appropriate jobs3. Accredited Curricula for the implementation of training courses for the preparation of adult Roma for selected jobs4. Successful finalisation of the training courses by 140 Roma5. Manual for employers6. Dissemination and exploitation of the project results

„…They steel like ravens, are afraid of hard work and peoples of restless nomads…“ – if it comes to „gypsies“, we are quick with prejudices. Even more problematic is the fact that they can be mobilised any time what is proven by regular riots and their actual living conditions in a very sad way.Without a doubt – and that was not only confirmed by the last EU Roma Summit – „… the integration of Roma is in progress all over Europe. More Roma children attend a primary school; there are more supporting programmes for Roma who need a job, a flat or access to health care.” Despite of the achieved progress, that are in a major part due to the “EU Framework for National Strategies for the Integration of Roma until 2020”, they are still the poorest, the most concerned by unemployment, the least educated, the shortest living and the most arrested Europeans. A relevant reason for the permanent discrimination of Roma is their low education level. A participation of Roma in education is clearly reducing after the compulsory education. Their unemployment rate is in average 70 per cent. The rate of women is even higher.Another big obstacle for the Roma’s access to education and employment is that they are not aware of their own talents, skills and competences. Furthermore, the majority of them is not really involved in professional orientation and career planning.On the other hand, we know that education and employment is the key to social integration. For the economic development of a country, the Roma are indispensable as employees in general and particularly as skilled workers. The first aim of “pROceed” is to identify European best practise for professional orientation, career guidance and job preparation which can be adapted both for concrete requirements of vocational education and the labour market and the specific needs of the target group in the partner countries. Secondly, the partners will initiate a dialogue with relevant stakeholders from the according fields who will – as the third step – develop concepts for follow-up projects together. The 18 months project will be realised by partner organisations from Slovakia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Serbia.

It is evident that current food supply chains are notoriously inefficient and show vulnerabilities from initial agriculture production down to the final household consumption and the management of the waste generated. FoodRUs strategy has been built on the basis of the three fundamental pillars of food sovereignty to undertake Food Waste Prevention challenge being Circular Economy a mandatory model from which to generate, implement and replicate solutions, in different value chains. The reasoned application of these basic principles where FoodRUs strategy is applied, will assure resilient and sustainable local and regional Bioecosystems thanks to a multi-actor and multidisciplinary approach. FoodRUs will deployed 23 technological, social, financial, legal, educational, political, labelling and organizational innovative solutions involving the mobilization and active participation of more than 40 actors to overcome the specific challenges of the selected value chains and follower regions consisting on: experts on agro-industry, Life Cycle Assessment , social innovation and social economy, sensitisation , culinary arts, nutrition, labelling, fiscality and ICT tools; municipalities; policy makers; ethical finance organizations, stakeholders of the entire food value chains (producers, farmers, retailers, packaging and logistics services, restoration sector, consumers associations and communities); waste managers; entrepreneurs; ONGs; food banks; social kitchens; educational centres and civil associations. FoodRUs will screen 3 value chains focused on 3 specific types of food in Europe: -Cross-regional Spanish pilot (SPP) focused on vegetables and IV range salads -Danish pilot (DP) that will analyse the value chain for meat and fish -Slovak pilot (SLP) analysing the bread value chain FoodRUs will actively involve 6 European regions as Followers: (Valencia (Spain), Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Linz (Austria), Plovdiv (Bulgaria) and Halandri (Greece)