Belgian policy makers explore CIRCOMOD models

One of the key objectives of the CIRCOMOD project is to support national policymakers in forecasting and assessing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of circular economy policies. To this end, CIRCOMOD researchers have been developing advanced quantitative modeling tools designed to deliver such insights.

Interest in CIRCOMOD’s modeling framework is steadily growing, with national agencies expressing increasing interest in applying the models to policy-relevant analyses.

Recently, the CIRCOMOD economics team—comprising Reyer Gerlagh and Julie Metta from Tilburg University, and Li Xinyu from the Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL)—met with modeling experts from VITO, Belgium’s leading policy-oriented research and technology organization. The meeting focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration.

A central theme of the discussions was the potential integration of CIRCOMOD’s theoretical framework—currently implemented within the GreenR Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model—into VITO’s national-level CGE modeling. The teams explored ways to incorporate endogenous material intensity into VITO’s models, thereby enhancing their capacity to simulate circular economy dynamics in Belgium more effectively.

This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between theoretical modeling and applied policy work. As a research institute that supports Flemish policymakers in designing evidence-based strategies, including those for the circular economy, VITO provides an ideal partner for translating CIRCOMOD’s innovations into real-world impact.

This promising partnership stands as a strong example of how research outcomes can be effectively exploited to support policymaking.