Webinar Session – Advancing Circular Economy Frameworks from Regional to National Level in Southeast Asia

The circular economy has gained significant momentum in Southeast Asia given its potential to decouple economic growth from resource use while creating new jobs, unlocking investment opportunities, and enhancing regional competitiveness. Southeast Asian countries continuously adopt circular economy principles and practices in policies, business models, financing, and community engagement that fit diverse local contexts while advancing shared regional goals.

The EU Webinar Series on Circular Economy in Southeast Asia aims to serve as a strategic platform for regional dialogue and knowledge exchange between stakeholders from Southeast Asia and the European Union (EU), exploring how government, private sector, civil society, and academic stakeholders can co-create policies, financing mechanisms, and cross-border partnerships to scale up circular economy implementation across Southeast Asia. This webinar series is implemented by GIZ through the European Union-Philippines Green Economy Partnership and Go Circular projects in collaboration with the PREVENT Waste Alliance.

Watch the recording of session 1: Advancing CE Frameworks from Regional to National Level in Southeast Asia

Access the presentation here

The Framework for Circular Economy for the ASEAN Economic Community, adopted in 2021, serves as a regional reference for Southeast Asian countries to develop national circular economy frameworks. In the Philippines, for example, several bills to institutionalize circular economy are currently being proposed in Congress, while the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is leading the further development of the National Circular Economy Framework to guide the country’s transition circular economy.

This webinar facilitates knowledge sharing on localizing circular economy frameworks across Southeast Asia, exploring policy and institutional mechanisms for integrating circular economy models in both the public and private sectors, and advancing multi-stakeholder collaboration. It will also demonstrate how collaboration between European and Southeast Asian stakeholders can promote the region’s transition to a circular economy. This includes exploring potential partnerships to adopt international standards, accelerate green innovation and mobilise investment opportunities.

We thank our expert-speakers for their valuable contributions: 

• Dr. Mayuri Wijayasundara, Lead Circular Economy Specialist and International Expert,  GOPA Tech  

• Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, and Climate Change, Department of Environment and Natural Resources  

• Caroline Aretha Merylla, Indonesia Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN/Bappenas)​

• Dr. Oriol Izquierdo, Project Manager Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar sessions!

• Webinar 2: Green Financing and Investment for Circular Growth in Southeast Asia – 26 August 2026 (tbc)
• Webinar 3: Enabling Circular Business Models through EPR in Southeast Asia – 28 October 2026 (tbc)

About the Organisers 

Funded by a P3.67 billion (€60 million) grant from the European Union, the European Union-Philippines Green Economy Partnership is a priority programme under the Global Gateway initiative – the European strategy engaging with partners globally and promoting investments around shared priorities such as the transition to a green economy. Led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this priority programme of the European Union in the Philippines links European and Filipino partners from the private sector and the local government to foster a circular economy while sustaining economic growth that benefits all Filipinos. The Policy and Alliances component of the programme – co-funded with a €12 million grant from the European Union and a €1 million contribution from the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety and implemented by GIZ Philippines and DENR-Environmental Management Bureau – supports policy development and fosters strong partnerships. 

The Global Programme Go Circular collaborates with partners from business, government, and civil society on various aspects of the circular economy. The goal is to maintain the value of products, materials, and resources for as long as possible. The programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by European Union (EU). It operates in Colombia, Zambia, Viet Nam, as well as in Eastern and Southern Africa.   

On the global level, Go Circular hosts the Secretariat of the PREVENT Waste Alliance. Initiated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the PREVENT Waste Alliance is a multi-stakeholder partnership that brings together more than 700 member organisations from the private sector, academia, civil society, and public institutions. PREVENT’s mission is to advance the circular economy in low- and middle-income countries by minimising waste, eliminating pollutants, and maximising the reuse of resources in the economy worldwide.  

Launched on November 2025, InCircular is a technical cooperation between Indonesian Government and German Government through Ministry of National Development Planning (PPN/Bappenas) to support the implementation of Indonesia’s Circular Economy Roadmap and National Action Plan 2025-2045 that emphasize on circularity for several key sectors in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This project focuses on enhancing regulatory framework (including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)), strengthening coordination and collaboration across relevant stakeholders, building capacities and awareness raising among stakeholders for transformation toward circular economy, as well as improving waste management in selected cities and municipalities. By collaborating with multi stakeholders, this project support evidence-based policy to strengthen economic resilience and sustainable resource management.