site.btaSofia Hosts Circular Economy and Eco-Design in Furniture Industry Forum

Sofia Balkan Palace Hotel is hosting the international conference Circular Economy and Eco-design in the Furniture Industry - Challenges and Opportunities, which is taking place here on Thursday. The forum is organized by the Branch Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry (BCWFI) in cooperation with the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA).

Caretaker Minister of Economy and Industry Petko Nikolov, who addressed the conference participants, said that the furniture industry is among the sectors that are developing sustainably. He emphasized the industry's role of providing jobs and added that dialogue between the state and the industry will lead to sustainable development of the sector.

BSMEPA Executive Director Boyko Takov noted that the circular economy is about sustainability, which is important for future generations.

Takov commented on the EU legislation that came into force on July 18 that requires goods to be energy efficient, durable, repairable and recyclable, saying: "The topic is very broad, and there is a lot of debate given the regulation in the EU that is absent from other continents. Although sometimes we have a feeling of over-regulation in business, the path that the European Union has taken is the right one."

BCWFI Chair Vassil Jivkov said that the conference is about the crucial issue of saving the planet. He noted that the EU has taken this mission into their hands, which is why they introduced legislation that requires from producers to make sustainable products.

Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Krasimir Yakimov said that in the past three years, three projects by furniture companies have been certified under the Investment Promotion Act. The three companies have invested BGN 45 million and created more than 150 jobs.