3,761 / 5,000 Ecomondo, a leading showcase for innovative solutions combining sustainability, industrial development, and competitiveness

Rimini, Italy – The 29th edition of Ecomondo opened Tuesday at the Rimini Exhibition Center in Italy, reinforcing its position as a leading showcase in Europe and worldwide for innovative technologies and solutions that combine environmental sustainability, industrial development, and competitiveness.

This internationally renowned platform for the green, blue, and circular economy, organized by the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), is placing particular emphasis this year on international cooperation in the Mediterranean region and Africa, as well as on European research and innovation, within the framework of a high-level scientific and institutional conference program.

Speaking at the opening of this four-day event, IEG President Maurizio Ermeti stated that the green economy has undeniable strategic importance for the growth and competitiveness of the national industrial system.

The Ecomondo trade fair, at the heart of this transformation, has established itself as a key player on a European scale, he said, adding that it is now strengthening its presence in international markets and has become the leading industrial platform for businesses, institutions, research stakeholders, public decision-makers, and all key players in the circular and regenerative economy.

For his part, the Italian Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, emphasized that sustainability represents a source of innovation and growth opportunities for the national production and manufacturing system, believing that the transition should not be seen as a set of constraints, but as an evolution of production and consumption models toward greater efficiency.

He called for better resource use, reduced waste, and value creation while minimizing the impact on ecosystems, noting that “the Ecomondo trade fair is where this vision takes shape, through the exchange and showcasing of best practices.”

For his part, the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, stated in a video message that sustainability is not only an environmental issue, but also an industrial and geopolitical one.

“In the global competition for raw materials, energy, and technologies, the ability to enhance the value of resources is a decisive factor for competitiveness,” he said.

This opening ceremony was marked by the launch of the 15th General Assembly of the Green Economy, initiated by the Foundation for Sustainable Development, whose plenary session provided an opportunity to present the State of the Green Economy 2026 Report.

Confirming the sustained growth of the trade fair, this 29th edition of Ecomondo is spread across 30 pavilions and a gross area of ​​170,000 m². It hosts over 1,800 exhibiting brands, with a 19% increase in the number of international exhibitors and more than 1,000 buyers.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Rimini, the President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, and several other representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the ECI (European Trade Initiative).

Ecomondo 2026 is organized in collaboration with the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Environment Agency, the Emilia-Romagna Region, and the City of Rimini.