Circular
Wallonia
Days 2026
Industrial sovereignty:
Wallonia at the heart
of European challenges
Event in French
30 JUNE 2026
With the support of
In collaboration with
The “Circular Wallonia Days” 2026
Industrial sovereignty: Wallonia at the heart of European challenges
Welcome to the 4th edition of the Circular Wallonia Days!
This year, Circular Wallonia Days 2026 will take the form of a one-day event on 30 June 2026 in Namur, Wallonia (BE).
Energy, raw materials, digital technologies and security: critical dependencies now have a direct impact on the competitiveness and resilience of our businesses.
Industrial sovereignty is no longer just a concept, but an immediate strategic challenge and a top priority for Europe.
1 Day
INDUSTRIAL SOVEREIGNTY: STRENGTHENING EUROPEAN RESILIENCE THROUGH REGIONAL ACTION
Energy, critical raw materials, digital technologies, cybersecurity and defence capabilities are becoming strategic assets for Europe’s competitiveness and resilience. In a context of geopolitical uncertainty and growing dependencies, strengthening industrial sovereignty has become a key priority.
This conference will bring together industry, research and public stakeholders to explore concrete solutions, partnerships and projects that can strengthen Europe’s industrial autonomy while supporting a competitive and sustainable economy.
Why Attend?
The event provides a unique opportunity to engage with key industrial and institutional actors working on the future of European competitiveness and sovereignty. Through keynote presentations, expert panels and networking opportunities, participants will gain insights into critical dependencies affecting industry and discover practical initiatives already being deployed across strategic sectors.
The conference will address:
- Strategic Resources & Materials: How can Europe and its regions secure access to critical raw materials while developing circular and competitive industrial value chains?
- Energy Sovereignty: What solutions can strengthen energy security and support industrial decarbonisation without compromising competitiveness?
- Digital & Technological Independence: How can Europe develop and protect key technologies, data infrastructures and industrial digital capabilities?
- Security & Defence Readiness: What role can industry play in reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy and resilience in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment?
- Regional Ecosystem Collaboration: How can industrial clusters, research organisations, public authorities and companies work together to accelerate impactful projects and investments?
Who should attend?
The conference is open to all stakeholders involved in industrial transformation and strategic value chains, including:
- Industrial companies and technology providers
- Manufacturers and supply chain actors
- Policymakers and public authorities
- Research centres and universities
- Innovation clusters and ecosystem organisations
- Digital, cybersecurity and defence stakeholders
- Investors and industrial development agencies
- Any organisation committed to strengthening European industrial resilience and competitiveness
Event Schedule
Tuesday
30
30.06.2026 @ 12:30 PM
Business Village Ecolys | Avenue d’Ecolys, 2 5020 Suarlée
From 12:30 PM to 7:30 PM / Used language : French
Programme
- 12 :30 – Welcome lunch
- 13:00 – MecaTech’s Annual General Meeting – MecaTech members only
- 14 :00 – 14 :30 : break
- 14:30 – Strategic conference hosted by Sacha DAOUT
4 themed panels :
Materials :
Pierre-François BAREEL, Comet Group CEO.
François POCHET, Peps Engineering General Manager.
Michel VANAVERMAETE, EIT Raw Materials Central & West Regional Director.
Ludovic BABUSIAUX, Wallonie Entreprendre Project engineer specialising in energy transition.
Lionel FOURDRINIER, Materials R&D Engineer and Lead at the Win4C IIS.
Laetitia ZACHEO, Pôle MecaTech Circular Economy Programme Manager.
Dorina FATI, Director of Research, Technology & Growth at Prayon.
Energy :
Serge DAUBY, Belgian Nuclear Forum CEO.
Maxime HABRAN, ELIA Public Affairs.
Rossen IVANOV, Armstrong International Managing Director EMEA.
Nicolas BRONCHART, JEMA CEO.
Adel EL GAMMAL, European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) Secretary General and professor of energy geopolitics at the Université libre de Bruxelles.
Philippe STÉGEN, Pôle MecaTech Sustainable Energy Program Manager.
- 16 :00 – 16 :30 : break
Digital :
Philippe BOLLE, E-S-TEL CEO.
Marc SENTERRE, Co-President of the Cercle du Numérique.
Dimitri PUCHE, Digital Transformation Expert at Quaric.
Alain STROWEL, Professor at UCLouvain and specialist in data governance, AI and the regulation of online platforms.
Christophe MONTOISY, Pôle MecaTech Industry 5.0 Expert.
Thomas DI PIETRO, R&D Director at I-care Group.
Defence:
Jean-Michel GIRARD, KNDS Belgium Managing Director.
Benoît HANSENNE, Royal Higher Institute for Defence Strategy & Policy Manager.
Jean-François DELAIGLE, SIRRIS Regional Director Wallonia et Head of Business Development.
Mathieu SCHWANDER, European Defence Agency (EDA) Policy Officer Industry Engagement and EU Policies & IF CEED Programme Manager.
Matthieu JANSSENS, Defence Ecosystem Manager.
Michaël DARDENNE, Managing Director at Thales Belgium.
Yacine BOUANBA, Technology Officer at John Cockerill Defence.
- 18 :00 – KEYNOTE Guillaume PITRON : “Critical metals: understanding the geopolitical and environmental challenges to strengthen business resilience.”
- 19 :00 – Closing remarks
- 19:10 – 21:00 : Networking & walking dinner
If you have any question about the event, please contact communication@polemecatech.be
With the support of