ECOFFEE showcases the potential of spent coffee grounds to generate natural biocides and sustainable agricultural solutions
The project will host an official EU Green Week 2026 event at the European Committee of the Regions on 11 June
Conclusions from the event will be transformed into policy recommendations for European institutions
Friday, 5 June 2026, Brussels. On the occasion of World Environment Day, the European project ECOFFEE highlights the role of circular economy solutions in reducing waste and creating new sustainable opportunities for the agri-food sector. In this context, the project will host the hybrid event “From Coffee Waste to Agricultural Resource: The ECOFFEE Circular Model” on 11 June at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels as part of the official programme of EU Green Week 2026. Led by the consortium formed by AZTI, Euskovazza, FUMIHOGAR and the Finnova Foundation, the initiative demonstrates how spent coffee grounds can be transformed into high-value agricultural resources while contributing to the development of practical policy recommendations for European decision-makers.
Giving coffee waste a second life
Every day, thousands of tonnes of coffee waste are generated across Europe. Through innovative valorisation processes, ECOFFEE aims to demonstrate that spent coffee grounds can become a strategic raw material for developing natural biocides and other sustainable solutions for the agricultural sector.
This approach fully aligns with the objectives of World Environment Day, which promotes waste reduction, resource efficiency and the transition towards more sustainable production and consumption models.
Bringing circular economy debates to Brussels
As part of EU Green Week 2026, ECOFFEE will bring together institutional representatives, bioeconomy experts, agricultural stakeholders, policymakers and innovation actors to discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding coffee waste valorisation.
The agenda will include:
Institutional opening session and presentation of ECOFFEE project results
High-level debate on replication in the primary sector, regulatory barriers and EU-Latin America cooperation
Synergies with European initiatives such as LIFE NextFUMIGREEN and AL-INVEST Verde
Interactive Q&A session between participants and EU decision-makers
From local innovation to European policymaking
A key feature of the event will be its policy engagement dimension. Insights, challenges and solutions identified during the discussions will be compiled into formal policy recommendations to be presented to the European Commission and the European Parliament.
Through this process, ECOFFEE seeks to bridge the gap between innovation on the ground and European policymaking, supporting regulatory frameworks that facilitate the deployment of circular solutions based on agri-food waste streams.
ECOFFEE has a total budget of €256,451.25 and is co-funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme (Grant Agreement CIRCULOOS No. 101092295). The consortium is composed of AZTI, Euskovazza, FUMIHOGAR and the Finnova Foundation, organisations working together to develop innovative, sustainable and replicable solutions for coffee waste valorisation, transforming spent coffee grounds from the HORECA sector into high-value bioproducts for agricultural and environmental applications.
More information: Official ECOFFEE EU Green Week 2026 Event