Ecomondo 2025 : The most international event in Rimini ever

In an increasingly volatile global context, sustainability is the compass that guides governments, businesses, and the scientific community. Ecomondo 2025, the leading international event for the green, blue and circular economies in Europe and the Mediterranean basin, organised by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), came to a close today at Rimini Expo Centre. The event reaffirmed its status as a global hub for ecological transition. This was reflected in the concrete results of the 28th edition, which saw significant growth.

Total attendance grew by 7%, with 10% of attendees coming from abroad. There were over 1,700 exhibiting brands, 18% of which were from abroad, covering 166,000 square metres of exhibition space. With more than 600 accredited journalists (15% of whom were international), Rimini Expo Centre was brought to the attention of the global community.

On Thursday 6th November, the Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, toured the exhibition halls, underlining Ecomondo's central role on the international scene as a guide along the path towards a sustainable future that Italy and the rest of Europe are continuing to pursue with determination. “We can count ourselves among the leading countries in the world in terms of recycling capacity,” the minister explained. “There is a lot of talk about rare earths and critical raw materials, but the largest deposit we have is our waste... And the ability to recycle is fully demonstrated at this show, a symbol of innovation and sustainability.”

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Thanks to its collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), Ecomondo 2025 has confirmed its status as a privileged venue for exchange between companies, researchers and professionals from around the world. It was a global crossroads, welcoming over 800 hosted buyers and international delegations from 65 countries. The most represented markets were Spain, Turkey, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. Around 90 international associations were also involved. During the event, this network generated 3,800 business matches, promoting cooperation and the dissemination of the best practices for ecological transition.

Over the four days, over 200 events took place, around 70 of which were organised by Ecomondo's Technical and Scientific Committee, chaired by Professor Fabio Fava. The programme was packed with initiatives offering an up-to-date interpretation of the green transition across a range of sectors. Key topics included: WEEE and critical raw materials; the circular textile industry; sustainable finance in support of the ecological transition; water management and the blue economy; bioenergy; the circular economy; AI applied to resource enhancement and data monitoring; Earth observation; and the role of communication in overcoming false dilemmas of the ecological transition.

Considerable attention was paid to international cooperation and the green transition in the Mediterranean, as well as to initiatives for accessing clean and sustainable energy in Africa as part of the Mattei Plan and the 'Mission 300' programme. The fifth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum was also held.

The 14^th edition of the States General of the Green Economy opened Ecomondo once again with a presentation of the Report on the State of the Green Economy 2025, placing the state and prospects of the European ecological transition within the new global context at the heart of the debate. On the second day, the plenary session was held entirely in English for the first time, further broadening the event's international scope.

Sal.Ve's return, in partnership with ANFIA, showcased the full range of industrial and specialised vehicles for collecting solid and liquid waste, street sweeping, and sewage disposal.

At Ecomondo 2025, innovation bridged the gap between science and the market. The Innovation District provided a platform for 40 Italian and international high-tech start-ups, including 20 from Morocco and Tunisia, which were selected as part of the 'Luca Attanasio' Lab Innovates for Africa project. This initiative was promoted by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Alongside the exhibition, Ecomondo presented the 'Lorenzo Cagnoni' Award for Green Innovation to seven exhibiting companies, one from each sector of the event, in recognition of their advanced and promising technologies.

ECOMONDO will return to the Italian Exhibition Group’s Rimini Expo Centre from 3rd to 6th November 2026.