Region Västra Götaland, home to 49 municipalities and 1.7 million inhabitants, is responsible for medical care, public transport, and regional development, in addition to providing access to culture, and fostering growth and sustainable development. We work to increase our regional attractiveness and competitiveness by collaborating on many levels with our 49 municipalities, academia, the private sector, and other public and international organisations.
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Brussels Office Address
Rue du Luxembourg 3
1000 Brussels
Belgium
S3 Strategy
Västra Götaland is a European innovation leader, with a long tradition of being a forerunner in technical development and a strong industrial base. The region is home to several large industries such as Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, SKF and Astra Zeneca, and provide a well-established infrastructure for innovation with its five universities, six science parks, eight incubators and one third of all Swedish test beds. As much as 25 percent of Sweden’s R&I investments are invested in Västra Götaland and we are an active partner in the EU with a track record of many successful R&I projects. Region Västra Götaland’s programme Strengthening the innovation potential 2022-2025 is also the regional strategy for smart specialisation (S3). The strategy points out five focus areas: 1) Sustainable Industry, 2) Health and Life Science, 3) Food, Bio-based Materials and Renewable Energy, 4) Sustainable Mobility and Transport, 5) Tourism and Culture and Creative Industries.
Latest Updates
- By Martina Campajola
Strong regions, strong Europe: ERRIN at the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026
ERRIN spent the European Week of Regions and Cities moderating sessions, following debates and meeting more than a dozen member delegations. Here is a selection of the moments closest to our priorities, from the EU Missions and the next MFF to talent, culture and competitiveness.
- By Anonymous
Region Västra Götaland is looking for European partners for New European Bauhaus collaborations in Horizon Europe 2026
Västra Götaland region and stakeholders are interested in collaborating with European partners within the current NEB calls in Horizon Europe 2026.
- By Astrid Hannes
Four years on: Celebrating Circular Cities and Regions Pilots’ achievements in driving circular change across Europe
Local and regional authorities across Europe are increasingly committed to the circular economy, yet many still ask the same question: what does implementation look like in practice? A new publication of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) presents circular systemic solutions which were implemented by twelve Circular Pilot Cities and Regions from 2022-2025. Providing concrete answers and pathways for replication, the pilot solutions span different territorial contexts – from small municipalities to large regions – and cover a wide range of value chains, including construction and the built environment, circular resource management, bioeconomy and nutrient recovery, consumer goods, packaging and food systems.
- By Astrid Hannes
New report: Circular Cities and Regions Pilot Solutions: Insights, impacts, and replication paths
From 2023 until 2025, the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative has supported 12 European cities and regions to test what it really takes to turn circular economy ambition into practical, local and systemic solutions. Their examples in developing Circular Systemic Solutions (CSS) across various sectors and focus priorities form the foundation of this booklet. This compilation brings together the insights and solutions developed through the CCRI Pilot programme between January 2023 and October 2025. It highlights not only what the Pilots achieved, but how they did it: the partnerships they built, the barriers they faced, the tools they used and developed and the lessons that can help others accelerate their own transitions.
- By Astrid Hannes
Get inspired by success stories of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative
During an online webinar on 11 December, 12 success stories of regions and cities that piloted circular systemic solutions in their territories with support of the Circular Cities and Regions initiatives were presented. We encourage ERRIN members to check the recordings of this webinar, as the lessons learned and experiences shared can inspire other local and regional authorities to launch new local and regional circular initiatives across Europe.
- By Gianpiero Petruzziello
ERRIN response to the Circular Economy Act Consultation
On 5 November, ERRIN submitted its response to the European Commission’s consultation on the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act. Building on ERRIN’s extensive network of regional and local innovation ecosystems, this input paper captures the insights and expertise of leading European regional and local authorities at the forefront of advancing circular economy solutions.