The NiCE project (From Niche to Centre – City Centres as Places of Circular Lifestyles), funded by the Interreg Central Europe program, has been officially and successfully completed and represents a significant milestone in supporting the transition to more sustainable and resilient urban environments.

Over the past three years, partners from across Central Europe have worked together to address key challenges such as the decline of retail, the growing importance of online consumption, and the need for more sustainable everyday practices. Thanks to this collaboration, the project has produced a comprehensive set of practical tools, strategies, and pilot activities that help bring the principles of a circular lifestyle to city centers.

Key outputs include the Circular Lifestyle Monitor Tool, the Strategy Framework for Circular Lifestyles in Cities, and the NiCE Solution Box—tools designed to support cities, organizations, and other stakeholders in implementing circular solutions in practice. These outputs, along with a range of other materials, are available on the NiCE knowledge platform: https://circularlifestyle.eu/

It is important to emphasize that these results are the outcome of the joint work of all partners. In the first phase of the project, the partners analyzed policy measures, action plans, strategies, and programs supporting circular lifestyles in the NiCE partner countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia). This research—based on an analysis of available sources and interviews with stakeholders—focused on specific pilot locations, including Bologna, Brzeg Dolny, Budapest, Graz, Jihlava, Košice, Ptuj, and Würzburg. The partners also assessed sustainable consumption patterns and business models at the city level. By analyzing the needs and visions of target groups (cities, service providers, and existing networks), the project successfully identified key transnational challenges and opportunities.

The project also demonstrated its impact through pilot activities in partner cities, which showed how circular approaches can revitalize urban spaces, strengthen communities, and promote sustainable behavior. These pilots included reuse centers, multifunctional community centers, solutions for sustainable e-commerce, and initiatives focused on circular water management. In Jihlava, where the pilot was implemented by ENVIROS, the project demonstrated, for example, how digital tools and artificial intelligence can improve the operation of a reuse center, enhance data quality, efficiency, and overall material flow management, thereby supporting broader circular economy goals.

These experiences are complemented by educational materials, a virtual exhibition of best practices, and a wide range of activities focused on knowledge sharing.
Partners were also active in disseminating results and organized workshops at prestigious events such as the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025, Art&Tech Days in 2024 and 2025, and the European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production 2025.

With the conclusion of the NiCE project, its outputs remain freely available for further use, replication, and dissemination across Europe. We invite all interested stakeholders to visit the knowledge platform and explore ways to successfully implement a circular lifestyle in their own contexts.

Learn more about the project and its results in the NiCE video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrgoSsEI77M

The NiCE project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE program with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.