European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform

The publication "Eco-innovation in the Basque Country - 105 industrial projects for new circular solutions" contains the results of over 120 projects completed as part of the Circular Eco-innovation Programme between 2018 and 2022.

The programme, managed by Ihobe, the environmental management agency of the Basque Government's Ministry for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, drives eco-design, circular economy demonstration and strategic eco-innovation in Basque companies.

Even though only 24 % of the new circular solutions developed or demonstrated in the projects are already operational or available on the market, the results of all the projects completed as of this date and validated by the companies have been included.

Buildings need to be made more energy efficient: this is instrumental in meeting the EU's climate goals.

This position paper refers to a workshop which took place during the Sustainable Places 2021 Conference, focusing on the outcome of six Horizon 2020 projects. It assesses the challenges and barriers (including circularity) in terms of developing, adopting and/or implementing Zero Energy Renovation Kits, which address the need for efficient, sustainable and customisable deep-renovation solutions.

32 technological, market, financial, legal, and institutional challenges and barriers were identified. The workshop also explored strategies that could overcome them.

The paper presents a coherent framework mapping strategies for tackling these challenges and barriers.

The 2022 Circular Cities Declaration Report is a very important milestone. Not only is it the first progress report for the European Circular Cities Declaration, it also features statements from 40 signatory cities. This makes it the broadest ever assessment of circular economy practices across European cities.

The report shows that considerable progress is being made: half of the 40 cities involved in the programme already have circular economy strategies in place or in development. 

This is just the start. By the end of 2025, the aim is to have 150 cities signed up to this Declaration. Together, the signatories are embedding circularity into European cities!

Woody and vegetable biomass has long been used to make heat. Recently, there has been a resurgence in interest in biomass energy production, because it is a carbon-free, abundant energy source. Biomass-based domestic heating systems do emit significant amounts of particulate matter, but biomass is still considered to be an attractive solution for residential heating systems based on renewable fuels.

Sicily is particularly interested in biomass as a raw material for producing energy because of the local soil and climate, and this trend could have significant, highly positive socio-economic consequences. This study aims to evaluate the potential of a cogeneration system in the biomass sector.

The quantities of used textiles collected in Europe are increasing, while the proportion of high-quality reusable garments is decreasing. Currently, around 50-75 % of the collected textiles is reused, whereas 10-30 % is recycled.

Towards 2030, however, it is expected that a smaller portion will be suitable for reuse, and that more will be fit for recycling. This is because the requirement of separately collected textiles is expected to divert textiles from mixed waste, which is not fit for reuse, as well as of a general trend of falling quality. The lifecycle impact assessment (LCA) of reuse compared to a new product confirms that the environmental impact of reuse is significantly lower than the production of a new garment.

Secondary raw material (SRM) markets are crucial for a circular economy. This is because SRMs enable recyclables to re-enter the production value chain, which reduces dependency on primary resources as a result.

This role is acknowledged in the EU circular economy action plan of 2020. However, if policy is to help establish or further develop such markets, we need to better understand the currently-fragmented SRM markets in the EU.

The GO-GRASS project, funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, has recently published a White Paper for grassland opportunities to guide policy makers and increase opportunities for farmers and rural businesses to enhance the sustainable use of grasslands. Bioeconomy can be supported at the field level through best practices for the development of innovative and replicable business models.

To this end, the GO-GRASS project has analysed data and evidence for policy action and published a list of recommendations in the White Paper in order to promote solutions and sustainable products using grass and green fodder.

The final White Paper will be published at the end of the project (in 2024), supplemented with further findings and inputs from European, local and regional stakeholders.

The report Twin Transition in the Wood-Furniture Value Chain - State-of-the-art on Environmental Certifications Practices and Industry 4.0 in the Wood and Furniture Sector provides an overview of the current environmental and digital trends and practices affecting the wood value chain in its entirety. Taking a value chain perspective, the report outlines regulatory trends, new digital and technological developments, and emerging practices that will affect the sector as a whole.

By deploying smart systems and new production processes, European SMEs can optimise their usage of raw materials, improve their waste management and contribute to the development of a circular economy.

Rare earth elements are strategically important for the EU to sustain and accelerate its green and digital transition, particularly due to their use in permanent magnets. Rare earth permanent magnets are critical components in wind turbines and electric vehicles, as well as home appliances and consumer electronics.

However, faced with an expected surge in demand, limited domestic manufacturing capacity, high import dependency and rising geopolitical tensions, the EU’s ability to meet the future demand for rare earth magnets is at risk.

This report examines the barriers hindering the establishment of a viable magnet recycling chain in the EU, whilst estimating the extent to which recycling could offset the coming increase in demand for rare earth magnets.

The EU Interreg 2 Seas project FACET focuses on implementing circular solutions in the tourism and leisure sectors.

The circular economy is about migrating from the current business-as-usual linear system of production and consumption toward a system that focuses on valorising and circulating resources for environmental,  social,  and economic sustainability.  

This white paper proposes a  six-step framework for local authorities in their efforts to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

This framework builds upon the experiences of the FACET project, which has accelerated the implementation of circular solutions in four local areas in the 2 Seas regions, as well as other existing literature and past European projects.