GCE welcomes theCircular Economy Act initiative as a very important step forward in enhancing the circular economy in the EU. It highlights the need to rethink the current economic system in order to secure intergenerational and resource justice, uphold planetary boundaries and ultimately ensure the resilience and security of the EU.
However, incentivising the market for secondary materials will not suffice, and additional actions are needed:
recycling is not enough: reusing and remanufacturing must be prioritised;
steps must be taken to address overconsumption and overproduction;
harmonised end-of-waste criteria, a systemic shift in business model, appropriate waste collection and the promotion of reuse and repair are particularly necessary in the textiles and electronics sectors.
In this position paper, FEAD offers its input for the Circular Economy Act consultation.
It supports a CEA that turns circularity into a core competitiveness strategy for Europe by:
creating a predictable, integrated single market for recycled materials;
activating strong, durable demand for recycled materials;
aligning fiscal and financial tools with circular outcomes;
strengthening governance, enforcement and administrative capacity so rules deliver in practice.
It proposes a binding target of 25% by 2030 for the Circular Material Use Rate. It argues that recycling and recovery must become industrial-scale resource streams, and that robust recovery and final treatment systems for residual waste are key for safeguarding system resilience and environmental protection.
ECOS believes that by adopting clear targets and definitions and reflecting prevention and reuse priorities in key legislative files, the CEA can deliver environmental and economic benefits.
It feels that the approach outlined in the Call for Evidence risks narrowing the CEA to the functioning of the internal market for waste and secondary raw materials, instead of addressing the structural causes of Europe’s linear economy or respecting the waste hierarchy. The CEA is an opportunity achieve the ambition of the Clean Industrial Deal, committing the EU to become a circular economy world leader by 2030. To succeed, the Act must rest on a dual legal basis, embed the waste hierarchy and lifecycle thinking and provide clear, harmonised definitions that guide implementation across Member States.
The Circular Economy Act is a pivotal opportunity to translate Europe’s ambitions into functioning markets by removing obstacles to the free movement of recycled materials and creating strong demand for circular products.
Recycling is a strategic enabler of circularity and plays a critical role in securing Europe’s economic resilience and decarbonisation agenda. Accordingly, Recycling Europe's policy recommendations aim to unlock demand, establish a level playing field for recycled materials and support the development of a globally competitive recycling industry aligned with the EU’s environmental and strategic objectives.
While welcoming the EU’s recognition of the circular economy’s transformative potential for the EU economy, RREUSE expressed concern about the current narrow focus on recycling and the lack of ambition to promote waste prevention and reuse.
Its recommendations are as follows:
Establish a right to reuse:
Set binding separate targets for (preparing for) reuse;
Set EPR fees in line with the waste hierarchy;
Ensure full cost coverage of (preparing for) reuse activities;
Prioritise reuse in future criteria for circular public procurement.
Unlock the full potential of social circular enterprises:
Guarantee social enterprises’ access to waste streams and collection points, as well as ownership of collected materials;
Allocate earmarked EPR funding for social enterprises;
Academics for Circular Economy welcomes the creation of a Circular Economy Act that aims to address issues such as resource dependence, competitiveness, and environmental pressures. To leverage the full economic, social and environmental potential of the circular economy, the Circular Economy Act must address a number of critical points:
Competitiveness through upstream innovation
European resource independence by design
Resilience of the single market
Environmental protection via a regenerative bioeconomy
The European Union’s Bioeconomy Strategy is at a pivotal point of revision.
As the EU seeks to advance its transition towards circular economy, civil society organisations – backed by academic insights – are calling for a bioeconomy strategy that places sustainability, environmental resilience and social well-being on an equal footing.
This paper, prepared by the ECESP's Leadership Group on Bioeconomy, provides a multi-actor perspective. It focuses on sustainability, economic development (especially in rural areas) and regulatory frameworks. It highlights gaps in the existing strategy and proposes policy recommendations for policymakers and research institutions.
The transition to zero emission and energy positive buildings, neighbourhoods and communities is key to unlocking the EU's climate and energy ambitions by transforming both new and existing buildings into drivers of decarbonisation.
This policy recommendation paper puts forward 10 key policy recommendations for national and regional policy makers for overcoming financial barriers for building renovation and transforming existing buildings into zero emission or positive energy neighbourhoods by 2050.
The recommendations are based on experiences and learnings from 8 research and innovations projects in Europe, including 33 demonstration sites around Europe.
As governments and industries around the globe move towards a circular economy, it’s key to align ambitions and create a common direction of travel.
This paper sets out five universal circular economy policy goals around which governments and businesses can align to achieve their common objectives. Applicable across sectors and local contexts, these policy goals can – working in conjunction – help governments build healthier economic recoveries and lower the cost of transition for business.
