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;
• Apply zero VAT rates