In March 2022, the European Commission released its EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles in the Circular Economy Action Plan framework. The strategy aims at setting a framework to boost the competitiveness, sustainability and resilience of the EU textile sector.
Six months after its release, where do we stand? Join the ECESP leadership group on Textile and all speakers during this #EUCircularTalks event on 26 September, from 14:30 - 16:00 CEST, to discuss the EU textile strategy, its implementation and vision for the current textile industry.
If you are a representative of a retail SME based in a Member State of the European Union, you are invited to complete the survey "Twin transition for Retail SMEs", that is part of an independent study commissioned by the European Commission. The idea is to collect best case stories from SMEs engaged in digitalization to increase their sustainability.
The conference Towards a Circular Economy: Competences for Youth aimed to enable participants from different backgrounds to learn more about the outputs from the Circular Economy - Sustainable Competences for Youth (CESCY) project, to share their views and to hear from experts from different sectors.
The worsening climate crisis and the growing scarcity of natural resources have increasingly demonstrated the limits of our predominantly linear economy. There is no question that our business models and practices must become more sustainable and circular. It is therefore essential that young people be prepared to contribute and lead the way towards a more circular economy in Europe and beyond.
The European Economic and Social Committee has adopted an own-initiative opinion on the European furniture industry's recovery and shift towards an innovative, green and circular economy. The opinion calls on the European Commission to provide more integrated strategies for specific economic sectors, coordinating the various policy fields into an ongoing transition of the European economy.
The European Commission is carrying out an impact assessment in preparation for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive. You have until 16 August to tell the European Commission what you think about waste management and its environmental impact!
The EU Green Deal includes a commitment to shift the tax burden from labour to pollution. EU companies seek to adopt circular practices, but financial incentives in their tax systems curb circular growth.
This study presents a roadmap for a rebalancing of the tax mix, both at national and EU levels. It assesses the impact of 20 taxshift measures significantly decreasing the tax burden on labour while increasing taxation of resource use and pollution.
The analysis shows that a well-considered, broad-based tax reform could lead to more jobs, higher economic growth, fewer emissions and less dependence on imports. It also shows that it is possible to design policy measures addressing environmental issues (Polluter Pays Principle) and social issues (leaving no-one behind) simultaneously.
The European Commission has published a call for proposals on “Social innovations for a fair green and digital transition”, under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund+.
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) promotes sustainable production. The passport lists all materials and components used in a product or a building and the information on their location. Providing this information could increase the product circularity and contribute to reaching the net-zero objective.
What are the challenges ahead? What are the initiatives in place at the European level? Join us online on 8 July from 09:00 to 10:30 CEST to learn more from frontrunner stakeholders that have already conceptualised digital product passports and are operating them on the EU market.
The European Commission has launched new resources to help buildings professionals to start using Level(s), the EU common language framework for monitoring and assessing the sustainability performance of buildings. Level(s) is a simple entry point for applying circular economy principles in our built environment.
By building on the insights from previous EEA reports on drivers of sustainability transitions, this briefing explores alternative ideas about growth and progress with the aim of broadening the sustainability debate.
Economic growth is closely linked to increases in production, consumption and resource use and has detrimental effects on the natural environment and human health. It is unlikely that a long-lasting, absolute decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressures can be achieved at the global scale. Societies need to rethink what is meant by growth and progress and their meaning for global sustainability.
The briefing outlines how circular economy may not deliver the transformation to sustainability when growth strategy still leads to increased material consumption.