This CEPS In-Depth Analysis examines the role, state of play and future prospects of standardisation of critical raw materials (CRM) from an EU perspective.
It begins with an overview of the key benefits and actors in both the EU and global technical standardisation system.
It then maps key recent developments and initiatives in CRM standardisation, in the EU and globally. Drawing on consultations with experts, it identifies three fundamental risks and challenges: the limited participation of EU stakeholders and experts, specific content gaps in recycling and traceability, and a highly fragmented ESG standardisation landscape.
Lastly, it provides policy recommendations to help address these challenges and enhance the EU’s role in CRM standardisation.
Recycling Albania was set up in 2022, based on the zero waste hierarchy. It aims to transform Albania’s waste sector into a model for sustainable resource management and lead the way in circular economy solutions in the Western Balkans.
It's setting up a Circular Economy Park, with a Multifunctional Education Centre, Recycling Yard and Second-Hand Store. The environmental, economic and social dimensions of the circular economy are covered!
The European Commission has just released its Competitiveness Compass, a roadmap for EU action over the next five years which lists what needs to be done to enable the European economy to flourish.
It sets out ways and means to deliver on the imperatives identified by the Draghi Report to boost competitiveness: closing the innovation gap, a joint roadmap for decarbonisation and competitiveness, and reducing excessive dependencies and increasing security.
The circular economy is seen as part of the answer.
Re:inventex is carrying out a project for the recycling of post-industrial and pre-consumer textile waste. It is essentially the first pilot project in Ukraine to create a modern infrastructure for the collection, sorting and recycling of textile waste.
SUM 2025 aims to promote more continuous interaction and collaboration across fields, encouraging sustained, multidisciplinary dialogue and strategic partnerships.
The Fédération de la Mode Circulaire (Circular Fashion Federation) is organising an event which will mark a milestone in their journey towards sustainable fashion: the release of their EU Manifesto for Circular Fashion. This manifesto outlines a policy roadmap for the European Union to leverage circular fashion as a means to bolster its textile industry, promote fair competition and champion environmental and human rights standards.
This publication contains the results of over 74 projects completed as part of the Circular Ecoinnovation Programme between 2017 and 2023. The programme, managed by Ihobe, the environmental management agency of the Basque Government’s Ministry for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, drives ecodesign, circular economy demonstration and strategic ecoinnovation in Basque companies.
The market, commercial, economic, technical or environmental feasibility of each project has been graphically included in each datasheet.
See also the website listing all the Basque Country's circular solutions to date.
The Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA)was founded in 2013 to promote effective and efficient EPR systems and sustainable packaging. It has produced a study outlining the core principles and practices of EPR, which are crucial for shaping and supporting effective EPR policies across Europe and worldwide.
Petshka is an R&D company based in France. It has devised a process for turning polyester waste into recycled polyol polyester, thus avoiding a huge amount of waste and emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-based raw materials.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is hosting the second International Seminar on Biotechnology Applied to the Plastics Sector.
This event will bring together over 20 international experts in biotechnology and sustainability to explore innovative solutions that will enable the plastics sector to move towards a more sustainable future.
