Nature-based biodegradable materials could become a cornerstone of Europe’s circular economy, helping cut pollution, reduce reliance on fossil resources and revitalise rural industries. To achieve this, the European Union must align its regulatory framework.

In its own-initiative opinion on A comprehensive strategy for nature-based biodegradable materials to foster circularity and resource efficiency, strengthen the agri-food sector and scale-up the EU bioeconomy, adopted on 29 April, the European Economic and Social Committee stresses that the EU should seize the opportunity to advance circular economy and bioeconomy goals while reinforcing the agri-food, forestry and fisheries sectors.

The development of nature-based biodegradable materials, as the EESC stresses in its opinion, raises broader questions about EU circularity policy, including how biological and technical cycles can complement each other, how regulation can better support innovation while ensuring environmental benefits, and how agricultural, forestry and fishery residues can be used more effectively. 

Current regulatory approaches remain largely focused on technical recycling systems and should instead adopt a lifecycle-based, outcome-oriented framework that recognises both circular pathways.

See the article here.