will foster circular industrial collaboration among SMEs building on training, advice under the Enterprise Europe Network on cluster collaboration, and on knowledge transfer via the European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre. . The Commission will ensure the timely implementation of the new Directive on. The plan acknowledges the need to address the block’s resource consumption and to reduce environmental pressures driven by consumption. . next to contributing to social inclusion can have the added benefit of increasing product durability and reusability. . strengthening consumer protection against green washing and premature obsolescence, In addition, the Commission will work towards, new horizontal material rights for consumers, for instance as regards availability of spare parts or access to repair and, in the case of ICT and electronics, to upgrading services. With measures along the entire life cycle of products and building on the work done since 2015, the new Plan focuses on the design and production for a circular economy, with the aim to ensure that the resources used are kept in the EU economy … It is not possible to achieve the climate-neutrality target by 2050 without transitioning to a fully circular economy. It foresees the further development of a. contributing to measuring well-being beyond GDP. for certain construction products, taking into account their safety and functionality; promoting measures to improve the durability and adaptability of built assets in line with the circular economy principles for buildings design, integrate life cycle assessment in public procurement, and exploring the appropriateness of setting of carbon reduction targets and the potential of carbon storage. EU Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy. , including the number of materials and polymers used. and make the resulting data securely accessible. A circular economy is estimated to offer net positive benefits in terms of GDP growth and job creation, increasing the EU's GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030 creating around 700,000 new jobs. has set in motion a comprehensive set of initiatives responding to a challenge of serious public concern. It is the intention of the Commission that the, product sustainability principles will guide broader policy and legislative developments in the future. The Commission will also update the Monitoring Framework for the Circular Economy To do so, the plan suggested making better use of EMAS and the EU Ecolabel. of microplastics in the environment, drinking water and foods. The Commission will also enhance the implementation of the recently adopted requirements for, , provide incentives and encourage sharing of information and good practices in waste recycling. sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based plastics. The Commission will also increase the effectiveness of the current Ecodesign framework for energy-related products, including by swiftly adopting and implementing a new Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2020-2024 for individual product groups. so as to maintain clean recycling streams, including through further alignment with the classification of chemical substances and mixtures where necessary. As part of the revision of the recovery targets for construction and demolition waste, the Commission will pay special attention to insulation materials, which generate a growing waste stream. The aim of the Action Plan is to reduce the EU's consumption footprint and double the EU's circular material use rate in the coming decade, while boosting economic growth. . The European Institute of Innovation and Technology, will coordinate innovation initiatives on circular economy in collaboration with universities, research organisations, industry and SME’s within the, needs to be fit for the digital age and the green transition and support EU businesses’ competitiveness. 2 INTRODUCTION Representing the technology sectors providing innovative solutions which can unlock a greener, healthier and more prosperous future for the EU and its citizens, Orgalim welcomes the new Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe adopted by the European Commission on 11 March 2020. As one example to illustrate this unbalance: the EU has an ecological “footprint” of 4.7 global hectares (gha) per person, to compare with the global biocapacity of 1.7 gha per person. The Commission will also consider specific measures to increase the sustainability of food distribution and consumption. Global consumption of materials such as biomass, fossil fuels, metals and minerals is expected to double in the next forty years, , while annual waste generation is projected to increase by 70% by 2050. , the Commission will enable greater circularity in industry by: assessing options for further promoting circularity in industrial processes in the context of the review of the. Moreover, the Commission will consider the most effective measures to ensure the collection and the environmentally sound treatment of, From a broader perspective, the forthcoming. , in line with scientific and technical progress and the international obligations under the Stockholm Convention; classification and management of hazardous waste. will complement private innovation funding and support the whole innovation cycle with the aim to bring solutions to the market. Furthermore, the Commission will recommend including the circular economy among the topics for discussion on the … Meanwhile, Europe is, to an increasing degree, externalising its pressures on key environmental issues onto other parts of the world. Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) welcomes the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) just released by the European Commission, as an important step to increase the EU’s circularity. A number of actions foreseen in this Plan, notably introducing requirements for. Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060, What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. According to the European environment state and outlook 2020, between 30 and 60% of the environmental pressures associated with European consumption are on countries abroad where many goods are produced – this footprint on resources such as land, water and energy showed an upward trend in the period studied, while reductions on certain environmental pressures were seen within Europe. The EU classification system for environmentally sustainable activities: empowering consumers in the green transition, Legislative and non-legislative measures establishing a new “, Mandatory Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria and targets, , including the integration of circular economy practices in upcoming Best Available Techniques reference documents, industry-led industrial symbiosis reporting and certification system, restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, and guidance to clarify its links with REACH and Ecodesign requirements, Review of the rules on proper treatment of, reduce (over)packaging and packaging waste, for key products such as packaging, construction materials and vehicles, bio-based plastics and biodegradable or compostable plastics, Waste reduction targets for specific streams, harmonised model for separate collection of waste and labelling, Methodologies to track and minimise the presence of substances of concern, for the presence of substances of concern, EU-wide end-of-waste and by-product criteria, Supporting the circular economy transition through the, Supporting the circular economy transition through, Cohesion policy funds, the Just Transition Mechanism, Improving measurement, modelling and policy tools to capture, synergies between the circular economy and climate change mitigation and adaptation, Reflecting circular economy objectives in the revision of the guidelines on, state aid in the field of environment and energy, Mainstreaming circular economy objectives in the context of the rules on, Mainstreaming circular economy objectives in, to reflect new policy priorities and develop further, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4d42d597-4f92-4498-8e1d-857cc157e6db, https://ec.europa.eu/environment/gpp/eu_gpp_criteria_en.htm, https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/PEFCR_OEFSR_en.htm, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/table.do?tab=table&init=1&language=en&pcode=t2020_rt130&plugin=1, https://www.boverket.se/sv/byggande/hallbart-byggande-och-forvaltning/miljoindikatorer---aktuell-status/vaxthusgaser/, https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/39984, https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/buildings.htm, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/tgm/refreshTableAction.do?tab=table&plugin=1&pcode=cei_cie010&language=en, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/fs_20_39, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/HIS/?uri=CELEX%3A52018PC0353, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/circular-economy/indicators/monitoring-framework, Portal of the Publications Office of the EU. It is estimated that less than 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new textiles. a benchmark for qualititative secondary materials. This plan will ensure that the regulatory framework is streamlined and made fit for a sustainable future, that the new opportunities from the transition are maximised, while minimising burdens on people and businesses. While up to 80% of products’ environmental impacts are determined at the design phase, the linear pattern of “take-make-use-dispose” does not provide producers with sufficient incentives to make their products more circular. . . A recent study estimates that applying circular economy principles across the EU economy has the potential to increase EU GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030 creating around 700 000 new jobs. Other aspects that facilitate consumer involvement will also be considered, such as common bin colours, harmonised symbols for key waste types, product labels, information campaigns and economic instruments. Greenhouse gas emissions from material extraction, manufacturing of construction products, construction and renovation of buildings are estimated at 5-12% of total national GHG emissions, . Therefore, the Commission invites EU institutions and bodies to endorse this Action Plan and actively contribute to its implementation, and encourages Member States to adopt or update their national circular economy strategies, plans and measures in the light of its ambition. , product-as-service models and digital solutions will bring about a better quality of life, innovative jobs and upgraded knowledge and skills. It is clear from different pieces of research – applying different methodological approaches – that Europe is not living within the boundaries of the planet. This will be achieved by a comprehensive set of measures, including: as set out in section 2 to textiles, including developing, to ensure that textile products are fit for circularity, ensuring the uptake of secondary raw materials, tackling the presence of hazardous chemicals, and, empowering business and private consumers, easy access to re-use and repair services, improving the business and regulatory environment for sustainable and circular textiles in the EU, in particular by providing. In order to ensure that all packaging on the EU market is reusable or recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030, the Commission will review Directive 94/62/EC, reinforce the mandatory essential requirements for packaging. In that way, a plethora of significant policy areas such as climate, energy and resource efficiency, management of construction and … This Circular Economy Action Plan provides a future-oriented agenda for achieving a cleaner and more competitive Europe in co-creation with economic actors, consumers, citizens and civil society organisations, . such as extended producer responsibility. , including those resulting from incidental contamination; methodologies to minimise the presence of substances, that pose problems to heatlh or the environment, in recycled materials and articles made thereof, co-operate with industry to progressively develop, harmonised systems to track and manage information on substances, identified as being of very high concern and other relevant substances, in particular those with chronic effects, and substances posing technical problems for recovery operations present along supply chains, and. The plan, says the Commission, focuses on the “design and production for a circular economy”, aiming to ensure that resources used are “kept in the EU economy for as long as possible.” It contains a list of 35 ‘actions’ acting as a checklist for the Commission in the coming years. 730378 1 Introduction The “Circular Economy” (CE) is one of the central policy platforms of the European Union Horizon 2020 strategy. by improving the corporate governance framework; reflect objectives linked to the circular economy as part of the, and in the context of the forthcoming revision of the, State Aid Guidelines in the field of the environment and energy, continue to encourage the broader application of, environmental taxation, including landfill and incineration taxes, and, to promote circular economy activities that target final consumers, notably repair services, Driving the transition through research, innovation. However, they need to be modernised on an ongoing basis to make them fit for the circular economy and the digital age. The. In a circular economy, we reuse indefinitely materials and products that are already available. According to the report, the results of implementing the plan were met with great enthusiasm. The European Commission has adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan, one of the main building blocks of the European Green Deal, Europe’s new agenda for sustainable growth. The Circular Economy Action Plan, published by the European Commission on 11th March 2020, is a promising continuation of the EU executive’s ambition from 2015. The Commission will also consider further. ” initiative, which will facilitate exchanges among buyers committed to GPP implementation. Scaling up the circular economy from front-runners to the mainstream economic players, will make a decisive contribution to achieving, decoupling economic growth from resource use. It aims at accelerating the transformational change required by the European Green Deal, while building on circular economy actions Many products break down too quickly, cannot be easily reused, repaired or recycled, and many are made for single use only. for cases where the use of the substance is subject to an authorisation requirement, while continuing to improve enforcement at borders; market observatory for key secondary materials, In the light of these developments, and considering that illegal shipments of waste remain a source of concern, the Commission will take action with the aim to, ensure that the EU does not export its waste challenges to third countries, . Circularity is an essential part of a wider transformation of industry towards climate-neutrality and long-term competitiveness. It is changing the way we produce and consume - sustainable products need to become the norm to reduce resource-use and waste-generation. The Commission will consider the introduction of mandatory requirements to increase the sustainability not only of goods, but also of services. This legislative initiative and any other complementary regulatory or voluntary approaches will be developed in a way to. will further address the interface between chemicals, products and waste legislation and strengthen synergies with the circular economy. The construction sector is responsible for over 35% of the EU’s total waste generation, . This scoping exercise will help the Commission to make informed decisions on the need to adopt EU-wide EoW and/or BP criteria. , the Commission will reinforce the monitoring of national plans and measures to accelerate the transition to a circular economy as part of refocusing the European Semester process to integrate a stronger sustainability dimension. This legislative proposal will build on the evaluation of the Batteries Directive. IEEP uses cookies to ensure the best possible experience. In addition to awareness-raising, cooperation and capacity-building, funds will help regions to implement circular economy strategies and reinforce their industrial fabric and value chains. , while ensuring their performance and safety; ban on the destruction of unsold durable goods; or the responsibility for its performance throughout its lifecycle; of product information, including solutions such as, digital passports, tagging and watermarks, , including by linking high performance levels to incentives, Priority will be given to addressing product groups identified in the context of the value chains featuring in this Action Plan, such as electronics, ICT and textiles. Supporting the circular economy transition through the Skills Agenda, the forthcoming Action Plan for Social Economy, the Pact for Skills and the European Social Fund Plus. In December 2019, the Welsh Government consulted on a new circular economy strategy for Wales – Beyond Recycling. The following analysis assesses to what extent the actions included in the action plan may help deliver such reductions and contribute to a more circular … The specific objectives of the Package are to boost the EU’s global competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs. process to integrate a stronger sustainability dimension. including considering restrictions on the use of some packaging materials for certain applications, in particular where alternative reusable products or systems are possible or consumer goods can be handled safely without packaging; reducing the complexity of packaging materials. For countries with an EU accession perspective, our closest neighbours in the South and the East, emerging economies and key partners across the world, the new sustainable models will open up business and employment opportunities, while strengthening the ties with European economic actors, building on the European Plastics Strategy, lead efforts at international level to reach a. and promote the uptake of the EU’s circular economy approach on plastics; to identify knowledge and governance gaps in advancing a global circular economy and take forward partnership initiatives, including with major economies; for natural resource use and consider initiating discussions on an, international agreement on the management of natural resources. high-quality sorting and removing contaminants from waste. taking account of, for instance, the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing, ethical sourcing of raw materials and security of supply, and facilitating reuse, repurposing and recycling. Where necessary, the Commission will also use its enforcement powers. To drive policy reforms, the Commission will organise, high-level exchanges on the circular economy and waste, step up cooperation with Member States, regions. launched a concerted strategy for a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and competitive economy. EU financial instruments, such as SME guarantees, under the current framework and InvestEU as of 2021, mobilise private financing in support of the circular economy. . In line with the European Green Deal and the 2020 Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy, reinforce the monitoring of national plans and measures to accelerate the transition to a circular economy as part of refocusing the European Semester. The potential of the, , which is a pioneer in job creation linked to the circular economy, will be further leveraged by the mutual benefits of supporting the green transition and strengthening, The Commission will ensure that its instruments in support of skills and job creation contribute also to accelerating the transition to a circular economy, including in the context of updating its, with large-scale multi-stakeholder partnerships, and the Action Plan for Social Economy. As explained in section 3, revision of EU, legislation on batteries, packaging, end-of-life vehicles, and hazardous substances in electronic equipment. improve the coherence with existing instruments regulating products along various phases of their life cycle. to ensure that all products placed on the EU market become increasingly sustainable and stand the test of circularity. On 11 March 2020, the EC unveiled its plan for the circular economy. Circular economy solutions will be tailored to the, , due to their dependence on resource imports, high waste generation fuelled by tourism, and waste exports. Circular Economy Action Plan 2020. European data space for smart circular applications. Relying on European statistics as much as possible, new indicators will take account of the focus areas in this action plan and of the interlinkages between circularity, climate neutrality and the zero pollution ambition. using Product and Organisation Environmental Footprint methods. to be allowed on the EU market and consider other measures, with a focus on: , including by setting targets and other waste prevention measures; design for re-use and recyclability of packaging. Circular economy will be among the priority areas of the, European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. all relevant stages of products’ lifecycle; further developing and harmonising methods for, measuring unintentionally released microplastics. Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products, OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, p. 10.