The European Commission is working to transform the continent’s production and consumption model from a linear “take, make, use, dispose” model to a more sustainable circular economy. The first Circular Economy Strategy was adopted in 2015, with an update in 2020. The EU’s new environment commissioner, Jessika Roswall, has been tasked with developing a fully-fledged Circular Economy Act to codify EU policies on reducing resource consumption. The Act will aim to increase circularity, with measures such as targets for recyclability and sorting of waste, and extended producer responsibility. The EU executive is also exploring ways to create a single market for waste and critical raw materials. The business community is closely watching the development of the Act and has started to express its own vision for the path forward. A debate on the topic will take place in the European Parliament on March 18, with representatives from the European People’s Party, trade associations, and EU officials set to participate. The goal is to balance sustainability and competitiveness in circular economy policy.
The launch of the Brussels event will spark a thought-provoking debate on the upcoming Circular Economy Act.
