, including the number of materials and polymers used. 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, . It aims at accelerating the transformational change required by the European Green Deal, while building on circular economy actions implemented since 2015. . , which will reduce dependence on bottled water and prevent packaging waste. 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. and, where appropriate, in other climate policies. an EU Action Plan for a circular economy. 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. Furthermore, the Commission will address emerging sustainability challenges by developing. www.ieep.eu Actions on product design, quality and safety of secondary materials and enhancing their markets will contribute to making. The Action Plan will empower consumers through access to reliable information about products at the point of sale, including on their life-span. view our Privacy Policy page The feedback period runs until 9 June 2021 (midnight CET). © 2021 Institute for European Environmental Policy - so as to maintain clean recycling streams, including through further alignment with the classification of chemical substances and mixtures where necessary. This legislative initiative and any other complementary regulatory or voluntary approaches will be developed in a way to. At the same time, projects under Horizon Europe and Copernicus data will improve circularity metrics at various levels not yet reflected in official statistics. 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. , 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. 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. 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 European economy within the boundaries of the planet. of microplastics in the environment, drinking water and foods. Value is lost when fully or partially functional products are discarded because they are not reparable, the battery cannot be replaced, the software is no longer supported, or materials incorporated in devices are not recovered. In March 2019, the European Commission published a comprehensive report on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan it adopted in 2015. The work reflects only the views of its authors and not the donors. 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. under the Ecodesign Directive so that devices are designed for energy efficiency and durability, reparability, upgradability, maintenance, reuse and recycling. Under the sustainable products initiative, the Commission will launch the analytical work to determine the scope of a legislative initiative on reuse to, substitute single-use packaging, tableware and cutlery by reusable products in food services, The new Water Reuse Regulation will encourage circular approaches to water reuse in agriculture. , especially from tyres and textiles, and delivering harmonised data on microplastics concentrations in seawater; scientific knowledge related to the risk and occurrence. Digital technologies can track the journeys of products, components. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made it a core … . The Commission will also consider further. Furthermore, the Commission will recommend including the circular economy among the topics for discussion on the future of Europe and a regular theme of citizens’ dialogues. The review of the Ecodesign Directive as well as further work on specific product groups, under the Ecodesign framework or in the context of other instruments, will build, where appropriate, on criteria and rules established under the EU Ecolabel Regulation, the Product Environmental Footprint approach, . The plan presents a set of interrelated initiatives to establish, a strong and coherent product policy framework that will make sustainable products, services and business models the norm, transform consumption patterns so that no waste is produced in the first place, . The aim is that batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable, circular, high-performing and safe all along their entire life cycle, that they are collected, repurposed and recycled, becoming a true source of valuable raw materials. The Commission will also consider specific measures to increase the sustainability of food distribution and consumption. In addition to measures to reduce plastic litter, the Commission will address the, presence of microplastics in the environment, restricting intentionally added microplastics. It is changing the way we produce and consume - sustainable products need to become the norm to reduce resource-use and waste-generation. 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, . , including the integration of circular economy practices in upcoming Best Available Techniques reference documents; facilitating industrial symbiosis by developing an. However, as consumption of plastics is expected to double in the coming 20 years, the Commission will take further targeted measures to address the sustainability challenges posed by this ubiquitous material and will continue to promote a concerted approach to tackle plastics pollution at global level as set out in section 7. EU initiatives and legislation already address to a certain extent sustainability aspects of products, either on a mandatory or voluntary basis, successfully regulates energy efficiency and some circularity features of energy-related products. The specific objectives of the Package are to boost the EU’s global competitiveness, foster sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs. The Commission would like to hear your views. The Commission will also consider, reviewing directives on wastewater treatment and sewage sludge, natural means of nutrient removal such as algae, EU waste laws have driven major improvements in waste management since the 1970s, supported by EU funds. A circular economy happens “when everything is healthy food for something else” (Sustainability Illustrated). Circular economy solutions will be tailored to the, , due to their dependence on resource imports, high waste generation fuelled by tourism, and waste exports. Additional efforts are necessary to support the Member States in waste management. The built environment has a significant impact on many sectors of the economy, on local jobs and quality of life. Building on the work done since 2015, the new Plan … the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative, will provide key assistance to cities. . This will be done in full cooperation with stakeholders and business. Drivers of product design and usage are discussed in the context of emerging consumption trends and business models. Unfortunately, defining the CE has been a difficult task; recently, there have been two summary papers by Ghisellini, Cialani and Ulgiati, (2016) and Geisendorf (2017, submitted paper) based on an assessment of the applications where such use can be beneficial to the environment, and of the criteria for such applications. This legislative proposal will build on the evaluation of the Batteries Directive. This Strategy will ensure coherence across the relevant policy areas such as climate, energy and resource efficiency, management of construction and demolition waste, accessibility, digitalisation and skills. Building on the single market and the potential of digital technologies, the circular economy can, foster business creation and entrepreneurship among SMEs. (BRUSSELS) - The EU's Circular Economy action plan, launched Wednesday by the European Commission, outlines measures to reduce waste along the entire life cycle of products we produce, consume and dispose of. What is the circular economy? , in synergy with measures under the sustainable products policy framework and with the ECHA Database on articles containing substances of very high concern; annexes to the Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants. and fishing gear to address the problem of marine plastic pollution while safeguarding the single market, in particular with regard to: harmonised interpretation of the products covered by the Directive; labelling of products such as tobacco, beverage cups and wet wipes and ensuring the introduction of tethered caps for bottles to prevent littering; developing for the first time rules on measuring recycled content in products. Many products break down too quickly, cannot be easily reused, repaired or recycled, and many are made for single use only. The Commission will also harness the potential of EU financing instruments and funds to support the necessary investments at regional level and ensure that all regions benefit from the transition. Resource Efficiency and Climate Change: Material Efficiency Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future. Between 2012 and 2018 the number of jobs linked to the circular economy in the EU grew by 5% to reach around 4 million, . and the work of the Batteries Alliance with the consideration of the following elements: collection and recycling rates of all batteries. In the new Circular Economy Action Plan, the Commission commits to scope during 2020-2021 the development of possible further Union-wide end-of-waste (EoW) and by-product criteria (BP). a benchmark for qualititative secondary materials. will look into enhancing synergies with the circular economy transition, in particular by applying product-as-service solutions to reduce virgin material consumption, use sustainable alternative transport fuels, optimise infrastructure and vehicle use, increase occupancy rates and load factors, and eliminate waste and pollution. To progress swiftly on enhancing the sustainability of the emerging battery value chain for electro-mobility and boost the circular potential of all batteries, this year the Commission will propose a, . Further measures will be put in place to, well-functioning internal market for high quality secondary raw materials. 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. The Commission has also proposed a new, own resource for the EU budget based on the amount of non-recycled plastic packaging waste, enhance disclosure of environmental data by companies in the upcoming, business led initiative to develop environmental accounting principles. As explained in section 3, revision of EU, legislation on batteries, packaging, end-of-life vehicles, and hazardous substances in electronic equipment. proposed as part of the European Green Deal Investment Plan and InvestEU will be able to support projects focusing on the circular economy. On 11 March 2020, the EC unveiled its plan for the circular economy. Time is quickly running out to prevent climate change from spiralling out of control and to stop ecological collapse – two impending scenarios that are closely linked to one another and driven to a large extent by our linear take-make-use-dispose economic model and the ever-increasing demand for natural resources. Welcome to have your say on the Sustainable Products Initiative, one of the deliverables of the Circular Economy Action Plan! It is estimated that less than 40% of electronic waste is recycled in the EU, . availability of repair services, spare parts and repair manuals. 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 addition, the Commission will put forward, for specific streams as part of a broader set of measures on waste prevention in the context of a review of Directive 2008/98/EC. 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, . 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. and make the resulting data securely accessible. 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. With measures along the entire life cycle of products, the new Action Plan aims to make our economy fit for a green future, strengthen our competitiveness while protecting the environment and give new rights to consumers. It was written by the Institute for European Environmental Policy and the Stockholm Environment Institute, with input from the Mistra Foundation. A number of actions foreseen in this Plan, notably introducing requirements for. For instance, ensuring the accessibility of certain products and services. initiative will be to widen the Ecodesign Directive beyond energy-related products so as to, make the Ecodesign framework applicable to the broadest possible range of products and make it deliver on circularity, As part of this legislative initiative, and, where appropriate, through complementary legislative proposals, the Commission will consider establishing. 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. lead the way to a circular economy at the global level, and use its influence, expertise and financial resources to, This plan aims also at ensuring that the circular economy works for people, regions and cities, fully contributes to climate neutrality and harnesses the potential of research, innovation and digitalisation. 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. It is estimated that less than 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new textiles. Secondary raw materials face a number of challenges in competing with primary raw materials for reasons not only related to their safety, but also to their performance, availability and cost. 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. make products fit for a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy, , reduce waste and ensure that the performance of front-runners in sustainability progressively becomes the norm, the Commission will propose. It will be disruptive at times, so it has to be fair. This, progressive, yet irreversible transition to a sustainable economic system, . In December 2015, the EU adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package, including an Action Plan, to stimulate Europe’s transition to a circular economy. sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based plastics. improve the coherence with existing instruments regulating products along various phases of their life cycle. such as extended producer responsibility. to ensure that all products placed on the EU market become increasingly sustainable and stand the test of circularity. At the same time, projects under Horizon Europe and Copernicus data will improve circularity metrics at various levels not yet reflected in official statistics. It introduces legislative and non-legislative measures and targets areas where action at the EU level brings added value. all relevant stages of products’ lifecycle; further developing and harmonising methods for, measuring unintentionally released microplastics. Regarding the role that, can play in providing more circular products, the Commission will explore possible changes also in the context of the review of Directive 2019/771, companies substantiate their environmental claims. The upcoming Ecodesign Working Plan will set out further details on this. . , while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the EU and leaving no one behind. 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. March 2020 the European Commission 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. , 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. , in line with scientific and technical progress and the international obligations under the Stockholm Convention; classification and management of hazardous waste. As half of total greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress come from resource extraction and processing. ’ mobilising existing and new instruments. 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. that complement financial data with circular economy performance data; integration of sustainability criteria into business strategies. Printers and consumables such as cartridges. In line with the European Green Deal and the 2020 Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy The amount of materials used for packaging is growing continuously and in 2017 packaging waste in Europe reached a record – 173 kg per inhabitant, the highest level ever. As part of the initiative to harmonise separate collection systems referred to in section 4.1, the Commission will assess the feasibility of EU-wide, labelling that facilitates the correct separation of packaging waste at source, rules for the safe recycling into food contact materials, The Commission will also strictly monitor and support the implementation of the requirements of the Drinking Water Directive to, make drinkable tap water accessible in public places. While there is little yet to suggest that true “decoupling” works at the scale required, the European Commission has adopted circularity as the new economic paradigm for Europe, starting with the launch of its first EU Circular Economy Action Plan in 2015. The Commission will, and efficiency, including in industrial processes, Furthermore, the Commission will develop an, , with a view to ensuring more sustainable application of nutrients and stimulating the markets for recovered nutrients. The Commission has already taken a series of initiatives in this respect, including, integrating the circular economy objective under the EU Taxonomy Regulation, EU Ecolabel criteria for financial products, The Circular Economy Finance Support Platform, will continue to offer guidance to project promoters on circular incentives, capacity building and financial risk management. 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. Let’s check it out. 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. The European Commission has today (11 March) published its new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), outlining measures to ensure that products are designed to last longer and are easier to reuse, repair and recycle.. CEAP was proposed as part of the European Green Deal, agreed by MEPs in January, which commits the EU to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. EU delivers on Circular Economy Action Plan, still needs to step up action. high-quality sorting and removing contaminants from waste. Impacts of circular economy policies on the labour market. combat environmental crime notably in the areas of illegal exports and illicit trafficking. Applying circular economy measures in Europe can increase the EU’s GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030 creating around 700,000 new jobs. ” initiative, which will facilitate exchanges among buyers committed to GPP implementation. Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060, What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. Number of signatures required: 6 . 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. In December 2019, the Welsh Government consulted on a new circular economy strategy for Wales – Beyond Recycling. The report presents the main results of implementing the action plan and sketches out open challenges to paving the way towards a climate-neutral, competitive circular economy where pressure on natural and freshwater resources as well as … 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. To enhance the participation of consumers in the circular economy, the Commission will propose a revision of EU consumer law to ensure that, consumers receive trustworthy and relevant information on products at the point of sale. All rights reserved, An analysis of the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan, © 2021 Institute for European Environmental Policy -, Analysis of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan 2020_web.pdf.