Circular Economy

We cannot build our future on a “take-make-dispose” model. Many natural resources are finite; we must find an environmentally and economically sustainable way of using them. In a circular economy, the value of products and materials is maintained for as long as possible.

To facilitate the move to a more circular economy, the Commission is proposing a package of measures which includes revised legislative proposals on waste, as well as a comprehensive action plan setting out a concrete mandate for this Commission’s current term of office. The action plan on the circular economy complements this proposal by setting out measures to “close the loop” of the circular economy and tackle all phases in the lifecycle of a product: from production and consumption to waste management and the market for secondary raw materials.

The measures notably cover:

• producing repairable, sustainable and recyclable products;
• improving production processes;
• responsible sourcing of primary raw materials;
• the fight against planned obsolescence;
• the recovery of around 600 million tonnes of materials contained in waste, notably critical raw materials (CRM);
• amending end-of-waste legislation;
• developing quality standards for secondary raw materials;
• reducing the landfill of waste and (plastic) marine waste;
• waste-to-energy;
• the fight against food waste;
• improving waste management in the construction and demolition sectors (500 million/tonnes/year/EU);
• efficient use of bio-based resources.

As always, money is the driving force behind the action in such a way that the Commission has announced that the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) will complement existing support for circular economy projects through European Investment Bank (EIB) advisory and financing tools under the InnovFin programme. The Commission is also assessing the possibility of launching a platform together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and national banks to support the financing of the circular economy.