Brussels,

EU Circular Economy

The EU is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy to enhance Europe's environmental sustainability and competitiveness. This approach aims not only to make Europe cleaner but also to foster a more competitive economy that is less dependent on resource consumption.
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The traditional linear "take-make-use-dispose" model is being replaced by a regenerative growth model that extends the lifecycle of materials and resources. This shift is critical as current global consumption patterns suggest that by 2050, we would need the equivalent of three Earths to sustain our demands. The EU’s transition to a circular economy is essential to alleviate pressure on natural resources, thereby supporting sustainable growth, job creation, and achieving the EU’s goals for climate neutrality and biodiversity preservation by 2050.

Objectives

The circular economy seeks to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, which will:
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• Conserve Natural Resources: Reduce pressure on essential resources like water and land.
• Reduce Pollution: Foster a healthier planet by minimizing waste and pollution.
• Cut Emissions: Support the EU's ambition to become the first climate-neutral continent.
• Stimulate Economic Opportunities: Create new business prospects and high-quality local jobs.
• Strengthen Resilience: Build more resilient value chains that can better respond to global challenges.

The circular economy will play a pivotal role in reducing the EU's consumption footprint and aims to double its circular material use rate within the next decade. To accelerate this transition, the European Commission introduced a new circular economy action plan in March 2020, setting a pathway for more sustainable economic operations.

Specific policies

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Plastics - EU action on plastic production and pollution to contribute to a circular economy.

Waste and recycling - EU action on waste management, treatment and recycling.

Green claims - New criteria to stop companies from making misleading environmental claims.

Repair of goods - Consumer rights for easy and attractive repairs of goods

Textiles - EU action to address the production and consumption of textiles.

Circular economy at the global level - The EU is leading the way to a circular economy at the global level.

Critical raw materials - The EU’s action plan on critical raw materials, and list of these materials.

Industrial emissions - EU action to reduce industrial emissions.

Sustainable products - EU measures to make sustainable products the norm in the EU.

Tools and instruments

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• EU Ecolabel - The EU’s label of environmental excellence, helping consumers make greener choices.

• European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform - Bringing together stakeholders active in the broad field of the circular economy in Europe.

 

• Sustainable buildings – Level(s) - A common European approach to assess and report on the sustainability of buildings.

 

• EU Environmental Technology Verification - Promoting the uptake of green technologies through a verification process.

 

• Eco-management and audit scheme - The EU’s management instrument for companies to improve their environmental performance.

 

• Green public procurement - A voluntary instrument to green public purchasing.

 

• Raw materials initiative - The EU’s strategy for tackling the issue of access to raw materials in the EU.

 

• Eco-innovation action plan - Eco-innovation and green technologies are key to the circular economy.

 

• Circular economy monitoring framework - Monitor the progress of EU countries towards a circular economy.

 

• European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials - Bringing together stakeholders on innovative approaches to the challenges related to raw materials.

 

• Environmental Footprint methods - Measuring environmental performance through Product and Organisation Environmental Footprint methods.