The European Commission has adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), one of the key initiatives of the European Green Deal, and part of the new EU Industrial Strategy. The CEAP outlines actions to be introduced, including:
- A new proposal on Sustainable Product Policy, to ensure that products placed on the EU market are designed to last longer, are easier to reuse, repair and recycle, and incorporate as much as possible recycled material instead of primary raw material;
- Measures to empower consumers, by giving them access to reliable information on reparability and durability;
- An EU-wide, harmonised model for the separate collection of waste and labelling and a series of actions to minimise EU exports of waste and tackle illegal shipments;
- Concrete actions on priority sectors:
- Electronics and ICT – a ‘Circular Electronics Initiative’ to have longer product lifetimes, and improve the collection and treatment of waste
- Batteries and vehicles – new regulatory framework for batteries for enhancing the sustainability and boosting the circular potential of batteries
- Packaging – new mandatory requirements on what is allowed on the EU market, including the reduction of (over)packaging
- Plastics – new mandatory requirements for recycled content and special attention on microplastics as well as biobased and biodegradable plastics
- Textiles – a new EU Strategy for Textiles to strengthen competitiveness and innovation in the sector and boost the EU market for textile reuse
- Construction and buildings – a comprehensive Strategy for a Sustainably Built Environment promoting circularity principles for buildings
- Food – new legislative initiative on reuse to substitute single-use packaging, tableware and cutlery by reusable products in food services
For more information, see the CEAP Website and see the Commission Communication and Annex.
Policy