On 17 November 2021, the European Commission tabled a proposal to revise EU rules governing shipments of waste. The proposed regulation aims at easing shipments of waste for reuse and recycling in the EU, to support the transition to a circular economy; ensuring that waste exported from the EU is managed in an environmentally sound manner in the destination countries; and stepping up enforcement to counteract illegal shipments of waste. While supporting the proposed streamlining and digitalisation of procedures, stakeholders have stressed the need for significant improvements to ensure that the new regulation fulfils its objectives, in particular as regards exports of waste.

EPRS policy podcast - Revision of the EU's Waste Shipment Regulation

The European Commission has announced the establishment of a 'right to repair', with a view of saving costs for consumers and facilitating the development of a circular economy. The right to repair may refer to different issues and situations: repair during the legal guarantee, the right to repair after the legal guarantee has expired, and the right for consumers to repair products themselves. Rates of repair depend on the type of a product, with the cost of repair being the most important reason consumers avoid repair. Research shows that consumers favour products that are easily repaired, but their willingness to pay for such products depends on the type of product and the way information on the reparability is presented to them...

EPRS policy podcast - Right to repair

The European Union produces more than&nbsp;2.2 billion tonnes of waste every year. It is currently updating its&nbsp;legislation on waste management&nbsp;to promote a shift to a more sustainable model known as the circular economy.

The circular economy is a&nbsp;model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the&nbsp;life cycle of products is extended.

In March 2020, the European Commission presented the circular economy action plan,&nbsp;&nbsp;which aims to promote more sustainable product design, reduce waste and empower consumers, for example by creating aright to repair). There is a focus on resource intensive sectors, such as&nbsp;electronics and ICT,&nbsp;plastics,&nbsp;textiles&nbsp;and construction.

In February 2021, the Parliament adopted a resolution on the&nbsp;new circular economy action plan&nbsp;demanding additional measures to achieve a carbon-neutral, environmentally sustainable, toxic-free and fully circular economy by 2050, including tighter recycling rules and&nbsp;binding targets for materials use and consumption&nbsp;by 2030.

In March 2022, the Commission released the&nbsp;first package of measures&nbsp;to speed up the transition towards a circular economy, as part of the circular economy action plan. The proposals include boosting sustainable products, empowering consumers for the green transition, reviewing construction product regulation, and creating a strategy on sustainable textiles.

In November 2022, the Commission proposed&nbsp;new EU-wide rules on packaging. It aims to reduce packaging waste and improve packaging design, with for example clear labelling to promote reuse and recycling; and calls for a transition to bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics.

Circular economy

Unlike the traditional linear economic model based on a 'take-make-consume-throw away' pattern, a circular economy is based on reuse, repair, refurbishment and recycling, in an (almost) closed loop.

Although waste management in the European Union (EU) has improved considerably in the past decades, almost a third of municipal waste is still landfilled and less than half is recycled or composted, with wide variations between Member States. Improving waste management could deliver positive effects for the environment, climate, human health and the economy. As part of a shift in EU policy towards a circular economy, the European Commission made four legislative proposals introducing new waste-management targets regarding reuse, recycling and landfilling. The proposals also strengthen provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility, and streamline definitions, reporting obligations and calculation methods for targets.

Circular economy - 8th parliamentary term

This package contains the events between 1st July 2019 and 31 December 2020. For latest events, see related links.

In its resolution on the European Green Deal, Parliament called for an ambitious new circular economy action plan aiming to reduce the total environmental and resource footprint of EU production and consumption, with resource efficiency, zero pollution and waste prevention as key priorities.

Circular economy (2019 - 2020)

As part of a shift in EU policy towards a circular economy, the European Parliament worked on four legislative proposals introducing new waste-management targets regarding reuse, recycling and landfilling. The proposals also strengthen provisions on waste prevention and extended producer responsibility, and streamline definitions, reporting obligations and calculation methods for targets.

#EUelections2019 - Circular economy

IMCO Committee - EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles

Euroopa strateegia plasti kohta ringmajanduses - Võimalused kemikaale, tooteid ja jäätmeid käsitlevate õigusaktide vahelise seose tugevdamiseks

A European Strategy for Plastics in a circular economy - Options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation

Ühtekuuluvuspoliitika ja ringmajandus (arutelu)

Cohesion policy and the circular economy (debate)

Ringmajanduse paketi suhtes vastu võetud otsus (arutelu)

Decision adopted on the Circular Economy package (debate)

Ressursitõhusus: liikumine ringmajanduse suunas (arutelu)

Resource efficiency: moving towards a circular economy (debate)

ENVI Committee - Exchange of views with Janez Potocnik, Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel, including on aspects related to EU’s work on the circular economy

ENVI Committee - Exchange of views with Mr Virginijus SINKEVICIUS, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, on the Circular Economy Package, in particular the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

Stockshot on Circular economy: sustainable textile strategy - Bag factory using technical fabrics from industry

ENVI-PETI joint Committee  - hearing on ' Plastics and waste management in the circular economy '

EP plenary session- New Circular Economy Action Plan

Circular economy - right to repair

Globe EU event on Circular Economy

10th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP)

10th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP 10)- Asia & Europe facing climate change and increasing environmental challenges: sustainable development and circular economy, urban areas management, water resources cooperation,  waste treatment and plastic reduction, food security, clean technologies

10th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP 10)- Asia & Europe facing climate change and increasing environmental challenges: sustainable development and circular economy, urban areas management, water resources cooperation,  waste treatment and plastic reduction, food security, clean technologies - Discussion Panel

Round table meeting with Rapporteur on Circular economy

Plenary session. - Joint debate - Circular economy and environmental reporting

ENVI Committee - Exchange of views with the Vice President of the Commission responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, on the Implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan

PASCU, Ioan Mircea (S&D, RO) - EP Vice President

Plenary session week 11 2017 in Strasbourg - Circular economy

ENVI Committee meeting. Vote on waste package (circular economy).

Circular Economy & Agriculture

ENVI Committee - Exchange of views with Mr European Commission Vice-President responsible for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness, as part of the structured dialogue, and including on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan

Phones, computers, electric cars… they all use batteries. And demand is increasing rapidly.    
 
The European Parliament has approved new rules to reduce the impact on the environment, ensuring minimum standards for recycling batteries and their component materials.

Circular economy: getting more life from batteries

MEPs vote on the following topics: European Parliament/European Central Bank (ECB) Interinstitutional Agreement: structuring the practices for interaction in the area of central banking, Salvatore DE MEO (EPP, IT); Geographical Indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, Paolo DE CASTRO (S&D, IT); Arrangement with the Republic of Iceland on the modalities of its participation in the European Asylum Support Office, Jeroen LENAERS (EPP, NL); EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, Delara BURKHARDT (S&D, DE); Sexual harassment in the EU and MeToo evaluation, Michal ŠIMEČKA (Renew Europe, SK); Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation, Sandra KALNIETE (EPP, LV).

Voting session: EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, Foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation

MEPs from the ENVI (Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) Committee vote on the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles. The European Parliament calls for binding EU legislation to guarantee that fashion is not produced at the cost of environmental destruction and human lives. Requirements should be set that prevent unsold clothes from being shredded or sent to landfill just because they are no longer in fashion or the warehouse is full. Only textiles that meet a minimum standard of sustainability requirements should be imported into the EU or produced within the EU. Extracts from the vote in committee and statement by Delara BURKHARDT (S&D, DE), Rapporteur.

Vote on EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles: extracts from the vote and statement by Delara BURKHARDT (S&D, DE), Rapporteur

On 27 April, ENVI Members vote on the own-initiative report on the Sustainable Textiles Strategy. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is an integral part of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It sets out to create a coherent framework to facilitate the transition of the textiles industry to a more sustainable and climate-neutral model by 2030. Specific ambitions include ensuring that textile products placed on the EU market are durable, recyclable and made largely of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in full respect of human and workers.

Infoclip: Circular economy: sustainable textile strategy (updated version)

The amount of clothes bought per person in the EU increased by 40 % between 1996 and 2012. Producing new clothing causes chemical pollution and contributes to climate change. There is a strong push in the EU to make every phase of garment production more sustainable. Some companies and fashion brands are investing in new technologies and business models. So what is the way forward? Even though there is no global one-size-fits-all answer, key trends have emerged, like circular fashion. This model promotes clothing rental, re-use and recycling.

EPRS - Circular fashion

This strategy will help the EU shift to a climate-neutral, circular economy where products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient. It aims to ensure that the textile industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis in a sustainable way by making it more competitive, applying circular economy principles to production, products, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials and directing investment, research and innovation. Closing statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

The need for an ambitious EU Strategy for sustainable textiles: closing statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

This strategy will help the EU shift to a climate-neutral, circular economy where products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient. It aims to ensure that the textile industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis in a sustainable way by making it more competitive, applying circular economy principles to production, products, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials and directing investment, research and innovation.

The need for an ambitious EU Strategy for sustainable textiles: MEPs debate

The need for an ambitious EU Strategy for sustainable textiles: extracts from the debate

This strategy will help the EU shift to a climate-neutral, circular economy where products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient. It aims to ensure that the textile industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis in a sustainable way by making it more competitive, applying circular economy principles to production, products, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials and directing investment, research and innovation. Opening statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

The need for an ambitious EU Strategy for sustainable textiles: opening statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

This strategy will help the EU shift to a climate-neutral, circular economy where products are designed to be more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy-efficient. It aims to ensure that the textile industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis in a sustainable way by making it more competitive, applying circular economy principles to production, products, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials, directing investment, research and innovation. This infoclip illustrates the Circular economy: sustainable textile strategy with an organization that operates a used clothing collection service to create new and unique piece of clothes and with a leather goods workshop creating bags with recycled tarpaulin

Infoclip: Circular economy: sustainable textile strategy

Within the recycling centre in Brussels, a team supervised by the association "Les Petits Riens" is present on site to examine the objects brought there. If these can be reused, they are stored, sorted and then recovered via second-hand shops. The participants in this project are in professional reintegration. The ESF aims to support that kind of project to help people find better jobs and to offer more equitable professional prospects. This Infoclip illustrates people selecting items that can be treated in the waste collection center, sorting and packaging center for clothes, sorting and repair center for toys, repair shop for household appliances and second-hand store.

Infoclip: Circular economy and social inclusion

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (08-11 February 2021), MEPs debate the New Circular Economy Action Plan (First part of the debate)

New Circular Economy Action Plan - MEPs debate (Part 1)

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (08-11 February 2021), MEPs debate the New Circular Economy Action Plan. Opening statements by Jan HUITEMA (Renew,NL), Rapporteur and Anna CAVAZZINI (Greens/EFA,DE), IMCO by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

New Circular Economy Action Plan: Opening statements by Jan HUITEMA (Renew,NL), Rapporteur and Anna CAVAZZINI (Greens/EFA,DE), IMCO by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (8-11 February 2021), Parliament adopted comprehensive policy recommendations to achieve a carbon-neutral, sustainable, toxic-free and fully circular economy by 2050 at the latest. Extracts from the debate (08/02/2021), vote result (10/02/2021) and illustration

New Circular Economy Action Plan: extracts from the debate

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (08-11 February 2021), MEPs debate the New Circular Economy Action Plan. (Second part of the debate)

New Circular Economy Action Plan - MEPs debate (Part 2)

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (08-11 February 2021), Closing statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

New Circular Economy Action Plan: Closing statement by Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

The Environment, Public Health and Food Security Committee will vote on its response to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It aims to increase the production of sustainable goods in order to reduce waste and ensure that the EU has a well-functioning internal market for high-quality secondary raw materials. Currently, the production of materials we use every day is responsible for 45% of CO2 emissions. Statement by Jan HUITEMA (RE, NL), rapporteur.

Circular economy: statement by Jan HUITEMA (RE, NL), rapporteur

This Infoclip shows one element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the recycling of e-cars. Furthermore the collection of the re-usable materials making them available for re-use in the circular economy. The recycling plants are in Châtelet and Mont-sur-Marchienne, Belgium, the 09/12/2020.

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