One year after adopting its Circular Economy Package, the Commission today reports on the delivery and progress of key initiatives of its 2015 Action Plan.
Together with the report, the Commission also:
- took further measures today by establishing a Circular Economy Finance Support Platform with the European Investment Bank (EIB) bringing together investors and innovators
- issued guidance to Member States on converting waste to energy
- proposed a targeted improvement of legislation on certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, responsible for sustainable development, said: “Building a circular economy for Europe is a key priority for this Commission. We have made good progress and are planning new initiatives in 2017. We are closing the loop of design, production, consumption, and waste management, thereby creating a green, circular and competitive Europe.”
Waste-to-energy guidance
Today’s Commission Communication on the role of waste-to-energy processes in the circular economy will maximise the benefits of this small but innovative part of the national energy mix. It provides guidance for Member States to achieve the right balance of waste-to-energy capacity, highlighting the role of the waste hierarchy which ranks waste management options according to their sustainability and gives top priority to preventing and recycling of waste. It helps optimising their contribution to the Energy Union and exploiting the opportunities for cross-border partnerships where this is appropriate and in line with our environmental goals.
Hazardous substances in used electronics
The package adopted by the Commission today also contains a proposal to update legislation to restrict the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS Directive). The proposal promotes substitution of hazardous materials to make the recycling of components more profitable. The proposed changes will further facilitate second-hand market operations (e.g. reselling) and repair of electrical and electronic equipment. It is estimated that the measures will prevent more than 3000 tonnes of hazardous waste per year in the EU, and enable savings of energy and raw materials. In the health sector alone, an estimated EUR 170 million in healthcare costs could be saved.
Other measures
Finally, in its report on progress since last year, the Commission lists the key measures taken in areas such as waste, ecodesign, food waste, organic fertilisers, guarantees for consumer goods, and innovation and investment. Circular economy principles have been gradually integrated in industrial best practices, green public procurement, the use of cohesion policy funds, and through new initiatives in the construction and water sectors. To make the transition to the circular economy happen on the ground, the Commission also calls on the European Parliament and Council to progress with the adoption of the waste legislation proposals, in line with the Joint Declaration on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2017.
In the coming year, the Commission is committed to deliver further on the Circular Economy Action Plan, i.a. with a strategy on plastics, a monitoring framework for the circular economy and a proposal for promoting water re-use.
Circular economy conference
To showcase the key deliverables achieved so far and to debate future deliverables with stakeholders, the Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee are organising a Circular Economy Conference on 9-10 March 2017. You can register for the event here. On this occasion the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform will be announced.
For more Information
- MEMO: Questions & Answers
- EU action plan for the Circular Economy
- Implementation report
- Waste-to-Energy Communication