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A NEW CIRCULAR ECONOMY LAW ON THE HORIZON OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Policy Guidelines for the Next European Commission 2024-2029
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, elected for a second term, presented to the European Parliament her political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029. The guidelines presented set out the priorities and strategies that will guide European policies in the coming years. This guidance focuses on several key aspects that can be summarized as follows:
- A free and democratic Europe: Promoting and defending the rule of law, strengthening democratic resilience, protecting the freedom of the media and civil society, and confronting foreign interference.
- A strong and secure Europe: Addressing internal security, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and migration concerns.
- A prosperous and competitive Europe: Promoting competitiveness, moving towards climate neutrality, and meeting citizens’ aspirations in terms of cost of living and housing.
These guidelines seek to consolidate European strength and unity, responding to the current concerns and challenges of European citizens.
The President of the European Commission has clearly said that she wants to respond to the concerns of all Europeans. In his words «he is concerned about the cost of living, housing, the way of doing business or even the way of managing immigration». Indeed, many important challenges are part of our development objectives, whether environmental, ecological, energy, economic, social, security, cybersecurity… that will require the best of us to rigorously face these challenges.
Now, as Ursula says: «the top priority is competitiveness: the EU must do everything possible to ensure that its single market is strong, efficient and business-friendly. The Union should also take steps to remedy strategic vulnerabilities, minimising dependencies on third countries. A new Clean Industrial Deal will help create the conditions for companies to meet EU targets, including decarbonisation, which is imperative given that the climate crisis is rapidly worsening. This will require access to cheap, sustainable and secure supplies of energy and raw materials.»
Europe’s decision: political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029
https://commission.europa.eu/Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_ES.pdf
EU competitiveness: looking ahead
https://commission.europa.eu/topics/strengthening-european-competitiveness/eu-competitiveness-looking-ahead_en
Draghi report
While the guidelines on the priorities and strategies that will guide European policies in the coming years have been announced, the European Commission has presented the «Draghi Report» on the competitiveness of the European Union, presented by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, which highlights the key points to improve the EU’s position on the global stage:
- Massive increase in investments: Draghi stresses the need to significantly increase investments, estimating that the EU must mobilise between 750 and 800 billion euros per year to remain competitive against the United States and China.
- Common debt: Proposes the regular use of common debt instruments to finance joint investment projects, especially in areas such as digital transformation, decarbonization, and defense.
- Innovation and commercialisation: Although Europe has many innovative ideas, Draghi points out that the problem lies in the commercialisation of these innovations. It recommends improving coordination and financing to overcome this obstacle.
- Relationship with China: The report repeatedly mentions China, suggesting a change in tone towards Beijing and highlighting the need to address competition and the threats it poses.
- Cooperation and removing barriers: Draghi urges greater cooperation between member states and the removal of administrative barriers to facilitate investment and innovation.
This report is a roadmap for the EU to meet the challenges ahead and maintain its competitiveness in an ever-changing world.
In this introductory context, the European Commission has chosen the circular economy as one of the bastions and political priorities for the coming years. The European Commission, through the initiative and courage of its President, has a great challenge ahead of it, which we hope will be very successful in these years for the implementation of the circular economy in cities throughout Europe.
The 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan
The European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan, adopted in March 2020, aims to achieve a fair, carbon-neutral, resource-efficient and competitive economy. In the same line that began in 2015, when the EU launched the Action Plan for the circular economy, the European Commission in 2020 has adopted its new Action Plan, which is one of the flagship actions contemplated by the European Green Deal, which, as we know, is Europe’s new programme for sustainable growth.
This new 2022 Action Plan is a compendium of initiatives that seek to achieve greater durability of products and their components throughout their life, from design, consumption and other processes related to the circular economy, under principles such as: designing waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating natural systems through the use of renewable materials and energy.
All this, to make sustainable products not only the norm, but also empower consumers and public buyers in all sectors of economic activity, whether related to electronics, ICT, batteries, vehicles, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction, buildings, water and nutrients, among others.
As far as citizens are concerned, the circular economy will offer them high-quality, functional and safe, effective and affordable products, which will last longer and will be designed to be reused, repaired and subjected to high-quality recycling. The new and comprehensive range of sustainable services, «products as a service» models and digital solutions will bring a better quality of life and innovative jobs, as well as expand knowledge and skills.
All this is nothing more or less than fighting against planned obsolescence in order to improve the durability and repairability of products through also the «right to repair», which is an attempt to keep consumers informed about the environmental impact of the products and services they buy in order to fight against fraudulent practices in this regard by companies. The adoption of the implementation of the circular economy is expected to create jobs, which may represent in the order of 700,000 new jobs, and increase economic growth by 0.50%.
Global Alliance on Circular Economy
The EU, together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEA5), and in coordination with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, has launched the Global Partnership on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE). The Alliance is an attempt to give a global boost to initiatives related to the transition to the circular economy, resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production under one of the objectives of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.
In the same vein, the Climate Drive 158 Platform, developed by WBCSD, is planned and designed to accelerate the progress of climate action companies along the value chain. It aims to help companies across all sectors implement their emissions reduction targets, by centralizing and simplifying access to the latest knowledge on corporate net zero, and linking it to reliable, actionable, and industry-specific decarbonization guidance.
The purpose of this post is to introduce the new «Political Guidelines of the European Commission 2024-2029» as well as the «Draghi Report», which analyses the key points for improving the EU’s position on the global stage. Special attention will be given to announcing the new «Circular Economy Law», which the European Commission will implement in the coming years, building upon the current 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan.
EU CIRCULAR ECONOMY EVENTS
Circular Week from 21 to 27 October 2024
Nordic Circular Summit 2024: save the date!
Report launch: Unveiling the socio-economic impact of the second-hand clothing industry in the EU and Africa
European Sustainability Congress 2024
Circular Valley® Forum 2024
https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en/news-and-events/all-events/circular-valleyr-forum-2024#msdynttrid=O5RQ4DYlLsYQ3C1RMzypBjGO4XpH3SbIM9MTqcCHh3E
Circular Approaches to Affordable Housing: Redesigning the Future
Revision of the Waste Framework Directive: Improving EPR systems in the textile sector through inclusive governance
How the circular economy can reinvigorate the Sustainable Development Goals: priorities for immediate global action and a policy plan for the transition to 2050
Circular technologies in construction: science as a standard
Second Catalogue of Good Practices in Circular Economy
CIRIDD: International Centre for Resources and Innovation for Sustainable Development
