01Jun

EU opens circular economy consultation

Posted on 1st June, 2015

The European Commission has launched a 12-week consultation on the policies that will define its “ambitious” circular economy package.
The EU body will use the views of the stakeholders to prepare its revised plans for resource targets across Europe – with a new action due to be presented before the end of 2015.EU flags

The consultation will look at waste policy “and beyond” and ask whether policies on product reuse, recycling levels, sustainable consumption and smart use of raw materials should be included in the final package.

A Roadmap document also published by the Commission does not specify the main policy options but states that a “broad spectrum” of proposals including legislative, non-legislative and financial instruments will be assessed.

The consultation runs until 20th August 2015 and invites views on “various parts of the economic cycle” from citizens, public authorities, businesses and governmental and non-governmental parties. A separate public consultation on waste market distortions is already ongoing.

Stakeholders

The Commission is also due to host a stakeholders’ conference in Brussels on the 25th June which it says will also feed into the consultation process.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “Europe’s future economic development must be part of a sustainable development. There is no alternative to using our resources more intelligently, designing our products with a view to their re-use and recycling, and setting ambitious targets for waste reduction and recycling.

“Today we are asking people across Europe for their input on how to design our policies in a way that stimulates a competitive green economy in Europe and protects the environment for future generations.”

The revised circular economy package replaces a plan put forward by former Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik in July 2014. The scrapped package included an 80% by 2030 reuse and recycling target for packaging waste.