For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy

ACR+ and 13 leading EU organisations have sent an open letter to the newly elected Members of the European Parliament, advocating for an ambitious, holistic approach to advancing the EU's circular economy. While acknowledging progress made through the Circular Economy Action Plan, the letter highlights that Europe's Circular Material Use Rate has only marginally improved over the past decade, rising from 10.7% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2022. The signatories call for more binding and targeted policies to address resource use directly and accelerate the shift toward a regenerative, resource-efficient economy.

Key proposals for a transformative circular economy outlined in the letter include:  key priorities for a transformative circular economy include:

• Systemic vision: establish binding EU resource-use reduction targets to ensure competitiveness and enhance circular material use.
• Economic tools: shift the tax burden from labor to raw material extraction to align incentives with circular economy goals.
• Trade policy: position the EU as a leader in global circular economy standards and evaluate the socio-economic impacts of trade agreements.
• Extended Producer Responsibility: enhance EPR frameworks to support prevention, reuse, and recycling, ensuring fair market competition.
• Public procurement: integrate circular economy criteria into public procurement to drive sustainable practices.
• Local authority engagement: empower local and regional authorities to implement and accelerate circular initiatives effectively.