EU Green Week 2025 wrapped up on 5 June following three days of focused debate, practical case studies and policy discussion that placed the circular economy at the core of Europe's environmental agenda. From biodiversity and climate resilience to construction and bioeconomy innovation, the sessions made it clear: circularity is not a side strategy — it is the direction Europe must take.

The European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) — a joint initiative by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) – played a key role in shaping the week’s discussions, acting as both organiser and host of several sessions that brought together public authorities, civil society, business and research. One of the week’s central themes was how to translate circular principles into structural change, something ECESP continues to facilitate across sectors and regions.

Two of the leading voices behind this shift were EESC members Peter Schmidt and Cillian Lohan, long-standing drivers of the circular agenda within the EU institutions.

‘Circularity is a policy, anxiety is not,’ said Mr Schmidt, calling for stronger political will. ‘Circular businesses cannot compete with fossil-based industries on their own. If we are serious, we have to change the market rules.’

He pointed to the need for the EU to ban unsustainable products outright and make planetary boundaries the basis for economic decision-making, not profit margins. ‘This is about fairness too,’ Schmidt added. ‘The circular transition must bring people together — it cannot leave communities behind.’

Mr Lohan emphasised the need for system-level solutions. ‘We need structural reform, not more pressure on consumers,’ he said. ‘Real sustainability is only possible when it is built into the system, not when it depends on individual action.’

From vision to practice

At EU Green Week, participants explored how to advance circularity across key sectors. Sessions covered topics such as reducing primary resource extraction to ease pressure on ecosystems and help meet climate targets. It was stressed that circular thinking should be mainstreamed into climate and land-use policies.

Projects in the bioeconomy showed promising innovations — such as turning human waste into fertiliser — but they are often stalled by regulatory hurdles.

Across all discussions, one message stood out: the EU has the tools and ideas — what is needed now is coherence, investment and the courage to scale up.

ECESP calls for new leadership

Looking ahead, the ECESP is preparing for its next phase. During Green Week, the platform launched a call for applications to form its next coordination group, which will begin a two-and-a-half-year mandate in October 2025.

Applications can be submitted until 17:00 CEST on 30 June 2025. (ks)