Circular Economy Act – Circular economy and responsible resource consumption within planetary boundaries

TITLE: Circular Economy Act – Circular economy and responsible resource consumption within planetary boundaries (NAT/986)

SECTION: Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment (NAT)

Date of the section meeting: 2 June 2026

Rapporteur: Cillian Lohan

Opinion type: Exploratory opinion (European Commission)

Context:
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) calls for a strong and ambitious Circular Economy Act (CEA) to accelerate Europe's transition towards a circular economy within planetary boundaries. The Committee stresses that the Act should provide a coherent framework for existing legislation and policies, strengthen secondary raw material markets and support circular business models. The opinion also highlights the importance of a just transition and recognises the contribution of youth organisations through the EESC Youth Test.

The EESC: 

• recommends adopting the Circular Economy Act (CEA) as a fully-fledged Act to signal the EU’s commitment to systemic change. It calls for a clear mapping of all related legislation, strategies and action plans to ensure a coherent framework for the circular transition.
• considers incentives for well-functioning secondary raw material markets and circular business models, including reuse, repair and remanufacturing, to be at the heart of the Act. It also calls for stronger public procurement, reform of extended producer responsibility schemes, improved material traceability, wider use of eco-design and better working conditions. Traceability, certification, harmonised labelling and technical standards are seen as essential to building market confidence and scaling up circular solutions.
• recommends establishing a regularly updated repository of circular economy good practices through the European Circular Economy Stakeholders Platform (ECESP), linked to indicators and monitoring frameworks. It stresses the importance of formally recognising transition brokers and ensuring that civil society, cooperatives and social enterprises are active partners in a fair and inclusive circular transition. The Committee also highlights the strategic role of the ECESP in identifying barriers and accelerating implementation.

Contacts:

• Press Officer: Katerina Serifi  |  Tel.: +32 2 546 9175  |  Email: aikaterini.serifi@eesc.europa.eu
• Policy Officer: Anna Cameron  |  Tel.: +32 25468228  |  Email: Anna.Cameron@eesc.europa.eu