During a plenary debate at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera stressed the strategic importance of the Circular Economy Act for Europe’s future.This point was underlined by the EESC members who called for circularity to be put at the heart of Europe’s competitiveness and resilience agenda. It should be seen not only as an environmental objective but also an economic and geopolitical strategy.
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.
