New Circular Economy Action Plan

Key points

The EESC:

• Welcomes the proposals set out in the CEAP (Circular Economy Action Plan) and considers that the measures aimed at making the transition should be taken into due account when drawing up the plans for economic and social reconstruction after the devastating situation caused by COVID-19;
• Is of the view that the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) should be developed and extended and could propose and support a number of policy initiatives that would be of practical help in facilitating the transition to circularity;
• Highlights that the complementarity between climate change, circular economy policies, and corporate social responsibility should be recognised, and that the proposed pact for skills and jobs in the European Social Fund Plus is an excellent opportunity to implement the envisaged programmes;
• States that the Commission should issue delegated acts to determine the characteristics of various commonly used products which, after use, can feed into other products;
• Proposes that eco-design be expanded, that standards should be framed to ease the transition to the new functional economy, that advertising shift from its highly consumerist orientation to product durability and reuse possibilities, and that consumers be given better information on product management, traceability and transparency to enable the flow of information on composition and repair possibilities.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.