Comité Económico y Social Europeo
La transición hacia una economía circular ocupa un lugar destacado en la agenda del CESE como solución para luchar contra la crisis climática y proteger nuestro planeta. Es una gran oportunidad para la sociedad civil, ya que puede contribuir a:
El modelo de producción y consumo basado en «extraer, producir y desperdiciar» que sigue dominando nuestra economía en la actualidad no solo despilfarra recursos, sino que también socava la lucha contra el cambio climático. A diferencia de la economía lineal, la economía circular se basa en un diseño regenerativo y reparador que se centra en la creación y retención de valor económico y que aborda retos medioambientales mundiales como el cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad y la contaminación, al tiempo que genera beneficios económicos.
La buena noticia es que la transición circular ya se está produciendo sobre el terreno. Las partes interesadas de la sociedad civil —incluidas las empresas, los sindicatos, el mundo académico y las comunidades de conocimiento, las organizaciones juveniles, así como las ONG y otros grupos de interés— están creando y aplicando numerosas iniciativas circulares a nivel local y regional. Catalizar las soluciones circulares y el liderazgo de las partes interesadas pertinentes es la mejor manera de que Europa acelere la transición hacia una economía circular.
Como tal, la Plataforma Europea de Partes Interesadas de la Economía Circular —una iniciativa conjunta del CESE y de la Comisión Europea— es una plataforma creada en 2017 para reunir a la comunidad de la economía circular en Europa. La plataforma impulsada por las partes interesadas respalda la transición de Europa hacia una economía circular mediante el fomento del diálogo y el intercambio de conocimientos y buenas prácticas.
On 1 and 2 March 2022, this annual conference will bring together Europe's largest network of stakeholders in the Circular Economy. The focus this year is on the path to a new normal: "sustainable products for sustainable consumption."
The conference will explore the role of European Civil Society in using digitalization in a way that it enables and drives sustainability to support the European Green Deal and the EU sustainable recovery.
The annual Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference, jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee, is an opportunity for stakeholders to meet, nurture their networks, share ideas and learn about the new EU policy developments on circular economy. The 2020 edition will be digital with a focus on renewal as we emerge from the COVID pandemic.
The world is facing a climate emergency causing unprecedented economic, social and environmental challenges. Ambitious policy and action are necessary at all levels to accelerate a just transition to a sustainable future, while leaving no one behind. This is particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exposed the fragility of the current system. ► Watch again
As in previous years, the EESC was present at the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), from Tuesday, 16 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019. The HLPF is the United Nations central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The NAT Section will hold a debate on "Circular Economy Strategies and Roadmaps: Cooperation and Inclusion" at its meeting of 23rd May.
The European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee will host the 2019 European Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference on March 6 and 7 in Brussels.
Day 1, to be hosted by the Europan Commission, will explore the action plan as a successful framework for the transition, while discussing policies to capitalise on the current global momentum. It will also widen the discussion to consider the circular economy as an enabler to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Day 2 will be hosted by the EESC and is being prepared jointly with the Coordination Group members of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. This day will feature eight different participatory workshops, whose purpose is to share successes and identify new challenges.
To address planned obsolescence, protect consumers and boost the transition to a circular economy, in 2013 the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called for a total ban on products with built-in defects designed to prematurely end a product's life. It recommended that better information to consumers on the lifespan of products should be established. On the basis of this opinion – the first European text on this topic – the European Parliament voted in July 2017 on a resolution for a longer lifetime for products: benefits for consumers and companies
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The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is approaching its third year in the march towards realizing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The High-level Political Forum session this year focused on the theme "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies". The European Economic and Social Committee was delighted to partner with several member states this year to co-host side events for knowledge exchange on important aspects that relate to the five environmental SDGs in focus at HLPF 2018.
As a follow-up to the Consumer Dialogues, "Les Assises des Consommateurs" (the 2018 Consumer Summit) showcased the results of this outreach and offered the opportunity for debate and conclusions.
