Revised monitoring framework for the circular economy - Related Opinions

Growing resource use is driving the triple planetary crisis, pushing the EU beyond planetary boundaries and leaving many Member States off track for the 2030 circular material use target. Demand-side measures and ambitious primary material reduction policies are essential to reverse this trend and strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy.

This exploratory opinion will feed into the work of the European Commission during the preparations of the Circular Economy Act.

The Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) package aims to make every aspect of the design, production, use and sale of products placed on the EU market more environmentally-friendly and circular to deliver on the sustainability and climate objectives. The proposals of the package will introduce a new era where sustainable products become the norm as well as Europe's resource independence.

The EESC is currently drafting an opinion that aims to define what "the sustainable economy we need" should look like by exploring new economic models, investment decisions vis-à-vis technological advances as well as novel indicators for growth and competitiveness. 

The circular economy monitoring framework draws upon and complements the existing Resource Efficiency Scoreboard and Raw Materials Scoreboard, which were developed in recent years by the Commission.