The European Commission unveiled its new circular economy action plan in March 2020. It incorporates more than 50 proposed actions, including product sustainability and waste reduction within priority sectors: plastics, textiles, electronics, batteries, construction and food. Job creation and training in the circular economy are also among the key measures of this plan. Here's the lowdown.
The action plan is a key element of the Green Deal for Europe, Europe's new sustainable growth agenda. The aim is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, making Europe the first "climate neutral" continent.
The circular economy, a lever for competitiveness
Europe is banking on the circular economy as a driver of growth and jobs with the ambition to increase GDP by 0.5 % by 2030 through the creation of 700,000 new jobs. Among the actions proposed, the European Union intends to make sustainable products a standard.
To achieve this, the European Commission is counting on the reusability and recycling of products. These provisions are intended to limit single uses and to prohibit the destruction of unsold or unused durable goods.
In the area of new technologies (ICT), the Commission will, among other things, launch "Circular economy initiatives for electronic equipment to have products that last longer and to improve waste collection and treatment".
Circular economy players therefore have an essential role to play in meeting today's societal and environmental challenges.
Download the European Action Plan on the Circular Economy : https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/fr/IP_20_420
