For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy

The document argues that the EU's Circular Material Use Rate has stagnated, increasing only from 10.7% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2022, necessitating a shift from waste management to direct resource-use reduction. It calls for the appointment of a dedicated European Commissioner for Circular Economy to oversee binding resource-use targets, fiscal shifts from labour to raw material extraction, and the integration of circular criteria into trade policies like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The authors advocate for a 'Circular Single Market' to reduce geopolitical vulnerabilities and dependence on primary materials, alongside strengthened Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks and the use of public procurement as an accelerator for circularity. Additionally, the letter emphasizes the role of local and regional authorities, who are responsible for over 70% of Green Deal implementation, and the need to align funding with the top tiers of the waste hierarchy: prevention, re-use, and recycling.

• The EU's progress in circularity has stalled, with the Circular Material Use Rate rising only marginally from 10.7% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2022, indicating that current policies must become more binding and target-oriented.
• To align economic incentives with circular goals, the EU should shift the tax burden away from labour and toward raw material extraction and circular taxation.
• The EU should utilize trade instruments, including the EU Deforestation Regulation and the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), to set global circular economy standards and address the resource intensity of imports.
• The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework requires EU-level coordination to implement the Polluter Pays Principle, establish eco-modulation for prevention and recyclability, and address the export of second-hand products to third countries.
• Local and regional authorities are critical to the transition as they manage municipal waste and are responsible for over 70% of Green Deal implementation, yet evidence suggests Circular Economy Action Plans have not significantly influenced activities in Member States.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2024). For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Circular-economy-open-letter-to-MEPs-04.11.2024.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy. 2024. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Circular-economy-open-letter-to-MEPs-04.11.2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy |date=4 November 2024 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Circular-economy-open-letter-to-MEPs-04.11.2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{changingmarketsfoundation2024ambitious, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{For an ambitious EU mandate embracing a holistic vision on circular economy}}, publisher = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Circular-economy-open-letter-to-MEPs-04.11.2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }