As half of total greenhouse
gas emissions and more than 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress come from
resource extraction and processing, the
European Green Deal launched a concerted strategy for a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and
competitive economy.
Scaling up the
circular economy from front-runners to the mainstream economic players will
make a decisive contribution to achieving climate
neutrality by 2050 and decoupling
economic growth from resource use, while ensuring the long-term
competitiveness of the EU and leaving no one behind.
To fulfil this ambition, the EU needs to accelerate the transition
towards a regenerative growth model that gives back to the planet more than it
takes, advance towards keeping its
resource consumption within planetary boundaries, and therefore strive to reduce its consumption footprint and double its circular material use rate in the coming decade.
A recent study estimates
that applying circular economy principles across the EU economy has the
potential to increase EU GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030 creating around 700
000 new jobs.
There is a clear business case for individual companies too: since
manufacturing firms in the EU spend on average about 40% on materials, closed
loop models can increase their profitability, while sheltering them from
resource price fluctuations.
Building on the single
market and the potential of digital technologies, the circular economy can strengthen the EU’s industrial base and
foster business creation and
entrepreneurship among SMEs.
Innovative models based on a closer relationship with customers, mass
customisation, the sharing and collaborative economy, and powered by digital
technologies, such as the internet of things, big data, blockchain and
artificial intelligence, will not only accelerate circularity but also the
dematerialisation of our economy and make Europe less dependent on primary
materials.
For
citizens, the circular economy will provide high-quality, functional and safe products, which are efficient and
affordable, last longer and are designed for reuse, repair, and
high-quality recycling. A whole new
range of sustainable services, product-as-service models and digital
solutions will bring about a better quality of life, innovative jobs and
upgraded knowledge and skills.
In particular, electrical and electronic
equipment continues to be one of the fastest growing waste streams in the EU,
with current annual growth rates of 2%. It is estimated that less than 40% of
electronic waste is recycled in the EU.
Value is lost when fully or partially functional products are discarded because
they are not reparable, the battery cannot be replaced, the software is no
longer supported, or materials incorporated in devices are not recovered. About
two in three Europeans would like to keep using their current digital devices
for longer, provided performance is not significantly affected.
To address these challenges,
the Commission will present a ‘Circular
Electronics Initiative’ mobilising existing and new instruments. In line
with the new sustainable products policy framework, this initiative will
promote longer product lifetimes and include, among others, the following
actions:
- Regulatory measures for
electronics and ICT including mobile
phones, tablets and laptops under the Ecodesign Directive so that devices
are designed for energy efficiency and durability, reparability, upgradability,
maintenance, reuse and recycling.
- Focus on electronics and
ICT as a priority sector for
implementing the ‘right to repair’, including a right to update obsolete
software;
- Regulatory measures on chargers for mobile phones and similar
devices, including the introduction
of a common charger, improving the durability
of charging cables, and incentives to decouple the purchase of chargers from
the purchase of new devices;
- Improving the collection
and treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment including by exploring options for an
EU-wide take back scheme to return or sell back old mobile phones, tablets and
chargers;
- Review of EU rules on restrictions of hazardous substances in
electrical and electronic equipment and provide guidance to improve coherence with relevant legislation, including Ecodesign and REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and establishing a European Chemicals Agency, OJ L396, 30.12.2006, p. 1).
Here, the text of the European Communication.
