The reworked circular economy package is weaker than 2014's axed proposal and lacks the solid foundations to address Europe's overconsumption of resources and the negative impacts this has around the globe. This has been a year of unnecessary delay.
Notably, the new proposal lacks a long-term vision for a resource-efficient Europe and concrete measures to slash Europe's insatiable appetite for natural resources. These weaknesses remain, despite the European Parliament having endorsed plans to tackle resource efficiency and natural resource use as part of the relaunched package.
The EU imports more resources than any other world region. Our excessive consumption is harming people and the environment both within and outside EU borders. If we duck out of binding measures to reduce consumption, we will never achieve a true circular economy.
Our analysis is that the latest circular economy proposal is a casualty of the European Commission's so-called 'better regulation' agenda, with the lowering of environmental aspirations and watering down of binding measures. This absolutely undermines any claims of 'ambition'.
It is now up to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers to strengthen the proposal and reintroduce measures that will realise the significant opportunities of a true circular economy for Europe.