Circular Economy

Implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan

17th January, 2018, Source : European Commission, Circular Economy

2018 Circular Economy Package

As part of its continuous effort to transform Europe’s economy into a more sustainable one and to implement the ambitious Circular Economy Action Plan, in January 2018 the European Commission adopted a new set of measures, including:

• A Europe-wide EU Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy and annex to transform the way plastics and plastics products are designed, produced, used and recycled. By 2030, all plastics packaging should be recyclable. The Strategy also highlights the need for specific measures, possibly a legislative instrument, to reduce the impact of single-use plastics, particularly in our seas and oceans. A public consultation is open until 12th February. To reduce the leakage of plastics into the environment, the Commission has adopted a new proposal on Port Reception Facilities, to tackle sea-based marine litter and published a report on the impact of the use of oxo-degradable plastic, including oxo-degradable plastic carrier bags, on the environment.
• A Communication on options to address the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation that assesses how the rules on waste, products and chemicals relate to each other.
• A Monitoring Framework on progress towards a circular economy at EU and national level. It is composed of a set of ten key indicators which cover each phase – i.e. production, consumption, waste management and secondary raw materials – as well as economic aspects – investments and jobs – and innovation.
• A Report on Critical Raw Materials and the circular economy that highlights the potential to make the use of the 27 critical materials in our economy more circular. 

  2018 Circular Economy package – key documents:

  • EU Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy – communication
  • EU Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy – staff working document
  • EU Strategy for plastics in the Circular Economy – brochure
  • Strategy for plastics – press release and questions and answers
  • Factsheets on the strategy for plastics in a circular economy
  • Factsheet – changing the way we use plastics
  • Communication on the Interface between chemicals, products and waste legislation – staff working document and factsheet
  • Monitoring framework for the circular economy – staff working document – factsheet and Eurostat monitoring framework tool
  • Proposal on Port Reception Facilities – impact assessment and summary of the impact assessment
  • Report on critical raw materials
  • Report on oxo-plastics
  • Eurobarometer: SMEs and the circular economy