Sustainable procurement, financial incentives, recycling materials and
sharing best practices. This is just a handful of the topics discussed at a
conference on opportunities for and obstacles to a European circular economy in
Rotterdam on 25 and 26 January.
The meeting ‘Unwrapping the package: towards a
circular economy in Europe’ was co-hosted by the Dutch Ministry of
Infrastructure and the Environment and the European Commission and resulted in
several concrete agreements and recommendations.
The
Netherlands promotes a circular economy
The Netherlands Presidency is working to promote a
circular economy in which raw materials and products are recycled as much as
possible. On 25 January almost 400 participants, representing European
companies, civil society organisations and public authorities, responded to a
range of proposals published by the Commission in early December 2015,
including a revision of EU waste legislation and a circular economy action
plan. The Netherlands aims to get negotiations on a new waste package off to a
good start and is working towards a common EU stance.
Inspirational
best practices
Dozens of inspirational best practices from the public
and private sectors were cited during the roundtable discussions, for example
biodegradable packaging used by Mars Chocolate and the work being done by
Kellogg’s to combat food waste. Participants from Austria discussed so-called
repair cafés for electronic devices, while Michelin and Philips presented new
business models for car tyres and lighting.
Financial
incentives and other ways to stimulate the market
The
roundtable discussions resulted in recommendations on:
sustainable
procurement
financial
incentives
the wise use of
natural capital
stimulating
the market for recycled materials.
The
circular economy depends on measures at local, national and European level.
Cooperation between member states and with the European Commission can increase
uniformity, for example in carrying out waste legislation and setting rules on
waste and chemicals.
National
and European measures
On
day two of the meeting, policymakers from EU member states and the Commission
discussed the national and European measures proposed by the Commission in
December 2015. During this discussion member states described their own
experiences. For example, France is at the forefront of encouraging circular
design and production. The United Kingdom has launched a public-private
partnership to combat food waste, while Denmark and the Netherlands are
promoting the circular economy through procurement policy.
Input
for Environment Council meeting on 4 March
The
meeting was closed by representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the
Environment and the government of Slovakia, which will take over the Presidency
from the Netherlands on 1 July. They stressed the importance of effective
collaboration between the Commission and the member states in the long term.
The Netherlands will use the outcome as input for various talks with European
ministers on the Commission’s proposals, including the Environment Council
meeting on 4 March.
Documents
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