Current approaches to the circular economy transition at EU level

Abstract

Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to the EU and to the world. To counter these challenges, the European Green Pact has been launched, the new strategy for Europe's economic growth, which will transform the EU into a modern, competitive and resource-efficient economy. The objective of decoupling economic growth from the consumption of natural resources is an important step in continuing efforts to promote eco-efficient economies, with an increased emphasis on the efficient use of natural resources. In this sense, the proposed approach of circular economy aims to reduce the consumption of primary sources in the production process by reusing products, respectively by expanding the share of reused and recycled materials. The main means of achieving this is through increasing the efficiency and productivity of resource use and reducing the quantity of material disposed of. However, to be truly efficient, the circular economy needs industries and businesses to work on new business models that try to "do much with less"; to rethink services and products provided; and to find opportunities to extend the life of products, by improving the ecological design and by selecting materials.