Circular Economy –

European Perspective

Environmental Services Training Group Local Authority Environmental Conference

Athlone, Ierland, 7th May 2015

M. Sponar European Commission DG ENV

Outline

Why do we need circular economy?

Previous package on circular economy Approach Main reactions Towards a new package

New package – approach taken The waste legislative proposal The other parts of the circle

Conclusions

VS

Concept

Why is it needed?

Estimated world population, 1950-2000, and projections: 2000-2050

(UN)

Growth of the World Economy

1950 20502010

Growing population

Resources prices

"Loss of valuable materials due to improper waste management"

Leakages

• Waste generation in decline • Strategy to combat food waste in place• Recycling/Reuse increased • Energy recovery limited to non-recyclable waste• Phasing out of landfilling (only for residual waste) • Focus on market-based instruments

implementationBy 2020, 'taking into account time derogations provided in existing

legislation'

Also: Raw material access, re-industrialization http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0014

7th EAP Objectives

First package adopted in July 2014 including:

a Communication Specific challenges Waste target review Enabling framework Resource efficiency target

a Legislative proposal on waste Answering to review clauses in 3 Directives by 2014 Implementing part of the 7th EAP

First package

Proposed targets

Better implementation

• Better data:• Improved definitions • Clarification on what counts as "recycling"• Single calculation method MSW after 2020• Third party verification of statistics • National electronic registries

• Dissemination of best practices:• Minimum conditions for EPR • Early Warning System

Between July 2014 and January 2015:•8 meetings with Working Parties at Council, 1 orientation debate•New Commission, new work program

•New revisited package on circular economy with a more ambitious approach

• Not focusing only on waste management • Less prescriptive• Better take into account the situation of each MS

First to second package

Challenge

Not enough on prevention and re-use Level of ambition

• Some targets considered as high by MS • Same targets, same deadlines for all MS -not enough

taking into account the situation into account

Technical problems • Definition of municipal waste • Reporting methods – what is effectively recycled? • Consensus on one method for Municipal waste but by

when?

Other issues • Producer responsibility – too detailed requirements • Early warning system – too prescriptive

Mais issues

Two main angles:

•Revised legislative proposal on waste •Additional initiatives to cover the "other part of the circle"

•DG ENV and DG GROW co leaders, SG as coordinator •At 'brainstorming' stage

Ongoing work

Areas for intervention

Focus on Products & Consumers

New proposal including additional efforts to:•Better cover re-use and prevention •Better take into account the starting position of the MS while keeping similar level of ambition •Ensure full implementation •Clarify some key concepts •Be less prescriptive

Additional initiatives on:•Mining and industrial waste•Incentivising secondary raw materials markets

Focus on waste

• Support from the European Structural and Investment Funds

• Full integration into the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)

• In addition, need to make it more attractive for private investors to contribute

Supporting measures

Next steps •Stakeholder consultation in the coming weeks •New package to be delivered by Autumn 2015

Key challenges •Priorities •Combination sectors/instruments •Indicators

Next steps & Challenges

Conclusions