Waste and circular economy

Towards a circular economy—an introduction

The two main aims behind the concept of a circular economy are minimising the generation of waste and maintaining the value of products and materials within the economy for as long as possible.

On 2 December 2015, the Commission adopted a Circular Economy Package to stimulate Europe's transition towards a circular economy. The package entailed a series of revisions to existing waste directives (including the Waste Framework and Packaging Waste Directives) made in 2018, together with supporting measures and guidance produced by the Commission.

On 11 March 2020, as part of the European Green Deal, the Commission adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan (2020 CEAP). The 2020 CEAP adjusted the primary focus of circular economy policy away from waste management and onto the entire life cycle of products. The plan targets how products are designed, promotes circular economy processes, encourages sustainable consumption, and aims to ensure that waste is prevented in the first instance and that resources are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible. For more detail on the 2020 CEAP and Practice Notes

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