The annual Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference is taking place in Brussels tomorrow and Thursday (6 and 7 March). Day 1, hosted by the European Commission and opened by First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Commissioner Karmenu Vella, and Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska (via a video message), will explore the Circular Economy Action Plan, taking stock of its implementation.
Circular Economy
All 54 measures under the plan launched in 2015 have now been delivered or are being implemented. The speakers at the conference will look at policies to capitalise on the current global momentum, broadening the debate to consider the circular economy as an enabler to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Timmermans, responsible for sustainable development, said: "Our planet and our economy cannot survive if we continue with the 'take, make, use and throw away' approach. We need to retain precious resources and fully exploit all the economic value within them. The circular economy is about reducing waste and protecting the environment, but it is also about a profound transformation of the way our entire economy works.
“It sets a credible and ambitious path for better waste management in Europe with supportive actions that cover the full product cycle. This mix of smart regulation and incentives at EU level will help businesses and consumers, as well as national and local authorities, to drive this transformation."
The day will conclude with an intervention by Vice-President Katainen looking ahead at 'what's next' for the circular economy.
The Commission also released the report, titled ‘A circular economy for plastics: Insights from research and innovation to inform policy and funding decisions’, which describes the current state of play of plastics in the economy, the relevant challenges and knowledge gaps, and policy recommendations and priorities for research and innovation in plastics, drawn up by experts and stakeholder groups.
In addition to further support ideas and projects reducing plastic waste and littering, this year’s edition of the Commission’s Social Innovation Competition focuses on challenging plastic waste.
The 2019 competition was launched on 28 February and applications are open until noon CET on 4 April. Three winning projects will each win €50,000.
