New Circular Economy Action Plan

Virginijus Sinkevičius, the designated new Commissioner for the Environment, provided some insights on the new Circular Economy Action Plan during his hearing before the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

Sinkevičius stated that he wants to “raise the profile of circularity” and referred to the huge potential that a circular economy offers for cutting down carbon emissions. The action plan that the new Commission is planning to release will focus on three major areas:

• examining the ways in which goods are produced and consumed within the European Union, focusing in particular on improving eco-design and facilitating reuse and repair;
• helping consumers to make informed choices;
• moving beyond recycling, so that waste should not only be reduced, but prevented completely in areas such as textiles and construction.

Meanwhile, the start of the new European Commission will be postponed as there are still three names missing as candidates for Commissioners. So far, there is no new date for the European Parliament’s confirmation vote, meaning that President-elect Ursula von der Leyen and her team will not take office before 1 December.