A new European industry association has been launched. For the first time, producer responsibility organisations (PROs) from different product streams – including batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, textiles and others – have come together under one umbrella, the PRO Circularity Alliance. According to the founding members, the aim is to "strengthen the role of PROs in Europe’s circular economy and to ensure that extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes remain efficient, transparent and future-proof".
The founding members are three German organisations and companies, namely GRS Service GmbH, Stiftung GRS Batterien and Reclay Holding GmbH, represented by Julia Hobohm, Georgios Chryssos and Raffael Fruscio. Together, they want to establish "a strong collective voice for PROs at the European level and foster collaboration between organisations across waste streams". Ms Hobohm, the managing director of battery take-back system GRS Service, will serve as the association’s first president.
"For producer responsibility to work in practice, strong and effective producer responsibility organisations are essential. With the PRO Circularity Alliance, we are creating a platform that pools expertise, drives innovation, and ensures that the interests of PROs are represented in Brussels", Ms Hobohm said.
The creation of the Alliance comes against the backdrop of the growing importance of circular economy initiatives and resource efficiency in European policy. With a focus on the forthcoming European Circular Economy Act (CEA), the association intends to be an active participant in the political debate and to provide practical solutions for the implementation of EPR systems.
The PRO Circularity Alliance describes itself as an open network seeking dialogue with European industry associations, policymakers and stakeholders. It says its goal is "to develop common standards, unlock efficiency gains, and strengthen the contribution of PROs to a sustainable circular economy".
The Alliance’s official opening session will take place on 15 September 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany. Selected PROs from across Europe are to meet there to discuss the organisation’s objectives, governance structure and future work programme.
