Preparations to advance EU waste legislation through a new Circular Economy Act are gaining momentum. At the start of July, the "Clean Industrial Stakeholder Dialogue on Circularity" was held in Brussels, bringing together key figures including Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Competition and a Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition; Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Industrial Policy; and Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall. They were joined by representatives from selected associations and organisations to discuss the future of circularity across EU industries.
"We need to seize the transition to a circular economy as an opportunity for Europe to lead in innovation, competitiveness and high environmental standards. As we shape the Circular Economy Act, we want input from businesses, citizens and other stakeholders to embed circularity across our society and economy," said Commissioner Roswall.
The European Commission has announced plans to launch a public consultation with key stakeholders in the near future. It also intends to issue a call for evidence – an open invitation to submit relevant information and data to help shape the legislative process.
On the same day, the Commission published an evaluation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. The findings of the Commission's review are to flow into the Circular Economy Act, which in addition to revising the WEEE Directive is also expected to include amendments to both the Landfill Directive and the Waste Framework Directive. Among other priorities, these changes are intended to strengthen systems of extended producer responsibility. The proposed amendments expected out in the fourth quarter of 2026. The file would then be referred to the European Parliament and the Council, which represents the member states, for their input.
The Commission also announced the publication of rules supplementing the EU Battery Regulation. A delegated Regulation – setting out the methodology for calculating and verifying rates for recycling efficiency and material recovery from waste batteries, along with the format for related documentation – was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Early in July, the Commission also published an implementing Regulation for the forthcoming Digital Waste Shipment System (Diwass), which is designed to digitise administrative procedures for cross-border waste shipments within the EU. It also launched a public consultation on the inclusion of additional wastes and waste mixtures in the "Green List" under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR).
In its statement on the stakeholder dialogue, the Commission underscored the importance of the circular economy in securing a stable supply of raw materials for European industry. It also emphasised that circular solutions are essential to achieving the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality target, potentially contributing between 20 and 25 percent of the required greenhouse gas emission reductions.
