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In the beginning of July 2025, the European Commission launched a couple of initiatives aimed at: a) accelerating the member states’ transition to circular economy, and b) preparing the ground in the member states for the adoption of the European Circular Economy Act, expected in 2026.
Background
As a rule, the circular economy enhances competitiveness and economic growth by promoting the reuse, recycling and remanufacturing of materials. Therefore, the forthcoming European Circular Economy Act is expected to support the EU-wide initiatives which are revealed, e.g. in the Competitiveness Compass and the Clean Industrial Deal aimed to double the share of recycled material in member states’ economies in order for the EU to become a global leader in circular economy by 2030.
The initiatives adopted today include the rules on waste shipments and an evaluation of electronic waste legislation. In addition, new rules to improve recycling efficiency and material recovery from waste batteries will be published in the next days. The dialogue will also kick off a public consultation with stakeholders and call for evidence to be launched soon. These new actions touch on different dimensions of the circular economy and will help to boost the transition and strengthen implementation of existing legislation.
However, the EU-wide manufacturing companies typically spend more than twice as much on materials as on labour or energy. Many EU businesses also rely on imports of critical materials from third countries, making them vulnerable to price volatility and supply shortages. Circular practices that promote resource efficiency, design, and recycling can reduce these risks while lowering costs. Moreover, circular solutions are vital to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as they can deliver 20-25% of the necessary greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_1710
Main initiatives: the concept
= Digitalisation and classification of waste shipments: the Commission will implement a Digital Waste Shipment System. This will enable companies to move from paper to digital procedures for shipping waste across the EU single market, reducing administrative burden and contributing to competitiveness. This will streamline cross-border shipments of waste within the EU, while protecting human health and the environment. From 21 May 2026, digital systems will fully replace paper procedures, simplifying operations, improving traceability, and curbing illegal shipments. By digitalising these procedures, waste will be recycled at the most efficient facilities available in the member states.
In parallel, the Commission launched a public consultation on harmonising the classification of certain waste types (so-called “green-listed” waste) to facilitate their shipments across borders. The consultation is accessible through the Commission’s “Have Your Say” portal until 31 October 2025.
= Evaluation of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. Already published evaluation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, WEEE is critical to address the growing challenges in e-waste management and to better align EU rules with the objectives of a competitive circular economy.
More in the WEEE’s consolidated version in: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02012L0019-20180704; as well as in the following Commission’s websites: = News item on evaluation of the WEEE Directive; = Staff Working Document on the evaluation of the WEEE Directive; = Executive summary on the evaluation of the WEEE Directive; = Support study for the evaluation of the WEEE Directive.
Some key gaps were identified in the mentioned evaluation, such as the fact that nearly 50% of all e-waste remains uncollected, and recycling falls short of collection targets in EU member states.
For example, the electronic waste is one of Europe’s fastest-growing waste streams, increasing by about 2% annually. There is a lot of potential to better make use of e-waste, for example by recovering and recycling critical raw materials and strengthening the circular economy.
The evaluation moreover highlights the need for a new approach to improve collection, treatment and market incentives, as well as helping to prepare the Commission’s proposal to revise the WEEE Directive; this revision will be a central component of the future Circular Economy Act.
Future steps
The Commission intends to adopt soon new rules to improve recycling efficiency and the recovery of materials from batteries; further consultation with stakeholders will be undertaken through a public consultation process.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy noted that the member states have to “seize the transition to a circular economy as an opportunity… to lead in innovation, competitiveness and in high environmental standards”. Thus, by “shaping the Circular Economy Act”, the Commission expects to get an input from businesses, citizens and other stakeholders to embed circularity across modern states’ political—economic systems.
More information on the issue in the Commission’s web-sites:
= News item on Digital Waste Shipment System; = Implementing Regulation on the digitalisation of waste shipments procedures; = Annex to the Implementing Regulation on the digitalisation of waste shipments procedures; = Public Consultation on classification of waste to facilitate their shipments for recycling in the EU; = Eurostat – Waste statistics – electrical and electronic equipment; = Clean Industrial Deal; = Competitiveness compass.