ACR+ position on the EU Circular Economy Act

Advancing the circular economy is imperative for Europe. Beyond its core benefit of waste and resource-use reduction, it is also a strategic lever to boost competitiveness, rejuvenate industrial capacity, and minimise import dependency. This is why ACR+ welcomes the European Commission’s commitment to introduce a Circular Economy Act by 2026.

Drawing upon more than 30 years of experience and lessons learned during EU-funded projects – as well as the expertise and practices of local and regional authorities across Europe – ACR+ is sharing its recommendations to ensure that the Circular Economy Act is an opportunity to make circularity a central pillar of EU competitiveness, climate action, and social progress.

This position paper outlines 26 recommendations to strengthen the EU’s circular transition, focusing on:

• Establishing a Circular Single Market with binding targets to increase circular material use and reduce residual waste;
• Leveraging public procurement to drive demand for sustainable and circular products;
• Reinforcing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to support prevention, repair, and reuse;
• Tackling Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) through stronger collection, treatment, and recovery of critical raw materials;
• Creating a more circular built environment via sustainable (de)construction practices;
• Advancing circularity in food and organic material systems, supporting the circular bioeconomy and tackling waste;
• Ensuring that the circular economy benefits all citizens and regions, creating fair and high-quality jobs across Europe.
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