Circular economy

Why the EU supports circular economy research and innovation

Extracting, processing, producing and consuming materials and products is responsible for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe and a third globally. This creates an enormous environmental footprint.

Each year, we use 14 tonnes of materials per capita and generate 5 tonnes of waste in Europe. Less than 12% of this resource comes from recycling or recovery activities. 

The Green Deal is the EU’s policy response to the environmental degradation that comes with continued economic acceleration. It is about fundamentally changing how we see and use materials and moving quicker to a circular economy.

A circular economy means maintaining the economic value of materials and minimising their environmental impacts.

More about circular economy research and innovation

Research project improves strategies to accelerate circular economy adoption

A new framework analyses the transition to circular value chains for decision-makers and practitioners. Case studies span critical areas and sectors including textiles, plastics, construction, vehicles, electronics, furniture, road construction, and renewable energy. It is accompanied by a hands-on toolbox emphasising five key policy instruments driving the circular transition in critical areas and sectors and applicable across regional, national, and EU contexts.

This framework advances our understanding of resource efficiency and how to strengthen Europe’s economic resilience.

• Final Study: Understanding the transition to Circular Value Chains—governance and power insights across eight sectors
• Toolbox: Policy Instruments for Circular Value Chains—A practical resource for policymakers to develop and implement policy instruments driving the circular transition
• Report: Policy instruments for Circular Value Chains—A practical resource for policymakers to develop and implement policy instruments driving the circular transition

Circular Economy Indicators Tool

New set of indicators to measure circularity transition

Indicators are crucial to steer the circularity transition and assess the benefits and challenges of circular economy interventions.

A new Circular Economy Indicators tool is developed to map existing circular economy indicators and proposing new ones. The tool includes more than 700 indicators collated from different existing international and national sets as well as academic research. These indicators cover key circular economy sectors and value chains. Users can easily filter and sort out indicators according to their needs, circular economy strategies and/or levels of implementation. The tool is now publicly available here:

• Circular Economy Indicators Tool
• Final Study of the research project “New indicators measuring transition to circularity”
• Policy Brief of the research project “New indicators measuring transition to circularity”

Policy focus

• Circular cities and regions initiative