About
Circular economy is about minimising waste generation and maintaining the economic value of products, materials and resources as long as possible. It can take several forms: from reducing the use of virgin resources and energy to redesigning products for better recycling, or cooperation between companies through an industrial symbiosis where one industry’s waste is another industry’s input.
European business is fully on board with the circular economy approach. It does so because it makes business sense, and because future consumption and production patters are so monumental that they cannot be managed in the way we organise these patterns today. Many businesses all over Europe have already embarked into more circularity or plan to do so.
What is the industry platform about?
The platform is a web tool managed by BusinessEurope and its national members that contributes to the EU’s agenda on circular economy. It continuously brings new examples of innovative ways in which industry, SMEs and other business add to the circular economy in Europe. At the same time, it highlights the regulatory and non-regulatory challenges these businesses still face to upscale their current initiatives or to start new ones. The platform is a unique bottom-up business-led hub of knowledge and expertise.
Why should your company engage?
- To showcase what your company is already doing on circular economy. By showing the extent to which business is already engaged into this transformation process, you will help make EU policy fit-for-purpose.
- To raise your concerns on barriers and obstacles. The analysis of common trends in barriers and obstacles that you and other companies face to become circular will help draw the attention of policymakers.
- To make your voice heard on upcoming EU policy initiatives. By gathering your “on the ground” practical experiences, BusinessEurope will be in a stronger position to advocate the business voice towards European institutions.
- To develop your network. The platform is a unique way for you to connect to other companies on circular economy, either by being contacted by others because of your expertise or by being able to see what is happening elsewhere.
- To access the EU / Brussels debate on circular economy. Based on what we receive from you and others, BusinessEurope intends as much as possible to organise events, consultations and promotion of the platform and its participating community.
The shift towards a fully circular economy will of course not happen overnight. For Europe, it requires involvement from all stakeholders in all sectors and EU member states. It requires that difficult conversations sometimes have to take place. In brief, it requires us to understand the challenges of the resource-intensive industries and the small and medium-sized enterprises.
By doing so, the industry platform aims to complement actions by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to make a success out of the initiatives set up, in particular the Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform and Finance Platform.
If you are a business and interested to submit your own circular economy example, please do so via our Submit page.
Cooperation
Cases in the textile and apparel sector are collected in cooperation with EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile industry Confederation